"No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side — He has revealed Him." John 1:18
We never can know God — except through His Son; there is no other possible revelation of Him. There is no ladder by which to ascend to God's blessedness — but the ladder of Christ's incarnation. Christ came in lowly form and appeared to His friends as a man — but when they learned to know Him, they found that He was God Himself! This is one of the most precious truths about the incarnation, and we understand its meaning only when we see in every act and word of Christ — a manifestation of the Divine heart and life.
When we find Jesus at a wedding feast — we see God putting His sanction anew upon the sacred ordinance of marriage, and upon innocent human gladness and festivities.
When we behold Jesus taking little children in His arms, laying His hands upon their heads and blessing them — we learn how God feels toward children, and that He wants every parent today to bring their children to Him.
When we see Jesus moved with compassion in the presence of pain or sin — we have a glimpse of the Divine pity toward the suffering and the sinning.
When we look at Jesus receiving the outcast and the fallen, treating them with kindness, forgiving them, and transforming their lives into beauty — we see how God feels toward sinners, and what He is ready to do for the worst and guiltiest.
When we behold Jesus going at last to the cross in voluntary sacrifice, giving His life for the lost — we see God's justice, and how He loves sinners.
Thus the whole of the incarnation — is a manifesting of the invisible transcendent God in acts and expressions which we can understand. Thus it is literally true, as Jesus said, "He who has seen Me — has seen the Father." If we would ever see God, and know Him, and enter His family — we must receive Christ. To reject Him is to shut ourselves forever away from the vision of God.
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J.R. Miller (1840 - 1912)
Prolific author and pastor of Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois, Rev. James Russell Miller served the USCC as a field agent in the Army of the Potomac and Army of the Cumberland.J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia. J.R. Miller D.D.'s lasting fame is through his over 50 books. Many are still in publication.
James Russell Miller (March 20, 1840 - July 2, 1912) was a popular Christian author, Editorial Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication, and pastor of several churches in Pennsylvania and Illinois.
In 1857, James entered Beaver Academy and in 1862 he progressed to Westminster College, Pennsylvania, which he graduated in June, 1862. Then in the autumn of that year he entered the theological seminary of the United Presbyterian Church at Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Mr. Miller resumed his interrupted studies at the Allegheny Theological Seminary in the fall of 1865 and completed them in the spring of 1867. That summer he accepted a call from the First United Presbyterian Church of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. He was ordained and installed on September 11, 1867.
J.R. Miller began contributing articles to religious papers while at Allegheny Seminary. This continued while he was at the First United, Bethany, and New Broadway churches. In 1875, Miller took over from Henry C. McCook, D.D. when the latter discontinued his weekly articles in The Presbyterian, which was published in Philadelphia.
Five years later, in 1880, Dr. Miller became assistant to the Editorial Secretary at the The Presbyterian Board of Publication, also in Philadelphia.