In some excerpts, it's said that god can be seen. In other's he apparently can not be seen. Are his followers trying to screw our heads open or are they autistic!?! Or is the bible merely a creation of some clearly imperfect people...
Exod. 24:9,10; Amos 9:1; Gen. 26:2; and John 14:9
God CAN be seen:
"And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my backparts." (Ex. 33:23)
"And the Lord spake to Moses face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend." (Ex. 33:11)
"For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Gen. 32:30)
God CANNOT be seen:
"No man hath seen God at any time." (John 1:18)
"And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me and live." (Ex. 33:20)
"Whom no man hath seen nor can see." (1 Tim. 6:16)
2007-01-31 12:45:54 · 41 answers · asked by 2 days after my B day :) 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Nope, no contradiction.
I am that I am or I will be what I will be.
God cannot be seen but will manifest Himself any way He chooses.
2007-01-31 12:51:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 6⤋
You only found one? Wow you should be able to find a lot more than that. I'm a devout Christian and I can find a lot more and I even believe the Bible is the true and accurate Word of God.
It explains that Moses had a special dispensation so that Moses could see God and live when God spoke to Moses at the burning bush. Moses was chosen to bring God's law to Israel.
John1:18 if referring to Jesus, Jesus is saying to people who asked to show them the Father that God is standing right there right now in front of them at that very moment. Jesus is God and they don't recognize Him.
Ex 3:20, I already explained that earlier God gave Moses a special dispensation at the burning bush.
1 Tim 6:16 is not talking about the ability to see God at all. He is saying most Christians are people who have not seen God in person but by faith and because of this faith they are certain He exists.
By the way, if you are expecting Christains to try to argue people into Heaven by asking silly questions, you are going to be disappointed. Faith is a gift from God and faith is the "sense" that allows us to apprehend God, just as hearing is the sense that allows us to apprehend sound.
Ultimately whether you believe in God is between you and God and you and God alone. Arguing with us will do you no good whatsoever.
2007-01-31 13:01:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Different person, different experience. True, God may have said, "No one shall see me and live" but how about giving special privelege to Moses? and then the rest were not given the same privelege? The contradiction will only occur when the same person said those contradictions. It is just like your truth that may not be my truth. Do not just look for contradiction to have something to say against.
Honestly, there are contradictions. Read the NT and look on what Jesus said personally as the reason for his coming and what he really brings for himself and then read what his apostles are saying about Him. Those are extremely contradicting because great part of the New Testaments were edited as part of the greatest deception. Study it well and you will find that the beast with numbers 666 had already been established. If you think you are that good to find the truth, I salute you.
2007-01-31 13:30:42 · answer #3 · answered by Rallie Florencio C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are right...God CANNOT be seen. His Glory, power and might are that which would kill any man who laid eyes upon him.
In the Bible, when Moses went unto the mountain God answered him by saying, "Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish."
When we are in the spirit, which will be when we pass from this world, can then see God. But until then we cannot.
The people where not even allowed to touch Mt. Sinai, where God was, or they would die. When God said, And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my backpart, what God meant was that Moses would be allowed to see God's Glory and nothing else. When Moses said he had seen God's face, he used that to describe God's Glory...his essence; but no mortal man has seen the face of God and will not until that time God takes us to live with him. When He went down the mountain, which was still up high, He appeared as fire and smoke. His power and His Glory are forever.
2007-01-31 13:05:56 · answer #4 · answered by chole_24 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
First only the Holy got to see the face of God. Moses in saw Gods glory in the burning bush and God said Take your sandals off for this is HOLY ground.
When Moses went to the the mountain top he went for 40 days I believe that for a period of time during the 40 days there was a time of cleansing.
How many people now a days do you know who are as holy as Moses was??
