Soul Unzipped depicts the spiritual warfare that takes place underneath the radar of human consciousness. Opposing forces battle for the soul, seeking to influence the decision-making faculties of volition. This occurs in the battlefield of the mind, behind the veneer of fleshly existence. In this spiritual dimension, angels and demons vie for control in an effort to enlighten or darken the minds and hearts of men. These themes are symbolically portrayed and interpreted herein.
The centerpiece is a topless woman. A giant zipper exposes her nudity. Behind her are two diametrically opposed heads facing opposite directions. One head stares toward Christ, the other turns away from the Savior. The heads present as medical diagrams picturing the inner workings of the circulatory system and blood vesicles. In context with the zipper, this suggests a snapshot of what transpires within the woman. Applied more broadly, this pictures what transpires inside each of us individually. The adjacent caption reads “It’s an integral part of who you are.”
Just like the topless woman, believers are to present themselves to God naked, withholding no secrets. We must unzip the masks of our earthly identities. Many have worn their masks for so long that they have forgotten what it feels like to be naked and vulnerable, to reside in the Truth. Many have exchanged the Truth for their masks and the socially constructed lies those masks represent. But underneath this fragile exterior exists a duality at war with itself. Behind the façade reside our most primordial fears and incandescent hopes, whispering in our ears. This is represented by the two heads behind the topless woman—one faces Christ, the other turns away in apostasy; one pictures life, the other, death.
Humans are physically born a dichotomy, possessing only body and soul. We come into this world spiritually dead, the consequences of Adam’s original sin. Without a spiritual identity, it is impossible to have a relationship with God. But at faith in Christ, something miraculous happens. God re-creates a new spiritual identity, resurrecting the dead spirit to an eternal life in Christ: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph 2:1). At faith in Christ, God transforms us from a dichotomy into a tri-chotomy consisting of body, soul, and spirit.
The Bible describes the new spiritual life as the “new man,” the “new nature,” the “spiritual man,” or the “new creation.” However, just because we receive a spiritual identity in which we have fellowship with God, we still have our old, carnal nature to contend with. This is variously described as the “sin nature,” “Adamic nature,” “the flesh,” or “self.” Our call is to crucify, which is to say, put to death this old nature daily. It is an ongoing battle waged in the mind. Just like the diametrically opposed heads behind the topless woman, these two nature are enmity against one another. They pull us in opposite directions until one has predominant influence over the individual.
The carnal and spiritual natures warring within us is but a microcosm of a much greater battle being fought in heaven. On the macrocosmic scale, Lucifer and one third of the angelic host revolted against God and were cast out of heaven (Rev 12:4). While Jesus Christ has already won the strategic victory over this rebellion, humans have the opportunity to demonstrate logistical victories for either side. Our souls are comparable to receptacles that may be instruments of either evil or grace. Evil manifests itself as sin in the carnal nature while grace manifests itself as Love in the spiritual nature. Humans are vessels through which either evil or grace operate: “…vessels of wrath prepared for destruction… vessels of mercy which He had prepared beforehand for glory” (Rom 9:22-23).
The spiritual microcosm is portrayed in the female nude and opposing heads. The spiritual macrocosm is pictured by the crucified Christ juxtaposed with Satan at far right. Scripture describes Satan as “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2). He is illustrated suspended in the air behind Christ, attempting to cut the rope that connects to a woman praying at far left. This is typical of the enemy. He seeks to challenge our faith and frustrate the plan of God.
Satan seeks to sever any connection we have to the Savior. But the scissors cannot cut the rope, for scripture declares that nothing can separate us from His Love: “neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come… shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:37-39). The caption above Satan’s attempt to sever the rope is rhetorical, suggesting divine intercession: “who could swoop to the rescue should any unforeseen snag occur.”
The believer praying at far left is a picture of spiritual regeneration. Beams of light reflect off her heart, recalling the scripture: “… until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Pet 1:19). Who is this morning star? It is Jesus Christ Himself: “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev 22:16).
