Spirit, Soul, and Body expanded

Spirit

         Soul

                and

                      Body

 

For things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18

This writing is about the spirit soul and body. This will include the following.

 

The priority of the spirit, soul, and body.

 

What is the Spirit?

 

What is the Soul?

 

The Body.

 

The Spirit, Soul, and Body working together.

 

Keeping your spirit, soul and body healthy.

 

What will damage our spirit?

 

The restoration of our spirit

 

What will damage our soul?

 

The restoration of our soul.

 

What will damage our body?

 

The restoration of our body.

 

The affects of a damaged soul both back then and up to now.

 

What the percentage is of spirit, soul, and body.

 

The percentage of spirit, soul, and body put in a symbol.

 

The symbol of the spirit, soul and body placed into a symbol of things “not seen”.

 

A careful study of the Biblical references to the spirit, soul, and body of man may unfold to us truths of which we may not have been aware, but which may be of great importance to us in serving God.

 

Spirit, Soul, & Body Priority

 

When looking at the spirit, soul, and body, one is reminded that the spirit is greater than the physical.  In John 4:23 we read that God is a Spirit.  God created the physical thus; the spirit is greater than the physical.  A physical application begins with a spiritual principle.

 

A Spiritual Principle that flows into a physical principle. 

Spirit, Soul and Body

 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.  Genesis 1:27.

 

God is a spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.  John 4:24

In Genesis chapter 1 man and woman have a spirit.

 

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.  Genesis 2:7.

In Genesis chapter 2 man and woman have a soul.   Note: the body was created first for the soul to enter into.

 

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.  Genesis 2:23.

In Genesis chapter 2 man and woman have a body.

 

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I Thessalonians 5:23.

 

The above time line first starts with the spirit, then body, and soul.

 

Whom shall he teach knowledge?  And whom shall he make to understand doctrine?  Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept: line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.  Isaiah 28:9-10.

 

For me when I begin to see and understand the spiritual principles in the word of the Lord I begin to understand the precept upon precept and line upon line.  This than makes it easier to see, understands, and applies the physical principle.

 

An example is Paul in Galatians 5:22-23 writes about the fruit of the Spirit.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance: against such there is no law.  When we receive Jesus into our heart, Jesus also brings along the Holy Spirit into our heart.  It is the Holy Spirit that teaches our spirit the fruit of the spirit.  I Corinthians 2:13, Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

The Holy Spirit teaches our spirit the spirit of love joy peace, etc.  A spiritual principle flowing into a physical application.  Many try to do the physical application and flow it into a spiritual principle.  The flow is from the spiritual to the physical not the physical to the spiritual.

 

When a person receives Jesus into there life as their personal savor, He (Jesus) also sends the Holy Spirit to link up to your spirit.  Romans 8:9, I Corinthians 3:16, 6:17, I John 2:27

 

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, (Jesus) said wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.  Acts 1:4-5.

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16.

 

When someone follows Jesus they begin to learn the spiritual principles that He taught.

 

When one receives these into their heart and applies these principles into their lives they begin to understand the things of God.   I Corinthians 2:12.

 

The Spirit is always greater then the physical.  This may give you greater understanding of the verse in I John 4:4.  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

 

God’s way to man is through Jesus.  A spiritual principle that leads to a physical application.

 

Religion is man’s way to God.  A physical principle trying to lead into a spiritual application.  That is why Paul when writing to the church in Ephesus wrote in (Ephesians 2:8-9) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

God is a God of order, thus we need to understand and apply His order.  The truth shall set you free.  It is not the truth but the understanding of the truth that sets you free.   Many of God’s people try to receive God’s promises by applying the physical to lead to a spiritual principle.  And wonder why they are not receiving the promises.

 

It is when you receive the spiritual principle from your soul (mind) into your spirit (heart), and by faith, which is the glue that connects the spiritual to the physical.  Then you will see the applications of God’s promises in your life.

 

One of the main clues to finding a spiritual principle in the word is to look for the word spirit and see how it is used in the sentence.

 

One of many examples of a spiritual principle that flows into a physical application in the word is Ephesians 2:15-23.

 

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fullness of him that fill all in all.

 

To reach your spirit one should look at what is being done to your soul.

 

The Word (Bible) teaches our soul, just like the Holy Spirit teaches our spirit.  In Psalms 19:7 reads, The law (or doctrine) of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

 

When God dwelled in the portable tabernacle that the children of Israel carried through the wilderness, they understood that the inner court was a holy place.  But now in the mystery of God plan, we are like a portable tabernacle, we move from place to place, and God dwells inside us.  There is still an outer court, a holy place, and a most holy place.  The outer court is our body, the holy place is our soul, and the most holy place is our spirit.

 

What is the Spirit?

 

Being made up of spirit, soul and body, would it not be good to know what they are?  This then would help us know better who and what we are.

 

Each person, Christian and non-Christian alike, has been created in the likeness of the triune God (3 in 1) Father, Holy Spirit and Son.  We have a “spirit, soul, and body,” thus, making man a triune being (3 in 1) spirit, soul and body.  The “soul” is the eternal essence of a person, created to self-manage all aspects of a person.  Having a unique mind, will, and emotion.  The “spirit” provides the person a communication terminal with the spiritual realm, thus, receiving and transmitting spiritual messages.  The “body” is a person own unique temple for his soul and spirit, created in this physical universe.  The “body” is created in the likeness of the Son of God, who took on a fleshly body.  He sacrificed His body for us so that we can have a new spiritual body created in a spiritual realm to continue housing our spirit and soul.

 

The Bible introduces us to concepts of “Being and Knowing” which are not based on “Hard Physical Science.”  They include Biblical concepts like those of spirit, soul, faith, hope, love, etc.  Concepts include all to which the Bible refers as “things which are not seen.”  The scriptures further inform us, “For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18.  It is with things “eternal” and “not seen,” that you will be reading about.  It’s is these things which cannot be discerned with the five senses of the fleshly body that follow.

