1 John 4:12: No One Has Ever Seen God

1 John 4:12
[12] No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. (ESV)

For most of all of the eons of time God was not able to be seen. Many people in this world look at the fact that God cannot be seen and foolishly conclude that God does not exist. Can one claim that they did not know God existed and therefore they are "off the hook" for their lives of sin and rebellion toward God's Law? Here the Apostle Paul's response:

Romans 1:20
[20] For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. (ESV)

God's invisible attributes are nonetheless real. God has made himself known. God then stepped into this world and made himself physically known in the person of His Son, Jesus.  For thirty plus years  God himself was here in human form. And the world saw true love. Jesus demonstrated the greatest love of all by sacrificing his perfect life for sinful mankind. But, now that Jesus has ascended to the Father in Heaven, how can man experience the genuine love of God in the flesh?

If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. Translation. God's love in the flesh is now become a reality through you and me. This is why simply telling the truth about Jesus Christ to the world is not enough. We must speak the truth in LOVE! Only as people see genuine love in our lives will they be able to encounter God's love in the flesh.

What a privilege and responsibility we now have. Let us love one another so that the world around us will be able to see God's love in the flesh once again!