I see people struggle with what salvation is, but can't seem to find anyone preaching
I Thess 5:23 - "Be made whole spirit soul and body"
Anyone out there into full illumination?
John 8:12 He that follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life
It appears this generation also only believes in the darkness of death.
Looking for that "very small remnant" not Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 1:9)
Yes, I also enjoy that "very small remnant" because fellowship is really restrained when other Christians seem resistant and compromised. However, our ministry here is not to be pleasant at all times. If we love our brothers and sisters in the Lord, we will want to help them get past their struggles. We *all* have them!
I hate to say it, but you sound a little "exclusive" in your attitude, and I hope I'm wrong. I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone claim to be the "Messiah" in doctrinal matters. Follow me, and I'll show you the "whole truth." I've show you where to find the deep answers, and full spirituality! ;)
I think we've all been there at various times, finding some great rush of God's power, and falsely concluding that we had missed a gem for years, and now should write a book to let everybody know how to find what they've been missing. Two weeks later, the experience is gone, and the book seems worthless! ;)
Watchman Nee, one of the authors I read a lot growing up, wrote a lot on spirit, soul, and body. He did a more than adequate job, and it was filled with revelation. However, as he himself admitted, it was "too perfect," and it was "too scholastic." He later came to realize that the Spirit cannot b e encapsulated in theology alone, but requires room to expand, and flexibility to apply in real time. Just having a profound theology does not guarantee that experience will remain.
That being said, I agree with Nee on his belief that spirit, soul, and body are the 3 aspects of our lives that are impacted when God comes into our life. The spirit is the part of our life that is immaterial, and yet individual and able to respond to God, who also is spirit. It is intuitive, has a conscience, and is able to commune with God.
The soul is a sort of convergence of body and spirit in our ego, our personality. As such, spiritual qualities take on more physical characteristics like will, emotion, and thought. When Christ enters into our life, God's Spirit wants to transform these essential characteristics into God-characteristics, ie into spiritual choices, spiritual feelings, and spiritual thoughts. We work in partnership with God *always,* and no longer choose to operate in our own independent judgment.
We are not robots, blindly following orders from above. Rather, we sometimes receive orders that make sense in our understanding of God, and obey Him. At other times, we are free to make our own independent choices--just not independent of God's Spirit.
For example, we may choose to accept a job, but we only do so if it is not challenged by corrupt requirements, and only if we're able to operate in the spirit of God's love. Living by body, soul, and spirit is a matter of walking in the Spirit of God, allowing our personal choices to operate in the love of Christ.
It is a daily walk, and not a one-time achievement. It is not just knowledge, but more, it is daily obedience, a regular response to God's word in our conscience. But I do think it's a great question. Thanks for asking it!
