The second commandment forbids any likeness of God, and since Jesus Christ is God, pictures or statues of Him are prohibited. Besides, the common representations, with long hair, soft feminine features, and a sentimental, sanctimonious look, bear no resemblance to the real Jesus. Paul says nature teaches that long hair is a dishonor to a man, and first-century art shows men in the Roman style with short hair. The Bible describes Jesus in masculine terms. He worked as a carpenter at rigorous outdoor labor, drove moneychangers from the Temple courts twice, fasted forty days, and endured scourgings and a beating before His crucifixion. He was in no way effeminate. Isaiah 53:2 says He had no form or comeliness and no beauty that would make people desire Him. As a man He was a normal, healthy young Jew who did not stand out in a crowd. Most crucifixes and images therefore contradict Scripture and give a false impression of Him. If we think of His appearance at all, we should think of how He looks now in His glorified state as Savior, High Priest, and coming King. John saw Him with head and hair white like wool or snow, eyes like a flame of fire, and a countenance like the sun shining in full strength (Revelation 1:14, 16). He is the Forerunner of what believers will become.

Christ's second appearing will be loud, unmistakable, and glorious, in sharp contrast to His first coming. At His first coming He was plain and average, as Isaiah 53 says, having set aside most of His glory as a servant-man. The Transfiguration previewed the difference: His face shone like the sun and His clothes became white as light. He will return in His Father's glory, accompanied by a multitude of angels, with every eye seeing Him (Revelation 1:7). He comes like lightning flashing from east to west, with trumpet blasts, heavenly signs, and loud voices proclaiming that the kingdoms of this world have become His. Revelation 19 shows Him on a white horse, eyes like fire, many crowns on His head, a sharp sword from His mouth, and the name King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He comes to reward His people according to their works, to take them into His Father's Family permanently, and to punish His enemies with a rod of iron. Most of the world will mourn, though the saints will rejoice. Jesus called this time the regeneration, a new beginning and renewal. His second coming actually began with His first, since His ministry laid the groundwork for it. No one knows the hour, so His followers must stay watchful, prepared, and faithful, since He will come when He is not expected.

Jesus Christ's appearance in John's vision in Revelation 1 is overwhelming in glory. He is One like the Son of Man in the midst of the seven lampstands, clothed in a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair are white like wool, as white as snow; His eyes are like a flame of fire; His feet are like fine brass refined in a furnace; His voice is like the sound of many waters; He holds seven stars in His right hand; a sharp two-edged sword comes from His mouth; and His countenance is like the sun shining in its strength. John fell at His feet as dead, until Christ laid His right hand on him and said, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last." The power and glory of Jesus Christ, like that of the Father, is more than a human can withstand, even in vision. Daniel likely fell on his face in worship because Christ was present. Christ is also seen at the right hand of God, the place of highest honor, dignity, and majesty. Stephen saw Him standing there, actively engaged and pleased at Stephen's victory, while Hebrews 8:1 and 12:2 show Him seated as the eternal High Priest whose forgiveness of sins is complete. Revelation 3:21 promises that the overcomer will sit with Him on His throne.

Jesus Christ's appearance in John's vision is overwhelming in glory. Among the seven lampstands stands One like the Son of Man, clothed in a garment to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair are white like wool, as white as snow, His eyes are like a flame of fire, His feet are like fine brass refined in a furnace, and His voice is like the sound of many waters. He holds seven stars in His right hand, a sharp two-edged sword proceeds from His mouth, and His countenance is like the sun shining in its strength (Revelation 1:13-17). John fell at His feet as dead, and Christ laid His right hand on him and said, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last." The power and glory of Christ, like that of the Father, are more than a human can withstand, even in vision. Stephen saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God, an active place of honor, dignity, and majesty, while Hebrews shows Him seated there as the eternal High Priest who has secured full forgiveness. Daniel likely fell on his face before Christ's presence in vision as an act of worship. Words cannot adequately express the awesomeness of being in the presence of God.

