It’s funny that some believers are “too spiritual,” in the sense that they think physical substances are not spiritual. This is wrong! Things that are physical doesn’t mean that they are non-spiritual. The essence is whether we are following the Holy Spirit. Physical substances are actually an important part in God’s will. Genesis chapters 1 and 2 clearly show that there is a physical world, of which God said it is good. Even before man was created, He already considered this physical world good. So God considered these physical things such as light and plants good. How could anyone say that they are not good and not spiritual?! God considers all physical substances good. After God created man, He said it was very good. God first created a body for Adam, then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
The ancient church, and even some churches of this generation, have been under the influence of Greek philosophies and heresies to believe that physical substances are not good. Let us consider the fact that the Lord became flesh. How can we say that physical substances are not good? The Bible says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14) Shouldn’t we treasure this? Last year, a group of brothers and sisters visited Israel. It’s so precious that the beloved Son of God became a man for you and me. He came to a real place on earth. His footsteps can be retraced. Furthermore, when the Lord resurrected, it was His body that rose from the dead. He spoke to His disciples, “Touch me and see.” (Luke 24:39) Therefore, if we were to shake hands with the Lord, we would feel the flesh of His hands. The Lord has a real body, a glorious resurrected body that will never die nor can it be corrupted. When the Lord was on earth, He interacted with the disciples who were in flesh and blood. He prepared food and ate with them. In eternity, when we have a resurrected body like the Lord’s, we will be able to interact with those people who will continue to multiply through eternity. They have earthly bodies. We will be able to dine with them. How warm and sweet it will be!
It is very precious that man has a body and spirit. We will govern the whole universe. It will be so pleasant because the universe will be filled with physical substances, such as animals and plants. Man in eternity will have a physical body. This is important because they will multiply. After He created man, He wanted man to multiply and fill the earth. Unfortunately, man failed and sinned. But God’s will will not fail. The Bible tells us that Abraham’s descendants will be as many as the stars and sand. Though it has not been fulfilled yet, the people of Israel will exist through eternity. Some people, such as the saints from the Old Testament, will have a resurrected body. But for those who live through the Millennium and move to the new earth, they have earthly bodies and will continue to multiply endlessly. I have no idea how many they will become, but I’m sure their number will be more than stars and sand.
Therefore, we need to be clear that physical substances are not non-spiritual. It just depends on how we use them. Do we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us? For example, we will be rewarded when we exercise physically for the Lord. We can glorify God in our body. Our healthy eating and drinking habits can also glorify God. Let’s consider: in eternity, when the people with earthly bodies eat and drink but we could only look at them and not be able to eat together. I don’t think the fellowship would be that sweet.
Hebrews chapter 12 tells us about the assembly of the firstborn in New Jerusalem. If New Jerusalem is the church, it would be a church within a church. That would be so wrong. Indeed, we have come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem. Note that we have not come to a mere symbolic expression, but a real physical city.