2007-01-31 13:50:15 · answer #5 · answered by Commander 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I see what you are saying and have asked the same question. The only way for the Old Testament to make sense all the way through and to coincide with the New Testament is to read it allegorically. I would then say that the scriptures in the old testament are meant to be taken as allegory such that the person being described here is not a physical man but a story that represents our spiritual side and our spiritual awakening. The scripture in the New Testament is meant to try our hearts and test our knowledge. It is no accident, and the bible is genuinely meant to be a TWO edged sword even as DOUBLE SIDED as to separate our soul and spirit if read incorrectly or foolishly. Such the fool to his folly, if one is not very careful with the word of God (if handled incorrectly it kills). It is most definitely meant to be contradictory on the surface, to make us interested ones to look deeper for the truth. To think it a stupid mistake by the compilers of the bible, only shows our lack of respect for writers and our ancestors, it would be foolish to think in this manner. Take is as a hint to look deeper, or I suppose to throw the whole thing out if you please.
Heb.4
[12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
2Cor.3
[6] Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
Gal.4
[24] Which things are an allegory.........
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I want to add that the new testament should also be considered as allegory. A man still alive as a man (not yet dieing within himself as to let Christ live through him, the new testament talks about how a man is to die (not literally) as to let Christ or God live through him) and not yet "dead" . These men that are still alive for themselves and not for God cannot see God. See 1Corinthian Chap 15. This chapter explains the process how a seed has to die within itself to let itself be quickened (Christ like). This can explain why a "man" cannot live and see God. To say in another way, a carnal man is alive carnally but dead spiritually, a man alive spiritually, must be dead, dead carnally, hence he is dead (carnally) so he can see God.
2007-01-31 13:13:41 · answer #6 · answered by Sand 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The rest of John 1:18 you neglected to quote answers your question. All of your question and shows your "contradiction" to be in error.. Jim
John 1:18
"No man hath seen God at any time;" and the part you ignored. "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."
2007-01-31 14:27:32 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No one has seen the face of God in this life. He has revealed Himself in a cloud, or behind a veil. He has shown his back to Moses and various forms of His Spirit to Isaiah and to Elijah, Ezekiel and others. The face of God is saved for the glorious moment when you arrive acceptable at His Throne to enter the Kingdom forever. But Jesus said, if you see Me you see the Father. And very few saw Jesus, in His Glory revealed. He was shown as transfigured on the mountaintop to Peter, James and John, but they all saw Him risen from the dead. John saw Him in his God-form in heaven as an ancient. The study of the Church has shown very clear testimony by many saints and scholars who speak much more eloquently on this topic than myself. Go to the link below to find out more. This is called the Beatific Vision.
2007-01-31 13:00:35 · answer #8 · answered by QueryJ 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
All the ones saying that God can be seen that you mentioned are talking about moses, and it's kind of hard to get cuz no one can really see God, but it's said about Moses that he talked to God "face to face" but it's not the kind of thing that anyone else can do, and that's what the otehr passages are referring to.
2007-01-31 13:22:45 · answer #9 · answered by way2kewl4u1224 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Moses did not see God face to face. If you read the chapter, you will know that Moses saw only the effects. Moses spoke to God directly.
That statement in Exodus by Moses is what Moses said. To Moses, that conversation was face to face. To God, that is not physically a face to face conversation.
In the bible, when God is mentioned, it refers to God in the spirit. However, since Jesus is God in the flesh, God can be seen since Jesus said "You have been with me for so long, and you ask to see the Father?".
There's no contradiction. You're just trying to use your limited faculties to understand a dimension beyond your own. That is itself flawed.
2007-01-31 13:15:54 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
As far as OT, Moses walked with God, meaning that moses was very faithful and reliable to him. It is difficult to believe that because of the times we live in NOW. But back then they HAD NOTHING compared to us. No Tv, radio, xbox, laptop,etc. So it would be plausible to say that someone could beTHAT LOYAL to God. But perhaps the meaning "No man" refers to the sinner?
2007-01-31 13:56:52 · answer #11 · answered by Da Mick 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