Seeing Is Believing

I'm currently reading C.S. Lewis' Problem of Pain. And, in an unexpected start to the book he talks about he origins of religion. Whenever I read C.S. Lewis all these questions rise to the surface. They were there beforehand, but it takes reading C.S. Lewis' rich literature to pull them out into discussion.

It even gets me to thinking about how I'd say things, perhaps better, perhaps worse, but nonetheless differently. And, today's reading made me want to talk about the process to faith in Christ.

But before I do, I first want talk about intimacy. It might seem like an unusual side track when you're wanting to talk about the origins and manifestation of a life of faith, but to do so you first have to understand intimacy. Let me explain...

     Intimacy- is a moment between two beings of understanding; to be known, either wholly or in part, but fully; to be seen and acknowledged.

When love is involved, there is sacrifice in the knowing of another being. For it requires a splitting of one's self to join with another; and in so doing gives the gift of self. In the physical, it appears as though all that is necessary is for one to give and intimacy is achieved. But in fact whether physically or Spiritually, the intimacy needs to be mutual, although through different acts: giving and receiving.

Humanity knows of God through revelations of, or by coming near, a spiritual presence. That  spiritual presence brings our nakedness [ability to be seen] to the forefront.

C.S Lewis describes experiencing deity [Numinous] :

Suppose you were told there was a tiger in the next room: you would know that you were in danger and would probably feel fear. But if you were told "There is a ghost in the next room," and believed it, you would feel, indeed, what is often called fear, but of a different kind. It would not be based on the knowledge of danger, for no one is primarily afraid of what a ghost may do to him, but of the mere fact that it is a ghost. It is "uncanny" rather than dangerous, and the special kind of fear it excites may be called Dread. With the Uncanny one has reached the fringes of the Numinous. Now suppose that you were told simply "There is a mighty spirit in the room," and believed it. Your feelings would then be even less like the mere fear of danger: but the disturbance would be profound. You would feel wonder and a certain shrinking—a sense of inadequacy to cope with such a visitant of prostration before it—an emotion which might be expressed in Shakespeare's words "Under it my genius is rebuked." This feeling may be described as awe, and the object which excites it as the Numinous.^[2]

I want take his definition of dread one step further making the connection that it is also our vulnerabilty to this deity that causes dread or awe. This is why we "dread" the spiritual world, we are unable to hide ourselves. But, through revelation or proximity, there is also an unveiling of God's Divine Love: Love that is given (not received) undeservedly [Love's grace].

But, what makes it undeserved? There is something that separates us from receiving Divine love. That something is failing to live up to a Universal Law. There has always been a presiding Law over the universe: things to do and not to do. Even when humanity was first created there was a Law: do not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Up until this point, humans were intimate with God. Their innocence was as of yet untampered.

God is good [righteous] and He loves good. To love is to give oneself (see above). When we disobeyed [sinned] we were no longer righteous and where therefore separated from God and His love.

     The Law brings the Wrath of God.
     Wrath: anger at the inability or unwillingness to receive God's love- to receive God.

     The Law brings judgement.
     Judgement: separation from God-- the Judgement of sin leads to death.

When we sinned we called upon the promise of God's love, proven by His unchanging character, to deliver himself to us in a way in which we could receive it.

Jesus on the cross, when God turned His face, was separated from God and experienced the effects of separation from immortality into mortal death. But, because of his righteousness defeated death.

If we see the love of God and receive it, we are saved. If we see God's love through Jesus we are joined with God. God gives himself individually and corporately through the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit living inside us we are now the body of Christ.