1 Corinthians 13:12.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (KJV)
You used the word “graduate” for how we get out of this universe. What does that mean?
That’s the way I like to say it, but it’s not standard. The important point is that this is another way that this universe is greater than one we create in a work of fiction. We can get out of this universe, but a fictional character can’t become real.
Isn’t that the theme in Pinocchio?
Yes, sort of, and the author, Carlo Collodi, was a seminary student. The themes of Pinocchio reflect his religious perspective. There are many different pieces of literature, especially movies, that play with this theme.
The movie The Matrix does this by portraying our reality as less than what we think it is and explores getting out of that into the true reality.
The movie The Never Ending Story tells of a boy who reads a book and gets sucked into the world of the book.
The book The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis portrays people taking a bus to Heaven and discovering that heaven is so much more real than they are that the blades of grass cut their feet.
The idea in Christianity is that we can become even more real than we are now. Just as God is the great I AM, we can become real in a greater way.
And become like God?
Good gravy, goodness no, but we do get a big step up. C.S. Lewis gave an intuitive description of the Christian view in Mere Christianity.
“This world is a great sculptor’s shop. We are the statues and there is a rumor going round the shop that some of us are some day going to come to life.”
Sounds a lot like Pinocchio.
Yes, but let’s press this in a related direction. What happens after we die? Many religions believe that it’s not just the end, but what?
As you know, I don’t believe in any of them.
That’s a given. Right now, I’m just working on laying the conceptual foundation by focusing on the contrasts between God’s creation and little universes we create. This contrast is the one where the character in a universe can move up a step.
Eternity, which we’ve already noted, is widely believed to be outside of time—that is, our time. That’s the view of heaven, or, as 2 Corinthians 12:2–4 says it, the third heaven.
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. (ESV)
The Greek word for heaven is οὐρανός (ouranos) and it means sky or heaven. It still means sky in modern Greek. The standard interpretation of this passage is that the three heavens are sky (the atmosphere), space, and paradise (eternity-heaven).
The point is that we can “graduate” out of this universe, to a higher existence. We’ll lose our current short-sightedness and see God.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. — 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV)
Charles Wesley had a great description of it in his final hymn, which is widely considered to have been written from his death bed. That’s its timbre anyway.
In age and feebleness extreme,
Who shall a helpless worm redeem?
Jesus, my only hope Thou art,
Strength of my failing flesh and heart:
O could I catch one smile from Thee,
And drop into eternity!
I don’t get it. Is he calling himself a worm? Why does he need to be redeemed?
Oh, that’s another part of Christianity that I haven’t even mentioned yet. Christianity views human nature as severely defective. It’s something we call “sin.” Christians see themselves as unworthy, sinful creatures. It’s kind of the opposite of the “I’m okay, you’re okay” slogan. It’s more like, “I’m a mess, but it’s okay.”
I’m not ready for that whole Christian guilt-trip thing just yet.
Me neither; it’d be a tangent right now. There’s one more important difference between the universe God created and the fictional universes we create—free will.
Scrooge doesn’t have free will; he doesn’t have any will. We do.
Let’s visit that tomorrow. See you then.