 

The spirit:

 

Spirit

Webster’s dictionary defines – Spirit – A force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power.  The active present of God in human life: the third person of the Trinity.

 

Note the Spirit is a force within a human being thought to give the body life, energy, and power.  The active present of God in human life: the third person of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit transmits from God to our spirit (a receiver) the things of God to teach our spirit the fruit of the Spirit.

 

The spirit lives on even when the physical body is dead.  In fact it is the spirit that gives life.  And when the spirit departs the body, it is at this time when the physical body is declared dead.

 

Our body is the dwelling place of the spirit.  Job 32:8, Ecclesiastes 12:7.  There are three different types of spirit.  So which spirit is dwelling in your body?  The answer to this question is what determines the rest of our life both here and there.

 

The three different types of spirit are

The spirit of men.                   1 Corinthians 2: 11

The Spirit of God.                  1 John 4:12-13

The spirit of the world.           2 Corinthians 7:1

 

We must conclude that the spirit of a person can receive and be influenced either by the spirit of the world or by the Spirit of God.

 

A careful study of the Biblical references to the spirit of man may unfold to us truths of which we may not have been aware but which may be of great importance to us in serving God.

 

For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?  1 Corinthians 2:11.  The spirit of the man, which is in him … knows the thoughts of a man.    This verse seems to indicate that the thoughts of a man, while known by that man’s spirit, do not originate with his spirit.  It is a function of a person’s spirit to know, for some reason, the thoughts of that person. Apparently, God intended that it be the spirit’s function to know the thoughts, will, and action of a person and to serve that person in his communication with God!  1 Corinthians 6:17-20.  But, apparently, there is another part of the person that generates the thoughts.

 

Don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.

 

As man grow up from childhood inevitably is introduced to and receives influence from the spirit of the world.  But the only spirit which God desires to dwell in us with our own personal spirit is His Holy Spirit.  Both these spirits, the spirit of the world and God’s Holy Spirit, cannot dwell together with man’s spirit in the temple of the body.  Thus, if the Spirit of God is to dwell in a person, it must be received as a new Spirit to completely replace the old spirit of the world.  The spirit of the world must be thrown out before God’s Holy Spirit can dwell in a person.

 

Men serve in their personal spirits either God, “the Spirit of truth,” or they serve “they… from the world,” “the spirit of error”.  1 John 3:24-4:6.

 

The thoughts will and actions of a person can defile that person’s spirit.  Galatians 5:16-25.

 

Thus, unclean spirits try to enter into people to take the place that God desires His Holy Spirit to have in them.

 

Perhaps the most important function of a person’s own unique spirit is that, within the person, it becomes united with God’s Holy Spirit providing an avenue of communion from the person to the trine God.  God intended that the unique personal spirit of a person become the “holy of holies” within the holy temple of the person’s body where God’s own Holy Spirit might dwell and where communion between the person and God’s Holy Spirit might take place.  Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  1 Corinthians 2:12.

 

When a person’s body dies that person’s personal spirit does not die but is released from the body.  It is released to where?   It goes back to God who gave it.  God preserves it until the day when the Lord comes back.

 

But, the spirits of the unfaithful have joined themselves to “unclean spirits” of “demons.”  The spirits of the unfaithful dead are “in prison”.

 

While sustaining life in one’s body, we conclude that one’s spirit is controlled for better or worse by another part of one’s triune being.  This brings us to the soul.

 

What is the Soul?

 

Your soul is also your mind will and emotion.

 

Your soul and spirit have a connection, which is housed within your body.

 

When God formed the body of man from the dust and gave a spirit to him by breathing into his nostrils, “man became a living soul.”  Geneses 2:7

 

Our unique spirit and unique body created a unique soul.  Think about that for a moment.

 

The soul is that part of a person which has the ability to commit to the principle of love in the soul-life of the person, and to direct the body of the person to perform acts to exercise the love of God in the world.

 

The word “soul” is used in the Bible to describe the essence of man, that which makes up his unique personality, including his mind, will, and emotional makeup.  The soul lives on earth in a fleshly body which gives that soul contact with the material world, and allows the soul to have influence on, or receive influence from the material and fleshly world.  The soul also has closely associate with it personal spirit which gives life to the fleshly body which the soul inhabits, and provides for the soul an avenue of communion with the spiritual realm.  In accordance with the soul’s choosing, the personal human spirit may provide communion either with evil spirits or with the Holy Spirit of God.

 

It is clear that the soul of a person has the function of choosing for the person.

 

Furthermore, the soul has the ability to know and understand the consequences of choices.

 

Just like the spirit, the soul does not die when the body dies.  However the soul can die by the choices we make.

 

It is the death of the soul that Jesus referred to when He said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”  Matt 10:28

 

We must conclude that man cannot kill a soul by murder or manslaughter as he can kill a body.  The soul lives on after the death of the body.  The nature of the death of a soul is different from the death of a body.

 

Although God did not create in man a living soul just to have that soul die (become separated from God,) all souls of men have died at one time or another because all men (all souls) have sinned.  Romans 3:23.  Souls of men can and do choose to lead men into sins against God.

 

Now we see that the lust of the body influence the soul in an unhealthy manner. 1 Peter 2:11, James 4:1-5.

 

However, God has provided redemption for the souls of sinful men.  Souls of men can and often do choose to accept God’s provision of redemption.

 

The “salvation of your souls” is “the outcome of your faith” in Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:8- 9.

 

Faith brings about “the preserving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:37-39.

 

“The word (Jesus) implanted is able to save your souls.” James 1:21.

 

The “souls” may be purified in obedience to the truth.  1 Peter 1:22

 

“Those who received his word were baptize; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”  Acts 2:41.

 

It becomes clear that souls of men are saved from the consequences of their sins through their faith and obedience to the word of God.

 

And it is the soul which chooses to accept and obey God’s plan of salvation.

 

It is also the soul of man which motivates him to continue doing the will of God.  Ephesians 6:6.

