Know the Lord as Perfectly as Possible

                     By A. W. Tozer

    The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it:
    and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see
    his face. . . .  Revelation 22: 3, 4

        If God is the Supreme Good then our highest
    blessedness on earth must lie in knowing Him as
    perfectly as possible!

        The ultimate end to which redemption leads is the
    immediate sight of the ever-blessed Godhead.  In our
    present state we cannot with our natural eyes look upon
    God, for it is written, "Thou canst not see my face: for
    there shall no man see me, and live"  Exod. 33:20

        When the work of Christ has been completed in His
    people, however, it will be possible, even natural, for
    redeemed men to behold their Redeemer. This is stated
    plainly by the Apostle John: "But we know that, when he
    shall appear, we shall be like him: for we shall see him
    as he is" 1 John 3:2

        This rapturous experience has been called the Beatific
    Vision and will be the culmination of all possible human
    blessedness. It will bring the glorified saint into a state of
    perpetual bliss which to taste for even one moment will
    banish forever from his mind every memory of grief or
    suffering here below.

        I suppose the vast majority of us must wait for the great
    day of the Lord's coming to realize the full wonder of the
    vision of God Most High.  In the meantime, we are, I believe,
    missing a great measure of radiant glory that is ours by
    blood-covenant and available to us in this present world;
    if we would but believe it and press on in the way of holiness.

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    Yours in Christ,
    Paul N. F.