3-d to 4-d

3-d to 4-d

The other night at our fellowship gathering a couple brothers were looking at the comics but not in the usual manner. They seemed to be holding the paper farther away and then moving it closer looking intently at something in the comics. Curiosity got the best of me and asked what they were doing. It turns out it was a drawing that apparently when looked at in a certain way revealed another picture in 3-d. They could not see the 3-d image and let me have a go. Being rather good at this sort of thing It didn’t take me long to see it and began to describe it to them in detail. This made them all the more anxious to see it and they tried harder and harder to see it but to no avail.

I tried to explain to them that they must not focus on the details of the drawing. It seems you need to get out of focus to dial in the 3-d image. Even after explaining this they could not dial in the 3-d image. Another sister and I began dialoging about the spiritual analogy to this. Namely that we are not to look at the things seen but the things that are unseen. In order to dial in the fourth dimension of the Spirit world we must not focus on the details of this third dimension. This seems to be a theme in the scriptures in with many different layers.

There is the layer of affection. Paul mentions that we are to set our affections on things above not on the things of the earth Col. 3:2. According to the dimension principal above if we focus our affections on the things of this earth we won’t be able to dial in our affections for the spiritual heavenly dimension. This is confirmed by Paul in his admonishment to mortify or crucify the affections and lusts which were a characteristic of the gentiles / pagans (1Thes.4:5, Col.3:5. Rom. 1:29). It seems by focusing intently on passions / lusts for things here we cannot dial in the passion for the 4th dimension.

Then there is the layer of seeing. Paul mentions in Corinthians that we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen (2Cor.4:18). This gave the early Christians hope in the midst of severe persecution. Stephen demonstrated this while being stoned. He focused on the things that were not seen rather than his being stoned and the unseen dimension opened up to him and he saw Christ standing there. (Ac.7). This is paralleled very well with our drawing that contains the hidden 3-d image. The desire to see the 3-d image must supersede our natural desire to look at the physical drawing itself. This gives the order for the eyes to go out of focus and begin dialing in the 3-d image. The eye is conditioned to focus on what is in front of it it must be re programmed so to speak to begin moving in and out of focus to dial in the image. This corresponds to how we must be reprogrammed or born again by the spirit to begin to have our faculities subject to the things of the spirit rather than the natural.


Then there is the layer of honor. Jesus said he received not honor that came from men Jn.5:41. He then goes on to say to these religious leaders that could not believe because they received honor one from another rather than the honor that comes from God alone Jn.5:44. This seems to indicate when we focus on receiving honor from each other from man it affects our ability to give / receive the honor that is for and from God alone. This in turn affects our faith and belief as we are focused on what man thinks. Again Jesus mentions in Luke 16:15 that that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. While man is trying to justify their positions to each other God knows our hearts. This is another area that needs to be reprogrammed by the Spirit in our lives if we are to dial in the dimension of the kingdom.

It seems the realm of the natural is quite contrary to the realm of the spiritual. Paul mentions that the natural man cannot receive the things of the spirit for they are foolishness to him 1Cor.2:14. Given these principals clearly set forth in the scriptures it is amazing how the church has put so much effort in appealing to the natural senses of man. This is very well portrayed in the book “Pagan Christianity?” by Viola and Barna. There is the construction of elaborate buildings that were designed to create a sense of awe and wonder. There is the elaborate liturgy which is intended to draw people into a sense of participation. Then there is all the religious icons and vestments intended to create an atmosphere of the holy etc…. there is the creation of a clergy to represent God to his people. Christ and Paul specifically said we are the temple and it is not made by hands etc… there is this continual striving to try and make a place for God to rest . the Psalmist has aptly said “unless the Lord builds the house they who labor labor in vain” Ps.127:1. Paul makes it clear that we are his place of habitation Eph.2:21,22.

If we want to see into the spiritual dimension it stands to reason we need to stop focusing on the natural or present dimension. We must set our affections on the things that are above where Christ sits. Only then can we get out of focus so to speak enough to focus on what is not readily seen. As Christ said if we really want to pray we need to go into our closet and shut the door. The implication seems to be there needs to be a shutting out of the physical to focus on the unseen. Mary seemed to learn this lesson as she began to focus on the “one thing” looking to Christ alone. May we follow her example.