Having put aside the teachings of the Word Faith religion, we can now build a view of how the Bible presents our spiritual-physical dynamics.

A biblical (theology) timeline

The Bible is used to support these tenets. As the Bible is so large, verses here and there can be used to support it. But you need to be able to deal with the whole Bible, not just some. That's wisdom.

Looking at this from a Biblical Theology point of view, at key turning points of biblical history, we do not see any major changes of relationship between the spirit realm and physical realm.

• From Eden to the Fall: What God originally created in the physical was fundamentally good, and God dwelt with humankind: the spiritual and the physical are working together in unison and one accord. God, who is spirit, was walking with Adam and Eve in the physical world.

• After the Fall to the end of the OT: Sin produced fallen angels and fallen people, but the nature of reality did not change. God no longer walks on the earth—there is distance between the physical and spiritual.

• God occasionally shows up in physical form, such as at the inauguration of the temple built by Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:2), but more often uses angels or prophets to share a message.

• Creation is groaning under the curse, under "the bondage of decay", as we devolve (not evolve), but nevertheless creation is still 'owned and operated' by God (Job 38-41; Psalm 135:6-7; Colossians 1:17; Psalm 95:3-5).

• Satan is described as a power or ruler of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31, 14:30), but able to be resisted under God (James 4:7).

• In Jesus' day: We see and learn that people can be possessed of demons (Matthew 12:22; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 4:33-36), but that one day soon, all Christians will be possessed of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; Acts 1:8; cf. 1 Corinthians 3:16): we are in a physical-spiritual reality.

• After Pentecost and through to today: We are a temple for the Holy Spirit: a physical-spiritual being (1 John 4:1-3; 1 Corinthians 2:11-3:22, 6:12-20). You do not walk "in the flesh" by doing physical things, and walk "in the spirit" by doing spiritual things. Those "in the flesh" are physical-spiritual beings who are unsaved—walking in the flesh describes ungodly works; those "in the spirit" are physical-spiritual beings who are saved—walking in the spirit describes godly works (Romans 8).

• As a temple of the Holy Spirit, we do not become the throne room of God. This is mixing metaphors. The temple of the Holy Spirit is a metaphor for describing how God comes to live inside of us. New Age doctrine says we are all god (pantheism), but biblical doctrine says the seat of all decisions is the throne room of God in heaven—not in each of us (Psalm 115:3, 103:19; Proverbs 19:21; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10). But the distance between God and humanity has been removed: we can approach God individually, without mediation through a priest (Hebrews 4:14-16).

• After the Second Coming: What we're looking forward to is a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), with imperishable bodies—but physical and spiritual like the merging of our physical and spiritual bodies today, though different in many ways. When our body and spirit first get separated, our body dies (James 2:26). At some point in the new heavens and earth, we get a new body. All of this is 'real'.

What we learn

The major changes across the biblical timeline only concern the distance between the physical and spiritual. Sin separates us, but through what Jesus did on the cross, that separation can be dealt with.

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit can live inside us, not to create a god in us, but to dwell with us in relationship.

Throughout the timeline of history, the nature of the relationship between the physical and spiritual doesn't change. People might be further apart from God, or closer at times, but at no point does the physical become illusory or unimportant or secondary.

Rather, the biblical history teaches that the physical realm has magnificent beauty that reflects the manifold glories of God, and our job is to present that to others—as we'll soon see in more detail.

What is our present reality?

We live in a physical-spiritual reality where what we see is wonderfully made by God for specific purposes, and what we don't see—the spirit world—is also wonderfully made, but for different purposes (Colossians 1:16).

Simply because our present physical bodies are temporary, does not make them less real, or less 'me'. 'I' am not spirit only. 'I' have a physical body that I direct and am accountable to God for.

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

New Agers believe that the physical is an illusion, so they focus on the spiritual realm. But, I can trust the senses that God has given me—though they may be decaying they are still "very good" (Genesis 1:31). God gave us the charge to witness in a multifaceted way to the manifold glories of God, and that is very physical. We speak of God's glory; we see and share of God's glory; we walk to share the good news; we taste and smell God's creation as we eat together in fellowship, discipleship and evangelise. We also pray lots, wrestle with spiritual ideas (2 Corinthians 10:4-5), and do other spiritual activities.

I love how the Bible at once affirms all the physical elements that God created, while also affirming all the spiritual elements. It's neither too heavenly-minded to be any earthly good, but nor is it too earthly-minded to be of any heavenly good. Rather, I can confidently progress in both realms.

I see a lot of my Pentecostal friends focusing on the spiritual passages of the Bible, fascinating as they are when you realise that God still works such things today and we can participate in them: let's be inspired!

But I can combine that with the fascination and energy that my conservative friends have, focusing on character issues, administrative and leadership issues, and practical issues. This is all part of the "very good" too.

What is the purpose of our present reality?

The earth and its inhabitants were created to display and declare the manifold glories of God, especially including the Gospel of God. The angels and the heavens were created to declare the manifold glories of God. (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20; Galatians 3:8-9; 2 Corinthians 3:18.)

