As 2 Timothy 3:16 says “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” so the Scriptures speak of the soul and the spirit in us. Ezekiel 18:4 says that all souls belong to God, and Ecclesiastes 12:7 says that the spirit returns to God, who gave it.
Our souls are prone to end up in Hell in certain cases, but our spirit returns to God no matter where our souls end up. So, what is the relationship between the two?
The soul powers the flesh. When the soul leaves, the flesh is dead. The soul never dies, but it either may end up in Heaven, or languish in Hell.
The spirit is the essence of God, and returns to God when the flesh dies. We may be given, then, to understand that God may give the same spirit to someone else who is born in the flesh. God gives both a soul and the spirit to those who are born.
The soul is always challenged by the wickedness of the flesh, so it has a choice. It may give in to the flesh and forsake the Lord, or it may live according to the spirit of God, which is a spirit of righteousness. God judges us in terms of whether or not we have abided by the spirit within us.
For some, though, the argument still remains as to whether we are judged by our faith or by our works. I tell you that, unless you are incapacitated, God judges your faith in terms of your works. If such were not the case, then why are there many passages in the New Testament which tell us how to behave? We satisfy the spirit in us by our works of righteousness, and we shun the spirit in us by our works of evil.
Suppose a person says s/he hates certain others, yet everything s/he does suggests a love for those others? Think in terms of a person who works for the government, in an agency responsible for the welfare of others. S/he may, to a certain degree, hate those s/he is required by ther agency to serve, yet s/he does it with the utmost efficiency. God knows what s/he thinks, but if s/he thinks in terms of evil, yet the actions do not reflect evil but instead reflect the righteousness of helping the poor and needy, will God judge that person in accordance with their thoughts, or with their actions?
There is no Law in the Scriptures which tells us to think in a certain way, but there are plenty which tell us how to act. I tell you that under God, thoughts aren’t deeds. How many times have we thought of killing someone, but don’t do it? Will God condemn us for our thoughts?
What about the idea of lusting in a man’s heart for a woman other than his wife, but he doesn’t act on that lust? In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus says “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Note that Jesus didn’t just say whoever looks upon a woman with lust has already committed adultery. So, intent precedes an action, and to be sure, Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened…” So, if a man does not act on his lust, he has committed no sin.
A person’s soul has to decide whether it will yield to the flesh, or abide by the spirit in them. The spirit is an agent of God, lent out to we who are living on earth. We are free to follow it, but we are also free to ignore it at our peril.
Our souls are prone to end up in Hell in certain cases, but our spirit returns to God no matter where our souls end up. So, what is the relationship between the two?
The soul powers the flesh. When the soul leaves, the flesh is dead. The soul never dies, but it either may end up in Heaven, or languish in Hell.
The spirit is the essence of God, and returns to God when the flesh dies. We may be given, then, to understand that God may give the same spirit to someone else who is born in the flesh. God gives both a soul and the spirit to those who are born.
The soul is always challenged by the wickedness of the flesh, so it has a choice. It may give in to the flesh and forsake the Lord, or it may live according to the spirit of God, which is a spirit of righteousness. God judges us in terms of whether or not we have abided by the spirit within us.
For some, though, the argument still remains as to whether we are judged by our faith or by our works. I tell you that, unless you are incapacitated, God judges your faith in terms of your works. If such were not the case, then why are there many passages in the New Testament which tell us how to behave? We satisfy the spirit in us by our works of righteousness, and we shun the spirit in us by our works of evil.
Suppose a person says s/he hates certain others, yet everything s/he does suggests a love for those others? Think in terms of a person who works for the government, in an agency responsible for the welfare of others. S/he may, to a certain degree, hate those s/he is required by ther agency to serve, yet s/he does it with the utmost efficiency. God knows what s/he thinks, but if s/he thinks in terms of evil, yet the actions do not reflect evil but instead reflect the righteousness of helping the poor and needy, will God judge that person in accordance with their thoughts, or with their actions?
There is no Law in the Scriptures which tells us to think in a certain way, but there are plenty which tell us how to act. I tell you that under God, thoughts aren’t deeds. How many times have we thought of killing someone, but don’t do it? Will God condemn us for our thoughts?
What about the idea of lusting in a man’s heart for a woman other than his wife, but he doesn’t act on that lust? In Matthew 5:27-28, Jesus says “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Note that Jesus didn’t just say whoever looks upon a woman with lust has already committed adultery. So, intent precedes an action, and to be sure, Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened…” So, if a man does not act on his lust, he has committed no sin.
A person’s soul has to decide whether it will yield to the flesh, or abide by the spirit in them. The spirit is an agent of God, lent out to we who are living on earth. We are free to follow it, but we are also free to ignore it at our peril.
