Knowing God Better: Two Worlds—Part 2

We live in two interwoven worlds—one visible and one invisible. We are very familiar with the first because we perceive and function in it every day. The second, however, remains more hidden from our awareness.

These two worlds are perceived in different ways. The visible world—sometimes called the natural or physical realm—is perceived with our natural senses. The other is the realm of the invisible. It is often called the supernatural or spiritual world. It cannot be perceived through our physical senses but must be discerned through spiritual ones. Jesus referred to this kind of spiritual perception when He asked His disciples, "Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears, do you not hear?" (Mark 8:18 ESV)

Jesus was not speaking of physical eyesight or hearing but of the ability to perceive spiritual truth—to see, as it were, into the invisible realm. Many who saw Him with their natural eyes did not recognize who He was, while others discerned His true identity and received His words. 

This is the invisible realm from which God reveals Himself and carries out His purposes. It is that of which Jesus spoke when He said, "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24 ESV) It is the heavenly realm where God's glory is unveiled in a way that is hidden from our physical eyes.

We should be careful not to assume that because we cannot see this realm with our natural eyes, it does not exist. To do so would be a bit like assuming that because we cannot see gravity, it does not exist. To know God better, we must learn to open our spiritual eyes and ears to this unseen yet very real realm.

Loss of Perception in the Invisible Realm

There was a time when the visible and invisible worlds existed in perfect harmony. At creation, God and mankind enjoyed unhindered fellowship with one another. The Lord walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, and humanity lived in intimate communion with its Creator. Then a singular, cataclysmic event changed everything. Mankind rebelled against its Creator, and sin entered paradise. The immediate result was spiritual death—a separation from God. As the Apostle Paul later wrote, humanity became "darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God." (Ephesians 4:18 NIV)

Entering the Invisible Realm

To know God better, we must gain access to the invisible realm. The problem is that sin has left us spiritually dead and unable to perceive its realities. Just as a physically dead person cannot respond to the natural world, so one who is spiritually dead cannot respond to the things of God. 

This condition began with Adam's rebellion and has affected every generation since. As a result, all of his descendants have been born with a sinful nature. "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." (Romans 5:12 NLT) Like Adam, we have all chosen to go our own way and have become separated from the life of God.

Yet God did not leave humanity in that condition. In His great mercy, He has provided one way for us to enter this realm—through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave His life as the sacrifice for our sins. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus." (I Timothy 2:5 NIV) 

When we place our faith in Christ, we come to life spiritually. "But because of His great love for us, God...made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions." (Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV) Jesus described this miraculous work as being "born again."

The New Birth

One night, under cover of darkness, a Jewish leader by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus for a secret meeting. He had listened to Jesus' public teachings during the day and had seen the miracles that He had performed. Something was awakened inside of Nicodemus. "Rabbi," he said to Jesus, "we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." (John 3:2 ESV) It was as though Nicodemus was standing at the threshold of God's Kingdom. He longed to understand, but he did not yet know how to enter it.  

Jesus immediately directed Nicodemus to what mattered most: "Unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." (John 3:3 NLT) 

Because Nicodemus' experience was solely in the natural, Jesus' words were beyond understanding, "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Nicodemus asked. (John 3:4 NLT)

Physical birth introduces us into the natural world. Spiritual birth introduces us into God's Kingdom. "Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life." (John 3:6 NLT) Through faith in Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us new life, enabling us to know God and perceive the realities of His Kingdom.

The Apostle John summarizes this miracle beautifully, "To all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth..., but a birth that comes from God." (John 1:12-13 NLT)

Receiving the New Birth

We receive this new life by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. Turning from our sins, we trust in His death and resurrection for our salvation. At that moment, God forgives our sins, gives us new spiritual life, and welcomes us into His Kingdom.

The Holy Spirit performs the miraculous work of making us a totally new person. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV) Our sins from the past have been forgiven, because Jesus bore the penalty for those sins. Our slate has been wiped clean.

As the psalmist declares, "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psalms 103:10-12 NIV)

But there is one thing more. Jesus wanted us to know what happens in heaven when a person is born again, "I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10 NIV) Heaven has a celebration! 

Conclusion

The visible world is very real, but it is not all that exists. Beyond what we can see is the unseen realm where God reveals His presence more fully and invites us into fellowship with Himself.

Sin has blinded us to these spiritual realities, but God, in His great mercy, has made a way for us to enter His Kingdom through His Son, Jesus Christ. When we are born again by the Holy Spirit, our spiritual eyes are opened, and we begin to know God in a way that was once impossible. 

The Christian life is far more than believing a certain doctrine. It is the beginning of a new relationship with the living God—a journey of learning to recognize His presence, hear His voice, and walk with Him every day. 

This is where the journey of knowing God better begins—with the new birth. 

For more from Julia, see her Substack, “Reflections on Knowing God” @juliakamleiter.