Frankenstein’s monster, often erroneously referred to as “Frankenstein,” is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley‘s 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. In Shelley’s Gothic story, Victor Frankenstein builds the creature in his laboratory through a method consisting of chemistry and alchemy. Shelley describes the monster as 8-foot-tall and hideously ugly, but sensitive and emotional. The monster attempts to fit into human society but is shunned, which leads him to seek revenge against Frankenstein. During a telling of Frankenstein, Shelley referred to the creature as “Adam” as in her epigraph: Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay to mould me man? Did I solicit thee from darkness to promote me? John Milton, Paradise Lost

Although the creature would be described in later works as a composite of whole body parts grafted together from cadavers and reanimated by the use of electricity, this description is not consistent with Shelley’s work. However in the Shelley’s original work, Dr. Frankenstein spends two years painstakingly constructing the creature’s proportionally large body (one anatomical feature at a time, from raw materials supplied by “the dissecting room and the slaughter-house”), which he then brings to life. 

But how does the story of Frankenstein’s Monster fit into the blogs written previously? Centuries ago two characters, Abraham and Sarah, allowed unbelief and presumption, to lead them to take it upon themselves to assist God in creating an heir. The tremors of that fateful decision released far reaching, consequences stretching beyond the land of Canaan shaking the earth this very day. The sons of Ishmael are still persecuting the sons of Isaac. Their story has amazing parallels for us as believers today. Galatians 4:28-31 it states: But we, brethren, are children [not by physical descent, as was Ishmael, but] like Isaac, born in virtue of promise. Yet [just] as at that time the child [of ordinary birth] born according to the flesh despised and persecuted him [who was born remarkably] according to [the promise and the working of] the [Holy] Spirit, so it is now also. But what does the Scripture say? Cast out and send away the slave woman and her son, for never shall the son of the slave woman be heir and share the inheritance with the son of the free woman. So, brethren, we [who are born again] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free [the supernatural]. 

Abraham and Sarah’s unbelief has been a topic rearing its ugly head since the Garden. On that fateful day, our ancestors Adam and Eve, chose to allow unbelief and presumption to lead them away from God’s Word. Unfortunately for us mankind and the Church has been reaping the benefits of that fateful decision. Those two sins have created more than enough history books to fill the annals of time. As in the fictional account of Frankenstein’s monster, an ancient monster has emerged. The offspring of unbelief and presumptions produced an institution called the Church. You may be tempted to say, “Robert, you are awful hard on the church.” But I remind you that as in Tuesday’s blog, God’s Garden has been dropped behind enemy lines. Jesus’ parable has the tares growing right alongside the wheat. The kick in the pants is that wheat and tares look exactly alike. That is, they are similar until the harvest draws near. As the harvest approaches the wheat becomes ripe with fruit and begins to bend, bowing low to the ground. The poisonous tares? They remain upright, proud, and unbending. And just to add one more symbol to make the case, Jesus also made reference to sheep and goats. (Similar in appearance but they are not the same animal.) In fact it was the institution of Jesus’ day that crucified Him for the good of the people. So today’s modern church finds itself sharing “raw materials” supplied by “dissecting room and the slaughter-house.” It’s interesting to note that when Israel was to collect manna for the day they weren’t to store it up for the next day. Yet the Bible records that many disobeyed God’s instructions and to their dismay awoke to discover containers full of maggots. We know from Scripture that manna is a shadow and type of God’s Word (See Matthew 4). When the dots are connected we see that if attempts are made to live off of yesterdays manna – not gathering fresh manna for the day – that manna will become rotten. Like Shelley’s monster, the 21st Century Church, and its modern day attender are in many ways controlled by that which birthed Ishmael in the first place. In the meantime, unbelief and presumption mock the Isaac’s of Christianity. Which is an interesting term in the Hebrew for it implies that mocking actually involves mimicking. And isn’t this the problem with the church? People mimicking those who really know Jesus who haven’t been born-again of the Spirit. This mimicking by the sons of Ishmael produces a hypocrisy that knows no bounds. Hypocrisy being another interesting word used to describe how Greek actors would wear masks as they portrayed various characters. Thus the word came to mean, “mask wearer.” In true, Biblical, Christ-centered, Christianity the masks are removed and the sons of Isaac – the sons of Heaven’s Joy – the Promise is revealed. To break free from the Church of Ishmael requires courage to face the Sword of the Word examining your life carefully – daily. David exhorted the worshippers of Israel to Kiss the Son lest He be angry with them. Revelation records that Jesus has a double-edged sword extending from His mouth. Implying that if we are going to draw close to Him we are going to get cut. Yet His Sword is double-edged – one side to kill you and the other to heal you. Paul himself exhorted his readers to test themselves to see if they were still in the faith. Surprisingly when he wrote that it had only taken them 20-30 years to stray from the True Gospel. How far off the path do you think we have wondered after 2000 years of Church history? Paul’s remedy for this departure was to grow in the Spirit, as seen in 1 Corinthians 2. It states in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. But the spiritual man tries all things [he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things], yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one [he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him]. Contrary to many critics of the book of 1 Corinthians Paul was not discounting seeking to walk and move in the things of the Spirit. He was attempting to correct them. Corinthians gives us some clues as to how we are to grow: 1 Corinthians 2:2-5: For I resolved to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified. And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them], so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God.

Now we have not received the spirit [that belongs to] the world, but the [Holy] Spirit Who is from God, [given to us] that we might realize and comprehend and appreciate the gifts [of divine favor and blessing so freely and lavishly] bestowed on us by God. And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the [Holy] Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language [to those who possess the Holy Spirit].  1 Corinthians 2:12-13 

The man who was “floored” by his encounter with Jesus said all he wanted was to know Jesus. In fact Philippians records that his determined purpose was to know Jesus …MORE. “Knowing” wasn’t just mere book knowledge, for the New Testament was being written at the time of this letter. So he wasn’t equating knowing through reading about Him. Paul wasn’t referring to the afterlife when he exhorted the believers to know Jesus – for it was obvious that they would know Jesus in the afterlife. No Paul was talking about a Spirit-filled Christianity, vibrant with life, experience, and power. He continued to exhort the believers to not have their faith in human wisdom, clever speech or the words of men. Where did he want their faith? In the Holy Spirit and His Power. He wanted them to comprehend and appreciate the gifts of the Spirit. For he himself was taught by the Spirit through heavenly or spiritual communication.

This life is not for those created through laboratories on Church growth but for those born of the Spirit. Ishmael’s cannot comprehend this life. Its foolishness to them. Ultimately we have to guard our hearts from becoming monsters of soulishness who live only for their mind, will, personality and emotions. Although “Ishmaels” will mock us ruthlessly for our beliefs, and practices sons of Isaac know Jesus raised up a Bride from the dead, not a monster (and he didn’t need electricity or alchemy.) He breathed into our dead spirits the life of His Spirit. We can never be the same. How could we ever?