Supernatural metaphysical faith relationship

Supernatural metaphysical image

In today’s world, most people associate ‘supernatural’ with ghosts, séances, and Harry Potter. To say that Christianity is a supernatural relationship sounds both confusing and heretical. But it is!

The meaning of the word ‘supernatural’ is ‘relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe’  The Bible is full of accounts of supernatural events. Jesus ministered supernaturally, and the re-birth of the spirit is a profoundly supernatural phenomenon. The word ‘metaphysical’ is more or less a synonym for supernatural and is defined as ‘relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses’ Yet, here again, it is usually connected in Christian circles with cult systems or Word of Faith extremes. Yet, Christianity is metaphysical. We cannot see God, who is Spirit, yet we have a relationship with the triune Godhead in and through Jesus Christ.

We cannot test or measure the manifestations of healing and miracles yet we experience them and gladly accept them… or do we?
Some Christian folk reject outright anything, spiritual gifts included, that appear to be supernatural. Words of Knowledge are to them simply intellectually informed teachings, Words of Wisdom are wise utterances, Prophecy is preaching, and so on. Such people are commonly termed cessationists in theological circles; they believed that the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ have ceased.  I have read as much as I choose to about the justifications for holding such a belief, but I find them wanting. Although theologians of this persuasion often claim that their theology is based on a sound exposition of scripture, nothing could be further from the truth. The New Testament is replete with references to the supernatural, and the claim that 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 supports cessationism is, in my opinion at least, just foolish and irresponsible. Actually, the real argument that the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit have ceased is based on a selective reading of history and not on biblical interpretation.

On the other side of the spectrum are those who claim to operate supernaturally as disciples of Jesus, but evidence magical manipulation rather than spiritual ministry. I am referring here to such things as crowd mesmerising, leg-stretching, mantra shouting, gold dust materialising, angel feather falling, religious slight-of-hand. I regard this as a perversion and not a spiritual reality, and as mind-craft, not supernatural ministry. Neither cessationism nor charismania are valid expressions of biblical Christianity.

If these two positions represent the end-points of a horizontal line, then the middle point, pulled up to form a triangle, must be intellectual knowledge-based pseudo-Christianity. In terms of this belief system, re-birth is just a euphemism for commitment of the will, spirituality consists of Bible study and prayer, church is an organisation akin to a school, and evangelism is a call to embrace a way of living and a denominational doctrinal statement. To my way of thinking, this too is a parody of New Testament Christianity. Cessationism, charismania, and intellectual pseudo-belief form a baleful triumvirate in current Christendom.

Jesus modelled a supernatural faith relationship with His Father, the Holy Spirit, and His disciples.
Read through the Gospels and observe how He ministered supernaturally, and how He positioned faith, not as a force to be manipulated, but as a the catalyst of metaphysical relationships. Take note of His profound lecture to the intellectually religious leader Nicodemus. Read on through the book of Acts and note how the early church functioned. Note also how Paul explained the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the church (1 Corinthians 12 & 14).

Surely, Christianity is essentially a supernatural metaphysical faith relationship with the triune God in and through Jesus Christ, and with others in and through the Body of Christ the church.

 

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Christopher Peppler

Christopher Peppler

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4 thoughts on “Supernatural metaphysical faith relationship”

  1. Do you not think that the basis of cessationism is in part simply the lack of publicity in respect of real miracles that are happening all the time, and the fact that mainstream media has adopted what it belives to be a religion-neutral position that is in fact christinity-negative? So the debunking of miracles is popular and encouraged, and the reporting of miracles is discouraged as being maniacal hysteria of a religious fringe?

    And maybe we should be addressing this in more than simply our sharing during services on Sunday [which I think is incredibly important] but also use the miraculous things that happen to encourage people to actually see how many miracles are happenijg about them every day. Perhaps the awe-insprining nature of God’s presence revealed in these day-to-day miracles will encourage people to re-affirm their faith and may be a basis for new people to find their faith.

    Just a thought

    Absolutely first class post!!!! Enjoyed and absorbed every word. Thank you.

    Kindest

    Jo

    1. What you say is probably correct Jo – thank you for your observations. In conservative churches, there is often a built-in resistance to the gifts of the Spirit, sometimes because of observed abuses and bizarre TV shenanigans. Sadly though there are also some theologians who hold avidly to cessationism – this strange word itself comes out of the academic world and is unfamiliar to most Christians.

  2. Paul said ” See that you are not lacking in spiritual gifts” (1 Cor. 1:7) and “desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor.14:1). I hold the view that Cessationist’s as well as the ‘Charismania’s are perhaps lacking in spiritual gifts, and therefore do not believe nor have the required Faith to believe “Spiritual truths that can only be discerned by those who are spiritual”(1Cor 2:14), and that is why ‘Charismania’ is also full of Hype and Hoopla and must forever continue coming up with the ‘new’ and ‘amazing’ manifestations to keep followers. If the cessanionists continue in their myopic view of the scriptures, boxing and infinite God who’s ways and thoughts no man can comprehend, “quenching the Spirit”(1 Thes. 5:19-20) in their churches, how do they expect to see miracles and wonders being performed by the Holy Spirit in their churches? St Augustine (theologian)- is quoted as saying [paraphrase] ” If you believe what you like in the gospel, rejecting what you dont like, you no longer believe in the gospel but you believe in yourself” and to me that is self idolatry and it is a sin.

    I also believe that in the search for knowledge, some professors of religion ‘confess’ to know ‘about God, but never advance to the stage of intimately knowing Him and having a heart-to-heart relationship with Him by Faith. Paul said “the natural person does not accept things of the Spirit of God”, because they are foolishness to him (1Cor 2:14). I believe that Christianity is not an “Intellectual” belief system but a ‘Spiritual, Faith and Heart-to-heart” relationship with an Omniscient, Omnipresent and All-powerful God.
    Allow me to add on your description of Christianity, ” Christianity is essentially a supernatural metaphysical ‘ Heart-to-Heart’ faith relationship with the triune God in and through Jesus Christ ‘by His Spirit’, and with others in and through the Body of Christ the church ‘by His Spirit’.

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About Me

My name is Christopher Peppler and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1947. While working in the financial sector I achieved a number of business qualifications from the Institute of Bankers, Damelin Management School, and The University of the Witwatersrand Business School. After over 20 years as a banker, I followed God’s calling and joined the ministry full time. After becoming a pastor of what is now a quite considerable church, I  earned an undergraduate theological qualification from the Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and post-graduate degrees from two United States institutions. I was also awarded the Doctor of Theology in Systematic Theology from the University of Zululand in 2000.

Four years before that I established the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which today is represented in over 70 countries and has more than 2 500 active students enrolled with it. I presently play an role supervising Masters and Doctoral students.

I am a passionate champion of the Christocentric or Christ-centred Principle, an approach to biblical interpretation and theological construction that emphasises the centrality of Jesus

I have been happily married to Patricia since the age of 20, have two children, Lance and Karen, a daughter-in-law Tracey, and granddaughters Jessica and Kirsten. I have now retired from both church and seminary leadership and devote my time to writing, discipling, and the classical guitar.

If you would like to read my testimony to Jesus then click HERE.