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Spirit To many the word 'spirit' seems to indicate something wraithlike and insubstantial - not real or lasting when compared with the solid matter that we can touch and smell and break apart to examine in detail. The word is derived from the Latin spiritus, 'a breath' and spirare, 'to breathe' and these root meanings are loaded into our imaginations in a way that would indicate impermanence and lack of reality. We need to guard against purely imaginary concepts and concentrate on reason. Imagination is a useful, creative tool, but it must be subordinate to reason and truth if we are to avoid living our lives in a state of imaginary delusion. Observation and reason indicates that it is the material order that is subject to continual change and alteration. It is real, and valuable, but impermanent. A spirit does not change its essential nature. It is permanent and everlasting. In addition to meanings such as: a ghost .. a frame of mind .. an emotion .. an enthusiasm … a disembodied soul etc… (CHAMBERS DICTIONARY) there are deeper, more thought provoking meanings, viz: ... a vital principle .... the principle of thought ... the soul - the animating principle of life. The material of the physical world is constantly changing, is always capable of being broken into its constituent parts, is basically dust, or atoms: electrons and neutrons. The spirit, or animating life force of a man or woman cannot become anything other than a spirit. Its main activity, thinking - knowing and loving - and its subsidiary potential of animating matter, is a permanent and enduring reality. The spirit gives form and meaning to the physical universe. I am a spirit, animating the material of my body, which is constantly growing and changing. My thoughts and perceptions may also change, the way I think and what I regard to be true, or important, but my soul, because it possesses a central, indestructible unity of being, cannot change into something else. It can grow and become stronger in love and understanding - or become mean and selfish - but in its nature it cannot change, and it will never go out of existence. The animating, knowing and loving spirit of a man or woman, though invisible, is more permanent than the material of the body, or of the universe. It is in our spiritual nature that we resemble God. He knows and loves all that there is, past, present and future. We know only in part. He is more permanent and enduring than the universe He creates. He is a Spirit, to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, and because He is a Spirit it is possible for us to become united with Him in a permanent act of loving union - eternal and joyful, for He is love without end, knowledge and love without end - and in His love we truly learn to know and love each other. I once heard a 'spirit' described as having no width, or depth or height; no touch, taste, colour, sound or smell. A good description of 'nothing'? Not at all. It is God who creates the physical world as a magnificent but pale shadow of His internal reality. From His nature is derived all the colour and beauty of the physical universe. It is created to last. It reflects God's permanence; but the reality is that the vast Universe is dependent upon the creator for its existence, not the other way round. It is He, almighty in His power who gives shape and form to this Universe, and all the creatures in it, including ourselves, made in His image and likeness. It is God, Who is spirit, who gives us shape and form, creating us as human beings with the innate capacity to know and love, the same animus - or spirit, or soul - that at the moment of conception enlivens cells in the womb which grow and develop into a living human being. It is that same soul - the centre of being and knowing of each person - which, hopefully ennobled by brave and loving choices, continues in love as the body falls away at the moment of death. It is the same soul, knowing and loving, which - or rather, who - who will, through the power of Christ, once more enliven a physical body at the everlasting moment of the resurrection. What this will be like we do not presently know; but it is the reason for our existence, and in due course we shall find out. NOTE: My thoughts about this are quite clear, but I fear that my expression of them is inadequate. I hope that you can make up the shortfall see also the Trinity |