Complete Vision

Paul describes our natural vision as seeing through a glass darkly until we see Him face to face. The Message pictures it as if “squinting in a fog, peering through a mist”.

I’m reminded as a child peering through a Kaleidoscope fascinated by the various bright colors and odd shapes being formed as I slowly turned the lens. Likewise, the lens of our life can be bright and attractive, but it can also be very distracted and distorted.

Through this same lens, we form judgments, opinions, biases etc. We reach a conclusion, some very faulty and fragmented, on what we consider true. Apostle Paul continues in the same verse, “I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (I Corinthians 13:12).

So when our vision is obscured, it’s almost certain our knowledge of Christ is deficient and incomplete. Proverbs 29:18 tells us where there is no vision or revelation the people perish (or as another version describes, “cast off restraint”), but blessed are those who keep the law.

If we read the Scriptures in our natural understanding, we will only see and understand truth in part, if anything at all. We need the Holy Spirit to remove the veil of unbelief from our eyes so the truth of God’s word becomes our food and drink. David writes in Psalm 119:18: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” The Hebrew word for “open” means to uncover, remove.

So when the Holy Spirit comes, as if wiping away a dirty mirror, we see a clearer reflection of Him. And as we look in the mirror, as it were, of the Scriptures, we not only see Him clearly, but we see Him working in us as we are being made more into His image and likeness.

Think of Mary who came to the tomb with an incomplete knowledge of Jesus. She came to tomb to see a dead Christ not expecting to see a risen Savior. Through her sorrow and grief she could not see Jesus standing right before her eyes, but she mistakenly thought it was a gardener. Until He spoke her name then suddenly revelation was imparted. Christ was resurrected! And the veil was removed from her eyes (John 20:15-18).

Beloved, the Scriptures tell us we walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). The Greek word for sight means the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape.

Mary needed to learn to walk by faith, trusting in an unseen Lord, for He would soon ascend to heaven to be seated at the right hand of His Father. Just because she could no longer see Him in a bodily form did not diminish the truth of His resurrection or existence. Likewise our knowledge of God is not based on what is seen or perceived, but rather based on trust in a God whom we don’t see, yet believe He is real.

Interestingly, in the same chapter of John, one of the disciples refused to believe His resurrection unless he touched the nail prints in His hands and pierced side (I John 20:24-29).

Believing, Mary went away in joy and told the disciples of the good news (verse 18), but Thomas refused to believe until evidence was presented. Much in the same way, the world refuses to believe unless some evidence is demonstrated. Even when solid evidence is produced, some will continue to be doubtful.

There is a blessing the Lord imparts to those who have not seen but believe (John 20:29) which makes seeing on that day when we see Him face to face all the more wonderful and glorious for we will see completely!