Spiritual metaphysics – What is it?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

In philosophy, “metaphysics” addresses questions of reality and “being,” whereas “spiritual” generally refers to non-physical aspects of life. Because both words are used in various ways, even on their own, their combination into the modern phrase “spiritual metaphysics” yields a broad, often unclear term. It is meant to describe how spiritual and physical realms relate to one another, but it lacks a clear or consistent definition.

There is both a physical and a spiritual realm, and the unseen world is real and active (2 Corinthians 4:18; Ephesians 6:12). However, the phrase “spiritual metaphysics” is most often used in modern spiritual movements that assume all people share a common spiritual essence or that ultimate reality is uniform or mystical. The Bible does not teach this. Instead, it teaches that God is distinct from His creation (Isaiah 45:5–7), that humanity is created, fallen, and accountable to Him (Romans 1:18–25), and that spiritual truth is only revealed by God (1 Corinthians 2:10–14). When spiritual concepts are detached from God’s revelation, the Bible warns that human thinking becomes futile (Romans 1:21–23; Colossians 2:8). “Spiritual metaphysics” is an example of such speculation.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament presents a spiritual realm that is separate from the physical world. When the king of Syria wanted to capture God’s prophet Elisha, God sent an angelic army of spiritual forces that could not be seen by anyone but those whom God revealed it to (2 Kings 6:15–17).
• Deuteronomy 29:29 says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Human beings have access only to what God has revealed to us; spiritual metaphysics assumes more than this.
• Spiritual metaphysics often posits that “divinity” is in everything, but the Bible shows that God alone is divine: “I am the Lord, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:5).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Spiritual metaphysics often functions within the New Age movement, which encourages the belief that people share a common spiritual essence, that “divinity” is embedded in everything. But the New Testament contradicts that framework.God does not blend into the world; He made it, owns it, and sustains it: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Colossians 1:16–17).
• The writer of Hebrews adds that He “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3).
• Paul’s exposition to the men of Athens explained the folly of those who “worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (Acts 17:25). Spiritual metaphysics blurs the line between creature and Creator, but the universe is not divine, and people are not divine. Each person is a dependent creature who must answer to his or her Maker (Acts 17:24–25; Romans 1:18–25).
• Because humanity is not divine, spiritual truth cannot be discovered through inward exploration or heightened self-awareness because of our morally impaired hearts. Paul explains to believers in Ephesus that unbelievers “are darkened in their understanding . . . due to their hardness of heart” (Ephesians 4:18).
• Paul explains that “we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God” (1 Corinthians 2:12). God reveals His truth through the Spirit, and these truths cannot be accepted or understood by the “natural” person apart from that revelation (1 Corinthians 2:10–14).
• Because actual spiritual knowledge only comes from God, the New Testament warns against spiritual systems built on speculation. Paul cautioned believers about this: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Spiritual language detached from God’s revelation only distorts reality.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

In the ice-breaker game “Two Truths and a Lie,” people try to figure out the one lie out of the three statements each person has made. The stakes aren’t high, and everyone gets a good laugh when someone manages to fool the crowd.

But the stakes are much higher when it comes to spiritual truth. Fortunately, God has not left us to guess what is true. Everything He wants us to know, He has already spoken in Scripture. There, we learn who He is, what reality is like, and how humanity is to understand both the visible and unseen world. When believers hear “empty philosophies” like “spiritual metaphysics,” we can easily spot the lie.

That’s why believers should make Bible reading a daily discipline and should study it with other believers. Reading Scripture trains the mind to recognize what aligns with God’s character and to identify what departs from it. Over time, we start to discern the truth more easily, recognizing ideas that sound profound but lack actual substance. God has already spoken with clarity, and everything we need to know is already in our hands.

UNDERSTAND

• Spiritual metaphysics is a vague, speculative system about the spiritual and physical realms.
• True spiritual knowledge comes only from God’s revelation, not human guesswork.
• Humans are dependent and morally fallen, so spiritual truth must be received from God.

REFLECT

• How often do you recognize when you are relying on your own reasoning versus God’s when thinking about spiritual matters?
• In what areas of your life have you been tempted to treat spiritual ideas as true without checking them against Scripture?
• How does knowing that true spiritual knowledge comes only from God affect the way you study and apply the Bible?

ENGAGE

• How can we discern between human speculation and God’s revealed truth in spiritual teachings?
• What are some modern beliefs or practices that seem profound but that distort God’s reality?
• How can we encourage each other to rely on Scripture rather than personal interpretation for understanding the spiritual realm?