 

We also should be intensely interested in what God has revealed to us concerning the function and destiny of each part of the triune man after this life on earth is ended.

 

 

The Body

 

Thus, we see that the body, (as well as the soul and spirit) will be preserved complete at the coming of the Lord, even though the body may have decayed and return to dust.  1 Thessalonians 5:23.  Paul in that passage prays that the spirit and soul and body may be “without blame” at the coming of our Lord.  If, at that time, the body is not “without blame,” it will not be destroyed along with the soul in hell.  Matthew 10:28.  Daniel prophesied, “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt”.  Daniel 12:2.

 

Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:44-49, also said that the body, when buried, or “sown,” is a “natural body.”  But “it is raised a spiritual body.  If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.  So also it is written, the first man, Adam, became a living soul.  The last Adam became a life giving Spirit.  However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.  The first man is from the earthy, the second man is from heaven.  As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.  And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

 

In discussing the function of the human body (above) it is pointed out that the body is meant to be a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit enabling one to glorify God in his body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.

 

In like manner to the way that the human spirit, breathed into the human body by God, gave life to the human body. The Holy Spirit indwelling the body of the Christian gives him a taste, even as he lives on the earth, of everlasting life in the imperishable body to be received when Jesus comes again.  And just as the fleshly body without the human spirit is dead, so the body of the Christian does not have everlasting life unless the Holy Spirit dwells in it.

 

The Spirit, Soul, and Body working together.

 

The spirit, soul and body constitute a human being that is referred to in Genesis 1:26.  Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.”

 

“Spirit” relates the life-giving power that comes from God with the one who is thus empowered.  “Soul” sums up humans as we feel emotions.  “Body” as we are in precarious need, as we are vulnerable.

 

Different words indicate the different parts of the person, but it is the whole person that is important.  Thus “heart” is the seat of feelings and mind alike and the governing center that makes a person who we are.  Psalm 51:10, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 

The soul is the seat and action of spiritual experiences and emotion.  Tell me, O thou whom my soul love. (My inner being loves).  Song of Solomon 1:7

 

Flesh or body indicates vulnerable, bodily existence within a social group.  Isaiah 58:7, Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

 

A body without its spirit is dead.  And a fleshly body with its spirit becomes a living soul.

 

Our spirit does not operate within our consciousness, (soul) but rather behind the fleshly scenes in “other dimensions” of the spiritual realm.  And our God has created us with a limited ability to think in terms of expanded dimensions of the realm which we inhabit as He reveals their existence to us in Scriptures.

 

Nevertheless, the soul functions as a separate entity from the body or spirit of the triune person.  The body will die and return to dust but not the soul.  Matthew 10:28.

 

Faith in Jesus Christ will result in salvation of the human soul.  1 Peter1:9.

 

Christ is the “shepherd” of all saved souls.  1 Peter 2:25.

 

The human soul finds rest in Christ.  Matthew 11:29.

The salvation promised for the soul, the entire person, spirit, soul, and body finds salvation.

 

The long lasting battle on earth is for the soul.

 

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual host of wickness in heavenly places.  Ephesians 6:12.

 

Maybe part of the meaning of Ephesians 6:12, is that the soul is housed in a physical body; however the soul is not of the physical realm.

 

The three serve each other with the soul being the “caption” of the triune person.

 

 

Keeping Your Spirit, Soul, and Body Healthy.

 

Have you ever asked yourself how do you keep your spirit, soul and body healthy?  Many times the simplest question can also be the most complex.  Just because it seems like a simple question, many times we don’t know the full answer.

 

Before we go into the above questions “How do you keep your spirit, soul and body healthy?”   Let’s go to the beginning and see that this fit’s into The Tree of Life.  We have heard the phase “we can not see the forest through the trees.”   Many times the things we hear or talk about are the leaves, fruit, and nuts that go on the tree.  However, most of the time we don’t know what type of tree it is or what the tree looks like, therefore we don’t know where to place the leaves.

 

The main parts of the tree are the roots, trunk, branches, leaves and fruit.  There is a trunk, and about the same amount of roots to branches even though the branches are larger.  There are several numbers of leaves.

 

The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.  And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to sight and good for food.  The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  In the garden are two trees of very special importance they are, the tree of life, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Genesis 2:8-9.

 

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it.  And the Lord God commanded the man saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall surly die.  Genesis 2:15-17.

 

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made.  And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

 

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.”

 

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surly die.  For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

 

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves covering.  Genesis 3:1-7.

 

You will see all of this begins with and ends with a tree.

 

It was the act of eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that sin entered the world.

 

What will Damage our Spirit?

 

Sin is what damages the Spirit.  Sin is the main thing that effect and damages our spirit.

Therefore, just as though one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spreads to all men, because all sinned.  Romans 5:12

 

My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also the whole world.  I John 2:1-2

 

Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

 

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.  Matthew 12:31-33, Mark 3:28-29

 

In this passage it is the sin that is against the Spirit.  With the spirit being greater then the soul or body, that is why we will find many references to the damages of sin on the soul and body.

Jesus on the tree (cross) took the sin issue so that our spirit can be whole and restored.

 

Of the three different parts, the spirit, soul, and the body, it is the spirit issue that we know most about because of the redemption of sin through Jesus.  It is the soul issue that we know the least about.

The Restoration of Our Spirit.

 

Jesus on the tree (cross) took the sin issue so that our spirit can be whole and restored.

 

A healthy tree will look like the following. This tree is The Tree of Life.

 

The Roots of The Tree of Life is God’s Love.

 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and       grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width      and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes          knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:17-           19.

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with   every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in       Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and with out   blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus    Christ to Himself.  Ephesians 1:3-5.

 

The trunk of The Tree of Life is Christ.

 

For God so loved the world that He gave Hid only begotten Son, that whoever       believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16.

 

The fruits of The Tree of Life are:

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,     faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Internalized this fruit of love comes out by;

Romans 5:5     Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the                                        Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

Jeremiah 31:3  Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.

 

 

Externalized this fruit of love comes out by,

John 15:12.      This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have                                            loved you.

