Relating to a Dimensionless God: The Conclusion

Continued from Relating to a Dimensionless God: Part 1...

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)

...One day, the most gloriously peculiar thing began to happen. It all started when the Sphere once again entered flat space fully. In flat space, the Sphere appears as a circle, just like everyone else, except it is the only perfect circle without a single irregularity. Yet, it maintains its properties as a sphere existing beyond the dimensions of flat space. Therefore, we see that the Sphere exists as fully circle and fully Sphere at the same time.

The Perfect Circle points out some of the most obvious imperfections of many prominent irregular circles, beckoning them to draw near again to the Sphere. In fact, the Perfect Circle slowly begins to reveal that he is the Sphere! However, except for a very few, most of the irregularity ridden circles despise the Perfect Circle, convinced that he is not indeed as perfect as he claims and certainly not their Creator the Sphere! Eventually, all but a few imperfect circles come to hate the Perfect Circle and plot to kill Him, but they cannot, for they have no power over the Sphere. Instead, inexplicably, the Perfect Sphere/Circle submits Himself to erasure and allows the irregular circles to erase his apparent imprint on flat space. The sinister, perfectly irregular entity has never been nearer to the Sphere than now, cackling and insulting the Perfect Circle until finally the last of him is erased from flat space. The last Perfect Circle. The only Perfect Circle. Gone.
...

But what is that?! Something previously unseen! Has that been there the entire time or did it just appear? Flat space is not alone! Below it are two more sheets like it! But they seem as peculiar as flat space in many ways. The bottom layer is black space, and in it is the imprint of multitudes of very irregular circles, almost unrecognizable as circles…yes, their irregularities seem to be amplified compared to those in flat space. But between black space and flat space exists a most wondrous red space. And look! There! The Sphere! It is now residing in red space, perfectly cross-sected just as it once was in flat space! And it seems to be surrounded by a great number of circles…but wait, these circles are all perfect…and at times they occupy the same red space with the Sphere, such that they are indistinguishable from each other and the Sphere. What is this place? A place of restored perfect unity not seen since the very beginning!
...

Back in flat space, the Perfect Circle looks as erased as any circle ever has been...except those in flat space still don’t comprehend that his nature is truly a sphere, external to the 2D flat space that he in fact created. Even still, flat space has never seemed so irregular, so ugly, so full of certain and utter erasure. That is, until the most amazing thing happened…

It is the third day since the erasure of the Perfect Circle, the Sphere in flat space. Suddenly, MMMP! The Sphere slams the black and red spaces together against flat space! And just as suddenly, the Sphere appears again in flat space, a perfect circle! But there is something different, the Sphere is different…no, he is the same…but his appearance is now red. He seems to have somehow connected the perfection of red space with flat space!

A few irregular circles that once followed the Perfect Circle come near and seem almost magnetically attached to him, yet most of the flat space circles stay far away. In only a short time, the Sphere leaves flat space again, to the disappointment of the circles that had clung so closely to him. But again, a most peculiar happening: all who had connected to the Perfect Circle after His erasure have been changed…they have received his red color! What could this mean? They do not fully know, but it becomes apparent that those who know the Perfect Circle can be easily distinguished from those who never knew him.

Furthermore, slowly, but surely, all irregular circles that have been colored red begin to lose their irregularity. It is almost imperceptible…but yes, it is there! The irregularity is being healed! Meanwhile, as the healing, not-so-irregular circles mill about, some irregular, non-red circles begin to have contact with the red ones and they too become red. Others never become red. It is all a bit mysterious, but the red circles recall the Perfect Circle’s instructions to “Go and make red circles of all nations. I am with you always, to the very end.” As mysterious as it sounded, it seems to be true! That by simply carrying the Red Gift of the Perfect Circle, they have the power to share his healing Red Power with all who will receive it. What an amazing course of events!

Something good seems to be happening to these still irregular spheres with the Red Gift, because they are becoming less irregular every day. As good as that may seem, most shockingly, these red circles still begin to fade or suddenly disappear from flat land...the same as all irregular circles, whatever their color. But as they are erased, we see the red space receive their image—but look, this is perhaps the most amazing part! They are instantly transformed to a perfect red circle! And in the center of the red space? The Sphere, in majestic perfection and glory.

