Topical Encyclopedia
Sensations, in the context of the Bible, refer to the physical and emotional experiences that humans encounter. These experiences are often depicted in Scripture as part of the human condition, reflecting both the blessings and challenges of life in a fallen world. Sensations can be understood through various lenses, including physical feelings, emotional responses, and spiritual experiences.
Physical SensationsThe Bible acknowledges the reality of physical sensations, both pleasurable and painful. In
Genesis 2:9, the creation of the Garden of Eden is described, where God made "all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food." This indicates that God designed humans to experience and appreciate physical beauty and nourishment. Conversely, the Bible also addresses pain and suffering, as seen in Job's afflictions (
Job 2:7-8) and Paul's "thorn in the flesh" (
2 Corinthians 12:7), which serve as reminders of the fallen state of the world and the hope of redemption.
Emotional SensationsEmotional sensations are vividly portrayed throughout Scripture. The Psalms, in particular, capture a wide range of human emotions, from joy and gratitude to sorrow and despair.
Psalm 16:11 expresses the joy found in God's presence: "You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." On the other hand,
Psalm 42:11 reflects a cry of distress: "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God."
Spiritual SensationsSpiritual sensations are experiences that connect individuals with the divine. These can include feelings of peace, conviction, and awe. The Bible describes the peace of God as surpassing all understanding (
Philippians 4:7), a sensation that guards the hearts and minds of believers. The conviction of the Holy Spirit is another spiritual sensation, as seen in
John 16:8, where Jesus speaks of the Spirit's role in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment.
Sensations and the Human ExperienceThe Bible presents sensations as integral to the human experience, influencing behavior and decision-making.
Proverbs 3:5-6 advises, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." This suggests that while sensations are part of life, they should be guided by faith and trust in God rather than solely by human understanding.
Sensations in Worship and CommunitySensations also play a role in worship and community life. The early church is described as experiencing a sense of awe and unity (
Acts 2:43-47), where believers shared meals and fellowship with glad and sincere hearts. Worship, as an expression of reverence and adoration, often involves physical and emotional sensations, such as singing, clapping, and lifting hands, as seen in
Psalm 47:1: "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy."
ConclusionWhile sensations are a natural part of human existence, the Bible encourages believers to align their experiences with God's truth and purposes. By doing so, sensations can become a means of drawing closer to God and living out His will in the world.
Library
To the Severity of God There Belong Accessory Qualities...
... that, because in man's corrupt condition there are found passions of this description,
therefore there must be deemed to exist in God alsosensations [2891] of...
Whether Impassibility Excludes Actual Sensation from Glorified...
... impressions from without" [*Cf.[5078] Q[74], A[4], On the contrary] and much less
so than the heavenly bodies, because they will have actualsensations, not by...
Faith and Knowledge.
... no names for these other organs, as we have for the five senses; yet we know that
from that invisible world we receive impressions,sensations, emotions; we...
Abram's Horror of Great Darkness.
... the divine friendship, it is not probable that his dreams would have been terrifying:
His situation would rather have inspired joyfulsensations, and exciting...
God is not a Being of Simple Goodness; Other Attributes Belong to...
... to discussion, whether God ought to be regarded as a Being of simple goodness, to
the exclusion of all those other attributes, [2638]sensations, and affections...
Questions About the Nature of the Body are Sufficiently Mysterious...
... reason) exercises its universal rule, whether from the heart or from the brain,
or by a distribution, the motions from the heart and thesensations from the...
A Detached Account of the Descent into Hell.
... John the Baptist. These souls did not at first recognise Jesus, but were
filled nevertheless withsensations of joy and hope. There...
Lost Earnings
... is not so. The wages were earned, but lost. So you must not regard your
experience as thesensations of a dream. You had the blessing...
Conclusion. Points Postponed all Souls are Kept in Hades Until the...
... experience sorrow or joy? Is it not sufficient, even of itself, to suffer both
one and the other of thesesensations? How often, without...
Refutation of Marcion's Objections Derived from the Cases of the...
... For if (on your terms) it was no difficulty to him to manifest truesensations and
actions in a putative flesh, it was much more easy for him still to have...
Thesaurus
Sensations (1 Occurrence)... Multi-Version Concordance
Sensations (1 Occurrence). Job 20:2 Therefore my thoughts
cause me to answer, And because of my
sensations in me. (YLT).
...Trance (7 Occurrences)
... The condition expressed by this word is a mental state in which the person affected
is partially or wholly unconscious of objectivesensations, but intensely...
Preacher (27 Occurrences)
... satisfaction in the pursuits of the scholar and thinker, taken by themselves, he
seeks to combine these with the pursuit of agreeablesensations-alike those...
Ecclesiastes (1 Occurrence)
... satisfaction in the pursuits of the scholar and thinker, taken by themselves, he
seeks to combine these with the pursuit of agreeablesensations-alike those...
Sennach'erib (13 Occurrences)
Sennach'erib. Sennacherib, Sennach'erib.Sensations . Multi-Version Concordance...
(See RSV). Sennacherib, Sennach'erib.Sensations . Reference Bible.
Quench (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To extinguish; to overwhelm; to make an end of; -- said of flame and fire,
of things burning, and figuratively ofsensations and emotions; as, to...
Nettle (2 Occurrences)
... vt) To fret or sting; also a plant of the genus Urtica, covered with minute sharp
hairs; to irritate or vex; to cause to experiencesensations of displeasure...
Offensive (15 Occurrences)
... words. 2. (a.) Giving pain or unpleasantsensations; disagreeable; revolting;
noxious; as, an offensive smell; offensive sounds. 3...
Light (2869 Occurrences)
... The offspring of the divine command (Genesis 1:3). "All the more joyous emotions
of the mind, all the pleasingsensations of the frame, all the happy hours of...
Locks (29 Occurrences)
... The prophet Ezekiel, describing hissensations which accompanied his vision of
Jerusalem, says: "He put forth the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my...
Resources
Is EMDR therapy something a Christian can consider? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is a medium? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is mindfulness? Should a Christian be involved in mindfulness? | GotQuestions.orgSensations: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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