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The Grapevine
Number 126                                                                      
March 19, 2006
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

Natural Realm / Spiritual Realm
by Jack Northart

There is a natural realm and there is a spiritual realm. The natural realm is in evidence to all by way of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. These five senses send information to the mind where it is analyzed, and conclusions can be formulated. A person who is subject only to these five senses is referred to in the Bible as a natural man." Sometimes the information gathered by the five senses is reliable, and sometimes it is not reliable. For instance, because mankind could only see as far as the horizon, it was believed for centuries that the earth was flat. They believed that if a ship were to sail past a certain point, it would fall off the edge of the world. This belief controlled mankind's thinking to the point that if someone mentioned that the world was round and could be circumnavigated, he would be considered insane, even a heretic. Senses information can be very unreliable.

The spiritual realm cannot be ascertained by way of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or touching. The spiritual realm, for the most part, goes vitually undetected by the five senses. There are manifestations or evidences of the spiritual realm that can be observed by the five senses, however without an accurate knowledge from God's Word, these evidences can be misunderstood, and people can be misled.

Those who are born again of God, and have His gift of holy spirit living within them, have a very distinct edge over those who don't.The edge is that they can learn the things of the spiritual world from God's Word.

I Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The spiritual things of God are spiritually discerned. This verse in I Corinthians is in the context of discribing the natural and the spiritual realm. When Paul wrote this section by divine revelation, he made a clear distinction between the natural realm and the spiritual realm.

I Corinthians 2:4-5
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Persuasion is man’s means of moving his fellow man. God’s means is by demonstration or manifestation, leaving no doubt and inspiring men. Paul was saying that he didn't come in to town with a slick-talking program, but rather backing up the Word of God that he spoke with manifestions of the spirit. (See I Corinthians 12:7-10). This type of power in manifestion is recorded throughout the book of Acts, and was demonstrated by not only Paul, but many others.

Verses 12-13
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The word for "comparing" is the Greek word sugkrino, and is defined in Strong's Greek Dictionary as "to judge one thing in connection of another." The Greek word for "spiritual things" and "spiritual," is pneumatikos, and means just what it says; "spiritual things with spiritual things." God's wisdom allows one to be able to compare or judge spiritual things or matters with other spiritual things. This is a tremendous edge on life that a person who is filled with God's gift of holy spirit has over someone who does not have it.

To understand the things that are freely given to us, and to have this wisdom from God is our Heavenly Father's heart's desire.

Ephesians 1:8-9
Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his [God's] good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself.

Discovering that God has freely given us this great abundance is hard for many Christians to accept.  They read these verses of scripture and glaze right over them, because it appears to be too good to be true. They are more willing to accept the natural knowledge that they have been taught about how mysterious God is, rather than accepting what He has freely given to us.

Rather than their eyes glazing over, Paul's prayer was that God's people would have their eyes enlightened to see the great things that God had made available to them.

Verses 15-19
Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.

Our Heavenly Father wants our vision to be bright, illuminated with light and to know the great truths about Him and about the life He has made available to us. He wants us to know, being absolutely certain what is "the hope of His calling," or what to expect in the future. Moreover, He wants us to be sure of our abundant and dignified inheritance that rests among all of the sanctified ones. And He wants us to know what is the surpassing magnitude of His power to those of us who believe.

This is knowledge that is only ascertained by way of having God's gift of holy spirit born within, and diligent study of His Word. Furthermore, this spiritual knoweldge and understanding will be in contrast to the natural knowledge that is available in the world. However, accepting and believing the great truths that God has revealed to us will allow us to be able to discern truth from fiction, and be able to compare spirtual things with spiritual things. Our lives will be more abundant and blessed.