Spiritual Nature of God

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#003399" TEXT="#080000" background="040c8c00erkjxk.jpg"> <div> <B><U>Greg Rasaka</U></B></div> <div> <B>is the editor of </B><I><B>Eschatology Review</B></I><B>.  </B><I><B>Eschatology Review</B></I><B> is a free publication available by contacting Greg at 32080 N.E. Corral Creek Road, Newberg, Oregon, 97132.  You can also reach him via e-mail at gjr@viclink.com.</B></div> <div> <B>This article is from the February 2003 issue of </B><I><B>Eschatology Review</B></I><B> and used with his kind permission</B><I><B>.</B></I></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="7" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Brush Script MT" ><B>Restoration Ministries</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFF99" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC0000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>  <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" >| </FONT>    <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Restoration Ministries"><U>home</U></A></div> <div>                                                   </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0f81c480.jpg" border=0 width="540" height="72" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>by Greg Rasaka</B></div> <div> _____________________________________________________</div> <bR> <div> I think a very important fact to grasp is the spiritual nature of the teachings of Christ. His messages were spiritual, designed to help mankind understand the spiritual nature of the Kingdom of Heaven and the Father himself. We are in a world of physical surroundings, and we perceive these things with physical senses. We do not grasp the spiritual realm. We know it exists, but we do not understand it. </div> <bR> <div> In John 3:8, Jesus told Nicodemus, <B>“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”</B> The spiritual realm is invisible like the wind, but we know it exists because we see the effects of it.</div> <bR> <div> The Greek word <B>pneuma</B>, can mean spirit, wind, or breath. So closely related are these that <B>pneuma</B> can be used for all three. We all have a spirit, but we cannot see it or detect it in any manner. The spirit is the inner man, that living part of us that is not physical. At physical death, the spirit and body are separated.</div> <bR> <div> Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:14, <B>“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”</B> So all these things are to be spiritually appraised. In order to do that, we must think beyond what we know about our physical or natural surroundings. </div> <bR> <div> In 2 Corinthians 4:16, Paul was comparing the outer or natural man to the inner or spiritual man, and then in verse 18 he said, <B>“while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”</B> This tells us that eternal things are unseen, while the things that are seen are only temporary. These unseen things were what Paul exhorted his readers to focus on, not the things that were seen.</div> <bR> <div> Jesus used figurative language, metaphors, parables and similes, to relate to man things that he could not understand in any other way. Jesus used physical analogies to teach spiritual truths. Jesus performed physical miracles to prove spiritual truths. How else could they/we understand these spiritual concepts?</div> <bR> <div> In John 6, after feeding the multitude, they wanted to make him their physical king, so he withdrew. The next day they wanted a repeat miracle, but instead Jesus taught them about spiritual food and that they should work toward the food that endures to eternal life, not that which perishes. He gave them the lesson that he was the true manna, or bread coming out of heaven. He was the bread of life. This was a message that was very spiritual in nature.</div> <bR> <div> In Matthew 9, Jesus heals a paralytic and tells the man his sins are forgiven. The scribes accused him of blasphemy, but Jesus said, <B>“What is easier to say, get up and walk, or your sins are forgiven?”</B> Here Jesus shows the spiritual truth by performing a physical miracle. Which is easier to prove? Because they could not see with their eyes that the man<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s sins were forgiven, he cured the man<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s paralysis, which they could see. Anyone could say your sins are forgiven, but only Jesus could say get up and walk, and make it happen, showing that his sins were also forgiven. The restoration of his ability to walk was proof for the Jews that Jesus had forgiven the man<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s sins.</div> <bR> <div> We must not forget that the Jews considered ailments such as paralysis and blindness to be the result of sin. In John 9:2, the disciples asked Jesus who had sinned, the blind man or his parents. Jesus corrects them by declaring that the blindness was not induced because of sin, but rather so that the works of God could be displayed through him.</div> <bR> <div> In John 9:39 Jesus refers to spiritual blindness. He said, <B>“For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”</B> This was not physical blindness, otherwise all who could see would have been made blind. Physically, this did not happen, but spiritually it did.</div> <bR> <div> Mark 7:14-23 teaches that true defilement is spiritual not physical. It is that which comes out of one<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s mouth that defiles him, not that which goes into one<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s mouth. What goes in the mouth cannot defile the spirit, only the body, while that which comes out of one<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s mouth cannot defile the body, only the spirit. Jesus again puts all emphasis on the spirit, not the body.</div> <bR> <div> Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that he can give her living water and she shall never thirst again. This is spiritual water, eternal life.</div> <bR> <div> Jesus taught spiritual messages. He said, <B>“My kingdom is not of this world”</B> in John 18:36. And in Luke 17:20 Jesus said,<B> “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed.”</B> His entire ministry was centered on that of a spiritual nature.