To have access to the Presence and Face of God, to know as we are known

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (I Corinthians 13:10,12)

One of the most difficult aspects of the Christian discipleship is that we are required to endure "as seeing him who is invisible." We walk by faith and not by sight. It is easy to fall into the snare of basing our decisions and joys on what we can see.

One of the hottest flames of our tribulations and trials is the fact that we cannot understand what God is doing and that we do not know when (or if) our pain will ever cease.

If only we could see God! If only He would speak to us and we could know for certain what His will is! But we have to keep plodding along in faith most of the time, basing our life on the written Word. Here is where the saints are fashioned.

One day we shall see the Lord face to face. Think of it! This will not take place when we die but when that which is perfect has come. That which is perfect is the coming of the Father and the Son to dwell in us (John 14:23).

We find in the Book of Revelation one of the most incomprehensible of all the verses of Scripture. It tells us that we shall behold the Face of the Father:

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. (Revelation 22:4)

In that Day we shall be pure in heart, for only the pure in heart can see God.

To behold the Face of the Father is a privilege and a glory so far beyond anything we can imagine that we only can speculate on it. We are not ready when we die to gaze on the Face of the Almighty. It is likely also when Jesus returns and we are resurrected and caught up to meet Him, we still shall not be spiritually strong or pure enough to gaze on the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

After we have worked with the Lord Jesus for a thousand years, assisting in the rulership of the nations of the earth, it may be possible we then shall have been transformed in personality to such an extent we are able to see the Face of Him who is the Source of everything.

We would not dare to think for one moment of such a holy privilege were it not for the fact the Spirit of Christ revealed this to the Apostle John.

There are many dimensions of our salvation. To see the Face of the Father truly is beyond our ability to comprehend in the present stage of our development as sons of God.

To inherit all the works of God’s hands, to be God’s sons, and to know God and see God, are the rewards for serving Christ faithfully in this world.

We know from the Scripture that we shall behold Jesus as He is, in the Day of His appearing. We understand also to see Jesus as He is requires a change of us into His image.

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

The Apostle John knew Jesus as well as did any of the other Apostles. But when John beheld Jesus on the Isle of Patmos he was overcome. We cannot see Jesus as He is while we still are in our flesh-and-blood mortality. We must be changed before we can see the Lord.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. (Matthew 5:8)

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)

Today we are being prepared to dwell in the Presence of God Almighty. Only the righteous can exist in the Presence of the Lord. Apart from holiness, no individual ever will be able to abide in God’s Presence.

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall be sure. Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. (Isaiah 33:14-17)

The Christian churches of our day are ignorant of the Kingdom principle set forth in Isaiah 33:14-17. They believe they will "see the king in his beauty" while they still are living in their sins and self-seeking. They think they will be caught up in their sins and self-centeredness to walk merrily with the Lord Jesus. They have a false image of Jesus.

The believers have been taught to envision Jesus as a kind of Santa Claus who one day will come and bring them to a land of toys. The truth is, the Lord Jesus Christ is a blazing Furnace. His Presence consumes all sin and self-seeking.

Jesus died for our sins. He expects us to receive the atonement He has made for us and then to take up our cross and follow Him each day. He expects us to lay down our lives, to hate this world system, and to live as strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Christ expects us to be His bondslaves.

Jesus told us if we do not hate our lives, setting aside all our interests for His sake and the Gospel’s, we are not worthy of Him.

Life in this world is finished for the true saint. The saint lives for the Day when His Lord will appear. The true saint experiences much tribulation in this world as the Lord burns away that which cannot survive the Presence of God. It is a painful stripping. But the end of the burning is the peaceable fruit of righteousness.

By the grace of God working through the blood of Jesus, the prayer of the sinner goes past the holy veil and approaches the throne of Holiness. There the sinner obtains the Divine power and virtue to enable him to put aside the things of Satan. The sinner himself cannot dwell in the Presence of God unless he comes out from the world, by the grace of God, and does not touch what is unclean (II Corinthians 6:17).

It is difficult for us to keep ourselves from being corrupted by the wicked one, but we can do so through the grace of God in Christ. When Jesus appears the strife will be over. Then we can dwell in the Presence of God in love and holiness. This wonderful liberty will be given us in that Day provided we have fought the good fight of faith during our pilgrimage on the earth.

Back to When a Christian Dies