Why is God invisible? I think He would have more followers if people could see Him and talk to Him personally. Why does He insist on being invisible?

I'd really like to know the answer to that question.

Yeah, me too. I know about those quotes which say that sinners would be consumed in the unshielded presence of God. Well and fine. But since God is God He can do anything He wants to do. I'm sure He could figure out a way to show Himself without everybody burning up. He did it for Moses. Why not again for us?

Yes, of course, Jesus came in the flesh and we killed Him on the Cross. But He came incognito, cloaked in human weakness. What if He appeared now and again in blazing splendor suspended in the sky telling everyone to love and obey God?

Why isn't that a good idea? Wouldn't more people show an interest in eternal things?

Let me answer this with a question:

What did Christ say to doubting Thomas?

Daryl

I'm not following you. Perhaps you could answer your own question for me.

Thanks

Kate

Blessed are those who don't have to see Me in order to believe in Me.

But that doesn't really answer the question in my mind. Why is being invisible such a good idea? By faith I accept that it is a good idea, otherwise God wouldn't do it that way. But can we explain why?

I see that Mike answered Kate's question for me.

Let me also answer Mike's latest question with another one of my own.

How did the people react at the foot of the mountain of God when they audibly heard (a form of visibility) the voice of God?

[ November 01, 2002, 10:11 AM: Message edited by: Daryl Fawcett ]

If God were to show Himself today under the same threatening circumstances (i.e., if you touch anything I've told you not to touch you'll drop dead on the spot) I would be afraid of God too.

But Daryl, your example still misses the point of my question. Can't God figure out a friendly way to show Himself so that millions of people are motivated to embrace Him and His law?

Friendships grow closer and more intimate as friends spend quality time together. Can you imagine how crowded church would be on Sabbaths if people knew God Himself gave the divine worship talk?

Can you imagine how easier it would be to resist temptations if God personally appeared to us every day, several times throughout the day, just to encourage us and to be with us?

Why isn't that a good idea?

But then that would throw faith and hope out the window, would it not?

Who said God is invisible??????

Personally, I see Him everyday. In the flowers, in the snowflakes, in the fall colours, in the people around me (didn't Jesus say that if we do something for the least of humans, we do it to/for Him?).

I have a best friend 1/2 way across the country, I don't see her as often as I would like, in fact it is coming up on a year since I've seen her last. This, however, has not diminished my relationship with her. We talk regularly, we share our lives with each other still, we yearn for the day we can be together, we rely on each other to get us through the hard times - even though we can't be physically present.

It's like that with God. I know He is always present with Me. He sent me His letters to help me get to know Him better and provides me an opportunity to talk with Him whenever I want to! He will never force Himself on me, but yearns for the time I spend with Him and we both ache with longing to finally be together.

God is never invisible. Perhaps He cannot be physically seen by human eyes, but you can see evidence of His existence all around - pictures on the wall if you will. Signs that He is there, like not stepping out into the road seconds before a car speeds by, having a fantastic day even though you know it should have been horrid, having a pleasant dream, knowing your sins are forgiven, having a cat cuddle up to you first thing in the morning just because she loves you, getting over a horrible cold in record time, having the energy to accomplish everything that needs to be done in the day. The little things in life that turn out to be the big things.

God invisible? Never. Just perhaps not visible in the way we want Him to be. How did Jesus put it? "If I go, I will prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you unto Myself" and "I must go, but when I do I will send the Comfortor to you and He shall teach you". If we still had Christ in the flesh with us, we would not be able to have the Spirit in the manner which we do now, and Christ would be confined to one area, as we are, since He, too, is in a human body.