Body, Soul and Spirit

Much confusion about the difference between spirit and soul. Many seem to use the names interchangeably, but they are very different. Understanding the difference makes the Gospel of Jesus Christ more easily understood. To me this is the essence of Christianity. 

Thessalonians 5: 23-24

23 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen.

When your body begins it's formation in your mother's womb, God couples that body with a soul. The soul is the mind, the source of emotions, and your "personality".  

Think of the yourself as a sphere,  with the soul being a sphere within the sphere of the body.  Inside the soul is another sphere where God places your spirit.   Your spirit lives because God places a part of himself, the Holy Spirit within your spirit as a source of nourishment and support.  The soul with the spirit is the concept of being made "in the image" of God as we are all when children. Like a seed, the child's spirit is nourished by the Holy Spirit for a time until maturity.

As our body grows and matures, our soul is exposed to the world. When/if we reject God, and choose the Enemy's seductions, the Holy Spirit departs and our spirit dies--even though our body and soul continue. When the body dies, that soul, without a live spirit departs for a terrible place.

If we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and follow him, we are "born again".  In other words, our spirit is reborn and the Holy Spirit returns to us to nourish and support our spirit, allowing and helping our soul and personality to mature toward a holy life over time.  When our body dies, our soul, with a live spirit, is taken to Heaven.

John 3: 5-7

5 Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.'

When Adam rejected and rebelled against God's commands, his body did not die, but his spirit did. We inherit the rebellious nature of Adam, but Christ paid the price and penalty for our rebellion and offers all that follow him, a new spiritual life.  

1 Corinthians 15:22

22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

Unfortunately, not all will accept Christ...

Matthew 7:13-14

13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life , and only a few find it"

Racing and Competition--Which one of these stories is better?

Love vs. Forgiveness--the Christian Mission

The two “greatest” commandments from God, in short are:

Love God with all your heart

Love your neighbor as yourself

Jesus taught, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments”  Matthew 22:36-40

Not unrelated, is the Gospel, the revelation of how God made it possible for mankind to be reconciled to Him, through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Those who are “saved” and are followers of Jesus Christ (Christians) owe a debt to God for this reconciliation and salvation that provides for eternal life in Heaven.

Surprisingly, there is some controversy regarding the “obligation” of Christians to “evangelize” or “preach the gospel”.  The Apostle James wrote: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” James 1:27

Of course, the most often quoted justification for Christians to evangelize is generally known as the “Great Commission”, written in Matthew 28:16-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” This commandment was given by Christ as his last instruction to the “eleven” disciples just before his ascension. Many Christians assume this to be an instruction that is “inherited” by all Christians today.

On the other hand, it is well known and understood that the “Body of Christ” has many parts and not all Christians have the “gift” of evangelism.  So perhaps the most practical instruction is from Saint Francis to “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”  (There is some dispute as to whether Francis actually said these words exactly. Some claim that his words were “convert the world by obedience to the Holy Rule rather by example than by word.”)

Living your life in a way that honors God and is an example to others is consistent with the first commandment as well as St. Francis’s advice. And, proclaiming the Gospel to others, by deed and words is consistent with the second commandment.  How could a Christian in good conscience withhold such glorious information from their “neighbor” who they are commanded to love?

Next comes the reality of the ugly side of living in a world that prefers to ignore or even rebel against this “glorious” information.

For those who choose to actively proclaim the Gospel in deeds and words one must be reminded of the instructions that Jesus gave to his disciples that he had “sent out” to preach…”And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them”  Mark 6:11.

After a time, you will have to decide to continue your efforts with a certain group or in a certain place, or to leave and move on.  Part of that decision will be related to your response to rejection and/or disparaging remarks made about you or what you are “teaching”.  

I find that in the minds of many, the concepts of forgiveness and love are misunderstood. The “new age” of humanism tends to teach that forgiveness is a requirement of being a loving and “good” person. After all, it is written that we are to “forgive as God forgives us”. 

In the Lord’s Prayer, we ask that God “forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors”.

So, walking away and shaking the dust off our feet seems a bit harsh and unforgiving. Is it counter to the command to “Love thy Neighbor”?

As is written in Luke 17:3-4, God does not promise forgiveness to those of us who are stubborn, self-righteous and who and refuse to repent. God requires repentance and so must we. Love is unconditional---Forgiveness is NOT.

So, you have given “your all” to a group, doing your best to teach them, influence them, and guide them in the hope that some, if not all will benefit from your “Preaching of the Gospel”.  And, they have ignored and perhaps rejected you and your message. Often, it is time to move on.

Don’t be discouraged.

There are two parables taught by Jesus that are important to remember. Both are written in the Gospel of Mark :

Parable of the Sower

and

Parable of Growing Seed

Mark 4:1-20 is the Parable of the Sower---a story illustrating that the “seed” of the Gospel when “planted” can fail to grow because the “soil” is not fertile. In other words, sometimes our efforts will not produce the desired results.

Mark 4:26-29 is the Parable of the Growing Seed---a story illustrating that God alone is in charge of making the seed grow into a mature plant, ready for harvest.

The lesson here is that many of us will be called to sow the seed of the Gospel everywhere, but what happens afterward is according to God’s will and action, and many times it will be another who is called to “water and nurture” the plant, with even another called to “harvest”.

The Christian Mission is to be obedient and honor our debt and show our gratitude that we owe to God for his Love and Grace. This requires us to keep planting and seeking his guidance through prayer to carry out his will on earth as Ambassadors for Christ.

