RC Sproul wrote a book that proposed that everyone is a theologian. My basic understanding of his point is that everyone has a perspective of God; even the belief that there is no God is a theological perspective. And I think many would agree that our perspectives on the existence of God and His nature greatly influence our worldview and how we answer the three great questions in life: Who am I? What is my purpose? What is my future after this life? However, if all three questions are influenced by our perspective of God, how can we be sure that we have a true understanding of Him? More importantly, how can we know that our overall worldview is correct if we do not know if we have a correct understanding of God? So, how do we know that God exists, and how do we gain a perception of the nature of His spiritual being?
Spiritual awakening
Supposedly, there is a spiritual awakening occurring today. Whereas trends (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2023/12/07/spirituality-among-americans/ ) indicate that the percentage of people who consider themselves “religious” is declining in our society, apparently there is a steady increase in the percentage who call themselves “spiritual.” Similarly, a growing percentage perceive the existence of a spiritual realm that coexists with the temporal world, and some also allow that a spiritual “afterlife” might continue to exist beyond their life on earth. Why are these trends occurring? Perhaps the increasing perception of a spiritual realm results from the realization that modern science cannot reasonably explain many aspects of our human nature. Consequently, perhaps more people naturally conclude that their conscious thoughts, feelings, and desires somehow coexist with their physical being, yet they sense that the realm of their conscious nature is not part of this physical world. Perhaps many realize that when their physical body dies, no one can say definitively that their “consciousness” must also die. Of course, philosophers and scientists have been investigating for decades the source and destiny of our consciousness, and how our conscious nature relates to our physical body; however, many perceive that science will never be able to provide a confident understanding of a realm that cannot be empirically sensed. Yet, without the ability to sense the spiritual realm, then what hope is there in understanding the spiritual nature of God? Consequentially, without a confident perception of God, should you ever be confident that you have a correct worldview for your life?
Consider the realization that even if all of man’s wisdom of this world from every thought of man is continually fed into an A.I. system, will it ever be able to give a confident understanding of the spiritual realm? Will the “self realization” of our spiritual being ever be possible? Can the minds of man ever discern the nature of its creator without the creator first providing some means of insight? Notably, the Bible claims that all of God’s Word is literally “breathed from the mouth of God,” and that God created all things seen and unseen. So, outside of the 66 biblical books of the canon which are generally accepted by scholars, arguably there is no other credible source of spiritual insight. Because, if not directly from the mouth of the spiritual creator, what other resource can claim to have any potential to provide spiritual insight with 100% confidence?
Spiritual complexity?
How do you perceive the complexity of your spiritual being relative to your physical being? Perhaps you should consider the perspective of an alien who comes to earth and takes back a picture of you; how much would they be able to perceive of your physical being? Would they have any perception of the wonder and complexity inside you? Would they perceive that you have over a billion living cells in your brain alone, and trillions of living cells within your entire body? Would they have any perception of the complexity of your DNA, or the trillions of interactions occurring continuously between all the organs inside you? Now, do you consider it possible that your spiritual being is as complex as your physical body? Why does everyone casually think of themselves as having ”a spirit” without realizing the extremely likely “hidden” wonder and complexity of our spiritual being? We seem to be as blind of our spiritual being as an alien would be from an external image of our physical being.
Do you perceive that the Bible attempts to reveal the spiritual realm; and if so, how much? And, do you perceive that a purpose of the Bible is to be the sole source of any understanding towards that spiritual realm? If so, perhaps God is stirring hearts and awakening people to seek understanding of their spiritual being; however, are the “biblical” religions of this age capable of providing any consequential insight into the spiritual realm? If religion primarily perceives the Bible as depicting images of this temporal world, how much of God’s Word remains to provide insight into the spiritual world? So, the first big question to consider is whether God’s primary intent is to give us a book which explains life in this temporal world, or to provide insight into the spiritual world? Which purpose of God’s Word makes more logical sense?
Fetus scenario
Perhaps we should consider the hypothetical scenario that you are an expectant father who was given the ability to send a book to your fetus son in the womb. If so, what information would you consider sending him? Would you consider sending him information regarding his life in the womb, or information regarding his future life? Perhaps you would send some information regarding his current life in the womb; however, realizing that he has already experienced many things of his world, you would likely send him information primarily about life in his future world. Perhaps you would recall when you were born into this world, and how you could not immediately “walk in the flesh” as a child even vaguely aware of yourself or the surrounding world. You might also recall that childhood required many years of learning things the hard way, and how it would have been nice if you were given knowledge of yourself and this challenging world while you were still in the womb. Perhaps you wish that you knew “then” what you know “now,” so you would likely wish the same thing for your son in the womb. Therefore, if you could send a book to a fetus in the womb, you would most logically send information that primarily prepares him for the typical challenges of his future life that will vary as he matures from childhood to adult.
Continuing the fetus scenario, consider whether you could send your future son a book with the exact details of his future life. Perhaps you would realize that every child experiences life uniquely, so logically you would consider sending him a basic book providing general information of a typical person’s life in this world. Then consider whether you would convey information using images of this world or images of his world in the womb. Perhaps you would realize that the fetus could never understand images of things which he has never experienced, so logically you would consider conveying information “symbolically” using images of the world within the womb which the fetus currently experiences. So, if you as a loving father had the ability to send a book to inform your future son, then you would logically send him a basic book using familiar images of his current world as symbolism to convey general information of a typical person’s life in his future world so that he is better prepared for the likely challenges that he will experience throughout his future life.
