The Ancient Word...

In this series, we've seen that "eternal life," or "age life" (aionios zoe), has already begun, though it has not yet come in its fullness. "Age life" means living under the Kingdom of God or the lordship of Christ. It involves knowing God -- that is, having the experiential knowledge (ginosko) of God that comes from a personal relationship with Him.

"Age life" also involves seeing God.

Christians look forward to that glorious day when, at long last, we will see God face-to-face. John refers to this aspect of "age life" in his first epistle:

Dear friends, now we are the children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him just as he is. (1 John 3:2, NIV; compare John 1:50-51)

In a very real sense, however, the future is now: The world has already seen God face-to-face when He became incarnate in the man Jesus Christ. Jesus told his disciples,

"If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him."

Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

Jesus answered, "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:7-9a)

Unlike Jews of the Old Testament era, we Christians do not proclaim something the world has never experienced -- that we will someday see God. Instead, we Christians proclaim the wonderful truth that we have already seen God when He "became flesh and made His dwelling among us" (John 1:14). In the person of Christ, God has already been "seen" and "heard" and "touched" by human hands (see 1 John 1:1-4).

No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made Him known. (John 1:18)

... for Today

Jeff often reacted to his wife with a quick temper and harsh words. He didn't like it, and he wanted to change. Then one day, while describing his disappointment to some friends, the lights went on. He'd become his father's son.

Jeff treated his wife just as his father had treated his mother. He had become what he had seen over many years.

We innately imitate what we see. Visual stimulation shapes us powerfully, often without our immediate awareness.

No wonder, then, that Jesus called his disciples to "Come, follow me." He did not invite them to complete a correspondence course or to gather into a self-help group for in-depth study. Instead, he planned to walk with them, bump shoulders, share experiences, sweat under the hot sun, face challenges, and encounter opposition with them. And, in each instance, his disciples would see his actions and his reactions.

They would watch him. And what they saw, they would one day -- hopefully -- become.

Eternal life involves learning about God and knowing God experientially. It also means "seeing" God, so that we become increasingly like Him.

A changed life provides the greatest evidence that we've seen Jesus. Indeed, we can't see him and not be changed. Consequently, the writer to the Hebrews urges us to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith," and to "consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:2, 3).

We grow courageous and resilient by looking to Jesus. We also grow in grace and love.

Like Jeff, our actions and reactions indicate what we've spent much time seeing. It might be time for an optical check-up, as we seek to embrace eternal life ("age life") more heartily.

Discuss...

1. If it's true that we become what we see, then consider some of the wider implications.
   
2. How can we "see" Christ with greater clarity here and now?

Chris Davis, PhD & David Timms, PhD
Hope International University
Fullerton, California

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