I recently read that studies show that more than 85% of the world’s population believes in some form of higher power. Except for one or two, all known cultures have stories of a creation account or, at least, of a higher authority. That is a staggering number. The article went on to speculate as to how and why this is the case.
Not surprising to the bible student is the fact that the bible tells us why this is the case. Ecclesiastes 12:7 reminds us of both our origin and our destiny. “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” The fact that our soul originated with God and will return to Him easily accounts for an innate sense of something larger that lives within us. That begs the question: why is the world in the shape it’s in?
Again, the bible holds the insight. Galatians 5:16 tells us to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Herein lies the issue: we are part spirit and part flesh. Paul speaks of this ongoing war between spirit and flesh in Romans 7:15-20. Ephesians 6 tells us about the spiritual tools we have been given to help us with the war against our flesh which can be fatal to the spirit. Why do we struggle with the spirit/ flesh contrast? Why is it that all of us have abandoned the spirit and have given in to the temptations of the flesh at some point or another?
I have thought deeply about how Jesus could be “tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin” as spoken by the Hebrew writer. I have concluded that the deciding factor is one of perspective. Jesus, as God and Creator, has a perspective none of us can readily comprehend. I say readily because it takes time and experience to begin to understand spiritual matters.
As humans, we were born of the flesh into a world where sin had already taken hold. We’ve never known a world without sin, suffering, temptation, sorrow and grief. In fact, if it wasn’t for the teaching of the scriptures, we’d have no idea what to do with any innate sense of spirituality that lies within us. It’s only by teaching and experience that we learn of sin’s harmful effects. When we go back to scripture and see the warning it contains and connect that with our own suffering because of our sin, we learn the value of that teaching. With the new perspective gained by this understanding, we place increased value on scripture. We can then begin to apply it to other teachings. The problem is this teaching-experience-learning process takes time, sometimes a lifetime, to begin to master.
Jesus, on the other hand, has always been. He has always had an eternal, perfect unity with God. He knows the intrinsic value of this relationship. He knows that there is nothing on Earth worth losing that relationship. We see it in His communications with the Father during His time on earth. We see it in His confrontation with Satan. We see it in His unstoppable resolve at the cross. Jesus’ perspective gave Him everything He needed to be the Lamb of God. Jesus perspective allowed him to see what was at stake. Jesus knew where home was.
I love reading what the scriptures tell us about heaven. They use imagery that appeals to our understanding of the finest things Earth has to offer. Reading about heaven creates a mounting appeal that grows with every sin-fueled failure we experience in this life. It rises with the pain we inflict on others through our sin. It increases with the suffering we are unjustly forced to endure as a result of someone else’s sin. It flourishes with our exposure to disease and degradation of our physical bodies. It swells with every tearful goodbye we have to speak.
I fully suspect that if we were given 5 minutes to shed this mortal body, and all that goes with it, and were able to experience the communion of our spirit with the Father’s, we’d never want to come back. It’d change our perspective forever.
Thanks be to God for the scriptures and the teaching they do. Thanks be to God for the ability to learn and grow in the spirit. But thanks especially be to God for the redemption we have in His Son through the purification we receive from His blood. I’m glad this world is not my home and I can’t wait to experience my real home for all of eternity.