Jesus Christ appears in vision as overwhelming in power and glory. John saw One like the Son of Man among seven golden lampstands, clothed in a garment down to the feet and girded with a golden band. His head and hair were white as wool and snow, His eyes like a flame of fire, His feet like fine brass refined in a furnace, His voice like the sound of many waters, and His countenance like the sun shining in its strength. A sharp two-edged sword came from His mouth, and seven stars were in His right hand. John fell at His feet as dead, and Christ laid His right hand on him and told him not to be afraid, for He is the First and the Last. The power and glory of the Father or of Christ is more than a mere human can withstand, which is why Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel likewise fell, fainted, or came undone before such visions. Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, saw Jesus standing, not sitting, at the right hand of God, the place of highest honor, dignity, and majesty. Christ stood as an active participant, thrilled at Stephen's victory over sin, Satan, the world, and human nature. In the future, the resurrected saints will bow on the sea of glass before God's throne with Jesus Christ at the Father's right hand. They will receive Christ's new name, and the saints are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Jesus also showed His authority over creation by rebuking the winds and sea so that there was a great calm.

Every New Testament description of Christ's return and appearing mentions clouds (Matthew 24:30; Mark 13:26; Revelation 1:7; I Thessalonians 4:17), and this detail is deliberate. Clouds first appear in Scripture as the setting of the rainbow, the sign of God's promise never to destroy all flesh, and in Revelation 10:1 Jesus, clothed with a cloud and crowned with a rainbow, shows He has not forgotten that promise even as He prepares to unleash destruction on rebellious humanity. A cloud impedes light, so the cloud covering Christ mercifully filters His radiance. He dwells in unapproachable light that no man can see and live (I Timothy 6:15-16). Moses had to be hidden in a rock cleft, and even his reflected glory required a veil. For this reason God came to Israel in a dense cloud at Sinai and stayed in a cloud throughout the wilderness. Christ will sometimes unveil His glory to destroy the lawless one (II Thessalonians 2:8), and at His coming unrepentant men will flee into caves in terror (Isaiah 2:12-21). Even the called must be changed into immortal, spiritual bodies to see Him as He is (I John 3:2-3; I Corinthians 15). Those who enter the Millennium unchanged will still see Him in clouds, which spares them from being obliterated, until all His children see His face in full glory and live.

The risen, glorified Christ looks radically different from the Jesus who went into the tomb. Sixty-five years after the resurrection, the aged apostle John saw Him in heaven (Revelation 1:12-18): clothed in a garment to the feet with a golden band around His chest, His head and hair white like wool, as white as snow, His eyes like a flame of fire, His feet like fine brass refined in a furnace, His voice like the sound of many waters, a sharp two-edged sword proceeding from His mouth, and His countenance like the sun shining in its strength. The Jesus of the flesh had ordinary hair, and nothing in Scripture marks Him as unusual, whether people imagine Him blond, redheaded, or brown-haired. His glorified form is not a toned-down appearance adopted among the disciples during the forty days after the resurrection. It is what He looks like in heaven in His glory, and the sight overwhelmed John so that he fell at His feet as dead. This appearance shows the power of the resurrection, the change from human to Spirit. Christ is no longer bound by the flesh, radiates like the sun, and holds the keys of the grave and of death. He raised John with the words "Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last... I am alive forevermore." Believers will be changed to bear the image of this heavenly Man and will see Him as He is.

Jesus Christ existed from eternity in the form of God, possessing all divine attributes and equal with the Father, yet He laid aside that outward glory and splendor at a particular moment in history. He took the form of a bondservant and came in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man of average height and weight, with hair of common color, speaking the contemporary language. This humble, average-looking man entered the world as an actual infant in a far eastern colony of the Roman Empire, without any blaze of light, marching legions, or display of pomp that might have been expected. Paul employs three Greek terms to convey this reality: morphe for the inward and outward nature of both God and man, homoioma for the outward physical likeness of humanity, and schema for conformity to the full range of human experience, pressures, and circumstances. Thus Christ was man inwardly and outwardly, sharing every aspect of human life except sin, while retaining the inward divine nature. He endured temptation, suffering, and disappointment exactly as humans do, becoming like each person so that humans might become like Him. This condescension from preeminent glory to the likeness of men constitutes the ultimate expression of obedience to the Father and provides the pattern for humility.

