Intentions, Speaking, and Truth in Love

He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ, until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, into a complete man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so we may no longer be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men, by craftiness with deceitful scheming. But, speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into Him, who is the head, Christ Himself, from whom the whole body is joined together and connected by every joint and ligament, as every part effectively does its work and grows, building itself up in love.

Ephesians 4:11–16

The desire of God is for all to grow to maturity. That is why Jesus said in Matthew 5 to be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect. Perfect meaning to be mature or complete. Teachers and leaders help, but we must ourselves be diligent in the Word and also to speak the truth in love. Every part of the body of Christ is necessary to Its proper function. But there is something a bit deeper here. It is the intentionality that is needed to move on to maturity.

I started this post years ago and set it aside many times. I think it may have been a bit fearful in ways. However, the gist of the idea is not just using words, but the intentionality that comes with them. There are many other things I have encountered in the meantime that resoundingly reinforce the ideas here.

This post will be long and definitely drift into the blurry. Let’s set the groundwork.

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,

Ephesians 1:3

As believers, our reality interfaces with eternity. Not only does the eternal God love in us, transcending time and space, our blessings do, too.

As Paul moves a bit further ahead, this idea is even clearer.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:4–7

It’s laid plain right there. Paul says that Jesus raised us up and seated us in heavenly places. The verb tenses used for raised and seated is aorist, meaning the action is done and carries forward to present and beyond. It’s not undone. We are already seated together in a way that transcends space and time. The verbs also convey the truth that that situation cannot change.

He’s teaching us an important idea, I keep repeating it. I want it known that there is more to reality than what just meets the physical senses.

Transcending Dimensions

The first idea I want to communicate is rather grandiose. It is this idea of transcending dimensionality. What we know of our physical reality (space and time) is that it consists of four dimensions. Most understand three dimensions, height, length, and width. These are all physical properties, but there is a fourth physical property to consider. One that Einstein discovered. It is a fourth dimension called time. A proper description of the things we normally experience is the four dimensions of space-time. that is, the properties of three-dimensional objects change as time progresses. This fourth dimension gives room for movement. The three-dimensional object can move because of transdimensionality in the fourth dimension of time.

Time being a physical property of our existence also provides some peculiarities. Take looking up at the stars in the night sky. It is done in the present time, but the inescapable reality is that we are peering into the distant past. The light we see has traveled vast distances.

Consider also that the passage of time is affected by other things… Like gravity and velocity. It gets somewhat weird, but the tick-tock passing of time is contingent on the perspective of the observer. Time at sea level passes measurably slower than time on a mountaintop. It is called gravitational time dilation. This is a real observed proof of Einstein’s theory of relativity.

Granted, it is a big concept to grasp. I am certain my description is far from comprehensive, and I am trying to make the concept easier to understand. What is important to know is that the Bible has nodded to this truth long before it was affirmed by science. God stretched out the heavens. Keep all of this in mind.

It leads me to a question… Did Paul have peculiar knowledge about our four dimensions long before Einstein did?

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would give you, according to the riches of His glory, power to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14–19

I didn’t intend this to be a study in Ephesians, but it is looking like that. But this is where we leap off into this truly mind-blowing thing. Just ponder that paragraph and what Paul is conveying. First of all, don’t ever think that being called Christian is something to be denied or avoided as if it is watered-down in meaning. Paul says it is the identity of the whole family in heaven and earth. We are named for and bear the name of Jesus Christ. That, too, transcends dimensionality.

There is more. The gift we receive personally from His riches is the Holy Spirit. He gives us the power to be strengthened in our innermost parts. Remember, Christ dwells in our hearts rooting us and grounding us in that love of His.

Now the kicker… Paul is telling us to think really big thoughts. And he is calling us all to consider the vast magnitude of the love of God. He says it surpasses knowledge. He uses four-dimensional language; breadth and length and depth and height. Paul is saying that the love of Christ fills all of space-time we can experience in this physical universe. It covers our lifespan and more. It covers all lifespans in this physical world. It’s at least that BIG. If it occupies all of that, isn’t it then transcendent?

Now… For love to be that big to fill our space-time requires a space beyond what we can now perceive naturally. The scientifically minded call these hyperspaces. For a resource that explains the concept of hyperspace far more practically, read this article from Koinonia House.

