Has anybody ever seen God?

My friend is a very strong Atheist and has been now for nearly three and a half years and one of the contradictions he gives are between 1 John 4:12 where it says that no man has seen God but in Genesis 32:20 Jacob says has seen God face to face and even wrestled with God, how can we explain this apparent contradiction and would this be considered a contradiction? > No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in > the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. **John 1:18** > No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth > in us, and his love is perfected in us. **1 John 4:12** > And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God > face to face, and my life is preserved. **Genesis 32:20**