By Joseph J. Bucci ——Bio and Archives--July 7, 2024
A good Science Fiction movie will give us enough believability that when it suspends reality, we are willing to go along with that fantasy. For example, we can stretch our thinking and accept it when we see a man who designs a flying suit that is bulletproof; or men traveling through time or deep space, being transported to planets by having their molecular structure disassembled and then re-assembled. This of course is unnatural – you cannot disassemble and then re-assemble a person’s molecular structure. But we tune in anyway and accept the premise.
There are some things that men actually can do that are unnatural. Jumping out of an airplane is unnatural, unless you are highly trained or you are Tom Cruise. It is still a very unnatural act. Bungee jumping is unnatural. Why would you want to have your legs pulled out of their sockets by leaping off a bridge with rubber bands tied to you?
There are other things that humans do that are horrible, especially in their treatment of animals and other humans. I won’t take time to speak of these despicable things, but you know of what I speak. I heard a preacher years ago who said that human beings are the only creatures that act below their nature. Dogs act like dogs, all other creatures act the way they are. We ascribe human traits to animals, but that is not part of their nature. Sometimes, human beings act like animals in how they treat other human beings. These acts may be despicable, but they are humans acting within their nature.
Spiritual things are completely unnatural for human beings. Discerning spiritual things can only happen by the revelation of the Spirit of God. This is the most unnatural act of all – we can do nothing about it; but God can and does do it! God chooses to engage with His creation in amazing ways!
Pastor and author Eugene Peterson, in his unique paraphrase of the Bible called The Message (1993), made this point simply and directly when he paraphrased 1 Corinthians chapter 2 as follows: “The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion” (1 Corinthians 2:14, The Message).
Jesus makes this point dramatically in John’s Gospel chapter 3. When speaking with Nicodemus, a revered teacher of the law, Jesus cuts right to the point and tells Nicodemus that he must be born again (John 3:3). We have all heard of this phrase, but what is Jesus saying? Jesus tries to relate to Nicodemus a spiritual truth, unnatural by men’s standards, by using this contrary picture of being re-born. Nicodemus is so bewildered that he responds in amazement: “What are you talking about? How can I enter into my mother‘s womb again?” (My paraphrase). Of course, we cannot re-enter our mother’s womb and start again. Neither can we discern spiritual things without the Spirit of God to help us. That is Jesus’ second point with Nicodemus (John 3:8). This verse could be interpreted as “the wind blows where it wills;” or more appropriately, “the Spirit breathes where it wills.”
Spiritual things are like the wind. We sense the impact of a strong wind; but discerning its origin or its ultimate aim is impossible for us (John 3:8). It is unnatural. For us, the most unnatural act is spiritual transformation, because this can only be done by the Spirit of God, and it begins with the recognition of our great need to repent of sin. There is only one place where complete forgiveness can be realized. That is when we repent of our sin after an encounter with the Holy God.
Jesus starts off His earthly ministry in Matthew’s gospel with the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapter 5). His first words in introducing us to the Kingdom of God are by telling us that those who are poor in “spirit” (could also be interpreted “wind”) are blessed; for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to them (Matthew 5:3). We are poor in spirit when we see God for Who He is, and any pride or self-assurance or self-reliance is vanquished from us. The Spirit holds a mirror up to us and shows us the disgusting nature of the sin in our lives. Our thoughts and actions are generally horrible and detestable. We don’t want to admit that, which is why repentance is unnatural. It must be led by and directed by the Spirit, coaxing us into the presence of God, helping us to deny ourselves, and to repent of all of our selfishness and plead with God for His mercy and forgiveness.
This leads us, according to Jesus, to mourning for our sinful state (Matthew 5:4). If we are completely honest with ourselves, this is the only response we can have. Isaiah saw the Spirit of God in the temple, and he stammered and responded, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:5 ESV).
Our repentance and spiritual metamorphosis enable us to forgive others, because we understand how much we have been forgiven. This also enables us to love others greatly, because of the love shown to us by a Holy God through His removing our transgressions, “as far as the east is from the west” (Psalm 103:12). The ability to love others and forgive others fully and completely is also unnatural, except when our hearts are cleansed and our shame removed by repenting of our sins.
Jesus explained this process at the home of a Pharisee who had hosted a banquet for Him and many of his Pharisee friends. Suddenly a “sinful” woman appeared to anoint Jesus’ feet with oil and wipe His feet with her hair (Luke chapter 7). Her forgiveness was spiritual, because her repentance was unnatural but spiritually directed. Because she had been forgiven much, she loved much (Luke 7:47). All of this is unnatural – but available to all who ask (Romans 10:9).
I write this in the midst of a rancorous and divisive political season. In his book “Start, Stay or Leave,” former congressman Trey Gowdy describes dropping out of politics because of the angst and political infighting he experienced in Congress (Gowdy, 2023). If good men like Gowdy had to leave the political fight, how can we expect to stand up for what we believe against the ruthless attacks of those committed to silencing us? An amazing example of complete forgiveness in facilitating redemption to one who offered only wickedness was modeled in the story of the Amish families that forgave a murderer and his family after he killed five of their children and wounded five others (Associated Press, 2013). The Amish families whose children were hurt and killed even attended the funeral of the murder, who took his own life after the incident.
This is an unnatural response to hate – but not the most unnatural act. The most unnatural act of all is the amazing work of God to release those Amish families from their own sin and selfness. Were these people really so despicable? According to the Apostle Paul, “There’s nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God. They’ve all taken the wrong turn; they’ve all wandered down blind alleys. No one’s living right; I can’t find a single one” (Romans 3:10-12 The Message).
We do not forgive others because we follow some 5-step process (Brauns, 2008). We have been forgiven much, and this provokes an attitude of mercy towards others – back to the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5: 7 ESV). The Amish families’ recognition of their own sinful state and God’s incredible mercies allowed them to release the perpetrator of this heinous crime from his hurtful actions. This is unnatural; and we stand amazed at their actions! Author C.S. Lewis wrote, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable in others because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you” (C.S. Lewis, quoted in Keller, 2022).
Something else about a good Science Fiction movie is that it allows us to examine ourselves through the lens of circumstances that are otherworldly or unnatural. The only way we can truly examine repentance in our experience is by the Spirit of God, that wind breathing on us and awakening us to the knowledge of God and our own sinful state. When that happens, we cry out as “poor in spirit” and plead with God for His mercy. This is true repentance; and it opens the door for us to be able to forgive others with the same measure that God has forgiven us.
Associated Press. (2013, December 9). 'None of us needs to live the saddest part of our lives 24/7': Mother of Amish schoolhouse shooter shares her story of forgiveness. Mail Online.
Brauns, C. (2008). Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
Gowdy, T. (2023). Start, Stay or Leave. New York, NY: The Crown Publishing Group.
Keller, T. (2022). Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? New York, NY: Viking Press.
Peterson, E. (1993). The Message. Carol Stream, IL: NavPress.
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Joseph J. Bucci has served as a Pastor, Author, HR Director, Director of Training, Professor and Consultant. He teaches in the College of Arts and Sciences at Regent University in Virginia Beach. He has written two books and numerous articles on the theme of integrating faith with life and our work. You can contact Dr. Bucci at: Joseph J Bucci