While I mention Koinonia House, they have many well-written articles that expand on this subject. Save this list for future reference. Remember, what you already have now transcends space and time.

Our conversation now takes us to what seems to be an unrelated topic.

Soulish Versus Spiritual

We will examine both parts, but now, let’s consider the soulish part first.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things. Yet he himself is not judged by anyone.

1 Corinthians 2:14–15

Here Paul uses a Greek term translated into our English word natural. Like English, this is an adjective in the Greek language. It is formed from the Greek word for soul which is psuche. The derived adjective is psuchikos, which sums up the action initiated by the soul. Psuchikos is translated in a variety of different ways: sensual, worldly, worldly-minded, unspiritual, without the spirit, following natural instinct, and natural. Without a direct English equivalence, I will logically use soulish to convey the meaning of that word.

The soul without the Spirit of God is disconnected from the original pattern of creation. The spirit of man came directly from God (Genesis 2:7.) That spirit related directly to God. There was a perfectly ordered relationship with God. God worked in a person’s spirit, the person’s spirit worked in the soul, which directed their body. With Adam’s rebellion pushing God out of the way, the spirit relationship of a person toward God was now compromised. The human had turned away from his direct relationship with God. Adam then became controlled by the soul, which is the will, the intellect, and the emotions. This hobbling of a person is described in another place by Paul as being dead. That is, it is useless to the purposes of God as they were established. We became enslaved to the governing powers of this world and to the desires of the carnality… soulish.

And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the age of this world and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among them we all also once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 

Ephesians 2:1–3

I want to avoid a lot of the loaded language about soulishness, but it may not be possible. Given that, I do not embrace spiritual death as it is often employed. The spirit of man did not die, which is already clear. This truth will become plainly obvious as we progress.

These soulish men can still pursue real spirituality. Spirituality is not to be confused with godliness. Correct spirituality is the spirit acting on the soul, which then acts on the body. Without the spirit leading, the soulish person operates differently. His soul must use the body to operate spiritually. This practice is obvious. Some take substances to alter their consciousness. Others may employ various disciplines on the body; transcendental meditation, yoga, regulated breathing, and relaxing exercises. This list is not comprehensive.

When one disciplines the body to enter spirituality, it’s an altered form of consciousness. It is as effective as using mind-altering substances. The practice of entering spiritual realities from soulish practices leaves the body and the mind vulnerable to all sorts of shenanigans from familiar spirits. Read those spirits as NOT the Spirit of God nor from God. Remember, the soulish person does not discern the spiritual things of God. Those are foolish. If the Spirit of God is not operating in one’s spirit, danger is afoot.

The spiritual person is markedly different. We have already encountered this in Ephesians 2. The true spiritual person is saved (and sealed) by the Holy Spirit. At that moment such has been made alive together with other believers in Christ. He has raised us up and seated us together with them in the heavenly places.

You and I know this because of the indwelling Spirit of God. (That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.) It’s that grounding in love that surpasses all things. With Him, we are given truthful discernment in spiritual things. When we let His Spirit operate our spirit, we can overcome the soulishness that comes from the corruption of sin. It requires submission in faith. So we ought to let Him operate in us.

Also, understand that all believers are knit together in the body of Christ. Past, present, and even future believers are included. This too, necessarily transcends space and time, heaven and Earth.

What I am saying is that you and I as believers operate in the spiritual realm because of our connection to God through His indwelling Spirit. That is why intentionality becomes so very important.

The Science

I spoke about Einstein before. His discoveries, at first unbelieved by even him, have become the foundations for quantum physics. It is when looking in that things in that quantum realm get really strange, nevertheless, it is reality. Quantum physics gives rise to quantum mechanics. There is an even narrower field of study called string quantum mechanics.

This is where we leap off into how big God is. String quantum mechanics theorizes that 10 dimensions are inadequate to contain the hinted-at reality. There is even a field of string quantum mechanics that “operates consistently in 26 dimensions.” And those 26 dimensions do not account for consciousness or intentionality. With that, I will use that to briefly summarize a published PubMed article called Retroactive prayer: a preposterous hypothesis? It is a fascinating read even though it may be technical.

Our reality is so much more than we think. In the physical universe, matter, energy, and time are interrelated. This is the basis of E=mc2. If something doesn’t have mass, it ceases to have time. It is a property called non-locality. Time and distance basically become irrelevant. The study cited above indicates this, clearly.

