2009-6-20 05:00:00
Now we understand a little of how the spirit exists, one may wonder why we do not perceive something of it in our everyday living. Who is to say we do not?
Contrary to popular belief we do not have to see something to know that it exists. If this were true a blind man would believe in nothing. Have you ever talked to a blind man? Did he believe you existed? Why? You say yes because he could hear you. But let's take away his hearing. Can you convince him now? Yes, he could touch you and even get a vague opinion as to what you are like physically. But also take his sense of touch away so his body is numb.
Can you now convince him that you are real? Yes again, for you could give him something tasty to eat or drink. He would then realize that some intelligent living thing outside of himself exists; however, he would have no idea of your likeness or form. Now take away his sense of taste. Can you convince him now? Well, it would be pretty hard unless you had a strong case of B.O. [Body Odor]. Even then his idea of you would be extremely vague, and erroneous because of the foulness his single sense perceives. He would, probably think you were a demon.
Finally, take all of his senses away. Can you now prove your existence? No, you say, he probably wouldn't believe in anything. To him nothing would exist but himself. But does this mean that you and your surroundings do not exist? Feel yourself. You're sure you are real? Do not be silly you say -- well, such is the reasoning of the world today toward the spirit.
Those who deny spiritual things are like the man with no senses denying your existence. But do not you exist? Therefore, is not the man wrong?
The above example brings us to one more conclusion. It is impossible to take in knowledge without the aid of the senses. Taking this statement at face value I am sure many will disagree. Of course, one cannot agree unless he understands; thus I shall further explain.
A seemingly contradiction may be that of love. "I love my wife," says one, "and it is not because of my senses." Yes, that's interesting. How do we take in the knowledge of love? How about hate, envy, joy and sorrow? Our physical senses are indirectly responsible for these emotions, but they do not cause the different feelings that come with them. Since we can take in knowledge of these concepts, (joy, sorrow, etc.) then there must be a sense to perceive them. Does one find an organ for joy in his body? No, because this feeling belongs to the spirit. Yes, the spirit itself has senses, and why not? Isn't it in the form of a man? Therefore, wouldn't it have eyes, ears and so on?
Undoubtedly, it would possess our five senses, plus a number of others we can only guess at. Perhaps it has twenty-one senses instead of five. Perhaps more. We know it can feel all the emotions. That could be one or a dozen senses. We also know the spirit can receive understanding from God and even read minds, for Christ had that power as well as many humans to a degree. That would be one or two more senses right there. In a hundred years from now we may find that the spirit possesses many faculties we never imagined.
Remembering that we take in knowledge through our senses, both physical and spiritual, perhaps we can explain how one can gain an understanding of spiritual things.
One may question why, if we have spiritual eyes, ears and so one cannot feel and hear the spirit world. Paul explains this when he says that the body is merely a covering or clothing for the spirit. (2 Cor 5:1) Thus the body effects the spirit in some of the same ways clothes effect the body. For example, the putting on of a glove dulls the sense of touch. If the glove is thick enough one must press hard in order to feel through it. When the spirit and the body are together the spiritual senses are also dulled a great deal.
Another reason why we cannot use all of our spiritual senses is because they are also numbed by our physical senses. If one receives a large burn on his right arm and a small burn on his left he will not feel the lesser pain unless he notices and pays attention. The same logic could apply to the physical and spiritual senses.
One cannot see out of his spiritual eyes because the physical dominates. However, we do see in our dreams. Most probably this is accredited to the spirit, but until one masters his physical senses and desires caused therefrom he cannot erect any perceivable operation of his spiritual self and will be inclined towards agnosticism and atheistic views and many such persons will be apathetic in nature. If one wants to feel the lesser pain he will find he must concentrate on it and if he does he will feel it despite the greater pain. If you ever get injured in such a manner, try it -- it works!
When science runs into something they cannot explain they call it a phenomenon. Also they will tell you that there is really nothing unexplainable. A phenomenon is merely evidence some facts are missing. If scientists had all knowledge no such word would exist. That which accounts for more phenomena than all else combined is man himself. Thus science is missing some facts about man, the main one being, "there is a spirit in man...." (Job 32:8)
When some of the traits of that spirit are revealed scientists, of course, find them unexplainable since they do not consider the source. Yes, love, hate and all the emotions are phenomena to scientists because they are felt by one's spiritual senses.
Scientists have carried out some interesting experiments with emotions. By putting a man in a pitch black room and causing him to produce certain emotions they have found that each emotion caused the man to radiate different colors. Yes, each emotion had a different color! Normally our physical selves are not aware of these colors, but they have actually been discovered aid identified by physical means. In other words, man has identified emissions of the spirit. However, since science cannot use the word "spirit" in their identification, the source of these colors must remain a mystery to them.