 

Matthew 10:8  Freely you have received, freely give.

 

I John 4:19      We love Him because He first loved us.

 

Jesus took the sin issue to restore back our spirit.

What damages the soul?

 

What is the main thing that can effect or damage the soul?  The main thing that damages the soul is rejection and abandment.

 

When we are first born are spirit is complete, however our soul is in development from birth to about the time we become a teenager.  Our body is in development from birth to about the end of our teenager years.

 

Being that our soul is in development between birth to our teen years, would not this be the time when our soul can be damaged the most?

 

It is also during this time when a person develops their “I AM” statement.

 

Your “I AM” is made up from “Life’s Cycle”, which includes faith.

 

Faith – Belief in God; Firm belief even in the absence of proof; a system of religious beliefs; Loyalty to duty or a person.

 

One may ask, in one’s life where and how is faith based on?  Let us look at what this may be based on.

 

The following may give us insight as to why in the Jewish faith when a boy turns 13 they have a bar mitzvah.  This is a ceremony to admit what was a child who is now an adult in the Jewish community.  Their spirit and soul is developed.  Note: it is our spirit and soul that spends eternity and our body returns to dust.

 

It has long been believed that the bases of one’s life is developed from between birth and before one enters their teenager years.  What is this based on and what is the influence that takes place?

 

We may call this “Life’s Cycle”.  The life cycle is made up from the following phases.  Phase one of the life cycle takes place from birth to when one enters theirs teenage years.  During this phase one’s experiences;

Ancestral / genetic

Political / finance

Social

Cultural imperative

Tribal rites

Clan rituals

Family rules

Self-discovery

 

Transition – Going from a child to an adult (bar mitzvah).

 

The second phase of one’s life cycle takes place during and beyond the teenage years.  During this phase is;

Iceberg

Planed life style

Resources

Limits / boundaries

Practice

Do it

Insure it

 

That is all interesting but how does it relate to one’s faith and my “I Am statement?  Before we go there let us look at the above in greater depth.

 

Let us look at one’s life, as building a house that becomes a home.  The first part of a house is the foundation.  A person’s foundation is made up from the following list;

Ancestral / genetic      Things given to you whether + or –.

Political / finance        World system control whether + or -.

Social                          Expectations that society has for you and measures your success according.

Cultural imperative     Value system,  demands made by one’s culture.

Tribal rites                   Belief system, intermit stage of control and belief system.

Clan rituals                  Attitude system, what relatives demand & often fight over.

Family rules                Measure up as acceptance to include or exclude members.

Self-discovery             The final decision making process whether to accept what is normal for you or to look for something different.

 

A person’s transition is made up from the above list.  You take everything that you have experienced and learned up to this point and pick out what works for you.  This is one’s foundation that they base the rest of their life on.  Just like when your house is built you insure it against fire, wind, smoke etc.  You also insure your house that you built upon your foundation against the storms of life.

 

What you pick out that works for you, from birth to when you become a teenage, become who you are.  Your I Am.  It is from this I Am that you take into your teenage and adult years.  Once you established your I Am you then do what ever is necessary to maintain and become it.  It is in this next phase of your life that you begin to build your type of house upon your foundation.  This is done from this list;

Iceberg                             Your desert or wilderness.

Plan life style                  Self-recovery, develop resistance from others.

Resources                       Anything available to build you up, all that God has given you and all that you can find.

Limits / boundaries     Understanding the laws of nature and of God and to pray for someone in your life to mentor you on how to apply these laws.

Practice                         Taking your resources and discover your most desirable lifestyle.

Do it                              Not fearful of what people may say, exercising your faith.

Insure it                       Combine your resources into a workable package to practice, maintain, and improve your life.

 

Through out life many may paint and repair what breaks in their house.  Few will upgrade, remodel or build on to their house.  Why?  Because you have to change your I Am statement.  In other words you have to step out side of your box that you have built.

 

Everyone has a house (a place built for people to live in); it is taking the house, making it a home (a house in which one cares for themselves, “where love is”).  This is where faith steps in or is allowed to step in.

 

It is a proven fact that doctrine (something that is taught, believed in, or considered to be true) determines character.  What a person believes greatly affects what he or she is.  Believing affects being and being affects doing.  If we follow sound doctrine, it will bring about a development of the divine nature and the character of Christ within us.  If we follow false doctrine, it will bring about a corruption of character.

 

Doctrine received, believed and practiced determines a person’s character, behavior and destiny.

 

Sound doctrine makes the house a home.  Many do not think of building a home when building their house.  After living in a house they know that something was missing and what was missing was how to make their house into a home (love).

 

The God of the Bible is one who reveals Himself to His creation.  God creating man with mental and spiritual faculties indicates His intention that man may know Him.  However, since the fall of man, these mental and spiritual faculties have been dulled and one cannot of themselves discover God.  Thus God, in grace and love, has taken the initiative by giving a progressive revelation of Himself, consummating in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Man can only personally know God through Christ, and through the revelation of the Holy Spirit.  He is the Spirit of truth and He reveals the truth of Jesus and God the Father to us personally and thus teaches our spirit along with the Fruit of His Spirit.

 

How does all of the above apply to me?

 

If the fruits of rejection take place during the development of your I Am” statement then these will be embedded in your I Am.  Remember rejection and abandment is the main damaging force to your soul.

 

What are the main causes of rejection?  Remember the soul is being developed during childhood.  All children need:

Unconditional love

Security and protection

Acceptance

Value as a person

Forgiveness of mistakes

Motivation to reach potential

Affirmation and praise for accomplishments

 

If a child’s father or mother or other parental figure fails to meet any or all of these needs, there may be some root of rejection.

 

Other possible causes, being given up for adoption, mistreatment, abuse, neglect, sexual violation, betrayal, adultery, divorce, suicide of a love one, alcoholism or drug addiction in the home.  Severe financial instability.  Being an unwanted child, being the “wrong” sex, not bonding with a parent, violence or tension in the home.  Family history or heredity of rejection, mistreatment by teachers or schoolmates, excessive criticism, inability to gain approval of father or mother, bullying, abuse by a spouse, betrayal by a minister or other authority figure, birth defect, being born “different” in some way, etc.