Sending Thoughts and Prayers

We have all said that at one time or another. And maybe we actually followed through on it. The modern culture in the United States ridicules this notion, often in light of mass casualty events. Sending thoughts and prayers is said to do nothing to help. Comedians make fun of it. The theophobes (my word for atheists) deny it. There are even some Christians who mock it. But what does the science reveal?

Well, thoughts and prayers do work. I am going to say that again. Thoughts and prayers do work. It has been measured.

Wait, there’s more.

The title of the paper I mentioned says retroactive prayer. It references a scientific experiment conducted on over 3,000 patients with sepsis. These patients were hospitalized between 1990 to 1996. Some years later, the patients were randomized and separated into either a control or intervention group. Prayers were then offered for those patients in the intervention group. (You can read the paper here: Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled trial.)

In the experiment, there was a measurable difference in better mortality, shorter length of hospitalization, and the lessening duration of fever in those patients randomly assigned to the intervention. This happened even though the prayer was offered years in the future.

Let that sink in. The conscious and intentional prayer for these patients not only transcended distance (space,) but it transcended the time. As strange as it might sound, it coincides with what we know of reality through the Bible and quantum physics.

Granted, I don’t know if those ones offering thoughts and prayers were operating soulishly or spiritually. The reality is the measured effect it had. (At the time I originally wrote this, a mass casualty event just happened in Philadelphia. Take a moment to pray for those affected even after the fact.)

Your intentions do have an effect on reality. Your consciousness affects this world physically. And that with no restriction on time and space.

Now, I will offer some ideas that may raise the hairs on your neck.

Not New Age

Long before finding any of this, I had considered the idea in my mind and realized that God is not confined by time and space. He is present in all those places and times. Think of the psalmist saying “Where can I go from your Spirit.” There is no place or time where God is not present. If that is true, and it certainly is, it follows that I can pray for Paul on his missionary journeys today. Those prayers are heard by God Who is not encumbered by time and distance. They really do accomplish things.

This is not to ‘name it and claim it.’ It’s not ‘manifesting one’s reality’ by speaking it into existence. At least not how many consider it, though it seems those things have a foundation in reality. What those things have in common is that they operate in soulishness. In some ways, these are real concepts. Practiced in this way, it is selfishly soulish and will have unintended consequences because of the addled way it is accomplished. It is not done with the Spirit of God.

A believer who submits his spirit to the Spirit of God can be led by God. The believer is set free from the bondage of soulish desires. It doesn’t mean that such will not have them, but that they do not have to have control over the believer. Instead, we can believe God let His Spirit work in our willing spirits. The Bible uses the phrase mixed with faith. When we send thoughts and prayers to someone, it is mixed with our faith in God. It really does things!

Remember those Israelites long ago…

Therefore, since the promise of entering His rest remains, let us fear lest any of you should seem to come short of it. For the gospel was preached to us as well as to them. But the word preached did not benefit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed have entered this rest

Hebrews 4:1–3a

In the same way, our prayers are made in faith. We know God hears and answers.

Let me help… As believers, we are to enter His rest. His rest is not necessarily heaven. But it is the place where we can be of use to Him. It’s that maturing to completeness, be perfect as He is. It takes faith. It takes submission. Sometimes we wander in a wilderness of sin. When we hear the Word, it needs to be mixed with faith to have any benefit in our lives before it can touch those of others.

It goes deeper.

But above all things, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by the earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes” and your “No” be “No,” that you do not fall into condemnation.
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much.

James 5:12–16

What we might gloss over in this passage is the strong intentionality James challenges us to have. Yes, we are to be careful in the things we might say. I know this is very verbose, but the idea is important. Our communication needs to be truthful, not necessarily curt. In the life circumstances James lists, he instructs us to give an intentional offering to God in the midst of them. Then he uses one word… Energoumenē. That gets translated to the English words… Effective and fervent. Everything about that word conveys intentionality.

As is clear with Einstein’s relativity… One’s perspective matters. (I think that is a pun.) It follows, that one’s intentions also matter.

This Principle is Hidden in Plain Sight

This is not new knowledge. And like most good things, the enemy counterfeits it and exploits it. Did you know the English word grammar comes from an old French word gramaire?

