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Jesus Is One With The Father

John 14:7-10
If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said, ‘Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus answered: ‘Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (NIVUK)

Jesus claimed the He was ‘in the Father’ and ‘the Father is in Him’.  However that was very difficult for the disciples to understand.  How could a human being have the same personality as God?  Philip was eager to see what God was like, but Jesus told him that he already knew!  The disciples had been with Jesus, and knew Him well, but had not grasped who He was.  They had no idea that the man who walked with them was God: the fullness of the Father’s nature was in His human body (Colossians 2:9) and He was in the Father.
 
That was not a human idea or philosophy; it was a divine revelation.  The words Jesus spoke about Himself were God’s words.  The explanation He gave was true.  There was no logical sense in the idea from a human point of view, but that did not stop it being true.  Jesus did not suggest a philosophical discussion, but invited His disciples to believe in Him and in what He said and on the evidence of the miracles they had seen (John 14:11).  

Jesus did not ask them to believe as a substitute for reasoning.  All logical thought must start with a belief that something is true, and therefore something else is either true or false.  Belief is the essential starting point for reason. No unknown truth can be grasped except by reference to something that is already known, either in their own experience, or believed from the experience of others whom they trust.  That is the reason why pupils (disciples) must first trust their teacher before they can fully understand the meaning of what they are being taught.  As Jesus’ disciples did not believe who He was, they could not grasp what He was saying.
 
True faith is always a response to what has been revealed (Hebrews 11:1).  Those who believe in Jesus trust what He said about His relationship with His Father.  As they welcome Jesus they find that both the Father and the Son make their home with them (John 14:23).  As people trust Him, so the Lord reveals more of Himself.  We can never logically understand everything about God; but we can and must believe what He has said about Himself.  So, we do not trust because of our experience: rather, we first trust what He has said, then we learn how to understand the experience of our relationship with God.  So take His Word seriously today, trust what He says, believe in Him and grow in relationship with God.

Prayer 
Loving Lord. Thank You for revealing Yourself in the Scriptures. I am sorry when I have refused to believe because I do not understand everything. Please help me to trust You and then learn to grow in relationship with You so that I can understand enough to obey You more. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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© Dr Paul Adams