 

When rejection begins to bloom in one life the blossom may look like:

 

Internalized rejection strongholds

Perceived rejection

Fear of rejection

Low self-esteem

Poor self-image

Inferiority

Insecurity

Inadequacy

Sadness

Grief

Sorrow

Self-accusation

Self-doubts

Condemnation

Fear of failure

Fear of others’

Opinion (fear of man)

Depression

Fear

Anxiety

Worry

Negativity

Pessimism

Hopelessness

Despair

Withdrawal

Guilt

Eating disorders

Sleep disorders

Self-cutting

Suicide is when internalized rejection is in full bloom.

 

 

Externalized rejection strongholds

Refusing comfort

Rejection of others

Harshness

Hardness of heart

Skepticism

Sarcasm

Defiance

Inability to trust

Unbelief

Aggression

Suspicion

Envy

Jealousy

Argumentativeness

Stubbornness

Pride

Bad language

Rebellion

Contention

Controlling spirit

Manipulation

Bursts of temper

Sexual aggression

Verbal, emotional, physical or sexual abuse towards others

Fighting

Violence

Rape

Anger

Hatred

Accusation

Revenge

Murder is when externalized rejection is in full bloom.

 

 

The other form that is seen is in attempts to compensate for rejection.

Striving

Overachievement

Selfish ambition

Delusions of grandeur

Lustful fantasies

Sex as a substitute for love

Competitiveness

Envy

Jealousy

Independence

Perfectionism

OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)

Critical

Judgmental

Comparing

Religious spirit

Pharisee spirit

Pride

Egotism

Manipulation

Control

Possessiveness

Self-protectiveness

Self-justification

Self-idolatry

Willfulness

Self-centeredness

Power trips

Haughtiness

Performance orientation

Approval-seeking

Religious legalism

 

 

Just like Jesus made a provision to redeem our spirit, He also made a provision to redeem our soulThis provision is forgiveness.  Many found that the first step to receive Jesus in their life was a hard step. However, after the first step the following steps were easy and life became fulfilled. Many find the first step to forgiveness can also be hard.  Just like the first step to receive Jesus to restore your spirit.  The first and following steps of forgiveness restores your soul.

 

Forgiveness

 

Forgiveness is the act of forgiving or the state of being forgiven.

 

Therefore do not be like them.  For your father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.  In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hollowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be  done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but  deliver us from the evil one.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.  Matthew 6:8-13.

 

In Matthew 18:21-22, we get instruction about forgiveness.  Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?”   Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

 

If we refuse to forgive others their sins against us, we are refusing to do for others what God has already done for us through Christ.  God forgives and forgets.  Satan remembers and accuses.  If we refuse to forgive others, we are maintaining an agreement with Satan and thus giving him a form of legal authority over us to hold us in bondage and torment.

 

If we freely forgive others as God freely forgave us, we take away Satan’s legal ground to control us, we are in agreement with God, and we open the channel for God’s healing power to flow into our hearts and souls.

 

Forgiveness is the act of taking the offense from the people court (me, myself, and other) to the Supreme Court.  Your attorney at the Supreme Court is none other then Jesus Himself.

 

The benefits’ of forgiveness are many: First this is what destroys the roots of rejection and is the first step back to the restoration of the soul.

 

If you cut the roots the tree will die.  If you cut off the branches the tree will grow other branches.

 

On the last three pages describes what the fruit of an unhealthy tree looks like.

 

A healthy tree will look like the following. This tree is The Tree of Life.

 

The Roots of The Tree of Life is God’s Love.

 

That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and  grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height to know the love of Christ which passes          knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:17-           19.

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and with out blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself.  Ephesians 1:3-5.

 

The trunk of The Tree of Life is Christ.

 

For God so loved the world that He gave Hid only begotten Son, that whoever       believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  John 3:16.

 

The fruits of The Tree of Life are:

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Internalized this fruit of love comes out by;

Romans 5:5     Because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

Jeremiah 31:3  Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.

 

 

Externalized this fruit of love comes out by,

John 15:12.      This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

 

Matthew 10:8  Freely you have received, freely give.

 

I John 4:19      We love Him because He first loved us.

 

Jesus took the sin issue to restore back our spirit.

 

You may have heard “You can lead a horse to water but you can not make him drink.”

 

He made provision for the soul issue through the act of forgiveness.  It is up to us if we desire to, act on this provision by forgiving someone or yourself.

 

By the act of forgiveness gives us the tools so we can change our “I AM” statement.

 

Forgiveness is one of God’s main parts to the foundation of this world.

 

God instructed Moses that this people were to have seven different feasts’ throughout the year, three in the spring, one in the summer, and three in the fall.  Of the seven feasts two involve forgiveness. These two are Rosh ha Shanah and Yom Kippur, they are the first two feast’s in the fall.

 

Forgiveness can take place anytime.  During the year forgiveness is highlighted during the sixth month on the Jewish calendar.  It during this time, the month before Rosh ha Shanah that we make things right between us and others.  The time between Rosh ha Shanah and Yom Kippur (Days of Awa) is to make things right between us and God.

 

Through forgiveness we can go back to go forward.  By repairing the breach between God and ourselves.  Then we can also begin to repair the many breaches between others and ourselves.

 

Rosh ha Shanah is a time to make things right between others and us. The Days of Awa are to for preparing oneself for Yom Kippur, the atonement for sins between God and us.

 

On Rosh ha Shanah, is a day when we need the help of the shofar to pierce all the barriers between heaven, and us.  Without God we are very much alone.

 

The main preparation for Yom Kippur is to keep in mind what the day is about.  Going from a process of introspection that leads us to change.  Turning away from our old ways and turning toward God.  By turning toward God, He will lead us to a turning towards people in our lives, and a turning toward our true self.

