Did Stephen See God?

Question from a reader:

My boss, who is LDS, and I have frequent discussions about Biblical matters. I was saved by God’s grace out of Mormonism so we’ve had some very interesting conversations (to say the least). 

Today, my boss asked me this question: “Luke is quite emphatic that Stephen saw God with Jesus. If God is without substance, what did Stephen see?” 

Then, he followed with this statement: “Further, if Stephen didn’t see God with Jesus, then Luke’s account is incorrect. Luke is advocating false doctrine, and the Bible is far from inerrant. I would presume that Luke was sincere in his belief that Stephen saw God.”

I know in Whom I believe and I trust the Bible completely. However, my boss is a retired attorney and he asks questions and make statements like the above for which I’m unable to give a succinct reply. I’m just not able to put what I believe into words of explanation. 

Can you, PLEASE, help me with a reply that will make sense to my employer?

Thank you for your question. I believe that one of the best translations to study for this passage is the New American Standard, which describes what Stephen saw as:

“… the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55b)

An even more accurate translation is: “… the glory of God, even Jesus standing at the right hand of God.”

Yes, Stephen was given the unique privilege of seeing God. However, technically, this passage does not say that he “saw God;” i.e., it doesn’t say that he saw God, the Father (the first person of the Godhead). It says that he saw “the glory of God,” and he saw this glory of God through Jesus Christ. In other words, by seeing Jesus Christ, he saw the glory of God, because Jesus is God; i.e., He is the second person of the Godhead (although your Mormon friends may have trouble with this interpretation).

Your boss’s assumption, “… if God is without substance…” may need closer examination as well. John 4:24 does indeed say that, “God is spirit.” If this does mean that God is without substance, then the above explanation still holds, since Stephen saw “the glory of God.” Still, we must be careful with this assumption. For example, Jesus is God, and Jesus has a body, so technically, God (i.e., Jesus, the second person of the Godhead) does indeed have a body (even if God the Father, the first person of the Godhead) does not have a body. Even by this, the above explanation still stands.

Furthermore, we must be careful with any assumptions of what it is like to see things in eternity. In our mortal bodies, we simply cannot understand the eternal things of God which are beyond time and space. Perhaps it was difficult for Luke to describe exactly what Stephen saw. Luke, in his physical body, may not have understood the things that Stephen saw in his unique opportunity, just before death (i.e., entering into the very presence of God).

Still, with any of these reasonable explanations, it is still a fact that Luke is not advocating false doctrine, and that the Bible (in its original manuscripts) is indeed inerrant. God, for whatever reason, has given you the challenge of defending your faith to a Mormon who is intelligent and articulate, and an experienced debater–one who is probably capable of twisting his opponents words and thoughts for the purpose of confusion. I can only encourage you in this awesome task.

Thanks,

Owen

5 Responses to “Did Stephen See God?”

  1. Stacy Anderson says:

    Wonderful answer & encouragement. God bless!

  2. Luciferian says:

    Jesus followed the pattern and example of His Father, thus both the Father and the Son (currently) have a glorified body of flesh and bone (no longer corruptible blood). Lucifer/Satan did not follow the example of The Father, thus does not have a body of flesh and bone. Worship a bodiless God and you serve Satan.

  3. Slimfit says:

    The passage says “Jesus standing at the right hand of God”. Means stephen saw two personages, Jesus and God Himself. Jesus standing “AT the right hand of God”. The assumption that the passage means stephen saw God’s glory through Christ would have been plausible if the passage says “standing AS the right hand of God”.

    The assumption given by the guy owen necessitates some bending of logic to suit his assumptions.

    The bible says “God is a spirit”, but it also says “God is love”, ” God is light”. Hence it is erroneous to take the statement “God is a spirit” literally since, considering other passages in the bible evincing that God has tangible body, it is only statement if his attributes. The teaching that God is a spirit was created only by the catholics through the nicean creed. Earlier teachings evinces that God is taught to have tangible body.

  4. Kim Douglas says:

    Anyone, regardless of the origin of his faith (Baptist, Church of Jesus Christ, Catholic, non-denominational, etc.), who argues and stands to defend so-called truth in the format of trying to prove another wrong so they can feel like they’re right is doing so for the wrong reason, because they’d be defending in pride. If someone is defending truth out of love to make sure the other person isn’t being deceived by the adversary, or asking questions for the purpose of trying to understand truth or what the other person believes, then that is appropriate.
    If you think you know the truth and he is wrong, then why do you need to prove it with the perfect answer.. especially from someone else?
    The truth is, knowing the make up of God and whether he is one tangible person or two separate beings working together has very little or nothing to do with salvation.
    Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon state that it is Christ’s GRACE by which we are saved, even though one says by faith and the other both works and faith. Owen, just know that you are not saved yet. If you believe in the truth held within the bible, then you see that we are saved by His grace AFTER we are resurrected and judged.

  5. Cory Haffly says:

    The Bible reveals, in many passages, that God (the Father) does indeed have a body. Not a physical body, but a spiritual body, as God is composed of spirit. The human physical body was patterned after God’s own spiritual body, which includes a head, hair, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, torso, back, arms, legs, hands, feet, fingers, toes. Stephen saw a vision of God the Father and Jesus, but he did not see God’s face, as God told Moses that he could not see God’s face, and live. So God allowed Moses to see His back. Building on this then, Stephen saw some limited aspect of God’s glory, but not His face. We are never told anywhere on the Bible that no one can see the face of Jesus Christ, many people saw him during his earthly life.

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