Dimensional Reality of Theology Pt 2

 I want to give a little overview before we begin, because I think we all have some assumptions about many things, and I think for the purpose of this series, we need to think about those assumptions. As humans, we have only experienced life as humans, so we tend to assume that the experiences of everything else in the universe are similar. We do this innocently with our pets, ascribing human thoughts and feelings to them. We assume that our dogs and cats see, think, and feel similarly to how we see, feel, and think. It is called personification, and it is pretty natural. We also do this with God, and we sometimes very wrongly assume that God is experiencing the universe like we do, in a three-dimensional experience, moving through the 4th dimension (which is time), and now for us is now for God.

To think outside of our context, we need to understand our context. We experience reality as three-dimensional beings. The first dimension being a line, with only length. We can't see the first dimension, because there is no width to it, so it is a line without a thickness. We can, however, see the second dimension; you are looking at it now.  It is length and width. A flat screen, a sheet of paper, a drawing. The cartoons or pictures cannot move off the paper, so if you were a 2nd dimensional being, you could move anywhere on the flat sheet of paper, but you couldn't come forward or backward. If you draw a box around a 2-dimensional being, it would be trapped, unable to get out.

In the third dimension, we add height, so we go from a square to a cube. We can move in any direction within that three-dimensional plane. A square would not hold us, so if I put a hula hoop around you, you could step over it, because while it has length and width, it does not have the height to contain you. I would need to turn it into a cylinder with a closed top and bottom to be a trap.

This is where things get tricky, because there are multiple aspects of the 4th dimension. As noted earlier, the 4th dimension is time, but there is also a 4th spatial dimension, where we add something else to length, width, and height. We cannot conceive of this 4th dimension, but we know theoretically a 4th-dimensional cube would be a tesseract. There is no real way to explain it, because we cannot conceive of what it would be; we are unable to perceive the 4th dimension. We know that just like we can see everything in a 2-dimensional world, a 4th-dimensional being would be able to see everything in the 3rd dimension, so it could see behind closed doors and in a closed box.

Time as the 4th dimension means a 4th-dimensional being would experience time like we experience the 3rd dimension. Just like I can see down a path, walk back and forth along it, and stop to change direction. A 4th-dimensional being can move back and forth in time, see all of time, and time does not unfold for that being, just like a path does not unfold in front of me as I walk down it, I can see it, stop, go back, go forward, and move as I will. So while we experience time, we cannot move at will in time; we are simply experiencing the passage of time as it moves. We are not a swimmer in the movement of time, simply a toy boat that is moving with it in one direction.

As we consider this aspect of reality, viewing God as a 4th-dimensional being changes all perception. For God, there is no past or future; there is just time. God is able to be at all times at the same time, and look at it laid out before Him, like we would look at a timeline. It is not a valid question to ask if God knows their future, because to God there is no future. Time from beginning to end is laid out in front of Him. It places God as the God of time, having created it, but not subject to it.

Now those are just the first 4 dimensions; in the posts to come, I want to consider the higher dimensions, what we propose they may be like, and how they impact our understanding of life and theology.

Dimensional Realities of Theology

 So here is something I have discovered, and I think it is worth discussion. Theologians also need to study quantum mechanics. Did you know there are up to 11 different dimensions, and understanding how they function opens a whole reality of the nature of God. I am not going to unpack everything in one post, because it would be insane to write and make you insane to read. The truth exists in mathematics, and it explains the nature of Salvation and how human choice and God's sovereignty exist at the same time.

In this post, I just want to introduce the idea; I recommend you do some study. We all know what the first three dimensions are; as humans, we are three-dimensional beings. We can move in all three dimensions, but we exist in the 4th, even though we can't navigate it by will. Now, that's where it gets tricky, because there is a fourth spatial dimension, but we are looking more at quantum mechanics, so this fourth dimension is time. We are just in time, moving forward in it; we cannot navigate time. From the 4th dimension, we begin to move forward with probabilities, choices, and branches of timelines (Think Avengers: Endgame). The top being the infinite probabilities of every decision ever made, which is a level we cannot even completely fathom, but a reality in which God exists. God is present in every time and place, in every branch of every timeline. To begin to think about this reality changes everything. Where we are, what we do, the choices we make, and how God works to bring about the best outcome in His plan.