That French word is translated into English as grimoire. A grimoire is a book of magic, incantation, spells, and other mumbo-jumbo. Think hidden magic words that have power when used.

Given that, it could be said that writing with proper grammar is akin to scrying and speaking with proper grammar as casting spells. That might surprise everyone.

Consider how propaganda is readily employed in many cultures. Tell a lie long enough and it eventually changes reality. It is even more pernicious… The political left and the culture of the world have an inherent belief that language creates reality. They use it skillfully. Just think of the entire lot of moral issues that have been politicized. Marriage and abortion are but two. Change the language one uses and eventually the reality shifts.

The practices of what is ‘New-Age Modalism’ also employ this. It’s mindfulness that teaches people they can manifest their realities into existence. Some Christians embrace this as “name it and claim it.” There is even an adventure app based on this mindfulness concept that is growing popularity, even though it has real dangers.

The powers-that-be love to redefine words and terms. They use them to demonize, control, and subdue people. In other words, they are using grammar to make magic and cast spells. The brazen attempt is to change and control our reality as they want us to see it. They create reality by controlling language.

Casting Spells?

While writing this, I stumbled upon another interesting tidbit. It has to do with the magicians’ word abracadabra. The origins of this word are sketchy. Many theories are offered. One prevailing theory states it is from Hebrew evra ke-adaber, which means I will create as I speak. Another claim is an Aramaic source, evra ke-davra, which means I create like the word. These are surprising enough. But the earliest use comes from a second-century Roman physician named Quintus Serenus Sammonicus. In his work Liber Medicinalis, the word abracadabra was written in such a way that one letter is subtracted on each iteration. This created a triangle of the word that was then worn as a talisman or lucky charm to remove illness.

When reading through the writings of these fringy-ragged edges of the culture one collects thoughts that are salted away in the back of the mind. Pagans and Satanists use magic incantations to change reality. Sometimes these words are used to summon other entities from hyperspaces. They are now using these soulish practices to map out, subdue, and attempt to control the hyperspaces of spirituality. It’s by this manipulation they think they exercise power. Though the power is not theirs.

It is also in this kind of research where I have heard the charge from the ritualistic that Christians have a very powerful form of magic but don’t use it effectively, if at all. I have always wondered what that meant… But now I think I know. I will let the Bible explain this.

What and How

God worked powerful miracles by the hands of Paul. So handkerchiefs or aprons he had touched were brought to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists invoked the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We command you to come out in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches.” There were seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva doing this. The evil spirit answered, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” Then the man in whom the evil spirit was jumped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled from that house naked and wounded.

Acts 19:11–16 (MEV):

I love that. No, not that someone got hurt. But that the responsibilities God gives to the believer are really real!

The sons of Sceva witnessed Paul performing miracles. They also saw exorcisms in the name of Jesus. For those, it was just a form of more powerful magic that they wanted. Their thinking was this is magic that can be exploited and used to manipulate others. Thus giving them the perception of great power. It backfired.

Was it Jesus that failed?

No. It was the soulish desire that the sons had to use His name for their own gain and notoriety. Also note that there is a very important lesson about order. People are subject to and yield themselves to spiritual powers. Engaging with them without circumspection may extend rights. Yet finally (and thankfully,) all powers yield to the Name above all names… Jesus Christ.

It’s crucial to understand that what we say is as important as how we say it. What I mean is that the intentions of what we say have real power. The sons of Sceva stand as a lesson. They knew there was power in the name of Jesus. Their intentions didn’t match.

The Lesson from James

See how we put bits in the mouths of horses that they may obey us, and we control their whole bodies. And observe ships. Though they are so great and are driven by fierce winds, yet they are directed with a very small rudder wherever the captain pleases. Even so, the tongue is a little part of the body and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. The tongue is among the parts of the body, defiling the whole body, and setting the course of nature on fire, and it is set on fire by hell.
All kinds of beasts, and birds, and serpents, and things in the sea are tamed or have been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring yield at the same opening sweet and bitter water? Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a vine, figs? So no spring can yield both salt water and fresh water.

James 3:3–12

James tells us that the power of what we say defiles the body and it sets the course of nature on fire. Could it be that James is hinting at the ideas we have encountered?

