(Deuteronomy 4) Visible and Invisible
(translated by ChatGPT)
Question: Deuteronomy says:
(4:15) “So watch yourselves carefully since you did not see any form on the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire.”
(4:39) “So know this day and take it to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.”
These passages seem to suggest that God has no form and that there is only one God. However, the Gospel of John says:
(John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
(John 1:14) “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
These passages seem to suggest that the Word (Jesus) is also God, and He became flesh, taking on a form. Do these statements contradict each other?
Answer: In Deuteronomy, it is stated that God did not manifest in any form, emphasizing that God is not bound by any physical limitations. Physical entities have their limitations; for example, even the tallest person cannot reach the moon. In contrast, the formless God can control the moon’s movement through the unseen universal gravity. Generally, the formless is superior to the formed. However, the fact that God is formless does not mean He cannot manifest in a form. The absence of visible manifestation in the past does not imply that God cannot do so later. In the New Testament era, God manifested as Jesus Christ in a tangible human form. It is evident that if God determines to manifest in a form, He can certainly do so. Although Jesus, in His human form, had certain limitations as a human, such as not being able to physically reach the moon or be present simultaneously in different places, these limitations were willingly assumed by God in His mission of redemption.
Question: Then why did God become incarnate? Wouldn’t it be better for Him to remain in His complete formless state, which has infinite power?
Answer: I believe that as human beings, we suffer the consequences of sin, which includes physical punishment, such as death. However, if we were to bear the full weight of the punishment without God’s mercy, the pain and suffering, both physical and spiritual, would likely be unbearable. God has compassion for humanity and is willing to bear the punishment on our behalf for redemption. However, God, in His original form, did not have a physical body, and it was not possible for Him to personally experience the physical pain and death. Out of great compassion, God decided to take on a physical body to personally experience the suffering and death brought about by human sin. Therefore, the God depicted in the Bible is not an aloof existence like gravity, which is unaware of human suffering. Instead, He is a merciful being who has personally experienced human suffering and death. He took our suffering and death upon Himself, so that we may overcome the trials and tribulations of this world and have eternal communion with Him in the afterlife through the grace of accepting His redemptive sacrifice.
Of course, God humbled Himself and took on human form, and the abilities limited by the physical body are far from the entirety of His power. His essential nature remains the infinitely powerful God who governs the universe and all things. It’s just that His act of becoming incarnate and humbling Himself further demonstrates His love, even surpassing His infinite power.