Will we see God when we go to heaven?
Yes! All those who repent of their sins and place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will see God when they go to heaven. As David said in Psalm 17:15, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” We also read of this in 1 John 3:2, which reads, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.” 1 Corinthians 13:12 states, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” All believers will see His face someday!
Let us remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is God. As we read in Hebrews 1:8, “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.” Therefore, if a verse talks about seeing the Lord Jesus in heaven, then it is saying that we will see God.
While we are on this earth we still have a sin nature and therefore cannot see God. As God said in Exodus 33:20, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” We read in 1 John 4:12 and John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time.” 1 Timothy 6:16 says, “Who 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.”
Since Jesus Christ is God, and we cannot see God due to our sin nature, how could people see Jesus when He was on the earth? The answer is that the Lord Jesus emptied Himself of His visible glory so that people could look on Him. As we read in Philippians 2:5-8, “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (NASB).
In heaven we will no longer have a sin nature. 1 Corinthians 15:42 states, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.” When we die, our decomposing bodies are sown or buried in corruption. However, when He raises us from the dead, we will be given an incorruptible spiritual body. Heaven is a holy place, as shown by David when he calls it the Lord’s “holy heaven” in Psalm 20:6. We also know from 1 John 3:2 that we will be like our Savior in heaven. Since heaven is a holy place and we will be like our Savior, we know that we will no longer have a sin nature in heaven. The barrier of our sin nature that keeps us from seeing God will be removed.
Even in this life, though, we can see our Savior by faith. As we read in Hebrews 2:9, “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” We read of this also in Hebrews 12:2, which states, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” We can see God by faith through His Word even now. However, due to our sin nature, we could not survive an encounter today with the One Who dwells in unapproachable light. Someday, though, when we have a glorified body with no sin nature in heaven, we will see our Savior face to face. What a day that will be! (191.4) (DJ)