It used to be in this country, that people were in church on Sundays. The vast majority of people gathered to sing praises to God together! Is it any wonder that this country flourished under that?

There is the power of collective voices and the power of collective wills united. In that proper way, it protected nature. Families flourished, the economy was the envy of the world. That was an old-fashioned idea called temperance. People exercised self-control of their own volition. Then something happened.

I don’t think it was one thing. I think it was a well thought-out campaign by dark powers. It came with the modern conveniences. It centered on changing language to steer the heart.

Convergence

At the beginning of the twentieth century, English was a single homogenous language in two flavors, American and British. American English users outnumbered the British. Enter the push for globalization and English became more diversified. By the end of that century, English had become the de facto language for commerce led by technology.

The lexicon grew, the rules of grammar relaxed. Word meanings changed and expanded. Slang terms entered. Restrictions on what is tolerated also came. With political correctness, words were now considered weapons.

There was massive growth in art. It became more accessible and with radio and television, folks had instant access. Advertisers learned how to control emotions with many techniques.

Church attendance began to wane. The mention of God and Jesus in the public square is less tolerated. Atheism and paganism began to grow.

Paganism also entered homes and minds of the unsuspecting through the media consumed. Music changed. The praises of God became the ballads of love. Love turned to promiscuity and pursuit of altered consciousness. People sang lyrics that at first glance seemed angsty, but closer inspection reveals a ritualistic aspect to them. People were subtly led to participate in mass rituals called concerts.

Television became a perfect vehicle to have these rituals brought into the home. By turning the channel and watching, people unknowingly gave permission for all sort of shenanigans in their homes. Listen to the sounds of the words, tell a vision. Where programs (think propaganda) are transmitted by channels (think as mediums channel spirits.)

Today, evil doesn’t hide. It’s welcomed almost everywhere.

This comes as no surprise to those who know their Bible. The world has converged on language and technology. Global communications are instant. Globalization charges forward a united planet-wide government. Populations are being readied for the man with a plan. One who is smart, charismatic, and worthy of worship.

What Do We Do?

I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Romans 12:1–2

The first step is to go back to God. Repent of whatever shenanigans have sidetracked your mind and will. We are not to be conformed to the patterns in this world. That means we have to stop willingly participating in the rituals. That is going to require some discernment. And if we inadvertently do, we have to renounce any attachments they may bring.

Next, is renewing your mind. That starts with Scripture. You are going to have to spend time with God in His Word. Thankfully, God makes it easy to participate in the things that further His cause.

The enemy counterfeits that, and uses subtle manipulation to keep you from God. We have every excuse, “I have to watch Survivor.” “I will do it after the game.” “My friends want to go out.” “Let’s go fishing.” It’s the subtle things that don’t seem like distractions… Yet they are.

And yes, I am talking to myself, too.

Spend some time meeting with other Christians. Sing praises to God together. If the enemy can use words and intentions to further his cause, our God can trounce him in that. And we are extended the privilege to work with our God!

Ask!

In the looming shadow of Calvary, Jesus left His friends many instructions. Among them can be considered what is discussed at length. See if you catch it.

Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me. Or else believe Me on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes in Me will do the works that I do also. And he will do greater works than these, because I am going to My Father. I will do whatever you ask in My name, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

John 14:11–14

Using the name of Jesus is not a magic spell to be cast. His name has real power. Power to raise the dead, do you believe that?

I do. Jesus is not sharing that He is going to meet our felt needs. He is telling us we will have all that we really need.

Want to slow the incursion of evil?

Want to change the feel of your local community?

Want to change hearts and minds?

Ask Him, expecting results!

When Philip asked to see the Father, Jesus gently chastised him and said:

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. But the Father who lives in Me does the works.

John 14:10

The Christian has a Helper. When we petition God, we don’t do it in our own authority. It is not a soulish exploit to satisfy carnal desires. The words we speak have great power, in His Name. This is how the work of ministry gets done.

We need the Spirit of God in us to do it right. And when we do, it transcends all of reality.

Intentions matter. Words matter.

The Concluding Principle

God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

Genesis 1:3

God’s Word has power. Real power to create, and real power to destroy. Our Bible teaches us the reality of the power in the words. The universe came to be by spoken word. It is held together by spoken word. Our redemption is also by the Word.

