The Father Revealed

Next Part Duality of the Godhead in Old and New Testament

As we have seen, the Old Testament shows that there is more than one Being in the God Family. However, this was not clearly understood until New Testament times, when Christ revealed it. We read, “He that has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9) and, things are delivered unto Me of My Father: and no man knows the Son, but the Father; neither knows any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27).

It would be impossible for human beings to have a relationship with the Father if Christ had not revealed Him. In essence, one must go through Christ to access the Father.

Thus, as our High Priest, “…He [Christ] entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Heb. 9:12). As Isaiah 59:2 shows, “…your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you.” If Christ had not “tasted death for every man” (Heb. 2:9), you and I would not have an opportunity for salvation. It was His sacrifice that allowed mankind access to the Father and, in turn, the Holy Spirit.

Conversely, no one can have a relationship with Christ without being first “drawn” by the Father. Notice: “No man can come to Me, except the Father which has sent Me draw him…Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of My Father” (John 6:44, 65).

In previous chapters, we have seen that one person must always take the lead for anything to be accomplished. Of course, God understands this. The relationship between the Father and Christ also demonstrates this. The Father—as in a human family—is the Head, with Jesus Christ second. The Father makes the decisions—no doubt through much planning with Christ—and Christ puts them into action. This is why it is the Father who draws one to Christ. It is the Father’s decision to work with a human being, and then Christ effectively “takes over” and works within the person.

Notice: “Make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory forever and ever” (Heb. 13:21).

Finally, Christ also said, in John 17:11, “Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” If there were only one member of the Godhead, the Christian conversion process could never be complete. The Father and Christ work together “in bringing many sons unto glory” (Heb. 2:10), as the next chapter will make plain.

Was Christ a Stumbling Block?

Not understanding that the one who would be the Messiah would come twice, the Jews of Christ’s day rejected His message. They could not accept that the mere son of a carpenter could be the prophesied Messiah (Mark 6:3-4; Matt. 13:55-57; Rom. 9:33; I Pet. 2:7-8). They were seeking a conquering king who would liberate them from Rome. They were looking for a physical deliverer, not a spiritual Saviour. Jesus presented a problem for the Jewish religious authorities. They could not see that He had fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, even though they were responsible for painstakingly copying by hand for centuries the Old Testament scriptures that foretold His First Coming.

Isaiah 8:13-14 contains a prophecy about One referred to as the “Lord of hosts.” Notice: “Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread. And He shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel…and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

The New Testament proves that this prophecy is a direct reference to Christ. Notice I Peter 2:6-8: “Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on Him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: where unto also they were appointed.”

Steeped in Orthodox Jewish teachings of the time, it was nearly impossible for the Jews of Christ’s time to recognize Him for who He really was. Under the oppression of the Romans, the Jews hoped that the coming Messiah would be like the Judges of the Old Testament era—freeing them from oppression.

Even Christ’s disciples did not fully understand His role and purpose, although they had been with Him for three and a half years and had seen Him after His Resurrection: “Lord, will You at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). Certain points were lost on them.

The Jews’ solution to the dilemma posed by Christ’s First Coming was to simply reject Him, reject His message and conspire to have Him crucified! Even present-day Orthodox Jews refuse to accept Christ as the prophesied Messiah. As Paul showed in Romans 9 through 11, they are as spiritually blind as Christ’s contemporaries, who found it inconceivable that God could become a flesh-and-blood man.

But the undeniable truth from the Bible is that Christ is a member of the Godhead, who emptied Himself of His power and rule and offered Himself as the sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Notice Philippians 2:7-8: “But [Christ] made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Christ’s sacrifice makes possible the forgiveness of sin, access to God the Father and, ultimately, allows human beings to fulfil their absolutely incredible potential!