Believers cannot be separated from Christ, and Satan cannot cut that rope that links the praying believer with the Lord, because Christ abides the heart. The Lord is born in the heart, the spiritual identity in man resurrected to life through faith. Baby Jesus and Mother Mary are portrayed between a super nova star and a praying believer, representing this new birth. Just as Mary conceived Christ via the Holy Spirit, the heart of the believer is the spiritual embryo for Christ, the egg-vessel through which regeneration occurs.
Re-creating and resurrecting the spiritual identity lost in Adam involves a miracle in both mind and heart: “…I will put My laws in their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people” (Heb 8:10). The day star arises in our hearts (2 Pet 1:19) and we have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). This is represented by the rope which links into the believer’s forehead, the third-eye “vision chakra.” Similarly, God is said to write His name upon the believer’s forehead, symbolizing the sealing of the Holy Spirit (Rev 14:1; 22:4).
The rope bridges the gulf of separation between the believer and Christ. On one side, the connection begins at the believer’s forehead, the location of spiritual sealing. On the other side, the rope is tied to a tree adjacent Christ. The tree is a Biblical motif representing the cross: “…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24). A young boy is pictured in the tree, representing a son. Just as Christ is the only begotten Son, juxtaposed right of the tree, the believer in the microcosm is a child of God. We identify with Christ in death and resurrection, suffering on the tree like Him, raised in glory with Him.
Christ quickens to life a unique human spirit for each believer which enables fellowship with God: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Rom 8:16). Where there was once a gap of separation between man and God due to sin, there is now a link directly from our minds to the Lord. This is pictured by the rope. The tightrope walker represents the bilateral exchange of information between the believer’s mind and God. Our prayers come before the Lord and the Holy Spirit guides us in all things.
The umbrella carried by the woman represents the divine protection a life of faith offers. Just as an umbrella covers one from the elements, faith is a shield which protects one from the fiery darts of Satan (Eph 6:16). The caption at the bottom left reads “you can help,” reminding us that our choices play a role in this spiritual warfare. We are either servants of sin or servants of Christ (Rom 6:20-22). The over-sized caption “GOD GOES POP” refers to the transmission of the Gospel message through pop art as a medium.
Another portrait of Satan is illustrated at bottom right. Unlike his above attempt to sever any connecting link between believer and Savior, here Satan clouds the mind of an unbeliever. The unbeliever is portrayed as an X-ray image of a head. Inside the unbeliever’s mind are various corporate symbols, representing sensuality, materialism, and worldliness.
An angel stands before the unbeliever, ministering the Gospel. But Satan has firm grasp from behind, deceiving his victim and keeping his eyes turned away from Christ. Just like the unzipped heads behind the female nude, the X-ray image draws attention to what is happening within the person. The text above the angel asks the viewer “Whose Report Do You Believe?” In context, the choice is between Christ and Satan, the two “Masters of Reality” who influence our perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs. The question is the same one posed in the Old Testament: “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isa 53:1-2)
Pythagoras is depicted at bottom right underneath the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of God—YHWH. The Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, descends from the Tetragrammaton and into the mind of Pythagoras. The geometrical theorem for which Pythagoras is famous for is pictorially displayed. This scene represents wisdom, that deeper levels of faith initiate believers into deeper levels of understanding. Just as the mystery schools of old guarded sacred knowledge, God always retains a remnant of believers, even during times of apostasy, through which to accomplish His will.
Soul Unzipped imparts that there is a war between good and evil, between Christ and Satan. This war takes place in both the microcosm and the macrocosm. The theatre of operations is both within us and outside of us. The implications of this struggle touch every facet of human existence—our moods, character, and attitudes. Furthermore, the conflict touches not only daily living but also eternal destiny. Like the rope that connects the believer’s mind to Christ, receiving grace is but a prayer away.
Larry Word
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