What Must I do to Go to Heaven? The pitfalls of Theology.

Am I a “Bad” Christian because I disagree with “Doctrine”.  Will my failure to accept certain religious “teaching” or Bible interpretations (Theology) block me from entering Heaven?

What makes you a Christian, destined to have eternal life in Heaven with our Lord, Jesus Christ?

The answer to this important question is simple and clearly stated in the Holy Bible.

Believe (Trust) that Jesus Christ was and is the “person” of God (Lord) who lived on Earth with man, as a man, and died as a sacrifice for mankind’s rebellion against God…and that he was raised from the dead, ascending into Heaven, to live as the “Savior” of mankind.  Determine to “follow” Jesus, maintain a relationship with him, and submit to him as your Lord.

It is not enough to just “believe” that Jesus was “who he was/is” as even mankind’s enemy, Satan and his demons know who Jesus is.  We must also trust that Jesus’s sacrifice/death provides forgiveness for all past, present and future shortcomings/rebellion and enables all of mankind to live forever in Heaven and later, on a New Earth with Him.  Again, this is not enough, by itself as Satan and his demons also know this to be true. Finally, what is enough is our determination to “follow” Jesus, maintain a relationship with Him, and submit to Him as our Lord—following his two commandments: 1) Love God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) with all your heart,, body, mind, and soul; and 2) Love one another as Jesus loves you.  This is what the Bible speaks as being “born again” and is what makes us a Christian that has “received the Holy Spirit” that lives and dwells in us. The complete “story” of these three things: 1) Who Jesus is; 2) What was accomplished by His sacrifice, and 3) The consequence of our determination to “follow” Him; is what we call the “Christian Gospel”.

The history of man after the death of Jesus is full of men promoting “rules and regulations” of “religion”.   And, sad to say, these “rules and regulations” have been a double edged sword.  No doubt, the zeal that these religious “rules” created in their adherents have given energy to the spreading of the “Christian Gospel”.  They unfortunately have also led to violent conflict with others who have different “views”.  

Today, those that call themselves Christians have separated into many, many different segments with wildly different views on many subjects. Most Christians believe in the importance of the Holy Bible, and most accept that it is the “inspired” Word of God.  But, what the words in the Bible say, in other words, the “interpretation” of them or what is called Religious Theology is the source of much disagreement. Those that believe one way accuse everyone that disagrees to be “lost” or “victims of false teachers”.

A great deal of the early disagreements were “settled” temporarily when the Roman Emperor made Christianity the “official” religion of the Roman Empire.  Around a thousand years later,  the so called “Reformation” began---many new ideas began to be promoted---especially the ability of each man/woman to read and interpret the Holy Bible and maintain a personal relationship with Jesus, without an intermediary.

What I see as the major differences today:

A) Literal Interpretation of the Book of Genesis

B) Baptism

C) Marriage and Divorce
D) Earning or Accepting Salvation

E) Church Leadership and Political Organization

Questions:

 1)   Was the Earth created in six, 24 hour days?

      2)   Is the Earth only 6000 years old?
3)   Was there a global flood at the time of Noah?

      4)   Does saying “No” to the first three questions mean I think all the Bible is Fantasy? Does saying "No" to the first three questions mean that I must accept evolution as fact?

      5)   Is Baptism by water required for Salvation?

      6)   Is Baptism by water of infants ineffective?

      7)   Does Baptism by water require complete “immersion”?
8)   Does Divorce and Re-Marriage disqualify you for Church Leadership?
9)    Is good behavior required for Salvation or is good behavior the result of it?
10) Do local churches need to be subservient to a central organization?

There are many so called Christians that are absolutely certain that a “no “answer to some or all of the above questions “disqualifies” you from being a Christian or at least taints you as being the “victim of false teachers”.

 A Franciscan Priest named Brennan Manning wrote:

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

While I believe that most Christians that judge others as “victims of false teachers” are well intentioned, I submit that their “self righteousness” is part of the “lifestyle” that the “unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.”

We are currently suffering a decline in the number of people in America that call themselves “Christians” and that are true “Followers of Jesus, destined to have eternal life in Heaven.”  I submit, a great deal of that decline is not a failure of the “message” or an indication that the message lacks power. I submit it is not because people fail to answer “yes” to the above questions.

Jesus was not particularly fond of the Pharisees who made "religious" theology and man made laws more important than a love of Almighty God.

Be very careful about being self-righteous. Jesus himself taught about that

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+18:9-14

Be very care also in regards to judging the salvation and hearts of others. There are those who question the salvation of those who do not "speak in tongues" and there are those who judge "backsliders" as losing their salvation. Jesus says:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+10%3A28-30&version=NIV;KJV

John 10:28-30New International Version (NIV)

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

God created the world. God created mankind, male and female in his image.  God created a man named Adam, formed from "dust", not from a beast. Nine generations later, Adam's descendant, Noah and his family survived a flood sent by God to cleanse the world. These "truths" are clearly and sufficiently revealed, as is the character of God also revealed in the Word of God. 

Accept the Christian Gospel (Jesus died on the Cross to pay the price for our sins and to offer salvation to mankind; He rose from the dead and ascended to Heaven.) and “Follow” Jesus Christ and his two “most important” commandments. Maintain a personal relationship with Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and assist you in your thinking and your actions.  Nothing else is required. Salvation is a Gift by the Grace of God and requires nothing other than accepting the Gift and following Christ with the help of the in-dwelling Holy Spirit.