As we are created in His image, it follows that our words can also create realities. It is everywhere around us. Politics, media, music, news… You name it. Though their intentions most likely work in opposition to God’s.

Our words and the intent behind them have a real effect on reality. One that transcends time. With that in mind, I keep going back to that text in James, and the intentionality needed in the way we do things. I also think that people speak out of the treasures of their innermost person.

Be very careful what you speak over someone. Whether they can hear it or not, you are changing their reality. I know from my own experience. The things people spoke to me as a child became my inner voice. It became the lens through which I viewed myself. Someone else’s words became my reality. And the enemy craftily employed it as a tool to hobble me for much of my life. (He still does, and sometimes I am not cognizant enough to catch it.)

Yet, I am ever grateful for Jesus. He gently reminds me I am not what was spoken over me a lifetime ago. I’m not what someone thinks of me in secret. I am His. He is my Brother. I am a son of God. Not just because I say it, but because I know it.

Our words matter greatly. The intentions behind those words have great power. Use your intentions and then your words wisely.

Spirit, Soul, and Body

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:26–27

It is hardly hidden that we are made in the image of God. We also know God to be triune in nature, Father, Son, and Spirit. It is not accepted in some circles that we humans are also three-part beings. Is that true?

Here is what Paul said of the matter:

May the very God of peace sanctify you completely. And I pray to God that your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

Paul tells us that a human is spirit, soul, and body. In my study, I prefer the Biblical principal that a matter is established by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15.) Considering that, let’s see if we can find another.

Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7

From the very first moment Adam was created, a body was fashioned from the dust of the ground. Then God breathed spirit into that body. And finally, Adam became a living soul. It’s the three parts that make one whole.

For another witness, we have this:

For the word of God is alive, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

This text is a nexus for many other ideas. Especially when considering the immediate context. The verse that follows this hints at hyperspaces. That is another discussion for another time.

The writer of Hebrews tells us that all things are revealed to God. There is no hiding things from Him. His Word is powerful and can divide the spirit and the soul. There are two of the parts of the human. The third comes in the next phrase, where it also divided the joints and marrow. That is most definitely speaking of the physical body. This text indicates three parts.

There is another distinction in this verse, I think. The spirit and the soul seem to be containerized. That is, the body is the house for the soul and the spirit.

Body Shelters Spirit and Soul

We know that if our earthly house, this tent, were to be destroyed, we have an eternal building of God in the heavens, a house not made with hands. In this one we groan, earnestly desiring to be sheltered with our house which is from heaven. Thus being sheltered, we shall not be found unsheltered. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we wish to be unclothed, but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal might be swallowed up by life. Now He who has created us for this very thing is God, who also has given to us the guarantee of the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:1–5

It is of utmost importance to understand this concept. It goes right to the very heart of what it is to be Christian. Our current physical body is a home to our spirit and soul. Paul says when we die, leaving this shelter behind, we have an everlasting one in heaven awaiting us.

Because sin has been sequestered to the flesh, we are burdened by it. And our physical bodies show the wear and tear of sin. Our spirits and souls do not. How can that be?

Paul calls that the circumcision made without hands.

In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised with Him through the faith of the power of God, who has raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has resurrected together with Him, having forgiven you all sins. He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:11–15

Paul uses the metaphor of circumcision to explain what happened when we got saved plain to understand. Listen, when someone is circumcised, what is cut away is not reattached, it doesn’t grow back again, and it is removed to be discarded.

It’s like what happens to us Christians. The flesh part is separated from the other parts, the soul and the spirit. That is why Paul says that a believer is a new creation.

So from now on we do not regard anyone according to the flesh. Yes, though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet we do not regard Him as such from now on. Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new.

2 Corinthians 5:16–17

We don’t regard any believer according to the flesh… Yes, we know them physically, but we don’t know them by their foibles. E we don’t identify our brothers and sisters by their sins. They, like us, are new creations.

It’s as if there is some kind of out-of-this-world surgery done… My mind screams Hebrews 4:13. It is the Word of God that divides joints and marrow. The Word is Jesus! He saves, and that is why the resurrection is so much better than the cross.

It’s the Resurrection

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. So it is written, “The first man Adam was made a living soul.” The last Adam was made a life-giving spirit.

1 Corinthians 15:42–45

We see clearly that something about the natural physical body we have now cannot get to heaven. It is the natural man the Bible speaks of, the part that cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God.