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

If everything is really spiritual (and a couple of other things), it follows that if I had enough faith, I would not need to go to the doctors. Yet, I love how miraculous healing points to God and gives God much glory, while I also appreciate how knowing how God knit us together means that doctors can also glorify God in their re-knitting. I have enough faith that God created me similar to others such that doctors can attempt to copy God's perfect design and help re-form me in God's original image. The doctors are displaying God through their sacrifice, attention to detail, acknowledgement of design, awe and respect for the human body and its processes, and love and care for others. Are these not signs that point to God?

I do wonder from time to time why Word Faith practitioners don't trust God to create a house for them—he promises us provision just as much as healing, after all (e.g. Matthew 6:25-34)! But just like we don't do away with engineers and carpenters, even though God is provider, we don't do away with doctors and nurses, even though God is healer. We may have heard stories of God multiplying food even today, but we still don't expect that God will always multiply food and do away with cooks. This is all because the physical gives glory to God too—so he works through and with the physical.

I find it incredulous that Word Faith preachers can get away with inviting people into believing that God will bless us financially, with an expectation of full health, and indeed blessing in every way: not limited to fame, happiness, a life partner, and more. If our purpose is to point to the glory of God, what does becoming what the world seek after point to? Consider how Jesus gave up his life rather than extend it—does that not point to his great love for others? Consider how the early Christians gave away their wealth, to care for the poor, the widows, and the needy—does that not point to their great love for others? Consider how Paul and others were persecuted, yet continued to walk in confidence and love for their enemies—is that not a powerful indication that there is real and tangible hope in the Lord? And so what if the Devourer takes everything, as happened to Job—we have more!

Consider the purpose or direction that teacher is going. We are not to go after the things of this world. Are the things that this world seek after are indications of God's blessings? Sometimes. Usually, it happens as a byproduct. Solomon asked for wisdom instead of riches, so God blessed him also with riches. Abraham gave up everything to go to an unknown land, and God blessed him with abundance.

But we need to embrace what the Bible presents when it says that to lose our lives is to gain it (Matthew 16:25); to suffer is to point to Jesus; to be sued for your wealth is an opportunity to give even more (Matthew 5:40); and that we ought to be satisfied in Jesus despite everything going 'wrong'. The person who is satisfied in Jesus despite their house burning down, their family dying in a car crash, and losing their job—that person points to how Jesus is more than everything this world has to offer.

Even so saying, we must be careful not to say that wealth is bad or cannot point to God. Job was blessed with more than he had before the Devourer came: and this speaks of God's abundant provision. The Israelites came to the Promised Land of abundance—to the praise of God. There is a time and a place for worldly gain. But if they communicate glut, self-seeking, and worldliness, then they don't point to God's care for people and power to provide. And that would go against our purpose to point to God.

What is the reality to come?

We will be given new eternal bodies in a new heaven and earth (2 Corinthians 5:1-10). We anticipate a new physical earth and a new physical body, in some kind of luxurious city (Revelation 21-22:5). Our bodies will be like angels and we will live alongside God and the angels (Mark 12:25).

Thus our hope is in a new physical-spiritual reality—not spiritual only.

Will we build and create in the new heaven and earth? Well, we were to fill and multiply the original earth and cultivate it (create culture) in Eden (Genesis 1:26-30). Now, this was in perfection, so there's every reason to believe we get to enjoy amazing creative exploits in the new perfection, drawing on our present physical experiences.

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

There is a common distaste of institutions amongst many in the New Age and Word Faith camps. It is felt that by removing ourselves from religion, we can come back to something more authentic. There is some truth to this. But when it was too crazy in the Corinthian church, Paul had to institute order (1 Corinthians 12-14). And when the Apostles were getting distracted from preaching the Word, it was right to create some structure in the form of deacons to take care of the widows (Acts 6:1-7).

Nevertheless, there is also a time to tear down the old structures when they no longer serve their original purposes. For example, removal of dishonouring priests in 1 Samuel 2:12-25; or, establishment of the better covenant of Jesus over the old, ineffective way as explained in Hebrews 7. (This has been called polarity management, where we 'balance' two polar opposite issues.)

I am also concerned that the focus on the spiritual may cause our fascination in the beauty and excellence of God's great designs in nature to wane. Many people draw much strength in God's creation for their own creative work.

Looking at the entire biblical timeline, it appears that our physical creations that we produce today might have much more significance than we could have ever dreamed of. The world was recreated with a global flood—but not from scratch. In the same way, the earth in the future, though judged by fire, might be renewed into the new earth. If that doesn't happen, and it's a completely new earth, it is described as being physical. I can therefore follow in the footsteps of the Creator God and be inspired to create and design new physical things in today's physical world, knowing that it's all part of God's eternal plan.

It was "very good" for God to be creating something physical in the beginning, and it will be perfect in the world to come, so it is still very good for us to be creating today.

What will happen to this present earth?

Whether this earth will be completely destroyed in the fire of judgment to come, or just renewed, we don't have conclusive evidence. Nevertheless, what we do on this earth will be judged, with accompanying rewards if it withstands the 'big burn' (1 Corinthians 3:5-15).

