Scripture is clear – everyone is birthed into this natural world as offspring of the Spirit of God and man. (a) [see end notes for all Scriptures] Our life in this world is a process of developing into better images and likenesses (Hebrew – reflections and resemblances) of God’s nature. (b) As offspring of the Eternal One, despite our temporal impressions, we are more of a spiritual being than a natural one.
During his life in this world, Jesus was a spiritual son of God and a son of mankind. Our Bible encourages us to follow the life and words of Jesus as our most exact example of God’s Character, Attitude, and Personality (CAP). (c) So, let’s examine how we are both natural and spiritual beings.
Spiritual Beginnings
As offspring of God and man, all humans begin this life in the water world of a mother’s womb where we are warmed, fed, and begin our growing development. In this first environment, we absorb what we are fed. Our mother even sends antibodies to protect us against infectious diseases.
While in the highly restricted environment of the womb, we are influenced by activity beyond that world. Mom’s positive and negative mood swings affect our environment and our developing emotional stability. Loud noises often wake or startle us. Our taste for music begins to form as we hear sounds from beyond the womb. God is also involved in this first stage of our development. (d)
We receive clues about an existence beyond our water world but they are vague and we are not able to really comprehend. Our first impression of the coming reality is very limited. When we leave the womb, we are birthed into a greater atmosphere, with choices way beyond our wildest imagination.
Following our first birth, survival mode kicks in. Our cries in this new environment are for warmth and nourishment. While we are not consciously aware of it, our need to be wanted, loved, and cared for are far more than natural desires. These are spiritual values and needs we are born to experience.
The God given spirit-of-life that is in every person comes from God and eventually returns to Him. (e) This deposit of His Spirit equips each of us to sense and experience spiritual realities. While our first focus appears to be toward natural life, we all have an inner desire and need to be loved and valued.
The God given spirit-of-life that is in every person comes from God and eventually returns to Him.
Spiritual Senses
While science can only examine natural realities, they realize there is more to our senses than the usual five. They call it a sixth sense. What they observe is evidence of the spiritual side of our senses.
When we leave the limitations of our beginnings in the womb, we begin our second stage of growth in this huge temporal world. In this world, we initially become consciously aware of and focus on the vast amount of natural choices. Our awareness of spiritual realities tends to come later. (f)
Scripture is full of examples of spiritual eyes and ears becoming aware of unnatural realities. People see things and hear perceptions that exceed time and space sensibilities. While God can appear to our natural eyes and be heard by natural ears, many times it is our spiritual senses that are functioning.
The spiritual side of our five senses enables 
us to consciously perceive what God is saying, see what He is doing, taste His sweetness, feel His touch, and even smell the aromas of spiritual realities. (g)
Our spiritual senses allow each of us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” (h) As we respond to God’s love and insightful guidance, “we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.” (i) In this life, we can only dimly see the glory (manifestation) of God. However, the reflection in a mirror can become clearer.
Everyone can sense the reality of God and His presence with us. Even deniers will call on God for help when in danger and many times He answers and intervenes. Since God’s love for us never ends, He is constantly intervening on our behalf. (j) While we can ignore His existence or remain dull of hearing, God continually shares enlightening insight to draw us into more of His saving grace.
This world’s “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” (k) speaks of the productive and destructive processes of this world. Just as positive energy requires the presence of negativity, every productive activity in this world involves a level of destruction to what previously existed. In this temporal world, we all have a natural lean toward gaining insight and wisdom from natural experiences.
Our awareness and the wisdom we gain from this natural life, should not negate our efforts to become more spiritually aware and allow spiritual perceptions to be a part of our developing life. Remember, many experiences that seem to be natural events can be a result of our heavenly Father’s intervention.
Everyone can sense the reality of God and His presence with us.
Spiritual Consciousness
God does not leave us clueless about spiritual life. Scripture provides a list of the qualities of spirit that we are to actively seek: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” (l)
While our first impressions in the womb about natural and spiritual realities are highly limited, in this enlarged world we learn to live with the give-and-take realities of natural and spiritual life. We learn to interact with others, to share with others, and to care for each other. Eventually, we discover how the spiritual qualities of love and the other fruits of God’s Spirit actually enhance all areas of our life.
Throughout this life we receive clues about an existence beyond this world’s environment, a reality outside of this natural universe. (m) As we become more consciously aware of spiritual life in this natural world, we partake of the quality of life that exceeds many natural perceptions.
In this life we are not able to fully perceive or understand the enlarged eternal realm that awaits us. “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (n) However, we can taste of the eternal values. (o)
How can we become more aware of God’s abiding presence? Jesus described the experience of God’s Kingdom reign in this world as our conscious response to His guidance. (p) As we activate our spiritual sensitivity and arise from sleepiness, we become more aware of spiritual realities, of God’s insightful light, and of His unlimited and undying love for us.
Many experience God’s presence in enlightening moments and in immersions in His presence. (q) Since God is Love and Light, (r) it is our enlightened and loving consciousness that continues into eternity. May we all continue to strive to better “know our heavenly Father” (s) and relate to Him more clearly as adoring children so we become better expressions of His Love and Light.
Jesus described the Kingdom reign of God’s presence in this world as our conscious response to His guidance.
a) Genesis 1:24; 2:7; b) Genesis 1:26; 2:7; c) John 10:27; d) Psalm 139:13; Isaiah 44:2, 24; Job 31:15; Jeremiah 1:5; e) Ecclesiastes 12:7; f) 1 Corinthians 15:46; g) Acts 2:1-4, 16-18; 2 Kings 6:13-17; Job 42:1-6; Isaiah 6:1-6; Daniel 6:16-23; Matthew 3:16-17; Acts 7:54-56; Revelation 1:9-12; h) Psalm 34:8; i) 2 Corinthians 3:18; j) Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 5:8; 8:38-39; k) Genesis 2:17; 2 Corinthians 11:3; l) Galatians 5:22-25; m) Ephesians 4:6; (n) 1 Corinthians 2:9; (o) John 17:3; Luke 10:25-28; p) Mark 1:15; Luke 17:20-21; Romans 14:17; q) John 3:3-6; Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:38; 26:20; r) 1 John 4:8; 1:5; s) Jeremiah 9:12; John 17:3
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
When We Arise And Shine author