What is man 3 – Body, Soul and Spirit

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect on the body, soul and spirit of man in the light of God’s ongoing work in us.

Scriptures

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Hebrews 4:9-13

9  So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10  for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11  Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience [as the Hebrews who died in the desert before entering the Promised Land]. 12  For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13  And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Observation and reflection

Context: Remember that Hebrews were written to believers who considered walking away from faith in Jesus due to severe Roman persecution.

1. Considering the context of the first readers, answer the following verses pertaining to Hebrews 4:12-13
   1. What would this verse mean for them?
   2. What is meant with “word”, “soul”, “spirit” and “division” in the verse above?
   3. Can you see the irony in the metaphor of “word of God” as a “double-edged sword”? [hint: what are the readers afraid of…?] What then is emphasized by the use of this metaphor?
   4. How does the Word active in “discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart”?
   5. How does “thoughts and intents of the heart” relate to “soul and spirit” in this context?
2. From 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, what do you learn about the Lord’s work of salvation in a believer? [don’t rush your answer]

Personal reflection and prayer

1. Sin results in destruction and death. Consider any particular destructive sin such as sexual perversion or substance abuse.  In which way can you observe persistent sinful behavior affecting
   1. The body;
   2. The soul;
   3. The spirit? [hint: relationships are inherently spiritual]
2. Now prayerfully consider your life in the light of the Lord’s ongoing work of restoration; how are you still in need of the Lord’s work of sanctification in
   1. Your body;
   2. Your soul;
   3. Your spirit?
3. Personalize Paul’s prayer in 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, thanking the Lord that He is faithful and ask Him to restore and sanctify your body, soul and spirit as you have particular needs, and also ask him to preserve you wholly.
4. What is your particular weakness or area where you are most frequently tempted? Confess it to the Lord, and ask Him to bring his Word to “pierce to the division of soul and of spirit… and discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart” that you may know and desire what is His will.

Eternal Church 2

The aim of this devotional study is to grow in the knowledge and appreciation of the church.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

12  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.  13  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and all were made to drink of one Spirit.  14  For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

15  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  16  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  17  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

18  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  19  If all were a single member, where would the body be?  20  As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.  21  The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

22  On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23  and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24  which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25  that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  26  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Observations

1. In this chapter Paul seems to have reached the most fitting metaphor for his understanding of church. What is that metaphor?
   1. How does the individual relate to the church in this metaphor?
   2. In this metaphor of church, what role does God play?
   3. What is the most useful understanding about church we gain from this metaphor? (hint: v20-21, v25) Can you give one word for this revelation? [hint: the relationship between individual persons within the local church]
2. In writing this metaphor, does Paul have the Eternal Church or a local church in mind? Why do you say that?

Reflection and Application

1. When you think of your local congregation and the members of your church – how do you view your relationship? And how do you view your relationship with your local church itself?
2. In relating to the members in your church, so you relate to them as “being baptized into one body through the Holy Spirit”? (verse 13) Do you consider yourself as such? How?
   1. If you were to view yourself and the other members in your church as being baptized in one body through the Spirit – how would that affect your relationship with the church and its members?
3. What role do you think God has arranged for you in your local church? “Where” in the body has he set you?
   1. Forget for a while the Sunday service and even Bible study meetings – what role can you play in the lives of the members in your church – how can you build up the church?

Prayer

Pray to God about your relationship with your local congregation, as well as its members; ask him to reveal his heart regarding “Christ’ body” and fill your heart with respect and love for each of its members.  Secondly, pray that God will reveal and move you towards fulfilling your function in your local church.

Holy Spirit 2

The aim of this devotional Bible Study is to discover the believer’s responsibility towards his body because of the indwelling Spirit of God.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

12 ‘All things are lawful for me’ [you say], but all things are not beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

13 ‘Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods’ [your saying goes], but God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  14  And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

15  Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16  Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For “THE TWO,” He says, “SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.”  17  But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

18  Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.  19  Or 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?  20  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Observations

Note: It appears as though the congregation in Corinth (at the time Paul wrote this letter) were struggling with all types of fleshly cravings, which lead to debauchery various immoralities.  But they held to Greek dualistic views, thinking that the body will be destroyed when the Lord comes, and that what they do with their bodies will have no effect on their spirits (and eternal life).  In this section Paul teaches them why they ought to overcome their fleshly cravings – why what you do with your body matters.

1. Slowly read verse by verse and see if you can discover the motives why believers should master their fleshly cravings.

See how it compares with this list, and write the verses where these motives are stated.

“What you do with your body matters because…”

1. …not all things build you up [v___]
2. …your body should not be enslaved bay any addiction [v___]
3. …your body is for the Lord’s service, not self-gratification [v___]
4. …your body will be resurrected when Jesus return [v___]
5. …your body is a member of Christ’s body [v___]
6. …you are one in Spirit with the Lord (and your spirit lives in your body) [v___]
7. …you should not sin against your own body [v___]
8. …your body is a holy dwelling place of God’s Spirit [v___]
9. …your body does not belong to you since you were purchased by God (through Christ’s blood) [v___]
10. …your body exists to glorify God [v___]

Reflection and application

1. Which one of the motives for practical holy living listed by Paul in this text speaks to you most? Why?
2. Considering this text, which normal or habitual behavior you do should be stopped or reviewed because of what you have learned?
3. Consider Dallas Willard’s statement “every spiritual discipline is a bodily activity”. In this section Paul does not mention what believers ought to do because the Holy Spirit dwells in them.  From your knowledge of Scripture and Godly wisdom list ten activities you can do (with your body) that glorifies God and is edifying, etc.

Note: when you read or pray, you also use your body… there you have two already!

Prayer

Thank God for your body and its health, and thank Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit living in you!  Then take some time and consecrate your body anew to God – to glorify him and serve his purpose.  And whatever behavior the Holy Spirit convicts you of, confess and repent of.

(If you have never been baptized publically – consider doing this, because this in essence is the vow a believer makes when being baptized; talk to a leader in your fellowship about that).

Baptism 5

The aim of this devotional study is to reflect of the ecclesiastical / communal impact of one’s baptism into Christ through his Spirit.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:4-18, 26-27

4  Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6  and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

7  To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8  For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10  to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11  All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

12  For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14  For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15  If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?

18  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose…

26  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Observation and Application

1. What is the overriding truth of this portion of Scripture?
2. How do you understand Paul’s statement “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it”? (v27)
3. Paul says that your conversion to Christ (symbolically through baptism) was an immersion into his body – the church. How does that make you feel and think of Christianity?
4. From this text it seems that Paul had a very literal local congregation in mind – not just “the global church of Christ”. Where can you see this clearly in the passage?
5. In which way have you been crafted and gifted by God to be a blessing to your local congregation?

Prayer

Pray and ask God to show you where he has gifted you to serve in your local congregation; pray and write down your thoughts.  If you have no clear answer, ask a friend to pray with you.  Then tell your small group / Bible Study group leader.

Note: Don’t brush this one over without acting on it – this is one of those days when the Bible and your relationship with God becomes real and has a lasting impact on others.