I am going to let you sit and ponder that for a minute, and I will return to write more on the dimensions and how salvation looks outside of our limited third dimension. I hope you will join me, because this is amazing stuff.

Why Atheism isn't Logical

I often see people who are atheists talk about how unintelligent Christians are. They often view themselves as intellectually superior, but when you examine the reality of the two belief systems, atheism doesn't make any sense. I am not talking about the ontological argument or creationism. Just from a self-preservation aspect, atheism is illogical.

First, unless you possess all the knowledge in the universe, you can never be 100% certain about the existence of God. If you possess half of all knowledge in the universe (and you don’t), then you have to admit that the existence of God could reside in the other half of that knowledge. Whatever your reason is for not believing in God, the reality remains that you could be wrong. As a Christian, I also acknowledge the reality that I could also be wrong. To begin the argument, let’s start with me.

In my life, I feel like I have a purpose. I have hope in eternity. I work hard, I am committed to my family, I live a good life, and I am happy. I enjoy my life, I enjoy my faith, and being part of a faith community. I will die believing I am about to enter into the presence of God. Imagine I am wrong and I die. Will I regret my life? Will I be sad and ashamed? According to atheists, I will just be gone. No soul, no spirit—just gone. I will never know I was wrong. I will die in peace, believing I am about to go to heaven, and then I will never know I was wrong. It has cost me nothing; I have lost nothing. I lived a happy life, and then I was gone.

If atheists are right, there is no purpose for life anyway—no real reason that I shouldn't live my life believing in something that isn't true. I didn't hurt anyone; I gave people something to believe in. People found purpose, hope, and peace. If there is no God, we will all die and not have any idea we were wrong.

However, if I am right, the atheist will die and then face judgment from a God they spent their life not only denying, but defying. They mocked Him, insulted His people, disobeyed His laws, and now stand in judgment—and they deserve it. Those who openly mock God deserve to be judged by God and be cast out of His presence. Holding the atheistic worldview carries all the risk but no reward. If they are right, they are in the same state I am in. We are both just gone; there is no advantage the atheist has over me in life or death. Being a Christian has the advantages in life of community, purpose, and hope. In death, I have eternal life in heaven. Being an atheist, I gain no benefit and take on the liability of standing in opposition to a Holy God. It does not make logical sense!

The Definition of Evil, God vs Man

One of the criticisms that is often heard about Christians, and especially those who hold to total depravity is that people often claim to be "good people." They feel they don't do any major criminal things, they may have the occasional impropriety, but over all they are good. Most people feel they are decently behaved, and follow most of the laws, they are generally nice to strangers and animals. People feel that they operate well in the society in which they live, and are generally good people.

I would not necessarily disagree, based on the view of humanity by humanity, most people are pretty good. People generally are not out looking for trouble, and most obey the laws (mostly) aside from traffic laws like speeding and fully stopping at stop signs when there is no cop in sight. Generally, most people are good, give to charity, help out their neighbors, and act in a way that is respectable and courteous. On the standard set by man, mankind is generally pretty decent, with notable exceptions.

The issue is, we assume that God operates on the standard set by us. God does not, the standard for God is to operate on the level on which He created us to operate on, one of sinlessness. Man was created without sin or death. By sinning, man rebelled against God. That sin would not be something that would be condemned by the standard of the world today, they just ate a piece of fruit they were told not to eat. They just snuck a little bite, and it’s not like the fruit belongs to anyone else, they were the only people in the garden. According to the world’s standards, what harm could it do to eat one piece of fruit? That fruit, however, constituted treason against God, and cost man everything.

The sinful nature of man is not that man does the most evil possible at every opportunity, but that man has two deep-rooted sins that cause most of the other sins. The first is the sin of pride. We think ourselves far more important than we are, which is why we think we can sin and it’s not a big deal. It is why we can drive as fast as we want, why we should be first and why we often rage against others. Our pride drives us to think about ourselves first and others later. It is why we lash out, why we lose our temper, why we are inpatient and seldom satisfied. When faced with any choice, the one that satisfies our pride usually wins.

