Son of God

Can we know what God is like, or even better, can we actually know him? Such serious questions need more than a lightweight response.

We surely need God’s own self-revelation here.  Christians believe that this is what we have in the Bible. There, in its pages, we read of a Jewish Christian who wrote a letter to fellow Jews saying, ‘in the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being.’

When we think about God having a son, we mustn’t think in natural terms of a biological father and a biological mother. Rather think of God’s Son as ‘one of the same kind’ or ‘one intimately bound up with him’; like father like son so to speak.

Christmas will be upon us very soon. The central theme for the Advent story is the coming of the Son who is Jesus, the exact representation of God as quoted above; the Son is the radiance of God's glory - so closely bound up are God and the Son, they are as inseparable as is the burning candle flame and the light it is emitting.

So, ‘Can we know what God is like?’ Yes, he is just like Jesus the Son of God, not physically but in terms of his personal character - faithfulness, goodness, kindness, graciousness, likes and dislikes. Did Jesus care about the weak, hurting, needy and outcast? Yes, and so does God. Did Jesus oppose the proud, hypocrites and hard-hearted? Yes, and so does God. Is Jesus concerned that people honour God? Yes, and God is concerned that people honour Jesus in the same way.

Can we actually know God then? Certainly, by knowing Jesus who gives us this assurance: ‘Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.’