Does God (the Father) have a human-like body?

[Bravus]

That's the question. Someone was talking in another thread about God the Father and Jesus sitting on two thrones side by side. I got to thinking about the Trinity - wouldn't they just need one throne? And then realised that I no longer really see God the Father as human-shaped. Jesus is, because He took on humanity, but the Father is so much more than us... This is not any kind of pantheistic doctrine of 'The Force' or a disembodied God, but just the idea that God is infinite and therefore probably *not* a larger and brighter version of an old white male with a beard.

[DaveM1936]

This is the only text in the Bible where God, the Father is being discribed:

Dan 7:9-10

9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.

10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. (NIV)

This would indicate that God does have a body, or form. But it seems also to mean that it is not a human form. It is the same form that Jesus had before the incarnation.

Heb 10:5: Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me. (NIV)

Jesus, then, before He came to earth, had a different body than He now possesses. While He had a mortal body while on earth, He now has an immortal human body which He will have througout eternity. This does not mean that He is not still God in every sense. He still is God.

"When sinners are compelled to look upon Him who clothed His divinity with humanity, and who still wears this garb, their confusion is indescribable. The scales fall from their eyes, and they see that which before they would not see. They realize what they might have been had they received Christ, and improved the opportunities granted them. They see the law which they have spurned, exalted even as God's throne is exalted. They see God Himself giving reverence to His law." {6BC 1069.7}

"How few realize that Jesus, unseen, is walking by their side! How ashamed many would be to hear His voice speaking to them and to know that He heard all their foolish, common talk! And how many hearts would burn with holy joy if they only knew that the Saviour was by their side, that the holy atmosphere of His presence was surrounding them, and they were feeding on the bread of life! How pleased the Saviour would be to hear His followers talking on His precious lessons of instruction and to know that they had a relish for holy things!" {CT 342.1}

We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds.--Manuscript 66, 1899. (From a talk to the students at the Avondale School.) {Ev 616.5}

The Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. When this witness is borne, it carries with it its own evidence. At such times we believe and are sure that we are the children of God. . . .

The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."--Manuscript 20, 1906. {Ev 617.1}

I included the above quotations to indict that EGW believed all three members of the Trinity had bodies that could be seen if our eyes were able to look at Them.

This is from Early Writings. She saw Jesus in His human form. When she asked if God had a form like Jesus, Jesus answered that He did.

"I saw a throne, and on it sat the Father and the Son. I gazed on Jesus' countenance and admired His lovely person. The Father's person I could not behold, for a cloud of glorious light covered Him. I asked Jesus if His Father had a form like Himself. He said He had, but I could not behold it, for said He, "If you should once behold the glory of His person, you would cease to exist." EW 54.

[LifeHiscost]

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This is the only text in the Bible where God, the Father is being discribed:

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[:"red"] "If you had known Me [had learned to recognize Me], you would also have known My Father. From now on, you know Him and have seen Him.

Philip said to Him, Lord, show us the Father [cause us to see the Father--that is all we ask]; then we shall be satisfied.

Jesus replied, Have I been with all of you for so long a time, and do you not recognize and know Me yet, Philip? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say then, Show us the Father?" [/] John 14:7-9

[:"red"] "...who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high " [/]Hebrews 1:3 NKJV

[Ron Lambert]

While God can manifest Himself in any form that He wishes, I suspect that God may actually have a human-like form as His primary, preferred form. God said He made us in his own likeness in Genesis. We have puzzled over what that means exactly ever since. One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus Christ will manifest Himself exclusively in a human form forever, since He has joined human nature to Himself permanently and become the Second Adam.

Since Jesus is God, this means that the Divine Trinity has taken human nature into Itself--something God had to do in order to save us. This is why we will share the throne of the universe with Christ (Rev. 3:21).

[DaveM1936]

I had forgotten about the Genesis account when I entered my post. I thought about it afterwards, but I did not have time to change the post. We were created with both the physical and moral image of God. We have lost the moral image and nearly lost the physical image.

Life: the test your quoted applies to the character of Christ. I beleive that the Father's form is not the same as that of Christ.

Your friend,

Dave M

[LifeHiscost]

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Life: the test (text?) your (you?) quoted applies to the character of Christ. I beleive that the Father's form is not the same as that of Christ.

Your friend,

Dave M

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If you believe the texts you quoted mean what they say, why would you not believe other texts referring to God mean what they say? Whatever we believe, why would Jesus say to His disciple that if he (the disciple) had seen Him (not His character) he had seen the Father (not His character).

And 'express' would need to be grammatically correct when used in conjunction with 'image', referring to 'exact likeness'. Unless of course 'express image' is inappropriate as translated from the original manuscripts. Or perhaps a meaning originally intended was left out of the first transcripts. To assume those possibilities as correct only from 'I believe the Word doesn't mean what it says' is a stretch I'm not willing to take.

Something else comes to my mind re: Heb 1:3,

[:"red"]

"...who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high " [/] Hebrews 1:3 NKJV

Would there be any logic in connecting the fact when Jesus sat down at the right hand of His Majesty on high, it was Him in person sitting down at the right hand of God the Father in Person, His character with Him but not separate from His Person.

Blessings!

[DaveM1936]

I understand what you are trying to say. I apologize for my typos. I have difficulty because Jesus was a God/man. He has taken human nature. But nowhere are we told the God has taken human nature. I think that the only answer to this question is that I do not know.

Your friend,

Dave M

[Ron Lambert]

Dave, how much is Jesus God? Jesus has taken human form; what does this imply about the entire Trinity? We must remember that what Jesus did in becoming our Saviour is something that expressed the will and purpose of the entire Trinity. In Christ, we see God's response to sin, not just Christ's response. Ellen White said that if in the plans of the Trinity it had been the Father who was to come to earth and be incarnated as a human and do all the things Christ did, then the salvation history we have in the New Testament would be unchanged.

Since Christ is God, when He united humanity with Himself, He united humanity with divinity. He has promised we will share the throne of the universe with Him. Is not that the throne of deity?

The question I think we are really asking, is whether God the Father has a human form as His preferred or primary form. Of course, we do not know, but I for one suspect it is possible, especially now that Christ, acting as an agent of the entire Trinity, has joined humanity to Himself.

[DaveM1936]

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The question I think we are really asking, is whether God the Father has a human form as His preferred or primary form. Of course, we do not know, but I for one suspect it is possible, especially now that Christ, acting as an agent of the entire Trinity, has joined humanity to Himself.

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I agree that this is the question. All I can say again is that I do not know. All I have is the same assumption or IMO that He does not have a human form like Jesus. This will be one of the things to look forward to when we get to heaven. Then we will have an answer to our questions.

The important point is that Jesus become a God/man so that He could open the door to the throne of God for us. His humanity connects Him to us. His divinity connects Him to God. Now God can talk with us, send blessings to us, give us whatever help we need.

Your friend,

Dave M

[LifeHiscost]

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>>All I can say again is that I do not know.<<

The important point is that Jesus become a God/man so that He could open the door to the throne of God for us.

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Fascinating topic. One that appears more fascinating the more it's studied.

Re: >> << A gift from God, one often seen as spiritual weakness. However seen by this disciple as admitted less than would be beneficial, especially for the sake of the new babes in Christ who believe that long term disciples or those with much knowledge of the Scriptures have an edge because of supposed flawless conduct or information at the least.

[:"red"] "Then he said, "I assure you, unless you turn from your sins and become as little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." [/] Matt 18:3,4 NLT

[DaveM1936]

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Fascinating topic.

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Which topic are you referring to?

Your friend,

Dave M