The second issue is our selfishness, which goes along with our pride. It is the aspect of human behavior that expresses itself first. A toddler may learn to say momma and daddy, but the most often used word is usually “mine”. We do very little without being motivated by self. Even the good we do, we often do for the reason that it makes us feel good. We get a feeling of satisfaction from doing good, and we receive some sort of reward, which motivates us to do good. There is an intrinsic selfishness that drives most of human behavior.

The issue is not that people are the most evil they can be, but that our nature is that of selfish pride. It is evident in our earliest behavior and exists all the way through life. The only hope for us is that God gives us a new nature. That He replaces the hardened heart of stone with a heart of flesh. What we need is Jesus.

How Salvation Happens

 I think many of the disagreements we have over theology comes down to a failure to understand the basics. Today, I want to take another opportunity to cover the basics, and I want to use Act chapter 2. Peter is preaching on the Day of Pentecost. Peter was speaking to a Jewish audience who understood sin. They understood the law because they were required to keep the Old Testament Covenant, so they understood they needed redeemed. Peter tells them that Jesus is the new sacrifie and takes away sins, and they understood that, but we will talk more about that in a little bit.

The gospel, being preached and heard was the mechanism the Holy Spirit used to convict the people, and Acts says they were cut to the heart. This is the moment of conviction, where they were illuminated for their need for salvation through Christ. They reply to the calling of the Holy Spirit and are saved. They recieve faith from hearing, as Paul writes in Romans 9, and they respond in the faith to the grace that is being given them.

When we are saved, this process is what happens. Sitting in a church service, a revival service, a Bible Study, we hear the message of faith and it cuts us to the heart. It isn't a situation where we think about it, or weigh the pros and cons. It's not rational, it is a supernatural work of God that happens in our hearts. As a result, we respond in faith. We are like a starving man who is given food, that man eats without thought or consequence, thankful for the opportunity to meet the deepest need.

Now, as modern individuals, we are not part of the Jewis law, so often we need to be told about sin. We need to be told that we have broken God's law and as a result, we are headed for eternal seperation from God. As a general rule, people don't believe they are bad. Everyone knows they mess up from time to time, but generally people think they are good and will go to heaven on their merit. Most people need to be told that the standard to enter heaven on personal merit is perfection, because sin and disobeying God's commands in treason againt God. We need to be told that bad news, that we deserve Hell, but the good news, the Gospel is that Jesus died and paid the price for our sin. We are go to Heaven, not on our merit, but on His. He paid the price is we give our lives to Him and make Him Lord and Savior of our lives. We then are adopted into the family of God, and recieve part of the inheritane of Christ.

Salvation happens when the Holy Spirit awakens a person to the message of unlimited grace. When we understand, when our eyes are open. Apart from the work and power of the Holy Spirit, no one is saved. Salvation is a work of God, the part that we contribute is insignificant. It is the same as the starving man, we did not choose the food, we did not gain the food, we didn't even ask for the food, we were given the food and began to eat out of desperation. Salvation is the begger getting bread.

Now, man has some responsibilities in salvation. First, those of us who are saved are to tell others. The Holy Spirit works through hearing the message, and so as beggers who found bread, we tell others where the bread is. We are to preach, teach, and tell. Those who are lost need to be in the place to hear. They need to be available to be told. Unfortunatly, some people will never truely hear. They may hear the message, but it never cut to the heart, the Holy Spirit never illuminates them, they are never able to accept the food. They cannot see or smell or taste what is offered. That is not a failure of the messanger, or a failure of the meal, just the inability to take and eat.

Remember, we dont' argue people to Jesus. We dont' beg or guilt people. We present the truth, and the Holy Spirit does the work. We pray for all people, we tell people, we know God does the work, and we hope that everyone will be saved. That is how salvation happens.

Unapologetic Apologetics

It is pretty clear that social media has changed society, and in most cases, not for the better. Today, people are very easily offended, and as a result, Christians have begun to apologize for their opinions. In a pluralistic society, there have been many topics where Christians have been silent, giving ground. It is not politically correct to say that Jesus is the exclusive and only way for a person to go to Heaven. We have stepped away from declaring the gospel as exclusive.