</div> <bR> <div> The scriptures are full of physical <B>types</B> that correspond to spiritual truths called anti-types. Typology is one of the most important aspects of the scriptures, yet </div> <div> most are unfamiliar with it. The physical types of the Old Testament were shadows of the good things to come. They were to point to the spiritual nature of the kingdom that would eventually be revealed to mankind fully. This was to occur in the last days of the Jewish age. </div> <bR> <div> Typology is a fascinating study, and sheds much light on the interpretation of the scriptures. We will not enter into that at this time, but rather save it for a future topic. Suffice it to say that types or shadows in the Old Testament correspond to the spiritual truths of the teachings of Jesus and the apostles.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Resurrection of Christ</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead as a type and proof of what was going to happen soon. Again, the physical miracle was to demonstrate the spiritual truth that was being revealed. The finale of Christ<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s miracles was his own resurrection. His body died a physical death and his spirit died a spiritual death that was separated from God and confined in Hades for three days. After that he was resurrected out of Hades, the first born of the dead. </div> <bR> <div> Also his physical body was resurrected as proof that his spirit had also been resurrected. Without the physical resurrection, where was the proof that this had in fact been accomplished? This was the sign of Jonah, three days in the belly of the earth (Matthew 12:39-40). Christ<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s body was not to undergo decay, nor was his spirit to be abandoned in Hades (Acts 2:27). He was raised both spiritually and physically. The true resurrection was that of the spirit, and the physical resurrection was proof that the spiritual resurrection had been accomplished.</div> <bR> <div> The body the disciples saw and touched was his physical body. Some preterists teach that this was his eternal spiritual body. They say this because he was able to appear and disappear, conceal his identity, etc. But Christ had been performing miracles of all kinds all along, so why is it so hard to believe that these were miracles as well? Besides that, Jesus said, (Luke 24:39). <B>“See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see that I have”</B>  Flesh and bone (flesh and blood, either signifies the fleshly body) cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 15:50).</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>The Ascension of</U></B><B><U> </U></B><B><U>Christ</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Jesus prayed in the garden that he would be restored to the glory that he had with the Father before the world was (John 17:5). Also Matthew 16:27 tells us that Christ was to come in the glory of his Father. I know of no place in the bible that tells us that Jesus would ever leave that eternal glory again. </div> <bR> <div> Now in Acts 1:9-11, Jesus is taken up into heaven, yet a cloud hid him from their sight. I believe this is the point in time that Jesus received back the eternal Shekinah glory of his Father, and so he had to be in a cloud, because no man can look upon God and live. This is the manner in which Jesus was to return — in the clouds of heaven as a manifestation.</div> <bR> <div> In the Old Testament, God was made manifest by clouds, smoke or other things. This is called a <B>theophany</B>, meaning “God showing.” God was in the cloud that shrouded Mount Sinai. He was in a cloud over the tabernacle and smoke in the Holy of Holies. Exodus 33:20 says, <B>“You cannot see my face, for no man can see me and live.”</B> 1 Timothy 6:16 says, <B>“who alone possesses immortality and dwells in an unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.”</B></div> <bR> <div> God has never been seen by man. <B>“God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth”</B> (John 4:24). <B>“No one has seen God at any time”</B> (1 John 4:12). <B>“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever”</B> (1 Timothy 1:17).<B> “He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation”</B> (Colossians 1:15). Notice it says the image of the invisible God. Too many folks think of the image of God in a physical manner. They reason that because this is how we look, and that we were made in the image of God, that this is what God looks like. I think this verse shows otherwise.</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Life and Death</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Let<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s take a look at the difference between physical life and death, and spiritual life and death. This is a most difficult concept to sort out, and I<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>m sure I have much to learn.</div> <div> In the Greek there are three words translated “life.” <B>Bios</B> is the word from which we derive biology, the study of plant and animal life, and biography, the written history of one<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s life. In the bible, bios is always in reference to worldly life, or one<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s worldly living or property, and is only used 10 times in the New Testament. This word will not be under consideration in our topic. It is the other two words that come into question and cause considerable confusion, <B>zoe</B> and <B>psuche</B>. </div> <bR> <div> This word <B>psuche</B>, is translated in the NASB as “soul” 47 times and as “life” 43 times. That<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s right, life and soul from the same word. Whenever you see the word soul in the New Testament, it is from the Greek word <B>psuche</B>. Not so with the word life. Although 43 of those are from <B>psuche</B>, 135 are from <B>zoe</B>. Confusing? Yes. Why is <B>psuche</B> translated both life and soul? The answer is more confusing than the question. Looking at each context will show that the word does in fact bear two meanings. I will not pretend to know the relationship or differences between soul and life, between soul and spirit, or between <B>psuche</B> and <B>zoe</B>.