Physical realities reveal/teach Spiritual truths

[anna274]

(My current thinking based mostly on 1 Cor 15....   especially vv. 22-23, 46,     natural (physical) first then spiritual  ... )   


in song

GOD LEADS US ALONG   Young, 1903

In shady green pastures, so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along;
Where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet,
God lead His dear children along.


Refrain
Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrows, but God gives a son,
In the night season and all the day long.


Sometimes on the mount where the sun shines so bright,
God leads His dear children along;
Sometimes in the valley, in darkest of night,
God leads His dear children along.


Though sorrows befall us and evils oppose,
God leads His dear children along;
Through GRACE we can conquer, defeat all our foes,
God leads His dear children along.


Away from the mire, and away from the clay,
God leads His dear children along;
Away up in glory, eternity's day,
God leads His dear children along.


from a quotable quote
Sheila on the Did God really command this stuff? thread

"...in the old testament natural...underlaw...the wicked, rebellious idolatrous, sexually immoral and blood-thirst was to be put to death.    without mercy

...today, in Grace...even among our very own body members...we also are to put these things to death in our own flesh by the Holy Spirit...

YOU MUST NEVER FORGET THE ENMITY BETWEEN THE SEEDS."   (my emphasis)


from the Scriptures

OT  physical realities

Psalm 137:
Happy and blessed shall he be who takes and dashes your little ones against the rock!

In Deuteronomy we learn why God told the Israelites to kill  ...even babies


Dt. 7
v 1  When the Lord your God brings you into the land which you are entering to possess and has plucked away many nations before you, the Hittites, the Girgacrapes, the Amorites, the ....  seven nations greater and mightier than you.
v 2  And when the Lord you God gives them over to you and you smite them, then you must utterly destroy them.  You shall make no covenant with them, or show mercy to them.
v 3  You shall not make marriages with them; your daughter you shall not give to his son nor shall you take his daughter for your son.
v. 4  FOR THEY WILL TURN AWAY YOUR SONS FROM FOLLOWING ME, ....


v 16  And you shall consume all the peoples whom the Lord your God will give over to you; your eye shall not pity them, neither shall you serve their gods, FOR THAT WOULD BE A SNARE TO YOU.

Dt 20:16-18
v 16   But in the cities of these people which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes.
v 17   But you shall utterly exterminate them, the Hittites, the Amorites... as the Lord your God has commanded you,
v 18   SO THAT THEY MAY NOT TEACH YOU ALL THE ABOMINABLE PRACTICES THEY HAVE CARRIED ON FOR THEIR GODS, AND SO CAUSE YOU TO SIN AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD.



NT Spiritual truth

James 1:14-15
v 14  But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions).

v 15   Then the evil desire, WHEN IT HAS CONCEIVED, GIVES BIRTH TO SIN, AND SIN, WHEN IT IS FULLY MATURED, BRINGS FORTH DEATH.

===========

[ed]

Here is a quote from a book that I am stumbling through.

"Mercy is dear to God, and intercedes for the sinner, and breaks his chains, and dissipates the darkness, and quenches the fire of hell, and destroys the worm, and rescues from the gnashing of teeth.  To her the gates of heaven are opened.  She is the queen of virtues, and makes man like to God, for it is written, 'Be ye merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful.'  She has silver wings, like the dove, and feathers of gold, and soars aloft, and is clothed with the divine glory, and stands by the throne of God; when we are in danger of being condemned she rises up and pleads for us, and covers us with her defence, and folds us in her wings.  God loves mercy more than sacrifice."  St. Chrysostom.
Mercy And Judgment by Canon F.W. Farrar
http://www.tentmaker.org/books/mercyandjudgment/mercy_and_judgment_ch1.html

We do learn spiritual truths from the physical.  I guess this why the Jesus had to physically come into the world.  He spoke in parable.  His death was a parable.  The physical teaching the spiritual.  The spiritual becoming reality in the physical must be the goal. 

[eaglesway]

the spiritual and the physical merging in resurrection life. "Behold, I make all things new". Great post ed.

[josh]

Rom 1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Rom 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,