RC Sproul wrote a book arguing how everyone is a theologian. My basic understanding of his main 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 will 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, then how can we be sure that we have a true understanding of Him? More importantly, how can we know whether our overall worldview is correct if we do not know if we have a correct understanding of God? So, how can we know whether 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 (e.g., 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 nature of consciousness, and how our conscious nature is relating to our physical body. Arguably, many people recognize that science will never be able to provide a confident understanding of a realm that cannot be empirically sensed; however, without the ability to sense the spiritual realm, then what hope is there in perceiving God’s spiritual nature? And, critically, without a confident perception of God, then should we ever be confident that we have the correct worldview for our life?
If all of man’s wisdom of this world from every thought of man is fed into an A.I. system, then would it ever be able to provide a clear and indisputable understanding of the spiritual realm? Is the “self-realization” of our spiritual nature even possible, or must the creator provide a means of insight? Notably, the bible claims that scripture is literally “breathed from the mouth of God,” and that God created all the things seen and unseen. So, outside of the sixty-six books of the canon which are generally accepted by scholars, there is no other credible source claiming 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 should you perceive the complexity of your spiritual being compared to your physical being? Consider the perspective of an alien who comes to Earth and takes back a picture of you; how would they perceive the nature 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 within 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 of 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 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 scripture attempts to reveal the spiritual realm, and that a purpose of the bible is to be the sole source of understanding towards that spiritual realm? Arguably, God is stirring your heart to seek the understanding of your spiritual being; however, are the “biblical” religions of this age capable of providing any consequential insight? If religion primarily perceives the bible as depicting images of this temporal world, then what part of scripture is intended to provide the insight into the spiritual world? So, the first big question to consider is whether God’s intent for His Word is to explain our life in this temporal world, or to provide us insight of 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? Sure, 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 your self or your 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 received 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 for your son in the womb. Therefore, if you could send a book to a fetus in the womb, then 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 adulthood.
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 uniquely experiences their life, so logically you would consider sending him a basic book that provides general information of a “typical” person’s life. Also, would you convey information using images of this world, or images of his world in the womb? Perhaps you would realize that a fetus could not understand images of things which he has never experienced, so you would logically consider conveying the information by symbolically employing images of the world within the womb the fetus is currently experiencing. 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 employing 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 challenges that he will most likely experience throughout his future life.
Now, consider the alternative scenario where our hypothetical father instead sent a book primarily conveying information of his life in the womb. What might his young son say when he realizes his father’s illogical decision? Perhaps “Dad, why did you not send a book primarily informing me about this world? Wow! I only had a little time left in the womb, and I will spend exceedingly more time in this new world. Also, I was perfectly fine in the womb, because something was literally feeding me. I had nothing to do but to trust that I would continue to be fed and protected; and nothing could have been more important, nor more exciting, than seeking understanding from your book informing me of my future life. Gee, now I have to learn life’s lessons the difficult way, instead of being given a head start in understanding this challenging life. Thanks for nothing Dad.”
So, you must decide which purpose makes more logical sense? Did God send you a book to inform you of your remaining life in this world, or to convey insights of your eternal existence so that you are better prepared for challenges in your future life? Simply asked, do you believe God acted illogically or logically regarding the primary purpose of His Word?
What is God trying to convey?
So, if it would be logical for God to send information of your future existence, then we should consider whether God’s Word contains the basic elements of our hypothetical fetus scenario. Consider the way Jesus states His reason for coming. He states that He did not come to bring peace, rather to bring a sword (Matt 10:34). Oddly, His stated purpose is to set man against his father, daughter against her mother, and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. So, is Jesus saying that He came to cause divisions in families? He states that a man’s enemies are those of his own household. Importantly, He does not say that some of our enemies are from our own household, but rather “all” of our enemies are from there. Certainly those images do not makes sense literally, so Jesus is employing symbolism to convey an understanding, just as our hypothetical father would employ symbolism to explain an unfamiliar future world.
Consider Paul’s similar statement that our battle is not against people, but rather a battle against the spiritual forces of evil. So, when Jesus states that we should gouge out an eye or cut off an arm, is He 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 employed 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 which concerns you, but rather which is God’s concern as He relates with you? Do you think God brings people into your life whom you deem offensive (LGBTQ, supposed unbelievers, etc.) so that you can judge them, or to reveal your heart of stone? Perhaps a purpose of many experiences in this life is to reveal to ourselves the true spiritual condition of our heart within us. Consequently, which is more likely God’s plan being depicted by His Word; the destruction of the evil people around you, or the destruction of the evil forces within you?
Consider how we are called to love God wholeheartedly, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Yet, 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, then why do the NT writers never utilize that methodology? Alternatively, if the OT images are intended to symbolically depict the spiritual forces within us, then do not the NT writers utilize that methodology? Perhaps by gaining a deeper spiritual understanding of ourselves and others, only then are we truly able to give grace to ourselves, 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, while the angel told Joseph that his son is to be named “Jesus” because He will save His people from “their sins” (Luke 1:7; 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 explaining this world, or a book explaining our spiritual world? And, if the basic principles of fighting any kind of war are to know our own strengths and weaknesses, and to know our enemy and the battlefield, then would it not make sense that God wants us to have that knowledge of our spiritual world? So, if our warfare is solely spiritual, and since God states often that His people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge, then is He claiming that we lack sufficient knowledge of this temporal world, or the knowledge of the spiritual world within us?
Arguably, God’s Word does contain all of the basic elements of our hypothetical fetus scenario both by being full of symbolism employing images of this world, and by conveying 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 appears quite logical to say that God’s Word fits the general description of a book sent to you by God for the primary purpose of conveying information to prepare you for your future life. Certainly, you can say that you are unable to perceive scripture in that manner, but you cannot say that it is illogical for you to consider that new perspective of scripture. My hope is that you will thoughtfully consider some insights such that you begin to imagine how God’s intended purpose for the story of Israel is primarily intended to depict your life after death, by symbolically depicting His plan over two parts to restore His kingdom to Israel.