</div> <bR> <div> What I do notice is that when <B>psuche</B> is translated “life,” it is normally in the sense of worldly life, or physical life. Yet this does not always hold true. When <B>zoe</B> is used, it is almost always in the sense of true life, or spiritual life. Each time you read the words, “eternal life,” the word <B>zoe</B> is used, never <B>psuche</B>. Whenever the tree of life, the water of life, or the book of life is mentioned, the word <B>zoe</B> is the one that is used. John<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s gospel is highly spiritual and he uses <B>zoe</B> 36 times. He uses it 12 more times in 1 John and 17 times in Revelation. Remember that when reading John<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s spiritually rich material.</div> <bR> <div> In the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint, we find that God breathed upon Adam<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s face the breath of life (<B>zoe</B>), and he became a soul living (<B>psuche zoe</B>). In the garden was the tree of life (<B>zoe</B>).</div> <bR> <div> Let<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s see if we can sort some of this out. Physical life is the life of the biological body through which it perpetuates. So physical death is separation of life from this biological body. If the spirit, or life force is separated from the biological body, the body dies. We all have physical life and we all suffer physical death. Spiritual life is true life, eternal life, that which is possible only in the presence of God. So spiritual death is the separation of man<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s spirit from that of God. If man is not in the presence of God, he is spiritually dead. What causes this separation? You guessed it — sin. Sin death is another term used for spiritual death. It is the death resulting from sin. How do we regain this life? By the removal of our sins through the atoning act of our Lord Jesus. God will not restore a system of animal sacrifices in the future as some teach.</div> <bR> <div> Many have a hard time with this concept, being only able to think of life in physical terms. Let<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s consider Genesis 2:17, <B>“but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”</B> Adam did eat of the fruit and was removed from the presence of God. He did not die physically that day, but he did die spiritually. He was removed from the tree of life. He did not lose his <B>psuche</B>, but rather his <B>zoe</B>. It was spiritual death, or sin death. Again, it is the death, or separation resulting from sin. If we are in a state of sin, we are in a state of death. Romans 5:12 tells us that sin entered into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.</div> <bR> <div> Looking at John 10:10, we see that physical life was not in the picture. Jesus said,<B> “I came that they may have life (</B>zoe<B>), and have it abundantly.” </B>They already had physical life, but spiritual life is what they were lacking. They could not attain spiritual life until Christ completed the true act of atonement. This act was the spiritual anti-type of the physical type of atonement performed by the high priest once a year. Compare Leviticus 16 with Hebrews 9. Christ<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s act of atonement was perfect and once for all. It will never be repeated. It stands forever. Again, God will restore no system of animal sacrifices in the future regardless of what some insist upon.</div> <bR> <div> It was spiritual life that was lost in the garden and spiritual life was what Christ came to restore. Christ did not come to restore something that was not lost in the garden, namely, physical life.</div> <bR> <div> Hades has nothing to do with the physical body or physical death, but rather the intermediate state of the spirits of those who had died physically. Whether this is a conscious state or not is debatable and not within the scope of this particular study. The body remains in the grave and returns to the dust from which it was created. In fact some bodies are burnt, and others are eaten by beasts, sharks or even other humans. Bringing these bodies back into existence has many insurmountable implications. </div> <bR> <div> Also, if our bodies are brought back to life, they will apparently be complete with all defects that were inherent at the time of death. Why? Because Jesus had his wounds in his side, hands and feet. That does not seem very glorious to me. I firmly believe that the physical body after death is just that, dead and discarded forever. Jesus was the one exception.</div> <bR> <div> What about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16? Was it reality or hypothetical? The lesson taught by Jesus in Luke 16 has the common thread existent in all his messages, that is, the use of word pictures to present a point otherwise incomprehensible to man.</div> <bR> <div> For example, let<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="WP MultinationalA Roman" >*</FONT>s look at the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-14. All of these images in the mind of the reader give the idea that the kingdom of God will be taken from fleshly Israel and given to others who have faith. But there is no literal wedding, or feast, or livestock, or slaves, or highways, or wedding garments. Still the point gets across and with relatively few words. </div> <bR> <div> The same thing happens with the parable of the landowner in Matthew 21:33-41, or the ten virgins in Matthew 25:1-13. A parallel idea is what is conveyed, so the parable of the rich man and Lazarus uses hypothetical figures to convey its point as well, but does not verify what Hades really is, for that is beside the point. I guess what I am trying to say is, that the figures need not be reality or even possible, as long as the underlying message is conveyed.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>___________________________________________________</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <U>Eschatology Review</U> is a FREE publication. Contributions are gratefully accepted, though we cannot provide a tax-deductible receipt for your gift. Please make all checks payable to Greg Rasaka.  Send any correspondence to Greg Rasaka, 32080 NE Corral Creek Road, Newberg, Oregon 97132. If you prefer E-mail, use gjr@viclink.com. If sending articles by E-mail, please cut and paste. Do not send attachments. Attachments will not be opened. Thank you.  Copyright, Greg Rasaka, February 2003.</div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>