Thomas Aquinas once was asked, "Thomas, do you think that Jesus enjoyed the beatific vision through his whole life?" Thomas said, "I don't know, but I'm sure that our Lord was able to see things that our sin keeps us from seeing." Remember that the promise of the vision of God in the Beatitudes is a promise made to whom? To the pure of heart.
Beloved, the reason why you can't see God with your eyes is not because you have a problem with your optic nerve. What prevents us from seeing God is our heart, our impurity. But Jesus had no impurity, and Thomas said He was pure in heart, so obviously he had some experience of the beauty of the Father until that moment that my sin was placed upon him and the one who was pure was pure no more. And God cursed Him.
It was as if there was a cry from heaven—excuse my language, but I can be no more accurate than to say—it was as if Jesus heard the words "God Damn You." Because that's what it meant to be cursed, to be damned, to be under the anatomy of a Father. As I said, I don't understand that, but I know that it's true. And I know that every person in this room and every person outside in this hotel and on the street and across the world who has not been covered by the righteousness of Christ right this minute draws every breath under the curse of God. If you believe that, you will stop adding to the gospel and start preaching it with clarity and with boldness because, dear friends, it is the only hope we have and it is hope enough.
It was as if there was a cry from heaven—excuse my language, but I can be no more accurate than to say—it was as if Jesus heard the words "God Damn You." Because that's what it meant to be cursed, to be damned, to be under the anatomy of a Father. As I said, I don't understand that, but I know that it's true. And I know that every person in this room and every person outside in this hotel and on the street and across the world who has not been covered by the righteousness of Christ right this minute draws every breath under the curse of God. If you believe that, you will stop adding to the gospel and start preaching it with clarity and with boldness because, dear friends, it is the only hope we have and it is hope enough.