 

When standing before God he is the one who see us as we are.  We may be able to fool others, and we may try to fool ourselves, but we do not fool God.  We are forced to confront our innermost selves.  Yom Kippur is a true mirror that reflects back to us what we really are.  By looking in this mirror we recognize without the illusions of who we really are.

 

God says to us, “Turn toward me because, I have never turn from you.”

 

Happy is the person who learns the art of forgiveness up closes to the one who can forgive, that person is Jesus.

 

We must scrutinize our own lives carefully at least once each year so that we do not allow unwanted behavior to become so rigid that it will be difficult to undo.  One way is by the cleansing of the will, cleansing of the mind, and cleansing of the heart.

We must recharge ourselves with a devotion to God lest we lose all sight of our purpose.

Part of our purpose is to see God’s many mercies that are given to us, so that we can in turn give them to each other.

Atonement means, “To be made at one”, “to reconcile, to bring about agreement or concord”.  Thus it may read “at-one-ment”, the making at-one those that have disagreement.  In summary we say then that the holiness of God against the sinfulness of man produce the reaction of divine wrath.  It is this wrath that needed the appeasement before a Holy God.  With out this appeasement, (which is the atonement,) sinful man could never be reconciled with a Holy God.

How can God in love save the sinner without violating His Holiness and executing His wrath upon sin?  The answer is found in the atonement, as typified in the Old Testament, prophesied of in the Law, the Psalms and the prophets, and then fulfilled in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, God deals in holiness with sin and in love with the sinner.  In the work of the cross, (tree) holiness and love are seen in perfect balance, God judging sin and making provision for the sinner salvation.  (Isaiah 53:3-6; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:25; Luke 24:44-49).

Holiness hates sin, and deals with it.  God is love and loves the sinner, and thus his Son died for Him, to deal with man’s sin. God could not manifest love at the expense of holiness, nor save the sinner without judging sin.  The death of Christ then is a manifestation of both holiness and love.  (John 15:13; I Peter 2:21; I John 4:9-10).

Man could not initiate the provision of the atonement, and neither can he initiate its application.  God has taken the initiative in Christ and manifested His grace to all men.  (Titus 2:11).  All men therefore are without excuse (Romans 1:20).  Grace is the ill-deserved, unmerited and unearned favor of God bestowed upon sinful man.  God is not obligated to save man.  Yet in providing salvation, His justice required that it be made available for all men on his terms.  God is not partial, nor is He a respecter of persons.

It was necessary that Christ die, for God cannot pardon sinners unless sin is dealt with.  In order for God to pardon the sinner and remain consistent with His holiness Christ must pay sin’s penalty.  The wages of sin is death.  (John 3:14-15; 12:24 Romans 3:25-26; Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25 Acts 17:3).

The fall of man was foreknown by God.  The very fact that God is all-powerful, all knowing and ever present confirms to us that the entrance of sin into the human race did not catch God unaware by Adam fall.  Because God foresaw and foreknew, He planned to deal with sin in His own wise way.  God did not predestine sin, but foreknew it would enter.

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.  (Acts 15:18).

The plan of the atonement originated in the counsels of the eternal Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This covenant of redemption was God’s provision.  The Son of God was foreordained before the world began to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of the world.  Scripture reveals that the Word would become flesh to deal with sin.  In eternity past He was set aside for this redemptive work.  Christ was set aside both before and from the foundation of the world.  (I Peter 1:19-20; Ephesians 1:4; Exodus 12:3-6, Acts 2:23).

Thus, the atonement historically was a manifestation in time of God’s eternal purpose in Christ.  (Ephesians 1:4-12; 3:9-11).

The Son of God knew that he was foreordained to die for the sins of the world.

(Matthew 5:17-18;  11:13;  Isaiah 42:1;  Isaiah 53;  Mark 10:45).

 

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross (tree) is an historical manifestation of God’s eternal purpose.

Christ death looked backward to those under the Old Covenant who had faith for redemption, and also looked forward to those under the New Covenant who would have faith for redemption.  Christ died for all the faithful of both Old and New Testament eras.  The Old Testament saints are saved by faith looking forward to Calvary while the New Testament saints are saved by faith looking backward to Calvary, as well as upward to Jesus in heaven.  (Hebrews 9:11-14; Romans 3:25).

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.  I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Romans 16:19-20.

According to the top Rabbi’s, they think that there is one day throughout the year that Satan’s influence is bound.  That day is the Day of Atonement.  Paul who wrote the letter to the church in Rome was in line to become one of the top Rabbi’s before he became a Christian.  From his training to become a rabbi, he would have known about the Day of Atonement and its meaning and influence.  What was told about the Day of Atonement may be the reason why Paul wrote (And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly).

When looking at the spring feasts, Passover is about Jesus dealing with the sin issue to restore our spirit.  The summer feast, Pentecost is about His spirit teaching our spirit.  The first two fall feasts deal with the rejection issue to restore our soul.  The last feast Tabernacles is about the gathering of the body.  Four feasts about the spirit, two about the soul and one about the body.  Even the feasts place the priority, first about the spirit, then the soul and last the body.

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  Romans 12:25.

The blindness for the Jewish person is not seeing that Jesus is the Messiah.  The one who fulfill the atonement, which originated in the counsels of the eternal Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Son of God was foreordained before the world began to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of the world.  He presented himself as an offering for acceptance before God to fulfill the atonement.  This was done by His death during Passover and His resurrection on the Feast of Firstfruits.

The blindness for the Christian is not observing the feasts ordained by God.

 

In summary: He made provision for the soul issue through the act of forgiveness.  It is up to us if we desire to, act on this provision by forgiving someone or yourself.

 

3 John 3:2 we read “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”  This verse is not about financial prosperity.  Many have used this as a financial verse.

The Restoration of our Soul.

 

 This provision is forgiveness.  Many found that the first step to receive Jesus in their life was a hard step. However, after the first step, the fallowing steps were easy and life became fulfilled. Many find the first step to forgiveness can also be hard.  Just like the first step to receive Jesus to restore your spirit.  The first and following steps of forgiveness restores your soul.