All circles that have not received the Red Gift at erasure are transferred to the black space, never having received the only passage to red space that comes through the Perfect Circle alone. Conversely, as many as have received the Red Gift at erasure are transferred to red space. In the black space, all irregularities are enhanced...in fact, they are perfectly irregular, just as the dreadful, perfectly irregular entity that now resides in the center of black space. In the red space, all irregularity is gone. And amongst them is the Sphere, the Perfect Circle, and the Red Gift is everywhere. In fact, they have all come to occupy the same space, such that you can no longer perceive one circle from another, nor any circle from the Sphere...they are as one! All circles are as one, and the Sphere is as one with all circles. Perfection, just as it was created in the beginning.

All praise to the Sphere, the Perfect Circle, and the indwelling Red Gift. All praise to God the Father, Jesus Christ our Savior, and the Holy Spirit of God. Forever and ever. Amen.


*Disclaimer: I acknowledge that this metaphor is not theologically perfect, omitting some of God’s character, and imperfectly representing other parts of his character. It is meant to articulate a greater perspective and help to understand God, Creation, Man, Sin, Heaven, Hell, Substitution, Intercession, and Sanctification…but it is not meant to explain each of them fully.

Relating to a Dimensionless God: Part 1

"My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)

Borrowing the old preacher's metaphor of humans as two dimensional circles and God being a three dimensional sphere, I am inspired to build upon that imagery more thoroughly, for I believe that it is useful for understanding, if only slightly better, man's relationship to and infinite God.

We exist in a three dimensional world, four if you count time, as some do.  If there is a supreme God, then He created this three dimensional world and time itself, therefore being superior to any created dimension.  We cannot adequately describe anything that exists in dimensions beyond ours (though many have fun trying, and I enjoy the genre of movies and stories that spring forth from such creative thought); therefore, we may seek to build our understanding in reverse, placing our world anecdotally as the highest dimension and exploring the relationship to a created world with fewer dimensions.  We can then take our understanding of that scenario and place ourselves in the perspective of the world of fewer dimensions, God in the "world" of greater dimensions, and understand more fully our relationship to God.

Imagine a sphere existing in open space.  There is a sphere and nothing else but black space.  This sphere sheds what looks to be an outer covering and spreads it flat in the open space below.  Peculiarly, this sphere enters into this flattened out used-to-be-covering, such that it perfectly cross-sects the sphere.  MMMP!  A burst of light and the paper is gloriously stained.  The sphere moves sideways in the flat space, leaving behind the imprint of a perfect circle.  But that is not the end of this peculiar scene.  The sphere and this created circle have a strange interaction, with the ability to occupy the same space such that the sphere and the created circle cannot be distinguished from one another.  Even still, even greater peculiarity awaits.

Next, the sphere extracts a small portion of the created circle, such that it fades ever so slightly.  With this small extracted ink-like material, the sphere moves sideways in flat space and MMMP!  Another circle is created.  Now there are two circles and the flat space cross-sected sphere existing together, each abiding in the same flat space, with the ability of full overlap such that they are indistinguishable from one another.

If that wasn't intriguing enough, what happens next is quite disturbing.  Another entity, three dimensional and of abnormal shape...in fact, perfectly irregular if there ever was such a thing, with no two sides the same length, no two angles the same, and honestly ugly compared with the perfect circles...this entity descends to newly created flat space, entering such that it cross-sects just as the space did with the sphere.  This entity lacks the Mmmp! power to create its image in flat space...but this perfectly irregular entity has other, sinister power.

The perfectly irregular entity begins to encroach upon the two perfect circles.  The entity convinces the circles that if they allow it to be a part of their circles that they will know what it is like to be three dimensional!  They can become just like their creator, the sphere, he says.  Further, he says that the sphere does not want them to share that privilege, but that he can grant it, if they will embrace him.  Tricked, both spheres embrace the perfectly irregular entity.  Mmmp!  What's that?!  Horrifically, the once perfect circles look at themselves and see large, jagged imperfections!  They are still circular in nature, but their borders are characterized by irregularities.  "What a terrible thing has happened!" they cry, as the perfectly irregular entity cackles and flees the scene.

The sphere comes near.  The once perfect, now irregular circles seek to hide themselves, but they cannot.  As the sphere comes near, it becomes painfully obvious that with their jagged irregularities, they can no longer occupy the same space as the sphere.  The sphere desires to share the perfect unity again, as do the circles, but without being made perfect again, they simply cannot.  In fact, the sphere now withdraws itself such that it is no longer perfectly cross-sected by the flat space, but instead maintains a tangential relationship with constant contact to flat space, but much less intimate space sharing. The sphere, though unable to unite with the irregular circles as they once did, remains near, guiding them as closely as their irregularities allow. However, the irregular circles inexplicably begin to slowly fade.  This is quite disturbing and they grieve as they realize that only by their prior unity in flat space with the sphere were they able to remain fully vibrant in color.  But they are helpless against the fading that slowly persists.

