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Answer
First John 4:12 states, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” The same claim that no one has ever seen God can be found in other parts of Scripture, such as John 1:18. However, what does this declaration signify, especially in the context of Moses, Gideon, and others who appear to have seen God?
Scripture asserts that no one has seen God because God is a spiritual being, and our eyes are limited to perceiving only physical, material objects—and even that has limitations. God is invisible. Just as we cannot see the wind, we cannot see God.
Moreover, it is crucial to differentiate between what is possible and what is reasonable. While anything is possible within the realm of possibilities, is it reasonable to expect created beings to be able to see the Creator of the universe? When we consider the existence of the spiritual realm, it becomes evident why the notion of seeing God with our limited human eyes is impossible.
So, the skeptic may ask, how can we ever come to know God if we can’t see Him? In response, we affirm that God took the initiative to meet us in the person of Jesus. Therefore, if we seek to know God, we should look to Jesus. John 1:18 affirms, “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (NLT). The author of Hebrews also confirms this by stating, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2). Not only did Jesus redeem us from our sins, but He also made God visible (and approachable) to us.
What about passages in the Old Testament that seem to imply peopleMet God and even wrestled with Him? For instance, Exodus 33 mentions that Moses couldn’t see God (verse 20) but also documents that “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (verse 11). The phrase “face to face” appears to be more of a metaphor, highlighting the closeness between God and Moses. Alternatively, it is possible that Moses witnessed a theophany—a visible representation of God. Other potential theophanies in the Old Testament include Jacob’s wrestling match (Genesis 32:22-30), Abraham’s dialogue with God near Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:1-33), the visitation of an angel to Samson’s parents (Judges 13:1-23), and the angel who communicated with Gideon (Judges 6).
Hence, although no one has ever gazed upon God in His essence, He has revealed Himself on numerous occasions in human form and conversed with His people. These theophanies in the Old Testament prefigure the Incarnation, where God the Son takes on human form.
After John asserts that no one has ever seen God, he goes on to say, “But if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.” The love exhibited by Christians mirrors God’s love. While we may not physically see God, when we demonstrate love, we are aware that God resides within us. Christian love acts as tangible proof of God and the gospel.