Just as we see in Jesus’ life, the ugliness of the cross…. What came before… Does not compare with the glory of resurrection. Just as we do baptism, we provide a picture of this very thing. Baptism proclaims resurrection.

We are going to put off these bodies. They don’t go to heaven.

However, that which is spiritual is not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second man was the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of dust; and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46–49

At creation, God formed a body for Adam. We all share the genes given to Adam. They are part of the physical body in this physical world. We bare the image of the man of dust, and we bare the image of the One True God.

But there’s a problem.

Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

1 Corinthians 15:50

In the Twinkling of an Eye

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible will put on incorruption, and this mortal will put on immortality.

1 Corinthians 15:51–53

I know some of you may roll your eyes at talk of rapture. It seems to be controversial. But Paul called it our blessed hope. And that is what it is. We move around burdened by these bodies marked up with sin. Our spirit and soul long to be free of what besets us.

Most importantly, we see from the very beginning of why these things are so. If they weren’t, who really could be saved?

One last point, the angels in heaven are not made like we are. They do not have these three-part bodies. They do not bear the image of God. They have no Kinsman to redeem. That is why they tremble.

But you and I do.

The Patient Suffering

Therefore, since Christ has suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,

1 Peter 4:1 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)
Therefore.

Peter is using all he has written before. That is, what Jesus has already done for us. He even tells us of the patience of God. Even in suffering for us. Jesus did it in the flesh.

The work is done. Nothing else has to be done. In fact, God rested from all of His work on the seventh day of the creation week. Read that from Hebrews.

For He spoke somewhere about the seventh day like this: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works.”

Hebrews 4:4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

If salvation is a work of God, it was completed before that seventh day. Of course, Jesus never made an advent in flesh, of the seed of woman until some 40 or so centuries later. That that work was done is evident in one of His titles, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

All who dwell on the earth will worship him, all whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 13:8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

From the reference in Hebrews above, the immediate context speaks of entering God’s rest. It’s a place of serving Him, as that passage slides to the Promised Land.

The plight of the Israelis in the desert is necessary for our understanding. They had been saved. As they left Egypt bound for God’s promise to them, they did suffer. Even before the disobedience that kept them from entering.

Peter is encouraging us, believers, to arm ourselves with the same mind as Jesus had. Suffering comes and accepts it as the will of God.

The Sufferer has Ceased from Sin.

Perhaps that last phrase in the verse becomes a bit difficult to apply. We may suffer in our flesh, but each of us may not clearly see we’ve actually created from sinning. That is not what is in view here.

Let’s look at the two verbs in the clause. The first is ‘has suffered.’ The subject is he. The tense in Greek is aorist, which conveys a simple (one time) occurrence. It doesn’t mean that a believer is only going to suffer once. It means the suffering accomplished a purpose. Just as Jesus died once for sins. It is also in the active voice. Has suffered is also in the active voice. This means that the subject is performing the action. He suffered.

The second verb is ‘has ceased.’ This verb comes to us in the perfect tense, which indicates that the action has already happened with continuing persistence or application to the present. It is rendered in the passive voice, which tells us that the subject is the recipient of the action. It is also in the indicative mood, which is a simple relating of fact.

Suffice it to say, the phrase ‘has ceased from sin’ carries an idea hard to discern in the English rendering. So far, we know the has ceased from sin is not something done by the subject but something is done for them. Another fascinating tidbit lurks in the nuance of the Greek word from which the English cease is translated. The nuance includes a gradual build-up.

An Immediate Release from Bondage.

so that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh serving human desires, but the will of God.

1 Peter 4:2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This idea works perfectly with what the rest of Scripture offers. Consider there Israelites again as they left Egypt for the Promised Land. They had been saved from the world (Egypt typifies the word and its system.)

They gradually moved to the Promised Land. This typifies the life’s progress of the believer. Even to the point that we get to that place of rest and never really enter because of unbelief. It’s a gradual journey.

In Conclusion.

We will settle here for now. As believers, we should be ready for suffering. Even to choose it just as Jesus did. For us, it is an end of sin.

We will inevitably fail. The encouragement from Peter is to set our minds in a certain direction, abstaining from satisfying our own needs. In so doing, we will cease from the bondage of sin.