Seeing the difference between our soul and spirit is so crucial. The Lord lives in our spirit and is one spirit with us (2 Tim. 4:22; 1 Cor. 6:17). So if we are to contact Him and enjoy Him, that is to render Him true worship, we must know how to use our spirit (John 4:24). Our spirit is also the place where we can be built up with other believers into His dwelling place, the church (Eph. 2:22)
Maria, I can surely relate. That is, singing hymns helps me to remember precious truths and Scriptures that I could never do by memorization. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Tom, very much appreciate your spirit versus soul article, as well as the one on Remption and Salvation.
With regards to spirit versus soul, having ponder this matter for many years, and in particular Paul’s “command” to believers in Ephesians 4:22-24, to strip off the “old man” and to be clothed with the “new man”, it seems that he’s acknowledging 3 separate “entities”: There’s the person being addressed which I would say is the spirit of the person; then there’s the “old man” (our Flesh) that was put to death in Christ on the cross; and there’s our “new man” who is “our true self hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).
Also we know that:
– our spirit has been redeemed and will forever be with God.
– However, Paul tells us to workout this salvation with fear and trembling so that we might be sanctified through and through so that our whole spirit, soul and body might be kept blameless at Christ’s coming. Phil2:12, 1Thess5:23
– Paul also says that he disciplined his body to make it his slave so that after having preached to others that he himself would not be disqualified for the prize, which he says is “a crown that will last forever” (a glorified body that is like Christ’s). 1Cor9:27,25
I say all of this to ask your opinion of my interpretation of all that precedes, namely:
– I see that there are two primary components of man: Just as is revealed to us, that God breathed into Adam’s body, causing him to become a “living soul”.
– And so man’s soul is the byproduct of his/her body infused with his/her spirit. In the beginning, because Adam and Eve had a relationship with God, their spirit was alive to Him, and as a result they were “living souls”. However, when they sinned their spirits died to God and they became captive to their souls. That is, their spirit was no longer connected with God’s Spirit and so their existence became bound to their bodies.
– In becoming born again this spiritual condition has been reversed, and we have been reconnected to God’s Spirit, and so we are now able to (as Paul said he did) make our bodies our slaves, rather than being slaves to our Flesh.
As a result, I see that:
– While born again Christians are guaranteed a place in heaven because they have been redeemed.
– Our ultimate destiny (in Christ) is dependent upon how we choose to live after being born again.
– In other words, as is stated in 2 Tim 2:20,21 in God’s house only those who cleanse themselves from the the sin that can so easily beset us will become vessels of honor, found worth to be a part of Christ’s glorified body, and given authority to rule with him.
– An in Revelation 3:5 if we have not cleansed ourselves and overcome sin as Christ did in the days of his flesh, then we will see our name blotted out of his book of life. However, as 1Cor3:15 says “even so we will be saved” to be in heaven, but not to rule with Christ.
I realize that there is quite a bit in what I have said, but because of your blog posts on the topics I mention at the start of this reply, Iwould very much appreciate your feedback on all of this.
Dennis, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. In it you have touched at least a half a dozen weighty matters of Bible truth. It would be overwhelming for me to try to prepare an adequate written response to all that you have presented…especially in one reply. I would have to consider this as the beginning to some line of fellowship that would be small and incremental in nature. I would be happy to make time with you on Skype, Google Hangouts, or another form of telecommunication to address your concerns one by one. Is that something workable for you? …Written communication is also a possibility but it may be a bit more tedious. Please let me know how you would like to proceed. Much grace to you.
I am blessed to hear the difference of body, soul and spirit.
Not all Christians can come to a point to understand this differences.
Seeing the difference between our soul and spirit is so crucial. The Lord lives in our spirit and is one spirit with us (2 Tim. 4:22; 1 Cor. 6:17). So if we are to contact Him and enjoy Him, that is to render Him true worship, we must know how to use our spirit (John 4:24). Our spirit is also the place where we can be built up with other believers into His dwelling place, the church (Eph. 2:22)
AMEN
Maria,
I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for the comment. We’d love to hear how singing to the Lord has blessed your Christian life.
Thank you, Praise the Lord, many years ago I use to listen to the children hymns, and they use to help me very much to remember the word.
Maria, I can surely relate. That is, singing hymns helps me to remember precious truths and Scriptures that I could never do by memorization. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Tom, very much appreciate your spirit versus soul article, as well as the one on Remption and Salvation.
With regards to spirit versus soul, having ponder this matter for many years, and in particular Paul’s “command” to believers in Ephesians 4:22-24, to strip off the “old man” and to be clothed with the “new man”, it seems that he’s acknowledging 3 separate “entities”: There’s the person being addressed which I would say is the spirit of the person; then there’s the “old man” (our Flesh) that was put to death in Christ on the cross; and there’s our “new man” who is “our true self hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3).
Also we know that:
– our spirit has been redeemed and will forever be with God.
– However, Paul tells us to workout this salvation with fear and trembling so that we might be sanctified through and through so that our whole spirit, soul and body might be kept blameless at Christ’s coming. Phil2:12, 1Thess5:23
– Paul also says that he disciplined his body to make it his slave so that after having preached to others that he himself would not be disqualified for the prize, which he says is “a crown that will last forever” (a glorified body that is like Christ’s). 1Cor9:27,25
I say all of this to ask your opinion of my interpretation of all that precedes, namely:
– I see that there are two primary components of man: Just as is revealed to us, that God breathed into Adam’s body, causing him to become a “living soul”.
– And so man’s soul is the byproduct of his/her body infused with his/her spirit. In the beginning, because Adam and Eve had a relationship with God, their spirit was alive to Him, and as a result they were “living souls”. However, when they sinned their spirits died to God and they became captive to their souls. That is, their spirit was no longer connected with God’s Spirit and so their existence became bound to their bodies.
– In becoming born again this spiritual condition has been reversed, and we have been reconnected to God’s Spirit, and so we are now able to (as Paul said he did) make our bodies our slaves, rather than being slaves to our Flesh.
As a result, I see that:
– While born again Christians are guaranteed a place in heaven because they have been redeemed.
– Our ultimate destiny (in Christ) is dependent upon how we choose to live after being born again.
– In other words, as is stated in 2 Tim 2:20,21 in God’s house only those who cleanse themselves from the the sin that can so easily beset us will become vessels of honor, found worth to be a part of Christ’s glorified body, and given authority to rule with him.
– An in Revelation 3:5 if we have not cleansed ourselves and overcome sin as Christ did in the days of his flesh, then we will see our name blotted out of his book of life. However, as 1Cor3:15 says “even so we will be saved” to be in heaven, but not to rule with Christ.
I realize that there is quite a bit in what I have said, but because of your blog posts on the topics I mention at the start of this reply, Iwould very much appreciate your feedback on all of this.
Dennis, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment. In it you have touched at least a half a dozen weighty matters of Bible truth. It would be overwhelming for me to try to prepare an adequate written response to all that you have presented…especially in one reply. I would have to consider this as the beginning to some line of fellowship that would be small and incremental in nature. I would be happy to make time with you on Skype, Google Hangouts, or another form of telecommunication to address your concerns one by one. Is that something workable for you? …Written communication is also a possibility but it may be a bit more tedious. Please let me know how you would like to proceed. Much grace to you.
Send me your e-mail address for effective communication
Orji, It would be most effective for now to use the contact me page of the Holding to Truth Blog. It comes directly to me.
Thank you for your consideration.
Hello Tom
do you have page on Facebook ? I don’t seem to find it
Yes, my Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/holdingtotruth.