The imperfect circles begin to multiply and multiply, until much of the once seemingly infinite flat space becomes occupied with imperfect circle after imperfect circle.  They find, heartbreakingly, that the circles they produce together carry imperfections, and no perfect circle is ever seen again.  Still, the sphere remains near to the imperfect circles that will remain near to him.  He never leaves, yet no circle, nor the sphere itself experiences the blissful unity they shared in the beginning.

Even worse, since receiving irregularity, the spheres seem to continually fade until one day they completely disappear, never to return again!  Furthermore, that dreadful, perfectly irregular entity continues to wreak havoc, amplifying the irregularities of the once circular that remain the farthest from the sphere.  Interestingly, the perfectly irregular entity dares not come near the sphere.  Worst of all, the perfectly irregular entity wields what every circle fears most: The Eraser.  Suddenly, and without warning, circles are erased, never to be heard from again!  It seems that whether by slowly fading away or suddenly, all circles are erased in time, and the cumulative irregularity of the flat space circles continues to grow. In fact, some circles become so jagged, so marred, that they are hardly recognizable as circles at all, much more closely resembling the perfectly irregular entity that seems to be at the root of everything imperfect in flat space.

With such irregularity and separation from all that was once perfect, many circles lose hope.  But others remember the promise given by the sphere throughout their generations: the promise of one that has the power to restore the circles to the sphere.  But when?  How?  And so they waited...

...To be continued...

Find the Conclusion here: Relating to a Dimensionless God: The Conclusion


*Disclaimer: I acknowledge that this metaphor is not theologically perfect, omitting some of God’s character, and imperfectly representing other parts of his character. It is meant to articulate a greater perspective and help to understand God, Creation, Man, Sin…but it is not meant to explain each of them fully.

Have You Learned to See God?

John 12:21 - Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 

2 Chron 7:14 - if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

For the past 2 weeks I have been blessed with a very rare extended vacation, and have taken the opportunity to spend about a week with my parents at their home in rural Tennessee. It is a beautiful place in a beautiful part of the country. Blue skies, lush green grass and trees, abundant wildlife with birds, rabbits, deer, and more.

Also partaking in the blessed homestead is a stray cat and her kittens. Understandably, the kittens are very shy and scatter at the first sight of a human. They have a healthy, well-founded fear of things bigger and stronger than themselves. However, they don't realize that this giant is gentle with no desire to harm them. 

I've been watching one of the bolder kittens and her mother this week, and something very simple happened that spoke of a much deeper meaning. This afternoon, I was sitting on a comfortable porch chair with the mother cat lying in the sun in front of me. The mother has been providing for her young, weaning them off by bringing back mice and attempting to draw them out further and further from underneath the porch area. She is trying to introduce them to the world, so that they can survive on their own. Part of that effort has been trying to get them to accept the presence of humans.

Well today the kitten came right out to its mother, directly in front of me. I was literally watching right over the top of them as the kitten played with its mother less than 2 feet from me...but the kitten was completely unaware of my presence. The kitten even looked directly at my feet, but did not recognize it as a human. The little kitten did not even know to raise her head and look at my face, and even if she had, she would not have recognized me for who/what I am--a human, a fearsome creature to a kitten, at least without having any interaction with me.

It struck me that in this moment, so many of us are living as this little kitten, oblivious to the presence of God, seeing Him only as a fearsome being and one that is certainly not good or for us, but is rather an adversary. Without knowing our Creator, we run at the first sight of Him and we want nothing to do with His presence, feeling threatened by even the mentioning of Jesus name. Have you not noticed this response to the name and character of Jesus being mentioned in a public setting? Nevertheless, just because a person has not learned to recognize God does not mean that He does not exist. In fact, He is right there, literally watching over you. Do you perceive Him just now?

The truth is that if I was as maliciously inclined toward this kitten as it feared, I could have done the worst to it. I was in position and it was oblivious. I am stronger, bigger, and had full opportunity. The only thing saving that kitten from the immediate death that it feared was that I allowed it to live. And of course, my only desire was for it to live, as I enjoyed watching it play. The point is that many of us are so oblivious to God's presence, power, and goodness. God's presence and power mean that at this very moment, He could remove the breath from your lungs and you could perish, physically and eternally...but only in His goodness does He allow us to live...and for all of us who have lived before His eyes sinfully, His grace through Jesus Christ for those who believe is the only thing that allows us to live eternally.

