The visible world is this physical universe and the invisible world is the universe beyond the physical senses. In the invisible world spirits live forever after separation from their physical bodies.
God created both worlds, which together we call the cosmos. Some people deny the invisible world. They say that this mysterious world, which cannot be sensed physically, is an illusion and does not exist.
The spirit world, however, is not a world of illusion that we can never perceive.
This world can be perceived by means other than physical senses, for it is an objective reality. Through spiritual senses, we can perceive the spirit world.
It is a mistake to think that reality lies only within the world that we can physically perceive. Our physical senses are limited, and we cannot perceive anything beyond this limit, even though it exists.
We hear only the range of sound from 16 to 16,000 Hz per second. Sounds below 16 Hz or above 16,000 Hz are inaudible to us. We can see the world reflected by certain light rays, but those with shorter wavelengths, such as X-rays, are invisible to us. With the refined instruments of today, we can verify the existence of things that were invisible and inaudible in the past.
The day will come when, with science, we will be able to sense the world formerly regarded as the world of illusion. This does not mean that we can perceive this world only when science makes it possible.
On the contrary, when our spiritual senses are opened, we can perceive this world at will. (2 Kings 6:15-17) Numerous sensitives perceive the spirit world, and some have explored it extensively.
Young Oon Kim
Relationship of the Two Worlds
By the principle of polarity, the counterpart of the physical world must exist. As previously stated, God created all things in subject-object relationships. Human beings, the subject, have both spirit and body.
Therefore, our object — the world — must have a twofold nature. Just as the physical world was created as the environment for our physical body, so the spirit world was created as the environment for our spirit.
Of the two worlds, which is the subject, and which is an object?
The relationship between the two worlds is similar to that between our spirit and body. As our spirit is subject to our body, so the invisible world is subject to the visible world. The body moves as the heart moves.
The events of the spirit world are reflected in the physical world, since the spirit world is cause and the physical world, effect. (Heb. 8:5)
Our human body is the encapsulation of the physical world, and our spirit is the encapsulation of the spirit world. Therefore, we as a microcosm encapsulate the entire cosmos.
The reason human beings and the universe are similar in structure and elements is so that we might perceive the invisible and visible worlds and have full give and take with them both.
Why did God make human beings the rulers of all things in the physical world?
This is because God cannot have dominion over the physical world directly. Since the things of the physical world lack the inner sense by which to perceive God, He cannot rule them directly by giving love and power.
Therefore, God created people with both physical and spiritual senses so that we could be the medium of conjunction between the two worlds. By having direct dominion over humankind, God has indirect dominion over the entire universe.
Man and woman are not only the rulers of the two worlds, but also the dynamic center of joy and harmony between them. The two worlds are entirely different. Therefore, there is no way in which they can have direct give and take.
However, the human spirit communicates with the spirit world, and the human body with the physical world. Therefore, through human beings, the two worlds can give and take.
The infinite beauty, love, and joy of the spirit world, when sensed by a human being, are reflected in the physical world to make earthly life heavenly.
(Luke 2:29-32)
On the other hand, the beauty, love, and joy of this physical universe, when sensed by a man or woman, are reflected in the spirit world and fill the heavens with joy. (Luke 15:17)
Human beings are the medium of interaction between the two worlds, as their center. To fulfill this role, we must maintain perfect give and take between spirit and body. Then our spirit and body are completely united, and our spiritual and physical senses echo each other.
Relation of the Spirit-Person and the Physical Body
A human being consists of a spirit-person and a physical body. The former is the subject, while the latter is the object. The spirit-person is an entity that can be detected by spiritual senses, and whose form is virtually identical to that of the physical body.
In contrast to the physical body, which has a limited life, the spirit-person lives forever as an individual in the spirit world. The physical body requires various elements from the physical world for its growth.
Likewise, the spirit-person requires for its growth certain elements from the physical body, which serves as its host or soil. As all things grow through three stages of Formation, Growth, and Perfection, so the spirit-person also grows through three stages.
A spirit-person in the Formation Stage is known as a Form-Spirit; in the Growth Stage, as a Life-Spirit; and in the Perfection Stage, as a Divine-Spirit. The spirits of different stages can be distinguished.
Form-Spirits are imperfect. Life-Spirits are more developed than Form-Spirits and shine with reflective light, like that of the moon. Divine Spirits are the most advanced and radiate a bright luminescence from within themselves. In other words, a Divine-Spirit is a person of a perfected heart.
A person at the Divine-Spirit level feels God's heart fully, is one with Him, and walks with Him. The place where Divine Spirits dwell is called heaven, whether it is on earth or in the spirit world. Since we become a Divine-Spirit in cooperation with our physical body, there is no question but that heaven must begin on earth.
The spiritual heaven is the realm of the spirit world where Divine Spirits live after their full life on earth. Man and woman were to become Divine-Spirits in their earthly life, and the ultimate destiny of every person is still to become a Divine-Spirit.
Where do those who have not yet attained this level dwell after their separation from the physical body?
Hell is the realm inhabited by spirits that have not yet grown to even the Form-Spirit level. Form-Spirits dwell in the Formation Stage of the spirit world, and Life Spirits inhabit paradise.
Hell, paradise, and all regions between them exist because of the human fall. Jesus and those who lived good lives on earth went to paradise. The thief crucified on Jesus' right side said,
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
" Jesus answered him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:42-43)
Until today, the spiritual heaven has been vacant because no one has become a Divine-Spirit before proceeding into the spirit world. Once the spirit-person leaves the physical body, it cannot grow by itself because it grows only with the physical body.
What is the relationship between the spirit-person and the physical body?
Examining their composition and growth, we see that the physical body is made up of the flesh, mind, and spirit. These are comparable to the body and mind of animals.
