1. Seeing the Father
John 14:5-11

2. Some people are considered philosophers…
Some people are considered realists or pragmatists
Which approach is correct?
The reality is that there is no disparity between philosophy and real life
We all live real lives with some philosophical background –whether or not we are aware of it

3. Review The basics of philosophy…
There are 3 basic areas of foundational thought:
Metaphysics –What is ultimately real? Universe, God, man, being -beyond the physical…
Epistemology –What is true and how can we know? Truth & knowledge –to stand upon
Axiology –What is of value? Ethics & aesthetics – worthy
We all deal with these even if not consciously considered…

4. I. We may have an epistemological problem
“Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” (John 14:5–7, NKJV)

5. A. How can we know that christianity is true?
Thomas had a specific concern in mind
Jesus’ answer was much broader than Thomas’ question
Jesus also directed their attention to His relationship with the Father

6. B. How can we know that anything is true?
Epistemology deals with matters of knowledge and truth
There is the matter of the dimensions of knowledge:
-Can reality be known?
-Is truth relative or absolute?
-Is knowledge subjective or objective?
-Is truth independent of human experience?

7. B. How can we know that anything is true? (cont.)
There is the matter of the sources of knowledge:
-The senses –empiricism –know from experience
-Revelation –transcendent supernatural
-Authority –accepted true from experts/tradition
-Reason –rationalism –reasoning, thought , logic
-Intuition –direct apprehension of knowledge
Important reality: there is a complementary nature of knowledge sources –no one source of knowledge

8. B. How can we know that anything is true? (cont.)
There is the matter of the validity of knowledge:
-The correspondence theory –truth is what corresponds with “facts”
-The coherence theory –truth is what is most consistent or in harmony with all one’s judgments
-The pragmatic theory –truth is what works –the test of truth is utility, workability…
-The test of undeniability –what is actually undeniable is true, and unaffirmable is false

9. II. We may have a metaphysical problem
“Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8–9, NKJV)

10. John 14:10-11 (NKJV)
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.
Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”

11. A. How can we know that God is real?
Many people have concerns about whether God is real
Jesus’ response indicated that He was just such proof
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, NKJV)

12. John 1:18 & 12:44-45
“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” (John 1:18, NKJV)
“Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.” (John 12:44–45, NKJV)

13. Hebrews 1:1-2
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;” (Hebrews 1:1–2, NKJV)

14. How can we know that God is real? (cont.)
Jesus repeated that He and the Father were the same in essence
He did not just represent God to humankind as an ambassador would
Jesus also noted His works as proof of His union with the Father

15. B. How can we know that anything is real?
Metaphysics may be divided into 4 subsets:
The cosmological aspect –the study of the theories of the origin, nature, and development of the universe
-How did the universe originate & develop?
-Is there a purpose toward which the universe is tending?
-What is the nature of time and space?

16. B. How can we know that anything is real? (cont.)
The theological aspect –What is the nature of God, if He exists?
-What are the attributes of God?
-Are there such beings as angels, Satan, and the Holy Spirit?
-What is their relationship to God?
-What are the implications of God’s existence?

17. B. How can we know that anything is real? (cont.)
The anthropological aspect –the nature of man?
What is the relationship between mind and body?
-Is there interaction between mind and body?
-Is mind more fundamental than body?
What is mankind’s moral status?
-Are people born good, bad, or morally neutral?
-Do they have free will or are their thoughts and actions determined…?
-Does an individual have a soul? If so, what is it?

18. B. How can we know that anything is real?
The ontological aspect –the nature of existence, what does it mean to be?
-What do we mean when we say something is?
-Is basic reality found in matter or physical energy?
-Is it composed of one element (matter or spirit) or two or many?
-Is reality orderly and lawful in itself, or is it merely ordered by mankind?
-Is it fixed and stable, or is change central?

19. Remember the reality vs. truth/knowledge dilemma!
Everyone faces this same dilemma!
It is not possible to make statements about reality without first having a theory for arriving at truth
Such a theory cannot be developed without first having a concept of reality
So we all start with certain faith assumptions – basic presuppositions

20. The implications of these assumptions:
If God is real, and His Word is true, then what?
If God is not real, and His Word is not true, then what?
What happens if you believe in God and it’s not so?
What happens if you do not believe in God and He is very real?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” (Proverbs 1:7, NKJV)