Had You Known Me

For centuries, many in the church have come to know God, that is, His will, nature, character, purpose and plan in a very non-biblical fashion. Many believers today also misunderstand or have a limited knowledge of God in this way, therefore, they miss out on the wonderful promises and manifestation of His Kingdom, Power and Glory that come through Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews records, "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 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; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person (nature)..." (Hebrews 1:1-3) 

In and throughout the Old Testament, God used various methods in communicating his will, nature, character, purpose and plan to humanity. At times it was by direct communication and at times by dreams and visions. He did this mostly through the prophets. Although the prophets, were in a sense, great in God, the day came when God sent His only begotten Son into the world where He spoke to us in a way that brought the greatest revelation of His will, nature, character, purpose and plan. The writer goes on to say, that God's Son was the "brightness of His glory and the express image of His person." In other words, when Jesus was revealed in the flesh He was the "exact representation" of Father God's "nature."

The Greek word translated "exact representation" finds its origin in the making of coins by striking them, thus creating an impression upon them. This word can be translated as coined impression or
exact reproduction. The Greek word translated "nature" can be translated as real substance or essence. In other words, what these opening verses in Hebrews are telling us, is, that Jesus Christ is the exact representation, the coined impression, the exact reproduction of the nature, character, real substance, and essence of the Father. No one had ever revealed the Father so perfectly in every way until Jesus. This is one of the most important things that believer must fully understand if we want to know the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God.

The Gospel of John expresses this fundamental, but most important truth concerning Jesus more often than any other book. The truth presented by the writer of Hebrews and, as we will see revealed by the Apostle John in his Gospel, can be easily taken for granted because at first glance it seems so apparent. Because it is so apparent, so obvious, it can be easily underestimated in significance. However, overlooking and underestimating the significance of this truth continues to be the main reason why so many believers have such a non-biblical perspective of God, in regard to His will, nature, character, purpose and plan, that is, who He truly and really is. We begin with the conversation that Jesus has with the eleven apostles (Judas Iscariot having left them to go and betray Jesus). Although the eleven are present, Jesus' conversation is directed towards Thomas and Philip.

"Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." (John 14:6-7) Jesus tells them that He is "the way, the truth and the life." Jesus is the only access to the Father and He is the source of Truth and life. There is hardly a believer anywhere that would object to these rather obvious truths. He goes on, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." Notice that Jesus says, "if you had known Me, you would have known My Father also." In other words, to know Christ is to know the Father.  The word "known" in this passage, by definition, carries the same meaning as, "Now Adam "knew" Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain..." (Genesis 4:1) It is to have an intimate relationship, and intimate connection with Jesus as a man with his wife. 

Studying the life of Jesus will reveal the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father. If believers fail to believe that Jesus knows and reveals the Father in this way in all matters, their knowledge of God will be filled with misconceptions of who He truly is. Mysteries that were once hidden in the Old Testament, are now revealed in Jesus, through His words and actions. The conversation continues, "Philip said to Jesus, Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us. Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works." (John 14:8-10)

This conversation reveals some important truths. Jesus tells Philip that when He is seen, the Father is also seen. Every word and every action of Jesus reveals the will of the Father. Jesus also reveals the special nature of the relationship between Himself and the Father. The fact is, Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus. The Father in Jesus gives Him the words to speak. The implication is that the teaching and commands of Jesus reveals the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Jesus gives credit to the Father for His works. The miracles and healing in the life of Jesus were expressions of the divine purpose of the Father. Finally, in this conversation, Jesus reveals what this special relationship between Him and His Father will mean to His disciples in the future, if believers want to do the same kind of works. Jesus continues...

"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." (John 14:11-14) Faith in Jesus includes believing that He was and is in the Father. This phrase is of great importance. In context of these verses, Jesus has been teaching the importance of believing that He has been revealing the Father. In fact, Jesus commands His followers to believe that very thing. If believers fail to believe that Jesus reveals the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father, they will find that faith will be difficult for many of the things that Jesus did for humanity through His death, resurrection and glorification. They will also fail to understand and walk out in this life, the fact that Jesus calls upon all believers to replicate His ministry and do even greater things.

This great promise, "the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do" is conditioned on the earlier statement that believers must believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Him. That Jesus is an exact reproduction of the Father revealing the Father's perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan in all matters. Believers must believe that the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father was finding absolute perfect expression in the actions, attitudes, teaching and commands of Jesus. Now that Jesus has gone to be with the Father, the will, nature, character, purpose and plan of the Father can now be expressed through believers empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

We can now draw this important conclusion from what has been revealed in the above. Believing that God the Father was in Jesus expressing His perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan through everything that Jesus said and did, has opened the door for believers to do similar and even greater works than Jesus. While many believes would be quick to agree with these things, if they fail to grasp the significance of this highly important matter discussed here, they will fail to experience the miraculous works that Jesus promised those who believe, would do. Simply put, this is not a matter of the intellect, but of revelation. Without seeking God for a revelation of these things, we will see Christianity as no more than any other powerless world religion. We will continue to develop doctrinal disclaimers that disagree with the perfect will, nature, character, purpose and plan of God and possibly never come to see God as who He really is. 

So, let us be as Abraham, "Who did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform." (Romans 4:20-21) Amen?