Theologians speak of "the Beatific Vision." The term refers to that time when we will each be in direct communication with God -- "We will see Him just as He is." (1 John 3:2) Most Christians sare looking forward to it ... sort of.
I say "sort of" because it seems as if a lot of Christians give a nod to this being a good thing, but live otherwise. We fear and are dismayed by death. We are most concerned with our own comfort. Some think that "sitting around on a cloud and playing a harp" will be boring. Some are looking forward to the benefits of heaven without an eye to Christ's presence in heaven. You know, "streets of gold," "no more tears," all that sort of thing. Ask yourself. If you knew that going to heaven meant you would have no more sadness and you would have eternal joy and comfort but Christ wouldn't be there, would you want to go? If your honest answer is "Yes," then the time that we will see Him as He is -- be eternally in His presence -- really isn't the big thing for you.
It's strange when you consider that we were made for this. We were made for the presence of God (Gen 3:8). We are blessed by the face of God (Num 6:24-26). We are being shaped into the image of His Son (Rom 8:29). The Beatific Vision isn't minor; it is our ultimate purpose.
What does it mean, then, if it just isn't that important to us? You know, "Yeah, sure, I'm in favor of that, but ..." What does it say about us if we don't find the immediate presence of our Lord and Savior our ultimate pleasure? It may mean that we don't actually have a relationship with Him. Jesus said it wouldn't be uncommon for people to think they did when they didn't (Matt 7:21-23). That's something that needs to be remedied immediately. Maybe it means we're being idolaters, pursuing as god one who is not God -- comfort, fame, power, wealth, the things of the world. That can't go on (1 Cor 6:9). It may be that we've been distracted by the world. That's something that we can work on. But let's not just shrug it off. If we are made to be in the immediate presence of God and, if we don't care, it does not speak well of us or our current relationship with the King.
2 comments:
Do you think we'll be able to be in the presence of the Father, see His face? Will christ's righteousness be enough to give us what the angels can't even do, see the Father? According to Sproul, the angels that were designed to serve in His throne room needed to cover their faces and feet and were designed to be able to do that. Or will we be seeing the face of Jesus (not saying it's a downgrade). Will we still be seeing the veiled glory of God, since we will still be created beings? Or is that what it means when we'll be higher than the angels, to be holy enough to see His face?
Since the essence of God is spirit, is not a man, then I would think that "seeing Him" wouldn't be possible. Since Christ is the manifestation of the Father -- God become flesh -- I would think that we would be able to see Him. And since God has always revealed Himself in His Son, I would think that His Son would be the One we encounter.
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