As Moses communed with the divine, he asked God to reveal His face to him. However, God asserted that no physical person could see Him and remain alive. God declared that He would show Moses only His back, rather than His face, to ensure his protection (Exodus 33:18–23). This conversation is more parabolic than literal; it should not be understood as implying that God has a back similar to that of physical humanity. The “back” of God suggests the opposite of who God actually is, when compared with humanity.
The starting point is the creation of humanity, whose image is that of God. The correct structure of humanity is that it is not likened to anything physical. The mystery of humanity remains unresolved, despite gigantic strides in technological development contrasted with the insanity prevalent across the world. In one of his meditative analyses, King David marveled at the majesty of God’s creation. He observed the heavens, the moon, and the stars, and in contrast, he pondered the seemingly insignificant status of humanity.
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas” (Psalm 8:3–8 NIV).
The entire world is in captivity, and yet it is assumed to be free, especially compared with humanity. Humanity is the one subjected to captivity—not through enforcement by anyone or anything, but voluntarily. Physical nature demands attachment to the planet Earth. The phenomenon of Jesus ascending to heaven does not apply to ordinary humanity. The force of gravity does not allow physical humans to access the freedom achievable through Jesus, as displayed at His ascension.
However, Jesus declared that He is the way, the truth, and the life. If one believes in Jesus, the phenomenon of physical attachment does not apply to one. The starting point is to appreciate that God cannot be likened to anything physical in this world. He is outside anything that can be imagined, yet He is described in the spiritual identity of humanity, created in God’s image. Therefore, humanity is also described in God’s spiritual identity.
What makes it difficult for humans to appreciate God’s image is the assumption of a relationship with physical nature rather than godly nature. The condition of physical nature robs humanity of its reasoning capacity, for it is the opposite of what was created in God’s image. This is why even racial identity or a person’s gender is considered significant by some people. Three aspects of humanity that cause misunderstanding must be examined.
- Sexual Fantasy
The first condition contrary to spirituality is the sexual fantasy to which physical humans are commonly attached. Many physical temptations can lure humanity out of a spiritual condition, but none appears more lethal than sexual immorality. The apostle Paul touched on this subject, which remains misunderstood. Sexual abuse is known to have incapacitated effective servants of God, who may have fallen victim to this vice over centuries.
“Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:1–3 NIV).
There is more to this Scripture than meets the eye. Those still attached to this world may interpret Paul as saying it is good for a man not to marry. This seems to agree with Jesus’ comments in Luke 14:26–27, which most people prefer to ignore. Christianity should never be regarded as a casual matter, as most people assume. We are told little about the marital status of the disciples. But in following Jesus, their wives and children were not involved, although we are not told of the disciples’ relational condition with those families.
Paul himself was not married, but he did not impose the idea of celibacy on his audience. Likewise, Jesus, also unmarried, did not impose the idea of not marrying throughout His ministry. Paul had a tough time with the Corinthians, coming directly from the raw public. Unlike the Jews, the Gentiles did not have the convenience of God’s Laws addressing issues of sexual immorality. This does not necessarily suggest that the Jews were better Christians.
Jesus did not directly deal with Gentiles, although others encountered His teachings by chance. Conversion to follow Christ requires one hundred percent commitment, not—as is often assumed—for the purpose of attaining a good life on Earth. Did those Corinthian Christians understand the significance of following Christ in that manner? The entire epistle shows that those people struggled with sexual passions, but not everyone of Gentile origin was like them.
“For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well (Luke 7:6–10 NIV).
This centurion was a Gentile army commander who fully understood the principle of authority. His interaction with Jesus may later have led him to become one of the Christian believers who fully understood Jesus’ authority. Becoming a Christian believer does not necessarily require adopting Jewish laws. It requires understanding the principle of faith, which emanates from appreciating that one is God’s child. It is not sustained by physical nature.
It must have been a robust challenge for Paul to help those Corinthians understand that sex was of this world. The Kingdom of God is sustained by a different pleasure whose trajectory is eternity. A true Christian believer cannot commit himself to follow Christ and be entangled in sexual matters at the same time. However, as Paul suggested, one could still be married and be a Christian believer at the same time. Both husband and wife could be in the ministry.
But what happens when the other partner is not converted is a question of utmost importance. A Christian cannot give God one hundred percent dedication while also taking care of marital responsibilities. Divorce does not apply to God’s children, whose ethics cannot be violated arbitrarily. Marriage can pose a real dilemma among God’s children. The unconverted partner cannot be treated badly in the name of Christianity.
Divorce is possible with nonbelievers but impossible with believers. This is what Paul was attempting to highlight with those apparently immoral Christian believers. One has to be like the previously highlighted centurion in understanding the principle of faith, yet most believers struggle even with spiritual milk, as Paul lamented (1 Cor. 3:1–4). This throws a curve, entangling the person’s spiritual condition. Jesus addressed the marital challenges.
“Teacher,” they said, “Moses told us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow and have children for him. Now there were seven brothers among us. The first one married and died, and since he had no children, he left his wife to his brother. The same thing happened to the second and third brothers, right on down to the seventh. Finally, the woman died. Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?”
Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:24–32 NIV).
