The Reality of the Presence of Christ
(This was previously posted on my myspace on June 10, 2005)
As I was reading Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality the other night, I was gripped by a certain part in Chapter 5: The Supernatural Universe. He has been speaking about how reality has two parts: the natural and the supernatural. We may refer to them as physical and spiritual, etc. His point has been to bring the two together, and to show that the Christian should be living out his/her life in both, while the unbeliever is only living in the natural. (This is theologically known as the "natural man," or the "carnal man." Note: Despite what we may believe "carnality" means, it actually just means temporal or physical. This is how the dictionary defines it. Carnality, definition-wise, does not mean sin. However, as long as we try to battle our sinful nature without relying on the Holy Spirit, Who is in the spiritual realm, we will fail.)The part that gripped me was the reality of the spiritual presence of Christ. Of course, I know the Holy Spirit is in me, and I know that God is omnipresent, but after reading a passage of Scripture in a different light, that reality has become more abundantly clear. That passage is Luke 24:31, when Jesus was speaking to the two disciples along the Emmaus road. It reads, "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight." To quote Francis Schaeffer.
This hit me like a ton of bricks. Do you see? He was still there! He simply vanished. And then I realized, He's here with me in this very room. It's as if He is physically here, just invisible, therefore He's spiritually here. This is the reality of the spiritual realm. Knowing, and I mean knowing, that Christ is right here is equally comforting and convicting. I can't really describe how intensely this hit me. I mean, like I said, I've always known this in my head, but never like I do now in my heart. Just imagine if we lived, as Christians, with the reality of Christ's presence all the time. Think of all the difference it would make -- in our own lives and in the lives of others.
As I was reading Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality the other night, I was gripped by a certain part in Chapter 5: The Supernatural Universe. He has been speaking about how reality has two parts: the natural and the supernatural. We may refer to them as physical and spiritual, etc. His point has been to bring the two together, and to show that the Christian should be living out his/her life in both, while the unbeliever is only living in the natural. (This is theologically known as the "natural man," or the "carnal man." Note: Despite what we may believe "carnality" means, it actually just means temporal or physical. This is how the dictionary defines it. Carnality, definition-wise, does not mean sin. However, as long as we try to battle our sinful nature without relying on the Holy Spirit, Who is in the spiritual realm, we will fail.)The part that gripped me was the reality of the spiritual presence of Christ. Of course, I know the Holy Spirit is in me, and I know that God is omnipresent, but after reading a passage of Scripture in a different light, that reality has become more abundantly clear. That passage is Luke 24:31, when Jesus was speaking to the two disciples along the Emmaus road. It reads, "Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight." To quote Francis Schaeffer.
It would in fact be better to translate: "He ceased to be seen of them." Luke does not say that Christ was no longer there. In this particular place they simply did not see him any longer.
This hit me like a ton of bricks. Do you see? He was still there! He simply vanished. And then I realized, He's here with me in this very room. It's as if He is physically here, just invisible, therefore He's spiritually here. This is the reality of the spiritual realm. Knowing, and I mean knowing, that Christ is right here is equally comforting and convicting. I can't really describe how intensely this hit me. I mean, like I said, I've always known this in my head, but never like I do now in my heart. Just imagine if we lived, as Christians, with the reality of Christ's presence all the time. Think of all the difference it would make -- in our own lives and in the lives of others.
posted by Katharsis at
8/02/2005 04:43:00 PM
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