Jesus Christ appears in this material as the glorious, exalted figure who stands at the very center of the book of Revelation and, by extension, at the center of the letters to the seven churches. His appearance is described in Revelation 1:12-20, where John, having turned to see the voice speaking to him, beholds the Son of Man standing amid seven golden lampstands. He is clothed with a garment reaching to the feet and girded with a golden band across the chest; His head and hair are white like wool or snow; His eyes blaze like fire; His feet gleam like fine brass refined in a furnace; His voice sounds like the roar of many waters; He holds seven stars in His right hand; a sharp two-edged sword proceeds from His mouth; and His countenance shines like the sun in full strength. This vision is not a random or fanciful dream but a deliberately orchestrated disclosure meant to convey Christ's power, glory, beauty, majesty, holiness, and overwhelming awesomeness. The effect of this appearance on John is immediate and total: he falls at Christ's feet as though dead, so overwhelming is the sight of this immortal, glorified Being. Christ responds with comfort, laying His hand on John and identifying Himself as "the First and the Last," the One who lives, was dead, and is alive forevermore, holding the keys of Hades and death. This self-identification establishes His supreme authority over life, death, and the future course of events that John is commanded to record. The significance of this appearance is tied directly to the letters that follow in chapters two and three. The seven lampstands are explained as symbolizing the seven churches, meaning that the vision depicts Jesus Christ standing in the midst of His church, actively working within it to bring believers to salvation. Because seven represents completeness, this scene signifies that Christ is present and laboring within the whole church, not merely a few isolated congregations. When He subsequently addresses each church—beginning with Ephesus, where He identifies Himself as "He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands"—He deliberately points back to this initial vision, reminding the reader that the One issuing praise, warning, correction, and rebuke in each letter is this same awe-inspiring, glorified Being. This connection is essential to how the letters should be read. Because Christ Himself authenticates each message by referring back to His majestic appearance, the letters are not to be treated as ordinary correspondence but as personal, authoritative communication from a holy and all-powerful Lord who is intimately involved with His people. The appearance thus functions as the interpretive key for the letters: readers are called to keep this glorious Personage foremost in mind, understanding that He possesses both the power to help and to punish, and that His words carry the full weight of His divine authority and constant presence among His people.

This examination of Christ's appearance forms part of a broader argument disproving the Trinity doctrine by demonstrating that Jesus, though truly God, is a distinct Being from the Father, and that His outward manifestations throughout history varied according to purpose while His inner nature remained constant. The discussion begins with John 1:1, where the Greek term Logos, better rendered "Expression" than "Word," identifies Jesus as the comprehensive means by which the invisible Father has always revealed Himself, not merely during His earthly lifetime. The preposition traditionally translated "with" in "the Word was with God" is more accurately rendered "toward" (pros ton Theon), indicating that the Expression continually pointed and guided humanity toward the Father, exactly as Jesus repeatedly said "I go to the Father" before His crucifixion. Central to understanding Christ's appearance is the recognition that He manifested Himself to mankind in numerous differing outward forms throughout biblical history: as the Angel entertained by Abraham, as the Captain of the Lord's host to Joshua, as a fearsome figure to Samson's parents, as the One whose voice shook Sinai, in radiant glory at the Transfiguration, and in an unrecognizable form to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Philippians 2:5-8 supplies the key vocabulary for this, using the Greek word morphe (form), which pertains strictly to external, visible appearance rather than internal substance or nature—contrary to Trinitarian commentators who improperly expand its meaning. Scriptural parallels (Mark 16:12, Romans 2:20, II Timothy 3:5) confirm that morphe consistently denotes outward appearance as distinct from inward reality. Thus, when Christ is described as being "in the form of God" and then taking "the form of a slave" (doulos), Paul is illustrating the highest and lowest outward manifestations Christ assumed, not describing a change in His actual nature. Intrinsically He remained fully God throughout, never in bondage as an actual slave would be; His self-emptying (kenosis) consisted of divesting Himself of previous glorious forms and privileges, becoming mortal, and perfectly fulfilling whatever appearance the Father's purpose required. His face and outward presentation could and did change—recognizable to Mary after the resurrection yet unrecognizable to the Emmaus disciples—because He possessed the power to alter His form as needed for the Father's revelatory purposes. This variability of form contrasts with the unchanging reality of His character. Whether appearing as the exalted figure Isaiah saw enthroned in glory or as the humble slave-formed servant of the New Testament, Christ always perfectly and unvaryingly expressed the Father's heart, mercy, and affection. The seeming contrast between a "harsh" Old Testament God and a "loving" New Testament God is resolved by recognizing that the same divine Person is revealed in both, with the incarnation focusing revelation on divine affection through a lowlier form. Christ's varied appearances therefore serve as consistent, faithful expressions of the one unseen Father, reinforcing that Father and Son remain two distinct Beings in a relationship of image and reality, channel and source, rather than three co-equal persons in one Godhead.

