• What we know or appreciate is based on our experience.
    • We can have an understanding of an action or place without being present.
      • I have never performed surgery, but I have an understanding of the process.
      • I have never seen Paris, France, but I have seen pictures and know people that have been there.
  • Man’s experience cannot tell him of the spiritual.
    • Note Paul’s experience - II Corinthians 12:1-5
      • v2,4 - He speaks of his location as: in the “third heaven”, “paradise” - Luke 23:43
      • v4 - He heard “unspeakable” words
  • Heaven is described to us based on human experience.
    • Revelation 21:10-22
    • We can have some appreciation.
  • Hell is described to us based on human experience.
    • Mark 9:44 - Worm dieth not
    • Matthew 8:12 - Outer darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth
    • Revelation 20:6 - Second death
    • Revelation 20:10 - Lake of fire and brimstone, tormented day and night
  • God’s love is described to us based on human expressions.
    • Ephesians 3:14-20
      • v18 - The breadth, length, depth, and height (full measure of God’s love)
      • v19 - The love that passeth knowledge (beyond man’s capabilities)
      • v20 - “exceeding abundantly above” - Paul still could not fully express the idea
    • We can have some appreciation.
  • The glory of a relationship with God is described based on human experience.
    • Colossians 1:12 - Partakers of the inheritance
    • Colossians 1:21-23 - Holy, unblameable, unreproveable
    • Romans 8:14-18 - Sons, children, heirs, joint-heirs
    • Romans 8:29-30 - Called, justified, glorified
    • Ephesians 1:6 - Accepted in the blood
    • We can have some appreciation
  • Where do we look for answers?
    • Do we look to God or man for spiritual answers? (I Corinthians 2:12-16
      • v12 - Man doesn’t know the spiritual.
  • Conclusion
    • Fast: the love of God cannot be fully appreciated while in the flesh (John 3:16
    • Fact: our relationship with God cannot be fully appreciated while in the flesh (Hebrews 12:6-11
    • Fact: the glory of heaven cannot be fully appreciated while in the flesh (Matthew 25:34
    • Fact: the damnation of hell cannot be fully appreciated while in the flesh (Luke 16:23-26
    • The only way to have a full appreciation is to be there.
    • Where will you be to fully know?