There are many voices on social media about theology, and many individuals want Christians to compromise, giving in to things held as fundamental doctrine. The Trinity is a prime example; there are many who say that we shouldn't promote the Trinity, yet the Trinity is a core doctrine in the orthodox Christian church. I have no problem saying that those who reject the doctrine of the Trinity, of one God in three distinct persons, are wrong. Modelists are wrong, those who reject the personhood of the Holy Spirit of the divine nature of Jesus are wrong. I will stand on what I believe, and I am unapologetic that this is orthodox faith, it is established in the scripture, and is accepted by the church fathers and the church for the last 2,000 years.

In many places, modern ideology has moved into a place where it has "discovered" new things about scripture. This is primarily the desire to change the truth of scripture to accommodate the passions and desires of modern America. As a Christian, I have no problem standing on truth, on saying that an exegesis of scripture establishes what things in the New Testament were part of ritual and customs unique to the Jews, which are binding to Christians today, and what the purpose of every law and commandment was. It is not enough to just decide what we like and what we don't, but to understand what commandment was given to the people and discern which were to keep us safe, make us holy, or were simply to avoid the pagan practices of the day.

The Bible is not random, and the laws and commandments have purpose. The nature of attributes of God that we are capable of understanding with our human level of thought is clearly seen in scripture. God reveals Himself, the nature of salvation, the plan for humanity, and the rules for holy and prosperous living. When we abandon those things because we think we know more than God, we are wrong. As a Christian, if someone teaches or believes falsehood, then I have no problem saying they are wrong. I hope they will do the same, and we can discuss where we disagree and come to an understanding. That is the way we grow, the apologetical nature that exists today is not a benifit to anyone!

The Power of Sin- The Unassuming Monster

 Sin is one of those words that has great meaning to some, and little to no meaning to others. To the believer, sin is that struggle of our flesh, the waiting death and corruption. It destroys our lives, relationships, peace, and joy. Sin is the enemy we struggle with every day. Sin is talked about throughout the New Testament, and we know verses about the cost of sin, the slavery to sin, and the destructive power of sin.

To a non-believer, sin is just a word. It may represent things you shouldn't do, but there is no real desire to avoid sin. For those who do not know Jesus as Savior, sin isn't a big deal and not worth even discussion. Everyone knows they do it, but not everyone really cares. The unregenerate person does not struggle to avoid or flee from sin. It is a distinct difference.

Sin is seen as a danger or not a big deal, but much of our culture really understands the power of sin. Sin holds those who are unbelievers in bondage. They are slaves to sin; they have no way to even combat the sin that holds them captive. Sin is more than just doing bad things, it becomes a lifestyle and a mindset. It becomes so ingrained that sin becomes a way of life. People are selfish, self-focused, and self-centered in the core of their being. Sin isn't something that they just do, but it really takes root as the core of the person. They are slaves, driven by the power, the longing, and the desire to sin. It sits like blinders on their eyes, unaware of their sin, unaware of the distance between them and God. They are blinded to His Holiness and Goodness, and they do not recognize their need for salvation. Sin has the power of control, the Holy Spirit is the only way to break free from sin.

In the lives of the believer, sin can become an addiction. It is not as controlling as it is in the life of the unsaved person, but it can become a trap or snare. A Christian can find themselves in sin and unable to find a way get free. They lose part of themselves as the sin separates them from God. It destroys life and peace and hope. A Christian who is mired in sin will slowly sink into its darkness.

There is hope for everyone. For the lost, the hope of faith in Jesus Christ. His death covers the sins of those who are in Christ. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, the penalty of sin is paid. A saved person can become right with God through the grace and forgiveness of Christ. For the Christian, the Holy Spirit, the power of God, the Bible, and the Church are the tools a Christian can use to pull themselves out of the depths of sin. The only hope any of us have is to repent, to turn from the sin in our lives and fully trust ourselves to Christ. That is where we find the abundant life that He promised to us all.