 

You have heard, you can lead a horse to water but, you can not make him drink.  In this example the water includes forgiveness, for those whom choose to drink.

 

Now for some very good news.  There is an exit off of the road of life that you have traveled.  That road had mile posts signs that include and listed some of the affects of a damaged soul.  Everyone has experienced some of these mile post.  For some they have taken an exit off of this road that had several pot holes.  They  have taken a new road in life that the fruits of the spirit were listed on these mile posts.

 

The exit sign off of the road that has seen the effects of a damaged soul read forgiveness.  This will take you on a different road of life that includes the mile posts that read love, joy, peace, goodness, etc.

 

Forgiveness many times requires being specific.

 

Asking forgiveness for your spirit, soul, and body. And/or asking forgiveness of someone else spirit, soul, and body.

 

Example: If I hit you I would ask forgiveness to what I did to your body.  If I said something hurtful I would ask forgiveness to what I did to your soul.  If I said something the lead your spirit away from the truth I would ask forgiveness for what I did to your spirit.

 

What is forgiveness?

Forgiveness

 

Forgiveness is the act of forgiving or the state of being forgiven.

 

Therefore do not be like them.  For your father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.  In this manner, therefore, pray:

Our Father in heaven, Hollowed be your name.  Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.  And do not lead us into temptation, but     deliver us from the evil one.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.  Matthew 6:8-13.

 

In Matthew 18:21-22, we get instruction about forgiveness.  Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?”   Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”

 

If we refuse to forgive others their sins against us, we are refusing to do for others what God has already done for us through Christ.  God forgives and forgets.  Satan remembers and accuses.  If we refuse to forgive others, we are maintaining an agreement with Satan and thus giving him a form of legal authority over us to hold us in bondage and torment.

 

If we freely forgive others as God freely forgave us, we take away Satan’s legal ground to control us, we are in agreement with God, and we open the channel for God’s healing power to flow into our hearts and souls.

 

Forgiveness is the act of taking the offense from the people court (me, myself, and other) to the Supreme Court.  Your attorney at the Supreme Court is none other then Jesus Himself.

 

The benefits’ of forgiveness are many: First this is what destroys the roots of rejection and abandonment and is the first step back to the restoration of the soul.

 

If you cut the roots the tree will die.  If you cut off the branches the tree will grow other branches.

 

He made provision for the soul issue through the act of forgiveness.  It is up to us if we desire to, act on this provision by forgiving someone or yourself.

 

By the act of forgiveness gives us the tools so we can change our “I AM” statement.

 

Forgiveness is one of God’s main parts to the foundation of this world.

 

God instructed Moses that this people were to have seven different feasts’ throughout the year, three in the spring, one in the summer, and three in the fall.  Of the seven feasts two involve forgiveness. These two are Rosh ha Shanah and Yom Kippur, they are the first two feast’s in the fall.

 

Forgiveness can take place anytime.  During the year forgiveness is highlighted during the sixth month on the Jewish calendar.  It during this time, the month before Rosh ha Shanah that we make things right between us and others.  The time between Rosh ha Shanah and Yom Kippur (Days of Awa) is to make things right between us and God.

 

Through forgiveness we can go back to go forward.  By repairing the breach between God and ourselves.  Then we can also begin to repair the many breaches between others and ourselves.

 

Rosh ha Shanah is a time to make things right between others and us. The Days of Awa are to for preparing oneself for Yom Kippur, the atonement for sins between God and us.

 

On Rosh ha Shanah, is a day when we need the help of the shofar to pierce all the barriers between heaven, and us.  Without God we are very much alone.

 

The main preparation for Yom Kippur is to keep in mind what the day is about.  Going from a process of introspection that leads us to change.  Turning away from our old ways and turning toward God.  By turning toward God, He will lead us to a turning towards people in our lives, and a turning toward our true self.

 

When standing before God he is the one who see us as we are.  We may be able to fool others, and we may try to fool ourselves, but we do not fool God.  We are forced to confront our innermost selves.  Yom Kippur is a true mirror that reflects back to us what we really are.  By looking in this mirror we recognize without the illusions of who we really are.

 

God says to us, “Turn toward me because, I have never turn from you.”

 

Happy is the person who learns the art of forgiveness . 

 

We must scrutinize our own lives carefully at least once each year so that we do not allow unwanted behavior to become so rigid that it will be difficult to undo.  One way is by the cleansing of the will, cleansing of the mind, and cleansing of the heart.

 

We must recharge ourselves with a devotion to God lest we lose all sight of our purpose.

Part of our purpose is to see God’s many mercies that are given to us, so that we can in turn give them to each other.

 

Atonement means, “To be made at one”, “to reconcile, to bring about agreement or concord”.  Thus it may read “at-one-ment”, the making at-one those that have disagreement.  In summary we say then that the holiness of God against the sinfulness of man produce the reaction of divine wrath.  It is this wrath that needed the appeasement before a Holy God.  With out this appeasement, (which is the atonement,) sinful man could never be reconciled with a Holy God.

 

How can God in love save the sinner without violating His Holiness and executing His wrath upon sin?  The answer is found in the atonement, as typified in the Old Testament, prophesied of in the Law, the Psalms and the prophets, and then fulfilled in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.  In the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ, God deals in holiness with sin and in love with the sinner.  In the work of the cross, (tree) holiness and love are seen in perfect balance, God judging sin and making provision for the sinner salvation.  (Isaiah 53:3-6; II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:25; Luke 24:44-49).

 

Holiness hates sin, and deals with it.  God is love and loves the sinner, and thus his Son died for Him, to deal with man’s sin. God could not manifest love at the expense of holiness, nor save the sinner without judging sin.  The death of Christ then is a manifestation of both holiness and love.  (John 15:13; I Peter 2:21; I John 4:9-10).