Consider the alternative scenario where our hypothetical father instead sent a book primarily conveying information of life in the womb. What might his young son say when he realizes his father’s decision? Perhaps “Dad, why did you not send a book primarily informing me of this world? I only had a little time left in the womb, and I will spend exceedingly more time in this world. Also, I was perfectly fine in the womb; something was literally feeding me. I had nothing to do but trust that I would continue to be fed and protected; and nothing could have been more important, nor more exciting, than seeking understanding from a book informing me of my future life. Now, I have to learn life’s lessons the hard way instead of having a head start in understanding this challenging life.”
Considering the fetus scenario, which purpose of God’s Word makes more logical sense? Did God send you a book informing you of your short remaining life in this world, or is the Bible a book from your heavenly Father which uses images of this world to convey information of your future world so that you are better prepared for your future challenges? Simply asked, do you believe God’s primary intent for His Word is to give you information of life in this temporal world, or to give you information that prepares you for your future spiritual world? Do you believe God would act illogically or logically regarding the primary purpose of His Word? If it would be logical for God to send information of your future world, perhaps we should consider whether the Bible contains the basic elements of our hypothetical fetus scenario.
What is God trying to convey?
Consider what Jesus states as His reason for coming. He states that He did not come to bring peace, but rather to bring a sword (Matt 10:34). His stated purpose is to set man against his father, daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Is Jesus saying that He came to literally cause divisions in families? He then states that a man’s enemies are those of his own household. Notably, He is not saying that some of our enemies are from our own household, but rather “all” of our enemies are from there. Do any of those images make sense literally? Certainly not; so, obviously Jesus is using symbolism to convey understanding, as the hypothetical father would use symbolism to explain an unfamiliar future world.
Consider Paul’s similar statement that our battle is not against people, but rather a battle against spiritual forces of evil. So, when Jesus states that we should gouge out an eye or “cut off” an arm, is He is speaking literally of body parts, or is He using symbolism to depict spiritual truths? And when God destroys evil in the OT by “cutting off” people, or when David pleads that his enemies be destroyed; are those images intended to depict a literal battle against people, or is symbolism being used to depict the battle against the spiritual forces within us?
Consider when someone cuts in front of you or offends you in some manner. Do you think God is more concerned about your battle with that person or the unrighteous angry response that arises automatically from within you? I am not asking what concerns you, but rather what is God’s concern as He relates to you? Do you think God brings people into your life whom you deem offensive (LGBTQ, murderers, supposed unbelievers, etc) so that you can judge them or to reveal your heart of stone? Perhaps a purpose of many circumstances in this life is to reveal to ourselves the condition of our heart within us. Consequently, which is more likely God’s plan being presented in His Word; the destruction of the evil people around you, or the destruction of the evil forces within you? Perhaps most importantly, which perspective do you assume when you read the first five Psalms?
Consider that we are called to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbor as ourself. How can we do either if we do not understand our own heart? Religion based on man’s wisdom perceives the people, cities, tribes, and surrounding nations depicted in the OT as objects to be used for applying moral lessons of proper or improper behavior. However, if that is the proper application, why don’t the NT writers utilize that methodology? Perhaps those images are intended to symbolically depict the spiritual forces within us such that we gain understanding of our current and future spiritual world. Notably, the NT writers utilize that methodology in abundance. Perhaps with that deeper spiritual understanding of ourselves and others, only then are we truly able to give grace to ourself and consequently also give grace to others. “Forgive them Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Consider the facts that God is spirit and His Kingdom is not of this world, and that our battle is not against the flesh and blood of this world but rather a spiritual war against spiritual forces of evil. Notably, Zechariah prophesied that Jesus would save us from “our enemies” and from the hand of those who hate us (Luke 1:71); while the angel told Joseph that his son is to be named Jesus because He will save His people from “their sins” (Matt 1:21). So, are not our enemies the spiritual forces of sin within us? Given those biblical facts, do you think God would give us a book of this world or a book of our spiritual world? If the basic principles of fighting any war are to know our own strengths/weaknesses and to know our enemy’s and the battlefield, would it not make sense that God wants us to have that knowledge of our spiritual world? If our warfare is solely spiritual and God states often that “my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge,” is He stating a lack of knowledge of this temporal world or the spiritual world within us?
Arguably, the Bible does contain all of the basic elements of our hypothetical fetus scenario. God’s Word is full of symbolism using images of this world; and it does convey information of the life of Israel who fights on varying battlefields over many generations. Paul states more than once that these stories are given to us as an “example” so that we do not desire evil and fall into sin. So, it would appear quite logical to say that the Bible fits the general description of a book sent to you from God for the primary purpose of conveying information to prepare you for your future spiritual life. Certainly, you can say that you are unable to perceive the Bible in that manner, but you cannot say that it is illogical to at least consider that perspective of God’s Word. My hope is that you will consider some insights such that you might begin to imagine how the purpose of the biblical images is primarily intended to depict your future spiritual life.