Our physical universe operates according to immutable rules that we call the Laws of Physics. Some of them can be stated very simply, such as the Law of Gravity: what goes up, must come down. Even a child can understand this. There are others, as well. There is the Law of Conservation of Momentum: a body at rest (or in motion) tends to stay at rest (or in motion) until acted upon by an outside force, and a moving body will keep moving at the same velocity and in the same direction unless acted upon by an outside force. There is a Law which states that every action generates an equal and opposite reaction. There is a Law which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only changes form. There is the Law of Entropy: everything tends toward less order and complexity, toward more chaos and baseness (try asking an evolutionist to explain that one away!) These are the laws which govern our physical universe, and they hold sway over every known corner of that universe, every second of every day. No exceptions.
The Spiritual Universe is no different. It also operates by Laws, albeit another set of Laws, and the Laws of the Spiritual are no less immutable than the Laws of the physical. In fact, they are even MORE so. “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33 NIV).
So, what are these Spiritual Laws? They can be found in God’s written Word, the Bible. Jesus spoke about them. They do not conform to the laws of the physical, and sometimes they even contradict these physical laws, but that’s because they are the Laws of an entirely different Universe. If you try to force them to make sense according to the physical laws, you will be frustrated, confused, and disappointed. Don’t try. Simply accept that they are true, because they are the Words of the same Lawgiver Who made gravity. You believe in gravity, right?
One of these Spiritual Laws states that love is the engine of life. If you give love, if you show love, if you walk in the way of love, then you have life. If you do not have love, then you do not have life. Another of these Laws, which is sort of a corollary to the first, is this: to be forgiven, you must forgive. Yet another states that every action, whether of the hands or of the mind (because thoughts are things), moves the spirit either toward God or away from God. And since God is love, and love is life, then your every thought and deed moves your spirit either towards life or away from life (towards death). There is even a Law about God: He is the center of the Spiritual Universe. He has no beginning and no end (neither in time nor space). He is eternally unchanging perfection and Truth.
Cool, huh?
Anthony Vaughan #308-236
LeCI. P.O. Box 56
Lebanon Ohio 45036
Really well written. The Holy Spirit has definitely been at work. Thank you for posting. After reading this post and a few of your others, I am reminded of a book that one of my small groups read a few years ago. I think you might like it. It is called “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day” by Mark Batterson, who is a pastor of a large church out in the D.C. area. May your walk with Christ continue to serve others where you are to His glory.