The truth is that even as believers in our supreme God, we will not see Him unless we learn to look up at His face (that is, His character, what distinguishes Him as recognizably different from any other person, being, or god). And furthermore, we often have eyes that look but do not see. Just as the kitten, if we do not know what to look for or how to look, when even our eyes perchance look up toward the heavens, how will we even know to recognize God? But for so many of our fellow-men on this earth, they refuse to even look up. I implore you, do not resign yourself to a life of denying God's existence, never even looking in your mind's eye toward Him. I assure you, you may be as the kitten, claiming your perception to be reality, but how do you know if He isn't right there above you, looking squarely at your every behavior, word, and thought? I will conclude with a few attributes of God's very character...his face, if you will...that distinguish Him from all other persons, beings, or claimed-to-be gods:

 - My God is Creator of all things (Gen 1:1, John 1:1-4)
 - My God knows all things (even the thoughts of all men) (Job 34:21, Psalm, 33:13-15, 94:11, Prov 20:27)
 - My God is the unconquerable sovereign King of all things (Deut 32:39, Prov 19:21, Eph 1:11, 1 Tim 6:15-16, Rev 17:14)
 - My God is unadulterated love (1 John 4:8-10)
 - My God is just and full of grace at the same time (Rom 3:22-26, Col 3:25, Heb 6:10, 1 Pet 5:10)
 - My God is perfectly righteous and good (2 Sam 22:31, Psalm 100:5, 107:1)
 - My God made Himself to walk fully as man and God at the same time (John 1:14, Phil 2:5-11)
 - My God suffered and died to save sinners like me (Rom 5:6-11)
 - My God conquered death, and rose to life in a new body eternally (Acts 2:23-24, 1 Cor 15:20, 23
 - My God offers the same resurrection to eternal life for those who know and abide in Him (John 3:16-18, John 5:24, John 14:2-6, 1 Cor 15:20, 23, 26)
 - In my God is life, and apart from Him is only death, final and eternal (John 3:16-18, Rom 6:23)

Do you have questions about any of these statements? They are all from the Bible (a few references listed). I encourage you to find a Bible or go online to www.biblegateway.com, find someone who claims to know Jesus Christ, or speak with a pastor at a local Christian church and ask them to explain the claims I have made above. For those who already believe in Jesus Christ: We have just as much to learn from the kitten. We must mature. We must learn to look up. We must learn to look for God's face. And we must learn to recognize His face. And even those of us who might consider ourselves mature, we must practice daily discipline to seek His face, lest we find ourselves as the little kitten, walking through life before the presence of God, but missing out on the joy, peace, and rest of not just being in His presence, but abiding in it. As we abide, we begin to see Jesus, and nothing on earth or in Heaven is sweeter than the unity granted to us in the Spirit to abide in the presence of God the Father through the Son Jesus Christ. May such a life be yours this very day. Amen.


Scriptures Referenced:


My God is Creator of all things

Gen 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
John 1:1-4 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."

My God knows all things (even the thoughts of all men)

Job 34:21 - "His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step."
Psalm 33:13-15 - "From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth, he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do."
Psalm 94:11 - "The LORD knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile."
Prov 20:27 - "The lamp of the LORD searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being."

My God is the unconquerable sovereign King of all things

Deut 32:39 - "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand."
Prov 19:21 - "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
Eph 1:11 - "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will"
1 Tim 6:15-16 - "which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen."
Rev 17:14 - "These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

My God is unadulterated love

1 John 4:8-10 - "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."

My God is just and full of grace at the same time

Rom 3:22-26 - "even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."
Col 3:25 - "But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality."
Heb 6:10 - "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister."
1 Pet 5:10 - "But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."

My God is perfectly righteous and good

2 Sam 22:31 - "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him."
Psalm 100:5 - "For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."
Psalm 107:1 - "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."

My God made Himself to walk fully as man and God at the same time

John 1:14 - "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
Phil 2:5-11 - "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

My God suffered and died to save sinners like you and me

Rom 5:6-11 - "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation."

My God conquered death, and rose to life in a new body eternally

Acts 2:23-24 - "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it."
1 Cor 15:20, 23, 26 - "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep...But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming...The last enemy that will be destroyed is death."

My God offers the same resurrection to eternal life for those who know and abide in Him

John 3:16-18 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
John 5:24 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life."
John 14:2-6 - "n My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know. 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
1 Cor 15:20, 23 - ""But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep...But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming."

In my God is life, and apart from Him is only death, final and eternal

John 3:16-18 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Rom 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

*All quoted scripture from the Old Testament is the NIV (1984) and from the New Testament, NKJV