THE EXPRESS IMAGE OF GOD’S PERSON
“No man has ever yet seen God; God the Only Son, who is ever with the Father–He has revealed him.” (John 1:18 TCNT).
Every creation of God is undoubtedly a witness for God. God’s creation testifies to God’s existence, wisdom, glory, majesty and power.
Psalms 19:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. (NKJV).
Romans 1:
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (NKJV).
Anyone who looks at the creation of God and still come to a conclusion that there is no God is nothing but a complete fool.
Psalms 14:
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. (NKJV).
The American Heritage Dictionary defines “a witness” as “one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced; one who furnishes evidence.”
While it is true that everything God has made is a witness for God, however, in their present state, none of the creation is a perfect witness for God. Why?
The disobedience and consequent fall of the first man, Adam, did not only result in the corruption of the entire human race but also in the corruption of the entire creation of God!
Therefore, no creation in its present fallen state is perfectly reflecting God’s true glory, nature, person or character.
Paul clearly states this truth in his epistle to the Romans.
Romans 8:
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;
21 because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. (NKJV).
None of the saints, patriarchs and prophets of old could be regarded as a perfect witness for God, or as an express image of God’s person. None of them was an exact representation of God’s person, nature and character.
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Though the prophets of old were God’s messengers, yet their character was not a complete reflection of God’s character.
This is why the Lord Jesus sharply rebuked His disciples when they sought for His permission to command fire to come down from heaven, like Prophet Elijah did, to consume the Samaritans who rejected Jesus.
Elijah was a renowned prophet or messenger of God. He was very popular for calling down fire from heaven to consume his adversaries. However, Jesus would not allow His disciples to call down fire to consume people as Elijah did.
Luke 9:
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him.
53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.
54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.
56 “For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village. (NKJV).
The disciples of Jesus had thought that Elijah was expressing God’s true character in calling down fire to consume the soldiers that were sent to arrest him (2 Kings 1:9-15).
But Jesus rebuked them, thereby showing that Elijah’s action was not a perfect reflection of God’s true character. Sadly, many ignorant ministers and believers today are still modelling their lives and ministries after Elijah.
Similarly, the Mosaic Law was not a perfect witness for God or a perfect representation of God’s person though it clearly revealed God’s moral standards and God’s displeasure against sins.
The Lord Jesus revealed that the Mosaic Law was not the very expression of God’s person, nature or character by stopping the Jews from executing the verdict of the law on the woman who was caught in the act of adultery.
John 8:
3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.
5 “Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” (NKJV).
While the law pronounces death upon sinners, Jesus freely and abundantly offers mercy, forgiveness and eternal life to sinners who turn to Him and put their faith in Him for salvation.
While the law spoke condemnation and death to the woman, Jesus spoke justification and life. Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11 NKJV).
Apparently, Jesus did not condone or approve of her sin. But Jesus’ action in this case clearly revealed God’s heart. It showed that God loves sinners and takes no delight in the death of any sinner (1 John 3:16-17, 1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Pet. 3:9).
The Scripture amply attests to the truth that only the Lord Jesus Christ was the perfect witness of God the Father in the world. No one knew God’s heart as Jesus did, for He was with God from the beginning (John 1:1-3).
John writes, “No man has ever yet seen God; God the Only Son, who is ever with the Father–He has revealed him.” (John 1:18 TCNT).
The Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9 NKJV).
It is only Jesus’ testimony or revelation of God that is absolutely complete and perfect!
Jesus Christ was the only person who ever lived in the world whose thoughts, words, actions, conduct or character completely revealed God’s person, nature or character to us.
The Mosaic Law did not perfectly express God’s person, nature, love, or character; neither did any of the patriarchs nor prophets of old.
No creation will ever reveal God’s perfect person, nature or character like Jesus Christ did when He came into the world.
The Scripture affirms this truth.
Hebrews 1:
1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;
3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (NKJV).
Beloved, whatever anyone says, teaches or reveals about God must be examined and judged in the light of what the Lord Jesus has said, taught, or revealed about God; for He alone is the perfect witness of God. His teaching about everything is God’s perfect mind revealed to us.
Only Jesus Christ is “the radiance of the Glory of God and the very expression of his Being.” (Heb. 1:3 TCNT).
Therefore, it is only Jesus’ revelation, testimony, or teaching that is completely or absolutely true, right, just, or perfect.
Therefore, God has commanded all to listen to Jesus Christ, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Matt. 17:5 RSV).
Friend, are you listening to Jesus Christ – the perfect witness of the Father?
Prayer: My Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to reveal Your true heart, nature or character to me. I receive and believe the testimony of Christ above that of anyone else, in Jesus’ name. Amen.