This is a question that has stirred hearts for centuries. In several places, the Bible tells us that “no one has ever seen God” (John 1:18; 1 John 4:12). Yet we also read about Moses speaking with God “face to face,” and Isaiah seeing “the Lord sitting upon a throne” (Exodus 33:11; Isaiah 6:1). How can both be true? What does this tell us about God’s nature — and our relationship with Him?
When Scripture says that no one has seen God, it means that no one has ever seen God in His full, infinite glory. God is spirit (John 4:24), pure and uncreated — beyond the limits of our human sight or understanding. Our eyes, shaped for this world, cannot bear the blazing reality of His divine essence. As the Lord said to Moses, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Exodus 33:20). It’s not because God hides out of distance, but because His holiness and light are too great for our mortal nature.
And yet, in His love, God has always found ways to reveal Himself to His people. The Old Testament tells of moments where God appeared through visions, angels, or what theologians call theophanies — visible signs of His presence that our human senses could bear. When Moses spoke with God “face to face,” it was not the direct sight of God’s essence, but a profound personal encounter — as a friend speaks to a friend. God was showing that He longs for relationship, not merely awe or fear.
In the New Testament, the mystery reaches its fullness. John’s Gospel tells us, “No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the Father’s heart, has made Him known.” (John 1:18) Here we discover the heart of Christian faith: Jesus Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. In Him, the God whom no one could see became one of us, walked among us, touched the sick, and looked into our eyes with love. Through Christ, we behold the face of God made human — mercy made visible.
What this means for us today is deeply personal. Even though we cannot yet see God with our physical eyes, we can truly know Him — through prayer, through His Word, and above all through Christ present in the Eucharist and in one another. Every act of love, every moment of grace, is a glimpse of that divine face we will one day see fully in heaven. As St. John promises, “We shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
Until that day comes, we walk by faith, not by sight. But faith itself is already a light — the beginning of vision. May our hearts stay open to the quiet ways God reveals Himself each day, until the moment we finally see Him face to face.
— Fr. John Matthew, for Christian Way
