"That we might know Thee" John 17:3

I recently heard a missionary story of a boy who got malaria. The widowed mother had already lost her husband to the same terrible fever. She was given instructions by the witch doctor, of how to get her son well. The prescriptions included building a fire on the boy's chest, beating him, forcing him to swallow terrible mixtures, and finally required knocking out all of the boy's teeth. For all of this the witch doctor was paid richly. The widow's water buffalo, her only means of plowing and earning a living; her last bit of rice, even a beam holding up her house had to be removed to pay the “doctor’s” bill.

Perhaps we don't do the things mentioned above, but still our lives are shaped by our beliefs about God. Who is God? What is He like? How can we know Him?

Christ Revealed the Personality and Character of the Father

Moses “spoke face to face” with God, yet even he was not allowed to see the glory of the face of the divine person, but only the “back parts.” Others have seen His hair, hands, feet, and form, but since sin entered the world and brought about a separation between man and his Creator, no man has ever been able to penetrate the surpassing glory of the face of God. (John 1:18) For this reason Christ, the Light of the world, veiled the dazzling splendor of His divinity and came to live as a man among men. He did so that men might become acquainted with their Creator. He who is in the “express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3) is our “one mediator between God and man.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

“I and My Father are one,” Christ declared. “No man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.” (John 10:30; Matthew 11:27)

Christ came to teach human beings what God desires them to know about Himself. In the heavens above, in the earth, in the broad waters of the ocean, we see the handiwork of God. All created things testify to His power, His wisdom and His love. But God saw that a clearer revelation was needed to portray both His personality and His character. He sent His Son into the world to reveal, so far as could be endured by human sight, the nature and the attributes of the invisible God. “That they might know thee.” (John 17:3)

Christ’s identity was preserved in His humanity. In the gift of Christ, a channel of communication was opened, between God and us. When Christ laid down His divine form, His power and His glory and became a helpless babe in Bethlehem, did He lose His identity? Did He cease being the divine Son of God? No! He was “Immanuel,” God with us. He said, “if you've seen me, you've seen the Father.” He was still the divine Son of God, bearing the express image of His Father's character, even though He had divested Himself of His divine form, which was in the express image of His Father's person.

Thus when we see Christ, who of Himself “can do nothing” (John 5:30) in the varied circumstances, trials, and temptations, “that are common to man”?(1 Corinthians 10:13), we are seeing the mind of the Father. When He was being tempted in the wilderness and would rather die than commit sin we are seeing the abhorrence with which God views sin. When He was nailed to the cross, and prayed, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” or when we see Him telling Mary Magdalene, “Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more,” we are seeing the forgiving heart of God. He spoke and acted just as His Father would have.?

…but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him. John 8:26.

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. John 8:28.

When we see His life, one of constant self denial, hardly stopping to eat or rest, constantly healing the afflicted and speaking encouraging words, we are seeing the loving, self-sacrificing heart of God.

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.” John 5:19-20.

We are seeing the orderly mind of God when Christ, paying attention to details, folded with His own hand His grave clothes before leaving the tomb. And we see the compassion of God when Christ ministered to the physical wants of the people in feeding the 5,000, and when He thought of the emotional needs of His mother at the cross.

In all of this we are seeing the great heart of God. When having such a close personal friendship with John who leaned on His breast, or when being so humble as to wash His disciples feet, calling them "friends" (John 15:15), in all of this we are seeing the personal, friendly, humble ministering traits of our Father. We are seeing just what the Father would do in the same situation.

In the life of Christ we see the character of God manifested in the very same circumstances we are placed in, with the very same capabilities and liabilities. It is thus that we can get to know Him intimately. Only by studying the life of Christ, can we know the heart of God. And it is by contemplating and appreciating His character, that we are transformed into the same image.

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:1-3.

When we truly have this fellowship with our Father and His Son, we will come to love him with all our hearts, love Him for what He is and who He is. And we will become like Him.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2.

Then we shall receive answers to our prayers, and we will know that they are heard. Then we shall understand how His going forth is prepared as the morning.

And thus we will find the truthfulness of Christ's words,

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:3.

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