Jesus was articulating that God’s Kingdom is not affected by physical conditions. The distinction should be clear so that the two are not blurred. His audience was occupied with the assumption that at the resurrection, physical flesh would be significant. However, physical existence is designed within birth, growth, decay, and destruction. There is no physical survival condition that outlasts this pattern. On the question of divorce, Jesus was unambiguous:
“I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.” The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.” Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men, and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it” (Matthew 19:9–12 NIV).
The above Scripture clarifies that spiritual existence cannot be confused with physical existence, as the two are opposites. It is impossible for one existing physically to accept that spiritual and physical conditions are unrelated. To understand spiritual reality, it is necessary to renounce the conditions of physical existence. Jesus was responding to those stuck in assuming that life is limited to physical existence.
Jesus did not banish marriage, just as He could not banish the conditions of physical existence for the purpose of accepting God’s Kingdom. It is still possible to advance God’s Kingdom within the marital union. However, this should not be construed as suggesting God’s Kingdom brings harmony in marriages (Matthew 10:34–36). God’s child portrays the distinction between godly attributes and physical existence. The reason some people view the Bible as contradictory is the failure to make a clear distinction between spiritual and physical conditions.
One’s partner may not be a believer, but an unbelieving partner would be blessed when associating with a Christian believer. A nonbeliever may not understand the behavior of the Christian believer. But a true Christian believer understands the nonbeliever enough to compromise on most physical conditions when they do not encroach on the principles of God’s Kingdom. Bear in mind that Christian believers are extroverts, benefiting nonbelievers more than believers, especially when applying the principle of loving one’s enemies.
The giving principle portrays submission to another person’s interests more than to one’s own (Philippians 2:3). Nonbelievers should enjoy the blessing of being associated with believers. There is no need to spend time trying to convert non-believing partners. They cannot see what God’s children see unless God opens their eyes (John 6:44). Peter advised women with unconverted husbands to follow this noble principle of extroversion.
“Wives, in the same way, submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornments, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:1–4).
Peter’s recommendation can be readily acceptable to extroverts, who do not consider their own interests ahead of their spouses’. This can be challenging to those who are inward-looking and consider their own interests more valuable than other people’s. Of course, true Christians put God above everything, so as not to compromise on God’s calling. But as far as physical needs are concerned, an extrovert gives without restraint.
- Different Personalities Portraying God’s Image
The second aspect entrapping humanity is that although personalities look different, each depicts God’s image, regardless of whether one is aware of it. Physical personalities do not identify with God’s image. Some people appear more intelligent or less intelligent than others, but nothing invalidates their godly attributes. Paul said flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:50). Invalidating the physical nature is possible after discovering one’s true identity. To the enlightened, physical status carries no significance.
A spiritual person ceases to consider physical humans according to recognized statuses. He is above the stupidity of racial or gender considerations among God’s children. Even the President of the USA or King Charles of England cannot be significant when compared with God’s children. Yet God’s children would not invalidate even the most despised of society.
God’s children seek to understand people rather than being understood by people. They are a peculiar breed, but not crafted to attract admiration from anyone. They are not different from God and Jesus. They do not mourn over people failing to understand them. They focus on God’s will more than their personal desires. It is impossible to intimidate a person who is not afraid of losing their life. The apostles said, “We ought to obey God, rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
- Traditional Habits in Worldliness
The third and last hindrance to spiritual identity concerns traditional habits. Having been born into a world whose structures are accepted as normal, physical people cannot be easily extricated from worldliness. Hence, to overcome commonly accepted traditions, it is essential to recognize that Jesus is the only authority under the sun. Regardless of how intelligent or advanced one might appear, one remains insignificant to God’s children. Of course, this statement does not invite ostentatious consideration but merely states the undeniable truth. Failure to appreciate it causes failure among Christian believers.
Modern Christian establishments are intimidated by traditional hierarchies more than by spiritual establishments. They get overwhelmed by human “authorities,” although, having become God’s children, they are not different from Jesus. After conversion, they are expected to think as God thinks. The things that please God are the same things that please them. They are disappointed where God is also disappointed. The image of God in them is not readily visible, just as it could not be readily visible in Jesus Christ.
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment: In this world, we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister” (1 John 4:16–21).
A person who truly becomes aware of being God’s child cannot be intimidated by anyone in this world. The boldness such a person displays ought to intimidate even King Charles, whom they view as just another ordinary person also entrapped in sin. This should not be mistaken for pomposity. They view other Christians on equal terms and are not caught up in the confusion of assuming that other Christians are more or less Christian than others. The rank structures commonly revered in Christianity are sourced from false Christianity.
One cannot fool oneself by assuming to know God when unable to know oneself, since the true character of an individual is God’s image. The starting point is to truly know one’s own identity before claiming to know God. If created in God’s image, what went wrong? Why would one look for God but avoid confronting oneself, as created in God’s image? These are questions that, when answered correctly, can resolve one’s concept of worshiping God. This is what Jesus meant when asserting differences between Christianity and olden methods of worship: “God is Spirit; those who worship Him must do so in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilisation, which lays out standards for lifting Zimbabwe out of its current economic depression and into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, offering relief to those who have witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book to be a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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