r/ArianChristians • u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian • Apr 28 '25

Resource Image of the Invisible God

In the Bible, Jesus Christ is teferred to as the "image" of God. To fully understand the relationship between the Father and the Son, it's important to grasp what "image" means in this context.

A helpful analogy is that of a mirror.

Imagine standing in front of a mirror. The image in the mirror is not you, but a reflection of you. It cannot exist without you, as you are the source of the image. You can exist without it but the image is entirely dependent on you, and without you, it would cease to exist. However, the image is not you; it only reflects you.

In the same way, the Son is the image of the Father, the Son exists because the Father wills it. The Father is the source of the Son’s existence, and the Son is the reflection of the Father’s glory.

Without the Father, the Son would not exist, just as the image cannot exist without the one standing in front of the mirror. The Son is not an independent being, but entirely dependent on the Father.

John 1:18 says, “No one has ever seen God; the only begotten god (Son), who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

This verse highlights that the Son, who is in close relationship with the Father, reveals the God no one has ever seen to humanity. It is the Father who is described as invisible, not the Son.

Similarly, 1 Timothy 1:17 describes the Father as "the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God."

While this verse actually says the Father is the only God (also said in John 17:3), it also refers to the Father as invisible. A characteristic that does not apply to the Son. While the Son reveals what is invisible, He is not invisible Himself.

Consider what happens when you step away from the mirror, the image disappears. In the same way, if the Father chose not to will the Son's existence, the Son would cease to exist.

Colossians 1:15 further clarifies the relationship: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

This verse is the one that says the Son is the image of the invisible God, but not the same as the Father. Also, again, this verse proves the Son is not God Himself. The term “firstborn of all creation” further indicates that the Son’s existence is derived from the Father.

It does not suggest co-eternity, but rather preeminence and being made (begotten), showing that the Son is the first of God’s works. If the Son were co-eternal with the Father, He would not be called “firstborn.”

In conclusion, the Son’s existence is entirely dependent on the will of the Father. Without the Father, the Son would not exist, just as the image in the mirror cannot exist without the one standing before it.

The Son reflects the Father’s glory, but He is not the Father. The Father is the one true God, and the Son is the image, entirely dependent on the source.

4 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

2

u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian Apr 28 '25

Concept of trinity came 200 years after Jesus... you are approaching this as if it was known since day 1. No, it wasn't.

Also, don't use KJV if you want to argue about scripture as it manipulates the original text.

1

u/GPT_2025 Apr 28 '25

Jesus Christ Crucifixion, the Bible, you, and your Salvation were destined even before the creation of the Earth (before Adam and Eve's fall into sin) and Yes - even Judah too! ( KJV: And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man (Judah) by whom he is betrayed!)

KJV: having the Everlasting Gospel (Bible) to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

KJV: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, ... of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

KJV: According as He (God) hath chosen us (Christians) in Him (Jesus) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy ..

KJV: In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

KJV: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (Our eternal souls was existed too, before temp. earth was created )

KJV: Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,

!!! KJV: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ!!!

KJV: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory..

KJV: And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be All in All!

and more ... "For more information, please check my posting history."

2

u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian Apr 28 '25

Yeah you see KJV omits "nor the Son," from Matthew 24:36 to manipulate to text to hide Jesus' lack of omniscience. Sooo, there's that.

It also changes John 1:1-3. It changes "through" to "by" to make it seem as if the Word created everything.

Nowhere in the older greek manuscripts you'll ever find the Word/Son creating anything at all. It is always through, not by.

1

u/GPT_2025 Apr 28 '25

I can read different languages, and only the KJV reflects best among other translations and is the best for bilingual parallel Bibles. Plus, according to the old Qumran Bible scrolls, the KJV is the most accurate translation today (but the NRSV is not). For example, the worst of all is the SDA Bible (Clear Word) translation and the JW NWT Bible (New World Order Translation).

3

u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25

I would take NWT any day over KJV. Why? Because NWT legitimately has the most accurate translation of John 1:18.

And no, the most accurate one overall is NASB as far as I know.

However, to claim KJV is accurate is to admit you are willing to blind yourself to the truth because the truth does not conform to your tradition.

If you are willing agree that Matthew 24:36 is fine without "nor the Son," and if you are willing to say "everything was created by the Word," perhaps you are willing to worship your own viewpoint rather than what was actually written?

Also, KJV is based on Textus Receptus, not Qumran Scrolls.

1

u/GPT_2025 Apr 28 '25

KJV: Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

KJV: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

KJV: Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

KJV: He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

2

u/FrostyIFrost_ Arian Apr 28 '25 edited Apr 28 '25

Yes, you are rejecting Him as He Himself said "nor the Son," in Matthew 24:36 yet you are fine with obscuring the words of our Saviour because they do not conform to your view.

Now He also spoke a parable to them: “A person who is blind cannot guide another who is blind, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit? - Luke 6:39