Popular depictions of Jesus Christ typically portray Him as dark brown in complexion, with long hair, handsome, and young, and while the assumption of youthfulness is accurate, the rest of this common perception is a clear illustration of humanity's tendency to substitute imagination for reality. God deliberately concealed the actual physical appearance of Jesus so that people would not fixate on external, physical details but would instead concentrate on the spiritual truths He taught and embodied. Scripture reveals several truths that contradict the popular image: Jesus had no beauty that would cause people to desire Him, it was considered shameful for a man to wear long hair, and since Jesus always did what pleased the Father, He would not have adopted a hairstyle marked as shameful. Additionally, as an Israelite, His hair and eye color could have varied widely, since Israelites can have black, blonde, or red hair and different colored eyes. Despite these clear scriptural indications, most people remain deceived and unwilling to alter their perception of what Jesus looked like, because deception by its nature keeps a person unaware that his view is false. This distortion regarding Christ's physical appearance serves as a simple, accessible example of a much larger pattern seen throughout Jesus' ministry: people's perceptions of who He was and what He said were repeatedly wrong, despite their confidence that they understood the truth. The Jews misunderstood His statement about rebuilding the temple in three days, later using their own misperception as false evidence against Him at His trial. Nicodemus misunderstood Jesus' teaching on being born again multiple times within a short conversation. The Samaritan woman misperceived His words about living water, and even His own disciples misunderstood His statement about having food to eat that they did not know of. Crowds abandoned Him after failing to grasp His teaching about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. The Pharisees misjudged the nature of the Messiah's coming, expecting only a conquering ruler and rejecting the necessity of Him first coming as the Lamb of God who would die for sin. In contrast, Peter received correct insight into Christ's identity as the Son of the living God, not through human reasoning but through revelation from the Father, demonstrating that accurate perception of Jesus depends on God's intervention rather than personal effort or the accumulation of life experience alone. The consistent thread running through all these instances is that people's perceptions, whether about Christ's outward appearance or His deeper spiritual identity and mission, are shaped by prior assumptions and experiences that often fail to align with reality. Unless God grants spiritual insight, perception remains distorted, no matter how sincerely or confidently a person may believe it reflects the truth. This is why Jesus attributed true spiritual sight to something beyond ordinary human perception, involving the Father's direct revelation as the means by which false perceptions about Christ, including those concerning His outward form, can be replaced with reality.

