I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pontius Pilate, that you keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. [1 Timothy 6:13-16 NASB]
When Paul says, "I charge you in the presence of God...and of Christ Jesus," he is not talking about two different people. He is saying that Jesus is God.
When talking about a family, we may say, "The family has a husband and a father," or "a wife and a mother." When we say "husband and father" we don't normally mean that one person is the husband and another person is the father. We refer to one person who fills the roles of both husband and father.
Of course it is a bit more complex when talking about God. The Father is God. The son is also God. As is the Holy Spirit. We think of the Trinity as three separate individuals in our minds and refer to them as "them", but it is also appropriate to say of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, that "He" is God. We have only one God.
Paul has this to say about Jesus, that he gives life to all things. The gospel of John says;
All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. [John 1:3-4 NASB]
Jesus testified of Himself to Pontius Pilate that He is the King of heaven. He has promised us that He will return. Regarding this, Peter said;
Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”...But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9 NASB]
Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords. There have been many who have tried to conquer the world. Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Hitler. But there is only one who is sovereign over the whole earth. When Jesus returns, He will establish his kingdom on earth and rule over the whole world.
He alone possesses immortality. It is true that we have the promise of eternal life. It is true that angels are eternal beings. But no creation has existed eternally before time. No creation has immortality by its own nature. Our Lord chooses to impart immortality to us as a gift, but He alone possesses it in Himself as part of who He is.
When Jesus walked the earth as a man, His disciples saw his face. But they did not see Him is his full glory as God. Remember what He told Moses;
But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” [Exodus 33:20 NASB]
The glorified Jesus Christ, who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one can see and live - this is the God we serve. He is mighty, powerful, and glorious beyond description, and He is love. He loves you more than you can ever imagine. Imagine the depth of love you have for any one person or thing, such as your spouse or child. It doesn't even come close enough to compare to the love that He has for you as an individual. Yes, He loves the world, but more specifically, He loves you.
The only sane response to His love is to love Him back. How do we show our love for Him? Jesus said;
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. [John 14:15 NASB]
And;
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. [John 15:12-13 NASB]
Sacrificial love for one another - placing the needs of others before your own - demonstrates your love for Jesus.
Let Jesus be your inspiration. Consider how you may please Him. Consider your reward of one day seeing Him face to face, when you have been glorified, and fully transformed into His image.
Lord Jesus, I give you praise and glory and honor. You alone are worthy of all praise. Thank You that You have revealed Yourself to Your church through the Word and through the Spirit. I look forward to the day when I will see you face to face, and know You as I am known.
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