In a way it's not difficult to conceive of God as spirit. After all, we can't see Him or perceive Him directly like we can His creation. So scriptures like John 4:24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” make a lot of sense to us. Less obvious is the fact that we, also, are spiritual creatures. We're so immersed in this natural life and so familiar with the dimensions that are defined by our natural senses that our spiritual identify can seem abstract, almost unreal. Of course, the truth is that our natural life is very temporary and there is a part of us that is eternal, housed for a brief while in a created body (I like to think of our bodies as "organized dust"). Job 32:8 tells us: "But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding." Somehow I don't think you'll find our spirit in our anatomy. There's no such thing as a spiritual pathologist, who can examine the condition of our spirit when we died...the spirit is the essence of who we are and it doesn't linger when the body wears out.
Here's an encouraging passage from 1 Corinthians 15, starting in the middle of verse 42: "The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord] from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man."
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord] from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man."
Won't it be great when history no longer separates us from direct fellowship with the apostle John and to walk in the same dimension as Peter and Paul. Isn't it wonderful to begin a personal fellowship with Jesus here that will so heightened when we are with Him in heaven.
blessings,
Rob Smith
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