Most everyone knows there is more to life than what is seen with the natural eye. Our natural life includes spiritual realities that our natural eye can only observe as results. Scripture instructs us to “work out” what “God is working into us.” (a) [see end notes for Scriptures] The work of God’s Spirit in us is intended to be a guiding light that becomes visible in our life as observable expressions.
A few of the spiritual aspects that can be observed are our character, attitude, and personality (CAP). We can only see the evidence of such working results. Other results of spiritual life that the natural eye can see are noted as Fruits of the Spirit of God; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control. (a) So, where is the unseen observed today?
God’s Design
God first stated His creative purpose for us was to have offspring that would live and function as His image and likeness. (b) Each person actually began in the thoughts of the Eternal One as He desired to birth and raise offspring as children into mature “reflections and resembles” of His nature.
To facilitate such a developmental process, God created the natural universe and our planet Earth to function within time progressions and space limitations. The creative process God designed for each of us involves two people birthing us into natural life and using the family to assist in developing growth.
As God expressed His desire to father children, the action of His spoken word (Greek logos) proceeded to create what was not. (c) When God speaks, He “calls into being that which does not exist.” (d) If the created universe actually started with a perceived big bang, it unleashed God’s ever-expanding creative design into this natural universe, as a developing reality where we are intended to grow and mature.
When we compare the eternal realm, which has no beginning or end, to the created universe with its progressions of time and limitations of space, natural life appears to be a slow-motion reality that operates within the vastness of eternity. The Eternal One can observe all the progressions of time at once, (e) allowing Him to be involved with the maturing processes of each of His offspring. (f)
Although our natural eye cannot actually see time, space, eternity, or the Eternal One, they exist all around us as supports to our developing lives. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.” (g) While everyone experiences this natural life with its limitations and progressions, our natural eye is only able to see and observe the visible results of our spiritual lives. (h)
The Eternal One can observe all the progressions of time at once.
The Sixth Sense
After forming the earth with its unique atmosphere, God created the first two people. He designed and fashioned the first complex physical body from the earth’s elements, then infused His Spirit of life into the body, and a conscious soul began to develop. (i) Then He took from the first and fashioned another so together they could assist in the process of birthing and developing His ever growing family. (j)
God created humanity with the ability to interact with each other and with our Eternal Father. Since science can only see and examine natural realities, it cannot verify or deny the existence of spirit or of God. The scientific community, however, acknowledges there is an aspect of life that is beyond what our five natural senses can see or examine, so they surmise that we have a sixth sense.
You may be surprised to learn that 
Scripture declares God designed us to interact simultaneously with both the natural and spiritual realms. The sixth sense that science acknowledges is our spirit’s ability to sense, see, hear, taste, smell, touch and relate to spiritual realities. We often do so without realizing it.
While our five senses equip each of us to see, hear, taste, touch, and smell natural realities, the spiritual side of our five senses enables us to sense spiritual realities. Scripture tells us that we can “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” (k) We can “sense,” (l) “see,” (m) “hear,” (n) “taste,” (o) “touch” (p) and “smell” (q) spiritual realities. This ability is in everyone that has the breath of life – spirit.
We want to realize our soul is the combined activity of our unseen mind (ability to reason), emotion (ability to feel), and will (ability to understand and believe). Our body interacts with natural realities and our spirit interacts with spiritual realities. As our soul’s consciousness relates to these experiences, it forms our personal opinions and beliefs. This is why we can sense without seeing God’s presence. (r)
We are all expressive offspring of God and man. Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ is the only son of God and man to grow and mature (s) into a full human image and likeness of our heavenly Father. (t)
During this natural life we receive quality aspects of eternity as we “know Thee…and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” (u) Jesus visibly illustrates eternal qualities for us to observe, so we live “more abundantly.” (v) Our interaction with God-in-Christ reveals His intention for us as maturing children.
God created humanity with the ability to interact with each other and with our Eternal Father.
Understanding Spiritual Gifts
God designed this earth to function with complementary features that facilitate our freedom of choice and our ability to discover, create, and improve. We learn to navigate many conditions like in and out, up and down, positive and negative, right and wrong, and productive good and destructive evil forces.
While we tend to view these variables as contrasts, they are created features of this natural realm that function as balancing complements. As we live with these and other variables, we learn to seek God’s guidance and make better choices. God can even bring a beneficial good out of the action of evil. (w)
Everyone has the inherent ability to see, grasp, comprehend, believe, and experience the unseen. This is how we can believe in an invisible God and sense His invisible presence. This helps us sense and realize how the invisible spiritual realities actually exist and are an intricate part of our everyday life.
Think about what makes inventors successful. How do they come up with what was not seen or known before? Inventors tend to imagine and consider inspiring new thoughts as possibilities. Then they proceed to work through the details of creating what did not already exist.
Believe it or not, God endows each of us with natural and spiritual gifts. Scripture provides a condensed view of the equipping spiritual gifts that God provides via our spirit. (x)
- The apostolic gift – sees, gathers and encourages us to create and form what was not.
- The prophetic gift – hears and declares what is right and that we can actively pursue it.
- The evangelistic gift – appeals and encourages our response to God’s better way of life.
- The pastoral gift – shares and protects us as a shepherd who cares for our individual needs.
- The teacher’s gift – instructs and inspires us to understand so we can properly mature.
While these equipping gifts are generally thought to be just for special people, (y) we find most parents are exercised in these maturing gifts: creating, declaring, encouraging, caring, and instructing. Parents assist God’s ever-growing family of offspring, by helping each of us become better people.
It is our spiritual eyes and ears that are able to see, observe, and experience one another’s developing spiritual character, attitude, and personality (CAP). Jesus Christ is the finest example of God’s nature and desire for us. Our interaction with God and with each other assists our developing maturity.
We want to realize that we are all in various processes of maturing into what we are created to be; images and likenesses of God. May we continue to perceive and see the unseen reality of spirit life in each other and learn to function more as maturing children of our heavenly Father’s family!
Parents assist God’s ever-growing family of offspring, by helping each of us become better people.
a) Galatians 5:22; b) Genesis 1:27; c) John 1:1-3; d) Romans 4:17; e) 2 Peter 3:8; f) 1 Corinthians 8:6; Acts 17:28-29; g) Romans 11:32-36; h) John 3:8; i) Genesis 2:7; j) Genesis 2:18, 21-24; k) Psalm 34:8; l) Hebrews 5:14; m) Ezekiel 1:1; Acts 7:54-56; n) Deuteronomy 4:13; Jeremiah 23:18; o) Psalm 119:103; p) Exodus 10:21; Acts 2: 43; 1 Peter 2:1-3; q) 2 Corinthians 2:14; r) see the book Created To Relate; s) Luke 2:40, 52; t) Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3; 2 Corinthians 4:4; u) John 17:3; 14:23; v) John 10:10; Ephesians 3:20; w) Romans 8:28; x) 1 Corinthians 12:1-11; y) Ephesians 4:7, 11
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author