As a child, I was taught that human beings are separated from God because of their sin, and if not reconciled to him through the cross, would remain so for eternity. These days I’ve come to believe that all people and all things are fundamentally connected, and that separation is a many-layered illusion.
All Separation is Created by Us
I interpret the early chapters of Genesis as an allegory full of meaning rather than an account of actual events, and am often delighted by new insights flowing from the text. The story commonly known as ‘the Fall of man’ sheds light on humankind’s plummet into self-imposed separation. From these chapters, I have come to believe that the route of all perceived separation is judgement – of God, each other, and ourselves.
As a young Christian, my understanding was that God was angry with Adam and Eve for eating from the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’, and kicked them out of Eden for rebellion. However, if we look at the transformation they underwent after eating the fruit, and the ongoing events once the pivotal moment had come and gone, I believe we can perceive a kinder truth.
Adam and Eve were warped by the knowledge of good and evil – instantly and permanently – but what might that knowledge be? For the first time, they knew and embraced shame, covering their nakedness and hiding from God. In other words, they gained another perspective on themselves – one that measures their goodness (or lack of it) and pronounces judgement. The first thing they did with the knowledge of good and evil was to judge themselves evil.
In those moments, Adam and Eve imposed separation from God on themselves through judgement when, in fact, only God can judge, because only God knows the motives of the heart (1 Cor 4, 5):
‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.’
When we judge either ourselves or others, we raise ourselves to the level of the Almighty, as Adam and Eve did when they chose the knowledge of good and evil. The result was that they were swift to turn on themselves and wear shame like it belonged to them.
God, on the other hand, didn’t judge Adam and Eve. Remember, Eden also contained the Tree of Life, and anyone who ate from it would live forever. The Lord banished Adam and Eve to save them from living forever in such a broken state – a state of self-imposed separation and of judgement. The banishment, then, was a mercy, but never a permanent state of affairs. Christ came to shatter the illusion of separation and free us from the harm of judgement. Through him, we can abandon the false narrative and embrace unity with the divine and with each other.
The Ultimate Goal of God
The purpose of the Gospel is the unity of all people in Christ. To be clear, I’m not talking about mindless conformity, but about each unique individual being made whole by the love of God, and our relationships reflecting that perfect love in every way. Ephesians 1:8b-10,
With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfilment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
True union is the opposite of separation. It reflects the nature of God and his ultimate intention for us as a race.
The Journey into Union
I first began to understand the reality of union in the context of my relationship with God. For years, I had sought spiritual intimacy from a place of separation – feeling I was lacking and asking for more. I used to sing all those ‘come Holy Spirit’ songs with longing so deep it was painful, and though I was blessed with tremendous encounters from time to time, something was still missing. One day, I was praying intensely in private, desperately trying to identify the longing.
It erupted from me in a shout – “LET US BE ONE!”
That was what I wanted – complete unity, no space between myself and God; just pure, divine connection. Something changed in that moment, and a consistent experience of agonised yearning morphed into an oasis of lasting contentment and joy. I no longer feared losing him, drifting from him, or drying up spiritually. How could I when we are one?
This realisation ended the cycle of spiritual lack and begging, and instead I became aware of God within me and surrounding me like a cloak. In the twenty-five years since, I have been continually conscious of his company.
Separation from Each Other
Separation is illusory and harmful in the context of human relationships too, enabling the myth of the ‘other’ and fostering loneliness. Just as we see in the early chapters of Genesis, feelings of separation can be imposed upon ourselves by judgement, either of ourselves or of other people. Perhaps there’s a certain group of people we view with suspicion, because they don’t seem to be ‘like us’ in some way. Or maybe a personal insecurity tempts us to judge ourselves as unworthy, left out, or on the outside of a group we want to be part of.
Separation leads to in-groups and out-groups, cliques and marginalisation. It quashes compassion and makes excuses for unloving behaviour. Honestly, I don’t really see separation as a reality anymore. There are people whose behaviour I don’t agree with, and others I choose not to trust at this stage of their lives, but in the core of our beings, we share the same essence. We are not truly separate from anyone or anything.
At the bottom of my garden runs a canal, thriving with fish, plants, and birds. I often sit there and meditate, connecting with the beauty of the scene. Once in a relaxed state, I bring myself into the moment with a simple affirmation:
‘I’m not observing this; I’m part of this.’
The perceived divining line between ‘me’ and my surroundings fades, and I can sense that in some way I am more than just connected to the natural beauty flowing by; I am part of that natural beauty, and it is part of me. I’m the sycamore tree that leans out over the water, I’m the ducks paddling through the lily pads, I’m the dragonflies darting among the reeds, I’m the wild rose bush growing on the wall opposite. Feeling that oneness with nature is an absolute joy, and I know in those moments I’m breathing from the depths of my soul.
If union with nature is a reality, then union with each other is the same. We simply cannot be separate from each other because we are all part of the same, universal whole.
Jesus Prayed for Our Union
Jesus wanted this mystical union for all who would come to follow him (which as a universalist, I understand to be every last one of us, in the final analysis). When he was about to be arrested, he expressed his deepest wishes for us through prayer. John 18:20b-26,
“I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity…I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”
I no longer believe we are separated from God or each other; rather, separation is a delusion we’ve bought into hook, line, and sinker, and which God is busy dispelling. Romans 8:38-39,
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Note from the author: I love writing these pieces, but as a self-employed writer, every day I spend doing this is a day without earnings. Readers who want to ensure that what I write continues to get ‘out there’ are invited to make a pledge or one-off gift through my Patreon account.
For those intrigued by the subject of judgement touched upon here, I’ve written a book on the topic called Who Am I to Judge under the pseudonym, James Bewley.
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