Jesus boldly proclaimed: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:19). To the disciples he explains that this is true because He is in the Father and the Father is in Him. Jesus also says that to acknowledge this is a matter of faith. The religious mob, that is, those who live by appearances and not faith, found it both appalling and blasphemous when Jesus likened Himself with God.
When John in 1 John 4:8 says that God is love we are inclined to believe him despite the seeming darkness which surrounds us. A question which is reasonable to ask in this context is; what is love? Since Jesus was the image of God and God is love it becomes quite clear that the most powerful display of love ever was the crucifixion.
Love in its purest form is love for others. The cross is God’s heart displayed for all to see. His love for others in such a driving force in everything He undertakes that it casts out every fear in the recipients and establish a secure ground on which we can relate to our heavenly Father. When His love is for us - we have established this is love that sacrifices itself for others - what can then separate us from Him? His love will perpetually seek our best, but most of all it will seek our hearts, because this is His heart’s passion manifested in Christ. His desire to join His heart with His precious children is like an irresistible flood. Nothing can prevent it from attaining its eternal purposes.
Why could Jesus exclaim that those who had seen Him had seen the Father? The child who was conceived by Mary was from the Holy Spirit. Jesus was born of God. He was the firstborn and foremost of many sons. Every Christian is born again by the Spirit, and thus a son. The Father is not ashamed of his sons, because He doesn’t appreciate the appearances which have a tendency to lie heavy upon them. He only sees our new spirit reality, which also is our original true origin.
In Him the invisible God is made visible again; in order that every one may recognise their true origin in Him, He is the firstborn of every creature. (In Him we clearly see the mirror reflection of our original image and likeness.) (Col 1:15 – Mirror)
Christ is formed in us when we renounce self-effort and self-reliance, that is, the law (Gal 4:19) and embrace His grace, which is Christ. His love is manifested in us with increasingly intensity as we are transformed from glory to glory until we one day find that we also are willing to sacrifice life itself for the benefit of others knowing beyond any doubts that there is a new body and an eternity in His presence awaiting.
By faith we can say: "Whoever has seen me has seen Christ." Simply because we are in Him and He is in us.
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