Another important point about our SOUL and SPIRIT which the Lord desires us to SEE and understand at this time is in Mt. 13:10-16 and Is. 6:8-10. The essence of His Word, as I see it in my spirit, can be summarized in this way. His true disciples were “given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom”, but to the masses it was not given. His disciples could thus perceive things in their SPIRIT, but the masses could only see, hear and understand in their SOUL. (Mt. 13:11//see also Jn. 8:31,32)
“For whosoever has (spiritual ability to see, hear and understand) to him shall be given (more) and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever has not (this ability) from him shall be taken away even that he has (in his soulish life, because he will lose it).” (Mt. 13:12; 16:25)
This truth is further confirmed in Mt. 13:13-15 where a very important fact is expressed by the Lord. Here He declares that
“this people’s heart is waxed gross (became fat, unresponsive); and their ears are dull of hearing (they do not desire to hear what does not interest them), and THEIR EYES THEY HAVE CLOSED; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their HEART, and should be CONVERTED and I should HEAL them.”
The very core of this Word of God is in one word, namely, “CONVERTED”. What should these people be converted from and to what? All these believers should BE CONVERTED FROM THEIR NATURAL SOUL LIFE TO THE SPIRIT LIFE; FROM THEIR SOULISH PERCEPTIONS TO THE SPIRITUAL PERCEPTIONS! Otherwise they cannot be healed! This also means that in the eyes and understanding of the Lord, THE SOULISH BELIEVERS ARE SICK. Health only comes from Life and the Life is only in Spirit. Here the Lord speaks to His Own people of Israel and the future Church; the first Church was Jewish! The Lord does not speak here about a conversion of pagans to believers.
This is the truth about many believers, including many leaders in Israel and in the Church: THEY DO NOT WANT TO SEE, HEAR OR UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH OF GOD! Are you reading this simple, but tragic truth with an open mind and heart and conscience? Are you truly registering what the Lord is saying with His own mouth to His own Disciples about the multitudes? THEIR SOUL DOES NOT DESIRE TO SEE OR HEAR THE TRUTH, which Truth goes against their own plans, goals, intentions, beliefs, thoughts and comfort. Anything hurting their soul is rejected including the Truth of God which may hurt our soul deeply and frequently during our transformation process. Are you truly aware what your own heart desires and what it is closed to? Really?
PLEASE, SEE AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE SIMPLY CAN’T BE TRANSFORMED INTO CHRIST’S IMAGE WITHOUT ANY PAIN, ANY SUFFERING, ANY CONFLICT! OUR SALVATION PROCESS IS NOT A CONTINUOUS HAPPINESS, PROSPERITY, ABUNDANCE OF EARTHLY THINGS, PLEASURES, HEALTH, JOY, LAUGHTER OR WHATEVER OUR SOUL MAY DESIRE. WE WILL HAVE ALL OF THIS IN HEAVEN AND MORE… IF WE GET THERE.
The above few examples should be quite sufficient in showing us the great difference between our SOUL and SPIRIT. The difference between these two is the matter of our DEATH or LIFE, health or sickness. We can express this fact also in the following way.
UNTIL OUR NATURAL SOUL BEGINS TO SEE AND LIVE IN SPIRIT, IT ABIDES IN DEATH. IF IT ABIDES IN DEATH IGNORANTLY, THE LORD FORGIVES AND KEEPS SHOWING HIS LIGHT TO THAT SOUL. IF THAT SOUL KEEPS REJECTING HIS LIGHT AND TRUTH AND ABIDES IN DARKNESS AND DEATH DESPITE THE LIGHT AND TRUTH SHOWN, IF IT KEEPS WALKING ON ITS OWN WAY, THAT SOUL WILL BE JUDGED AS “UNWORTHY OF GOD AND OF HIS KINGDOM”. (1Thess. 2:12// 2Thess. 1:5)
We may see the Son of God in front of us even with our natural eyes and not recognize Him and not believe! (Jn. 6:36) Similarly, after we have believed in Him, we may see His Word with our natural eyes and not recognize the Truth in His Word and thus not believe the Truth! This may prove fatal to our destiny, if we, by our own free will, choose not to see and not to believe His Full Truth.
We must now repeat the fact where it is important for us all to see, understand and believe that all three parts of our being must die and be resurrected, that is to say, our SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY. We may omit our BODY from the further consideration since it will be resurrected “automatically” and without any work of faith on our part. Every human being will receive a new body, whether he had done good or evil, whether he will be living at that time or be dead, whether he will be saved or damned. (Jn. 5:28,29)
Let us devote the next paragraphs to our SPIRIT and SOUL and the SUFFERING OF BELIEVERS in their SPIRIT and SOUL. The spiritual believers undergo two kinds or two “stages” of sufferings, namely:
1) They suffer when their own flesh is being burnt by the FIRE of circumstances and trials (1Pet. 4:12) and crucified on their own cross. These sufferings are never pleasant, they can be very painful, but they are absolutely unavoidable in the life of any believer since our sinful nature cannot be destroyed without them. We either suffer before we die physically or we will suffer (much more) after we die physically (see more later).
2) After they are sufficiently crucified, the spiritual believers then suffer for the sake of others whenever they are engaged in ministering to them or helping them in the same process of their transformation. It may appear as a paradox, but this suffering may be greater and deeper than when they suffered for their own flesh. Also, 1Pet. 4:12 applies here as well when their fiery trial may now be arranged by the flesh in their brethren. They are now beginning to suffer the sufferings of Christ, the righteous for the unrighteous; a totally different kind of suffering where, AND ONLY WHERE, the spiritual believers begin to acquire grace and the fruit of the Spirit. They are to rejoice in these sufferings! (1Pet. 4:13 // Acts 5:41) It is in this stage when the spiritual believers are beginning to SEE and “know the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death”. (Phil. 3:10)
We note that the soulish, carnal believers are also suffering and sometimes more than the spiritual ones! But there is a great difference in the sufferings of these two kinds of believers. The sufferings of the soulish, carnal believers are the same as sufferings of pagans; they never end and never accomplish what they should accomplish – a new creature. The spiritual believers are led by the Spirit THROUGH THE FIRE AND THROUGH THEIR CROSS; they emerge on the other side into Life everlasting as new creatures. That is the narrow way! (Mt. 7:14) The carnal believers and pagans never get out of their fires and sufferings or beyond their crosses! They are like those circus horses that run around the stage and never get anywhere.
Let us now consider the Scriptural fact of our TWO deaths and TWO resurrections as touching our SPIRIT and SOUL. It presupposes the existence of TWO CROSSES and thus TWO MIRACLES OF OVERCOMING DEATH BY LIFE. This part of the MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE is discussed in the Light of the Scripture in the following Chapter. It will also be discussed in Chapter 4 in some of its points where an example of the children of Israel and their journeys with their spiritual meanings is presented.
* * *
To be continued next week in chapter 3 – part 19
brother Hanola
…