Read: Luke 16: 22-31
There is a longstanding
issue about whether or not our soul - our mind, will and emotions - lives on
after death. The difficulty of accepting the reality of the soul as a vital
element in our human existence, and then distinguishing it from the spirit and
the body, is one of the most important conundrums of philosophical debate for
centuries. The argument is heated at times, because of the lack of
proof about whether or not the soul accompanies us into eternity.
The soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. The mind’s function is to interpret what we experience in our body. It also defines the ideas and beliefs, which we hold dear. The soul also registers the emotions, which we feel. Then, considering our thoughts and feelings, the will makes the decisions, which we act upon. The soul is intangible; therefore, it requires a body to exist. We receive our body and soul at conception; however, our spirit is dead in sin until it is rebirthed in the regenerated Christian person.
The soul cannot be the
spirit of man. The soul of the unregenerate man is functioning normally. It is
the spirit, which is dead in trespasses and sin. The spirit is instantly
regenerated or Born Again at Justification. Then, the soul takes the center
stage as the Holy Spirit transforms our soul through the Sanctification
process. This takes a lifetime. Eventually, the body will be saved through
Glorification in the instant when we see Jesus. At that time, we shall have an immortal body,
just like Jesus does.
Verses such as, "Fear
ye not them that kill the body . . . but rather fear him that can destroy both
soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28), birth the idea of the Dualism of
man, which means we only possess a body and a soul and causes people to equate the soul with the
spirit. However, as scholars researched Bible verses further, they broadened Dualism to
the doctrine of the Trichotomy in man. We are made in the image of God. He is a
Trichotomy of Father, Son and Spirit. We are a Trichotomy of body, soul and
spirit.
Paul shows our Trichotomy in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow (body), and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Another reference is in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Christ’s teachings center on
the spiritual side of man's nature. Of course, the demise or the salvation of the
soul is of great importance when considering our eternal existence. However,
Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16: 22-31 sheds some light on this topic.
Although both the rich man’s body and Lazarus’ body are in the grave, they can
both perceive thoughts and emotions through their soul, as well as experience
in the soul what is usually registered through the five senses of the physical
body.
Read with me from Luke
6:24…“So he
called to him, 'Father Abraham (sight), have pity (emotion) on me and send
Lazarus (thoughts) to dip the tip of his finger (taste) in water and cool my
tongue (touch), because I am in agony (touch and emotion) in this fire (smell).”
He also experiences the sense of hearing when Abraham advises him about
his request in the verses following this one.
This scripture passage gives
us a clear picture that our soul “feels” all of the physical sensations, which
our body feels. When our body goes to the grave, the soul goes to heaven or
hell for eternity. When Christ returns, we will all receive an immortal body,
which will either experience the torments of hell or the glories of heaven for eternity,
depending upon our belief in or rejection of Christ as our Savior and Lord.
Even scientists observe that
the soul is independent and exists apart from the body. During our sleep, our
soul carries on its work through our dreams. We express our self through our
soul, not only on earth but also in heaven. Our physical life is merely
temporary, while our soul exists continually. Scientists say that the physical
proof of the soul’s existence comes from facts such as: the mysteries behind
birth and death, the cessation of conscious thought during sleep, and the memory
and imagination. All three of these give proof that there is an existence of
the soul in addition to the body and spirit.
Yet, even with the obvious
importance of the soul, mankind treats it with passing notice, sometimes even
bordering on disdain. Some Christians insist that when we take up our cross
daily, we crucify the God-given aspects of the soul, right along with the
carnal, “fleshly” appetites of the body. What confuses me is that we dote on
our physical condition, exercising and eating regularly to keep the body
healthy and functioning. We feed our spirit with regular Bible reading and
worship with other Believers. Yet, so many people ignore or try to crucify
their soul, equating it with the “flesh”.
Peter calls us to abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul (1 Peter 2:11). This clearly
shows that the soul is separate from the fleshly lusts and that we are to care
for our soul. In my opinion, we need to pay equal amounts of attention to
developing and nurturing our soul as we do with our body and spirit. Otherwise,
we are like a stool with only two legs: unbalanced and virtually useless.
Paul explains that the
natural (unregenerate) man does not believe the things of the Spirit of God;
for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he understand them, because they are
spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2:14). His spirit is dead. I like to
visualize our triune state as a basketball. The outer pigskin is the body, the
thin inner tube is the soul and the air inside (if one is born again) is the
spirit. A person without the Spirit of God within resembles a ball without
air…just a dud!
Don’t be a dud! When you realize your sinful condition, turn your desires and affections toward God. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept His grace for salvation. When the Spirit of God brings
salvation to the spirit of a man, and we choose to surrender our body and soul
to God, we enjoy unconditional fellowship with our Lord, and our soul cries out
as the Psalmists’ did, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
within me, bless His holy name” (Psalm
103:1).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, teach us to submit
our Trichotomy to You. Give us the desires of our heart so that they align with
the desires of Your heart. Help us to walk in Jesus' footsteps. We thank You
for saving us body, soul and spirit and for giving us the opportunity to live
as a completed human being in Your Kingdom for eternity.
Thought for the Day:
"And
the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground (body), and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life (spirit), and man became a living soul.” - Genesis
2:7
(Research done at:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04744b.htm)
