"I Didn't See God in Space"

From: Echoes of Grace: 1986

• 3 min. read • grade level: 6

Gherman Titov, the U.S.S.R. astronaut, made the above remark in San Francisco during a tour of the United States. Men were beginning to listen to him. U.S. News and World Report carried his views in their People of the Week column.

But we are told in 1 John 5:9⁹If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. (1 John 5:9), "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater." The "witness of men" is what Titov says; the "witness of God" (the Bible) is what God says.

People who read the Bible know that man cannot see God the way Titov spoke of. To prove this yourself, read Ex. 33:20²⁰And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. (Exodus 33:20), "For there shall no man see Me, and live," or 1 Tim. 6:16¹⁶Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16), speaking of God, "dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see."

Finally, John 1:18¹⁸No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18) says, "No man bath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him."

This last scripture is very encouraging. It tells us that if we want to see God, we must look at His Son Jesus Christ. He Himself said, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father," John 14:9⁹Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? (John 14:9), and "no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me." John 14:6⁶Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6).

Man can only come to the Father because God's Son opened up the way by dying on the cross for the believer's sins. It was at the cross that Christ was made sin, and suffered the judgment of God against my sins. "Christ died for the ungodly." Rom. 5:6⁶For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6).

If you admit that YOU are ungodly, and that Christ died for YOU, you will be saved. You will never be saved by denying this and talking about your "good life," for God says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23²³For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:23).

When we all stand condemned as sinners, we find the death of Christ meeting our need. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8⁸But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8).

Now no man thinks about accepting Christ as his Savior until he realizes he is lost. Titov, for example, says he believes in man, his reason, his possibilities. Man's "reasonings" and "possibilities" have resulted in the slaughter of many, many thousands of innocent people in two world wars and countless smaller conflicts. To believe in man, then, is to refuse God's message.

The truth is that all men are lost and need a Savior. "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 45:22²²Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. (Isaiah 45:22). If you do not look NOW by accepting Christ as your Savior, you WILL look LATER and meet Him as your judge.

Balaam predicted this thousands of years ago in these words: "I shall see Him [God], but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh." Num. 24:17¹⁷I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17).

And where will this take place? The Bible says in Rev. 20:11,12¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. (Revelation 20:11‑12): "And I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away.... And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God."

There is no hiding place for the man who dies without Christ. He has left this world forever, yet he is not fit for heaven. So Christ (John 5:22²²For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: (John 5:22)) who sits on this throne has to say, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness." Matt. 22:13¹³Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 22:13).

"And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20:15¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:15).

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