The flesh body grows by taking in the intangible elements of heat, light, and air, and the tangible element, food. Thus, there are two classes of elements: positive (heat, light, and air) and negative (food).
The function of the flesh mind is to provide for the existence, protection, motion, perception, and sensation of the physical body. Thus, it has the function of a biological instinct. The spirit-person consists of the spirit mind and the spirit body. The spirit body is the body of the spirit-person, and the spirit mind is its heart.
This is the center of the spirit-person where God is present. The spirit-person needs for its growth two classes of elements, similar to those required by the physical body.
The positive element is the Life Element from God, which includes divine love, truth, and an energizing atmosphere. Its counterpart is the Element of Vitality from the physical body.
Just as the physical body needs nourishment from food to be vital and alive, so the spirit-person needs nourishment to develop and sustain its vitality.
The spirit-person becomes vital as the physical body completely follows the guidance of the spirit mind, and as the action of give and take is fully performed between them. In thiswayy the spirit-person grows beautifully and freely as it receives the Element of Vitality from the physical body.
This is why we feel joy and energy when the body is healthy, active, and harmonizing with the spirit. This energetic feeling, which flows from body to spirit, is the Element of Vitality. A spirit filled with a divine ideal, hope, and love imparts health and power to the body.
The energetic feeling coming from spirit to body is the Life Element. The previous statement—that the spirit-person grows only with the physical body—refers to the fact that it grows through give and take between the Life Element and the Element of Vitality.
The role of the spirit mind is to respond to God's command and govern the spirit-person and flesh mind. The flesh mind is to obey the spirit mind. They act as one, not as two.
Thus, a person maintains full give and take between his spirit-person and physical body, forms the base of four positions on the individual level, and gives joy to God.
Since the spirit-person grows with the physical body, only to the extent that we experience love, beauty, and joy on earth can we sense them in the spirit world.
We continue life in the spirit world with whatever degree of feeling we develop on earth. This is why it is so important for everyone to develop their full capacity for love, both giving and receiving, which is best fostered in family life.
Finally, what is conscience? It is the inclination of our heart toward goodness. The conscience acts as the medium between the spirit mind and the flesh mind.
Impulses from the spirit mind pass through our conscience to the flesh mind.
Since impressions perceived by the flesh mind affect the conscience, for the utmost in spiritual development, we must live with a pure conscience. When the action of give and take between our spirit mind and flesh mind is harmoniously maintained, our conscience becomes clear.
The more we live by a pure conscience, the more intense is the give and take between the spirit mind and the flesh mind. If, on the other hand, we live in opposition to our conscience, give and take is greatly diminished, and our spirit-person becomes defective and stunted in development.
In the fallen world, since people do not know the absolute God, their standard of goodness is relative, and the inclination of conscience varies in different times and places. However, our intrinsic heart, which is comparable to intuition, is a more genuine reflection of God's will.
What is the relationship between the intrinsic heart and conscience?
Both incline toward goodness, but conscience reflects an external standard of goodness. Therefore, as the standard of goodness changes, the direction of conscience also changes.
But whatever the outward standard, the intrinsic heart is not affected. Therefore, the intrinsic heart is inner, and the conscience is outer.
Young Oon Kim
Note on the Heart of God
God is limitless love and energy. However, God cannot manifest Himself freely.
His manifestation is limited depending on the degree of our response and capacity. Jesus illustrated this fact in his work of healing.
He usually asked those seeking to be healed if they had faith in him. Without their response, Jesus could not manifest the divine power.''
With the Fall, mankind established a relationship of give and take with Satan, thus forming a base of four positions with him instead of with God.
In this way, Satan obtained a foothold on earth and has since been establishing his kingdom, this Satanic world. Thus, God's purpose of creation has never been realized. The whole cosmos is a complete reversal of God's plan.
If man and woman had not fallen but had become one with God by establishing the four positions with Him, we would have been like a mirror reflecting God's perfect image and likeness. But in turning away from God, humankind shattered this mirror and could no longer reflect God's perfect image nor perceive His love.
Looking at fallen men and women, God sees His wounded and broken creation, still bearing the divine spark, the seed of perfection, but unable to respond to Him fully. Unrequited love brings neither joy nor power to the giver of the love, nor can it last long.
God's love has never been fully returned, for He has had no perfect object to whom He could express His love wholly and manifest His power freely. One feels only frustration and sorrow when unable to express love fully or freely.
Throughout the thousands of years of history, God has never received true glory and joy from humankind.
Since the Fall, God has been seeking His lost family with all the love of His wounded and grieving heart. Since the time of Adam, He has been calling, "Where are you?" (Gen. 3:9b)
Year after year, the heavenly Father has traveled thorny paths searching for His children. His eyes are full of tears, and His feet are bruised and bleeding.
Hear, 0 heavens, and give ear, 0 earth; for the Lord has spoken: "Sons have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the ass its master's crib; but Israel does not know, my people does not understand." (Isaiah 1:2,3)
The more I called them, the more they went from me; they kept sacrificing to the Baals, and burning incense to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, I took them up in my arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of compassion, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. (Hosea 11:2-4)
Separated from God, the source of love, power, and joy, humankind has been suffering from hunger and thirst in spirit. In our hearts, we have felt deep loneliness and a great longing for love — God's love.
We have been like orphans, cut off from our true Father and Mother, God.
As a hart longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for thee, 0 God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and behold the face of God? My tears have been my food day and night. (Psalms 42 :1-3 a) I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God. (Psalms 69:3)
Mankind's separation from God brought spiritual death to us all and has caused all the sorrow, misery, tragedy, and evil within humankind.
Young Oon Kim