Since the spirit is the author of emotions it would also be the cause of the different colors. Actually, the finding that different emotions cause us to radiate different colors is about the closest science has came to proving the spirit exists and consequently that there is a life after death.
As nature has it there is a reason for everything. Then too, there would be a reason for this colored radiation the spirit emits. The logical answer is that its purpose is to be seen since it is colored. Of course, our physical eyes do not see it but our spiritual eyes do.
When our physical eyes see danger the person becomes alarmed and does all he can to divert the cause. So it is with our spiritual eyes. The spirit emits emotions which are seen by the spirit, that is if the person is sensitive at all. Then the spirit reacts with feelings according to the emotion it sees. It may cause one to say "I don't know why but I feel something is wrong with you." This occurs when your spirit emits the color corresponding to fear, worry and so on.
Many people are so close and sensitive to each other that they can perceive when the other is in a state of joy or great stress even though they may be separated by a great distance. The more love a person feels toward an individual and the more his thoughts are concentrated on him, the greater will be his sensitivity in reading his emotions. One may get the general trend of a person's thoughts by feeling his emotions. Tuning into other's emotions may be like tuning into a radio station. There are many people and many radio stations and all are on different wavelengths. If all the radio stations are far away all receivers will get is static or possibly a mumbo jumbo of two or three stations. In order to receive one clearly it needs to be fairly close at hand or the station must be powerful in transmitting.
So it is with people. If one keeps himself mentally aloof or distant from others and desires the same of them he will never receive their feelings and will probably think that I am writing purely from my imagination. Be assured I am not.
I know that one can feel the emotions of others for I have done it many times. I have for the past few years always been able to tell when someone on whom I am concentrating is in fear or worries, or experiences joy and hope. To this I am not only sensitive to my own spirit but the spirit in others through a medium supplied by God.
But, one asks, how can we know of the reality of something we cannot see? The answer is simple. When our physical body touches a solid we can feel it and know that it is real even though we may not see it. Now, the feelings the body receives comes in different forms. Examples are heat, cold, shocks, soothings, sharp pains and others. The spirit also has different feelings or emotions.
Keeping this in mind we can explain why certain persons can testify with unshaken conviction that they know that God exists. "How do you know?" asks the unbeliever. "I know because of the way I feel inside," the believer returns.
Yes, "there is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." (Job 32:8)
Some believe in God because they have been taught and never questioned; others because they have a narrow escape which they attribute to Providence, but we learn that we can know "by the inspiration of the Almighty." If our spirit can perceive the light radiated from the spirits of our fellowmen why shouldn't they be able to perceive and receive information from the much greater light which comes from God? If we radiate different colored lights wouldn't God also? Wouldn't his light be much greater than ours? After all when John saw the Father sitting upon the throne in his great vision he stated "there was a rainbow round about the throne." (Rev 4:3) Science tells us that our emotions produce all the colors of a rainbow so it should be so surprise that God does also? Else what caused, the rainbow of colors proceeding from His presence? After all Bible describes God as possessing emotions and passions like man.
The Lord is a Jealous God (Exo 20:5). He is capable of anger (Judges 2:14), mercy (Deut 4:31), and love (Deut 7:7). Since we are in his image and likeness (Gen 1:26-7), he would have all the emotions we do causing him to have a complete rainbow of colors about his throne. John said he was "in the Spirit" (Rev 1:10), so he was able to see the rainbow.
God is the author of light and Christ himself said "I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12 & 1 John 1:5) We are told that God covers himself with light as a garment (Psalms 104:2). Anytime a heavenly messenger appears or a vision occurs there is a great manifestation of light.
The light Paul saw was so bright it blinded him (Acts 22:11). We are told that the light that God dwells in is unapproachable to mortal man (1 Tim 6:16). However, this light does not go unnoticed or unfelt for the light which proceeds from the presence of God "lighteth upon every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9)
Like spirit matter this light from God cannot be detected by our mortal senses, for it is more refined and on a wavelength unknown to us; therefore, can only be detected by our spiritual senses. It is similar to the light of the sun in that it falls on both the good and bad. When the light falls upon a just man his spirit actually senses it and a warm feeling is produced in his breast according to the emotion that comes to him from God. To such a man this is undeniable evidence that God lives because he can sense it as well as one may feel heat and cold with his hands; therefore, he knows of a surety. But why cannot all feel or see this light so they can know likewise, and to him who desires to know -- how can he increase the sensitivity of his spirit?
Copyright © 2009 by J.J. Dewey, All Rights Reserved