 

Man could not initiate the provision of the atonement, and neither can he initiate its application.  God has taken the initiative in Christ and manifested His grace to all men.  (Titus 2:11).  All men therefore are without excuse (Romans 1:20).  Grace is the ill-deserved, unmerited and unearned favor of God bestowed upon sinful man.  God is not obligated to save man.  Yet in providing salvation, His justice required that it be made available for all men on his terms.  God is not partial, nor is He a respecter of persons.

 

It was necessary that Christ die, for God cannot pardon sinners unless sin is dealt with.  In order for God to pardon the sinner and remain consistent with His holiness Christ must pay sin’s penalty.  The wages of sin is death.  (John 3:14-15; 12:24 Romans 3:25-26; Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 17:25 Acts 17:3).

 

The fall of man was foreknown by God.  The very fact that God is all-powerful, all knowing and ever present confirms to us that the entrance of sin into the human race did not catch God unaware by Adam fall.  Because God foresaw and foreknew, He planned to deal with sin in His own wise way.  God did not predestine sin, but foreknew it would enter.

 

Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.  (Acts 15:18).

 

The plan of the atonement originated in the counsels of the eternal Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  This covenant of redemption was God’s provision.  The Son of God was foreordained before the world began to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of the world.  Scripture reveals that the Word would become flesh to deal with sin.  In eternity past He was set aside for this redemptive work.  Christ was set aside both before and from the foundation of the world.  (I Peter 1:19-20; Ephesians 1:4; Exodus 12:3-6, Acts 2:23).

 

Thus, the atonement historically was a manifestation in time of God’s eternal purpose in Christ.  (Ephesians 1:4-12; 3:9-11).

 

The Son of God knew that he was foreordained to die for the sins of the world.

(Matthew 5:17-18;  11:13;  Isaiah 42:1;  Isaiah 53;  Mark 10:45).

 

The sacrifice of Christ on the cross (tree) is an historical manifestation of God’s eternal purpose.

 

Christ death looked backward to those under the Old Covenant who had faith for redemption, and also looked forward to those under the New Covenant who would have faith for redemption.  Christ died for all the faithful of both Old and New Testament eras.  The Old Testament saints are saved by faith looking forward to Calvary while the New Testament saints are saved by faith looking backward to Calvary, as well as upward to Jesus in heaven.  (Hebrews 9:11-14; Romans 3:25).

 

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men.  I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.  Romans 16:19-20.

 

According to the top Rabbi’s, they think that there is one day throughout the year that Satan’s influence is bound.  That day is the Day of Atonement.  Paul who wrote the letter to the church in Rome was in line to become one of the top Rabbi’s before he became a Christian.  From his training to become a rabbi, he would have known about the Day of Atonement and its meaning and influence.  What was told about the Day of Atonement may be the reason why Paul wrote (And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly).

 

When looking at the spring feasts, Passover is about Jesus dealing with the sin issue to restore our spirit.  The summer feast, Pentecost is about His spirit teaching our spirit.  The first two fall feasts deal with the rejection issue to restore our soul.  The last feast Tabernacles is about the gathering of the body.  Four feasts about the spirit, two about the soul and one about the body.  Even the feasts place the priority, first about the spirit, then the soul and last the body.

 

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.  Romans 12:25.

 

The blindness for the Jewish person is not seeing that Jesus is the Messiah.  The one who fulfill the atonement, which originated in the counsels of the eternal Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Son of God was foreordained before the world began to be the Lamb of God and take away the sins of the world.  He presented himself as an offering for acceptance before God to fulfill the atonement.  This was done by His death during Passover and His resurrection on the Feast of Firstfruits.

 

The blindness for the Christian is not observing the feasts ordained by God.

 

In summary: He made provision for the soul issue through the act of forgiveness.  It is up to us if we desire to, act on this provision by forgiving someone or yourself.

 

3 John 3:2 we read “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”  This verse is not about financial prosperity.  Many have used this as a financial verse.

 

Let us look at this, as a verse that when your soul is restored your soul will prosper along with your health.  This shows that there is a connection between your soul and the health of your body.

What Will Damage our Body?

 

Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore

glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.  I Corinthians 6:19-20.

 

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.  I Corinthians 3:16-17.

 

Being the temple of the Holy Spirit and being created by God would it not be of great interest to understand what instruction God gave Moses in Leviticus chapter 11, where it list foods that are permitted and forbidden.

 

In general ok animals:

The animals that have divided hoof, having cloven hooves and chews the cud.

Example cows, sheep’s, goats, deer and antelope.  No meat-eating animal chews   the cud.

 

Not ok:

The swine (pork) is the best known of the unclean animals.

 

In general ok water creatures:

Water creatures had to possess both fins and scales in order to be eaten.

 

Not ok:

Oysters, claims, crabs, and lobsters are the best known unclean water creatures.

 

The above is a very brief overview of unclean foods.

 

One could spend a lot more time in Leviticus 11; this is also listed in Deuteronomy 14.

 

And God said, “See I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.  Also every bird of the air and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so.”  Then God saw everything that He made, and indeed it was very good.  So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.  Genesis 1:29-31.

 

You may also heard the phase “You can be so heavenly minded that you or no earthly good.”

 

To be both heavenly good and earthly good requires being in balance both spirit, soul and body.

In Closing

 

In closing, John 15:5-8,” I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

 

I encourage you to seek God to see things from a divine prospective, not from man’s opinions.  A divine prospective is a healthy spirit, soul and body.  Through this one can experience,

Psalms 20:4,” May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, and fulfill all your purpose.”

 

People have cried out, “Oh, God bless me, bless me!”  Do you know how many blessing the Bible has?  Over 8,000 promises.  If you say, “Oh God. Bless me,” then God might ask you, “What kind of blessing out of the 8,000 promises are you asking?”  So I encourage you to be very definite and specific.

 

What becomes pregnant in your spirit is going to come out in your circumstance.  Watch your heart and mind more than anything else.  God’s answer comes to your spirit, and pray through your spirit, the answer comes to your circumstances.

 

Welcome to heaven on earth.