After the global flood of Genesis 6-8, the Genesis 9 world was a 'new earth': it had new trenches for sea water, and new mountains, new continents having been split up from each other, and then after the waters receded, new plants and animals. Thus we could speculate that in the same way, the new earth to come might be made from this earth.

What survives may only be little, just like only the ark and its inhabitants survived the flood, but we are given no detail. It's enough, though, to say that what we do here on earth matters—and it may matter far more than we ever realise.

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

Rather than focusing solely on spiritual practices such as prayer, with the knowledge that God created the physical for a purpose and we will be judged for it, we can delight in doing physical practices such as work. It opens the flood gates for a rich work ethic, rather than tempting us to neglect important physical activity.

Put another way, the physical activities that we do do have great meaning. God delights in the physical work that we do that follows his will, just as much as our spiritual work. How amazing is that?!

I love the ministry of John Piper and Desiring God. They bring out the message that we most glorify God when we are most satisfied in him. So, when the Spirit teaches me something about the Word, I am deeply satisfied and in awe. When the Spirit uses me to lead someone closer to God, such as through my excellent work ethic combined with conversation with my colleagues about how my trust in God gets me through, I am deeply satisfied and in awe.See for example Does God Delight in Me?, Interview with John Piper, 25 July 2014, https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/does-god-delight-in-me And it's always a physical-spiritual reality.

How does the Holy Spirit interact with us?

The Spirit is designed to flow through us as if we were a branch and the Spirit the vine—as if we were a wire and the Spirit the battery (John 15:1-11).

When we believe in something, we open ourselves up to it—whether demonic or angelic, unholy or holy. The Holy Spirit is able to fill us, and to live in us (John 20:22; Acts 2; Romans 8:9). In this sense, the physical is a container for the spiritual. Nevertheless, the spiritual operates freely in and around and beyond the physical. But our physical bodies appear to be able to be opened or shut to spirits somewhat dependent on our actions.

When the Holy Spirit resides in us we are able to submit to the law of God, and live lives pleasing to God (Romans 8:5-9).

As we let the Spirit flow through us, we will need to be filled again, but not in the sense that the Spirit would actually ever leave us, but that the words and direction of the Spirit may dry up (Luke 22:40, 46; Matthew 6:6; Luke 1:13, 3:21-22, 18:1-8; 1 Sam 3:1).

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

In the occult, a lust for power appears to dominate motivation to interact with the spirits. These spirits are then controlled by following certain techniques. Technique-driven spiritual practices are rife within Pentecostal and charismatic expressions. Each ministry will say this is the specific way to gain your healing. Say these words, do these things, don't do these other things.

What the Bible indicates is that we only need the Holy Spirit. We don't need more than that. When we look at the techniques that Jesus used to heal people, we find no pattern. He did it differently almost every time, because the power is not in the technique, but in God. (See The principle of following God's direction daily for examination of Jesus' techniques.)

Therefore, we will find power when we are filled with the Spirit, and we do what the Spirit wants to do at the time and place where the Spirit wants to work. We can be inspired by others and what God has done through them, but we ought not to copy what they've done as if we can or should control the Spirit. The Spirit is not controlled by spiritual laws—the Spirit created the spiritual and physical world! Rather, we ought to look to what the Spirit uniquely wants to do through us or through our local church.

How do we 'get things done'?

God is sovereign over all things and sustains all things (Colossians 1:15-18). He has a plan for everyone and everything and that plan cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 46:10; Proverbs 16:9; Ephesians 1:4-11; Romans 8:28-30; Psalm 115:3). Even the devil, and his followers, must ask for permission from God (Job 1-2; 1 Kings 22:19-23; Mark 1:34).

Jesus directs us to come to God in prayerful requests. All such requests must made according to God's will (Matthew 6:5-15; Luke 22:42), and according to righteousness (James 4:2-3). This is intensely personal and relational, and not according to spiritual laws. However, God will answer and act according to his promises (2 Kings 8:19; Exodus 2:23-25; Deuteronomy 9:26-29) and character.

As we are physical-spiritual beings, we can initiate things in a physically-oriented way, as well as coming to God to initiate activity in a spiritual-oriented way. As an example of a physical orientation, we can demonstrate God's goodness by doing good, which may in turn lead others to God, thereby having eternal consequences.

How can we steer clear of New Age influence?

New Agers will talk about the physical realm being an illusion. Thus, we must start in the spiritual realm to create a new reality around us. This is not what the Bible teaches.

When the Bible talks about living by faith and not by sight, it is not talking about our physical senses perceiving an illusion, as if perhaps we were living in the Matrix, unable to perceive the real world. No, instead, living by faith is trusting that God's got the future sorted, which gives me hope and energy for today.

What I do in the physical matters because it's part of God's plan, which God will use to bring about his purposes. Living by faith and not sight means I trust that God will use my physical actions in his greater purposes, not that I need to bring something down from the spiritual. I pray for God to act, but am ready to hear a physical solution as much as a miraculous one.