First let me say it's great to be back with you after a lengthy break. This year my wife and I celebrate our 25th Anniversary. One of the dreams that we both had was to see the lands and castles of The British Isles. So, to celebrate our coming anniversary, we took a cruise of the British Isles. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you likely already know this. We saw some incredible sites and I've posted many great pictures, with many more that will likely make it to Pinterest. Throughout our trip we saw a huge number of statues of Angelic and Demonic creatures.
This got me thinking about how much our "modern" society has moved away from an awareness of the spiritual realm at best, or even a belief that such a realm exists at worst. First, this belief requires a significant ignorance or at least reinterpretation of the Bible. We are witnessing in our culture what C.S. Lewis called the "Materialist Magician" in his work The Screwtape Letters. People are willing to accept psychic abilities, the untapped power of the mind, the paranormal, but not the angels, demons, and spiritual realm of the Bible. The enemy rejoices at such an illogical worldview.
I will be the first to admit that In The Image of Man is a novel. It is a work of fiction and at times I take liberties that divert slightly with how I would likely interpret certain aspects of theology with regards to angels and demons. However, I cringe anytime the book is thought of in the category of fantasy. To me fantasy implies a made up world that doesn't really exist. I prefer the category speculative fiction. I believe the realm exists, but my interpretation and portrayal is certainly speculative.
My intent is not to get people to obsess themselves with the unseen world, but to spur an awareness that we seem to be losing. I like the way theologian Wayne Grudem addresses our need for awareness in his Systematic Theology book (page 405).
"Scripture makes it clear that God wants us to be aware of the existence of angels and of the nature of their activity. We should not therefore assume that its teaching about angels has nothing whatsoever to do with our lives today. Rather there are several ways in which our Christian lives will be enriched by an awareness of the existence and ministry of angels in the world even today."
So it might just be a good idea for us to become aware, though not obsessed, of the battle that is waged around us. Remember, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)
Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. Again Grudem states on page 420.
"If Scripture gives us a true account of the world as it really is, then we must take seriously its portrayal of intense demonic involvement in human society. Our failure to perceive that involvement with our five senses simply tells us that we have some deficiencies in our ability to understand the world, not that demons do not exist."
As you might read if I sign a book for you:
Remember, believing is seeing! - 2 Kings 6:17
'Till next time.
This got me thinking about how much our "modern" society has moved away from an awareness of the spiritual realm at best, or even a belief that such a realm exists at worst. First, this belief requires a significant ignorance or at least reinterpretation of the Bible. We are witnessing in our culture what C.S. Lewis called the "Materialist Magician" in his work The Screwtape Letters. People are willing to accept psychic abilities, the untapped power of the mind, the paranormal, but not the angels, demons, and spiritual realm of the Bible. The enemy rejoices at such an illogical worldview.
I will be the first to admit that In The Image of Man is a novel. It is a work of fiction and at times I take liberties that divert slightly with how I would likely interpret certain aspects of theology with regards to angels and demons. However, I cringe anytime the book is thought of in the category of fantasy. To me fantasy implies a made up world that doesn't really exist. I prefer the category speculative fiction. I believe the realm exists, but my interpretation and portrayal is certainly speculative.
My intent is not to get people to obsess themselves with the unseen world, but to spur an awareness that we seem to be losing. I like the way theologian Wayne Grudem addresses our need for awareness in his Systematic Theology book (page 405).
"Scripture makes it clear that God wants us to be aware of the existence of angels and of the nature of their activity. We should not therefore assume that its teaching about angels has nothing whatsoever to do with our lives today. Rather there are several ways in which our Christian lives will be enriched by an awareness of the existence and ministry of angels in the world even today."
So it might just be a good idea for us to become aware, though not obsessed, of the battle that is waged around us. Remember, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12)
Just because we can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. Again Grudem states on page 420.
"If Scripture gives us a true account of the world as it really is, then we must take seriously its portrayal of intense demonic involvement in human society. Our failure to perceive that involvement with our five senses simply tells us that we have some deficiencies in our ability to understand the world, not that demons do not exist."
As you might read if I sign a book for you:
Remember, believing is seeing! - 2 Kings 6:17
'Till next time.
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