It was 'way back in 2004 that, while on holiday in Germany, I was introduced to two young Christian women who were planning to launch a church-based magazine. They asked if I would be willing to contribute to the first issue and, believe it or not, I agreed to do so. The theme of the issue would be, I was informed, "Reality". That was as much guidance as I received!
I was reminded of that time when I heard that someone whom I know well had purchased a pair (?) of "virtual reality" 'spectacles (I know that there is probably an official description but ... !!!). In that article I quoted one of my contemporary pupils who said that "Reality is the opposite of being fake. It is something that is genuine; something real." Not bad for a young lad of 16 years of age!
Of course, the corollary of the first part of his offered definition is that that that which is not "reality" (e.g. "virtual reality"!) is fake! This, I would go so far as to suggest, makes it sound like something that comes from "... the father of lies." (Jn.8:44), who "... prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour.." (I Pet.5:8).
That article from so long ago, started off: "Virtual
reality; reality checks; reality TV shows.
These are expressions that, in recent times, have become part of
everyday speech. But what is ‘Reality’?" Is it confined to philosophical abstracts - as Plato might have suggested; material objects - as proposed by the 18th century Moderates; or cosmological theories - as proposed by the late Stephen Hawking? Stephen Hawking actually states, in "Black Holes and Baby" that "I still believe that the Universe has a beginning in real time,at the Big Bang. But there's another kind of time, imaginary time,at right angles to real time, in which the universe has no beginning or end." This, it seems to me, suggests what theologians would refer to as 'eternity' - and eternity is the dwelling-place of the Creator God Who is outwith our own time/space continuum.
Or is there a reality that goes beyond even the comprehension of of mankind; something beyond the physical and material; beyond either our reasoning or our imagination? Is true reality to be found in that dimension that we refer to as the "spiritual"?!
If, indeed, the spiritual dimension is true reality, then it follows that ultimate reality is that Being Who exists eternally, in a state of total self-sufficiency; Who is neither created not indestructible; and for Whom, in the English language, we use the nomenclature "God". Indeed, another definition of reality could be: "All that is the way it is" or, in Biblical terminology: "I AM that I AM" (Ex.3:14).
In the article, I again quoted Stephen Hawking: "The boundary condition of the universe is that it has no boundary.The universe would be completely self-contained, and not affected by anything outside itself. It would neither be created nor destroyed It would just BE." I continued: "Take out the reference to 'the universe', and replace them with equivalent references to God and, with one exception, we would have a not unreasonable definition of the 'Immortal, ineffable, God only wise; In light inaccessible hid from our eyes' Who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Christ."
At the end of the article I referred back to that quotation, and emphasised that "one exception". I wrote: "That exception is the words '... not affected by anything outside itself.' Because the core of the Christian Gospel is that Almighty God is affected by something outside Himself. And that something is your sin, and mine. But, being the One Whose very essence is love - and neither the sentimentalism nor the eroticism, that is passed off as love in our modern culture; but the unconditional, immeasurable, unending love that is expressed by the Greek word «agape» - He was not prepared to let our sin cut us off from His love, and from a living relationship with Himself. His justice demanded that punishment be meted out. His love took that punishment upon Himself as, in the Persona* of the Son, He hung on a man-made cross, and died the death that we deserved. He paid the price that we might go free, and now offers salvation and real life - '... life in all its fulness.' (Jn.1-:10)."
Reality? For the disciple of Jesus, at least, it is found, as is that salvation, in Jesus the Christ alone. May He be more real in your life than this post you are reading - and everything else in your experience.
* This is not a typo! All is explained in the chapter on "The Trinity" in my first book - 'Great Words of the Faith'. Remember, I have no financial interest - ALL royalties are sent directly to Release International in support of the Persecuted Church. Thank you for purchasing.
If, indeed, the spiritual dimension is true reality, then it follows that ultimate reality is that Being Who exists eternally, in a state of total self-sufficiency; Who is neither created not indestructible; and for Whom, in the English language, we use the nomenclature "God". Indeed, another definition of reality could be: "All that is the way it is" or, in Biblical terminology: "I AM that I AM" (Ex.3:14).
In the article, I again quoted Stephen Hawking: "The boundary condition of the universe is that it has no boundary.The universe would be completely self-contained, and not affected by anything outside itself. It would neither be created nor destroyed It would just BE." I continued: "Take out the reference to 'the universe', and replace them with equivalent references to God and, with one exception, we would have a not unreasonable definition of the 'Immortal, ineffable, God only wise; In light inaccessible hid from our eyes' Who is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, the Christ."
At the end of the article I referred back to that quotation, and emphasised that "one exception". I wrote: "That exception is the words '... not affected by anything outside itself.' Because the core of the Christian Gospel is that Almighty God is affected by something outside Himself. And that something is your sin, and mine. But, being the One Whose very essence is love - and neither the sentimentalism nor the eroticism, that is passed off as love in our modern culture; but the unconditional, immeasurable, unending love that is expressed by the Greek word «agape» - He was not prepared to let our sin cut us off from His love, and from a living relationship with Himself. His justice demanded that punishment be meted out. His love took that punishment upon Himself as, in the Persona* of the Son, He hung on a man-made cross, and died the death that we deserved. He paid the price that we might go free, and now offers salvation and real life - '... life in all its fulness.' (Jn.1-:10)."
Reality? For the disciple of Jesus, at least, it is found, as is that salvation, in Jesus the Christ alone. May He be more real in your life than this post you are reading - and everything else in your experience.
* This is not a typo! All is explained in the chapter on "The Trinity" in my first book - 'Great Words of the Faith'. Remember, I have no financial interest - ALL royalties are sent directly to Release International in support of the Persecuted Church. Thank you for purchasing.