Isaiah 53:2-3 provides the foundation for understanding Christ's physical appearance, describing Him as growing up like a tender plant from dry ground, possessing no form or comeliness, and having no beauty that would cause people to desire Him. He was despised and rejected, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, so much so that people hid their faces from Him and did not esteem Him. This description is not meant to suggest that Jesus was ugly; rather, the emphasis rests on the fact that He was common, blending in with other men. Nothing about His physical stature, build, or visage set Him apart or drew attention to Him. When He began His ministry, He did not come from a city that inspired admiration, nor did He possess any scholastic pedigree from a rabbinical school. Although He did have an impressive family lineage, even this was disputed, since many considered Him illegitimate. This portrait of Christ's unremarkable, even rejected, appearance is presented deliberately as a contrast to the attractiveness of the Outcome-Based religions currently drawing large numbers of people. Just as Jesus possessed nothing in His outward appearance that naturally drew people to Him, so His spiritual wife, the Church of God, will not be naturally attractive to carnal people. This is not to say the Church is repellant, but rather that it does not possess the qualities that draw crowds the way the New Paradigm churches do. An illustration is given of Herbert Armstrong, whose meetings would see decreasing attendance each night, in contrast to Billy Graham's crusades, which saw growing numbers. This reflects a spiritual principle: God has filled His Church with reasonably intelligent people, yet not many of the mighty or renowned of this world have been called. Instead, God has called those who are weak by the world's standards and small in number, but rich in faith because of their willingness to believe God and submit to His righteousness. This contrast between Christ's humble, unattractive appearance and the outward glamour of the Outcome-Based religions serves as a key interpretive lens for the entire message. While these modern religious movements measure success by rapid membership growth, media attention, and emotionally appealing programs, true Christianity, following the pattern of Christ Himself, does not rely on outward attraction to validate its legitimacy. The very lack of natural appeal in Jesus's appearance underscores that God's work and God's truth are not determined by what draws large crowds or garners public admiration. This principle becomes foundational for evaluating the Outcome-Based religions throughout the broader message: their explosive growth and media prominence, though impressive by worldly standards, do not indicate divine approval or doctrinal soundness. Just as people saw nothing in Christ's appearance to desire Him, so genuine Christianity will not always present itself in a manner that is naturally appealing to carnal human nature. This sets up the broader argument that spiritual truth and faithfulness to God must be measured not by attractiveness, popularity, or growth, but by conformity to Christ's actual teachings and sanctifying Him as Lord in the heart, regardless of how unremarkable or unattractive that path may appear by worldly standards.

The physical appearance of Jesus Christ receives specific attention as the ultimate example of godly modesty in dress. Drawing on one minister's reasoned reconstruction from scripture and historical accounts, Jesus is described as having average facial features and coloring, with hair of moderate length by the standards of His culture—neither exceedingly short nor exceedingly long. He wore a full, neatly trimmed beard, consistent with the custom of His time and with Isaiah's prophecy describing His cheek being plucked of hair. Given that God insisted on rigorous personal and communal hygiene under the Law, it follows that Jesus would have practiced daily bathing and careful grooming, though without any trace of obsession or vanity. His clothing consisted of a seamless outer coat or cloak, possibly resembling Joseph's coat of many colors, of commonplace good taste and fine quality—comparable to a well-made suit worn today. This lack of ostentation in His appearance is offered as the explanation for how Jesus was able to blend into crowds and elude pursuers on several occasions before His appointed time; had He looked strikingly different, with unusual features or a distinguishing glow, He could not have escaped notice. His inner garments were likely of lightweight linen, cotton, or wool, with an outer coat of wool, reflecting the fine but not extravagant quality of clothing available in first-century Palestine. Altogether, this portrait presents Jesus as well-groomed but not affected, well-dressed but not clothes-conscious, clean but not antiseptic, dignified but not distinguished—embodying the very moderation and propriety being taught as the standard for Christian modesty in dress. This physical example is then contrasted with and complemented by the appearance of Jesus Christ in His glorified state, as revealed in Revelation. There He is seen clothed with a garment reaching to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band, and later depicted riding a white horse, clothed with a robe dipped in blood, with the armies of heaven following Him clothed in fine linen, white and clean. This entourage represents the glorified saints who will return with Christ at His Second Coming, arrayed in garments that are modest, royal, and pure, symbolizing righteousness. Taken together, both the earthly and glorified appearances of Jesus Christ serve as the capstone of a broader biblical pattern beginning with God's own clothing of Adam and Eve. Just as God covered them from the neck to the knees in garments of skin rather than the inadequate coverings they fashioned for themselves, so Christ in the flesh covered Himself modestly, in moderation and propriety, and so the saints in glory will be clothed in white robes made pure through His blood. This consistent testimony—from Adam and Eve, to Jesus Christ, to the glorified saints—establishes a divine standard for covering the body that reflects humility, purity, and holiness rather than self-display, forming the foundation for the broader teaching that Christian modesty must govern both worship and daily living in preparation for the Kingdom of God.