Ephesians overview – 3:14-19, Pauls prayer (inner man: the human spirit), part 22.

Thursday April 23, 2020

Heb 4:12

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Soul, spirit, and heart have all the same characteristics, but the soul is the type of person, the spirit the passion for that type, and the heart the hidden type.

If they are all in agreement, then the inner man is without conflict. Yet, they could all be in agreement for the types of sin and evil, which would make the lack of conflict short lived, for eventually trouble and judgment come.

If in the believer they are all in agreement, it makes for inner peace and tranquility that lasts through everything.

It is clear to us who have lived long enough with eyes to see that the person we project to the world around us, our reason or motivation for the person we reveal, and the real person under it all, that only I and God see, could all be in agreement or all different.

We say, “What you see is what you get,” meaning that the hidden man and the projected man are in agreement. We could give then the nuance of the heart and the soul respectively, but would have to be careful not to draw distinct lines between them.

The human spirit has the nuance of motivator, or the wind and breath that drives you.

The spirit in man, even the fallen one in all unbelievers, makes him more than instinct, although instinct is not left behind. We are told to rule our spirit and to refresh it constantly with the truth.

Let the Spirit of God within you give you a spirit of a child who desires to see all he can of Christ, and the spirit of a wise adult who is prepared to fight the good fight of faith.

Follow Christ. Go on and see Him more and more. Look with wonder, as a child would when exploring a new place; an old attic or barn, a cave or the beach; for in following Christ you are always going to see new things that will be beyond what you ever could have imagined. No matter how much of the Bible you may know, you will constantly discover new things about Christ as you follow Him, new things about love, joy, and peace. New things about forgiveness, graciousness, kindness. New things about endurance and patience. New things about fighting against the opposition, standing your ground, courage, and strength. We may know that these and more exist in Christ, but we will never come to an end of discovering new things about them. If you go forward with the faith of a child, you will expect to see new things. If you go forward with the attitude of a crusty, old professor, thinking you already know what you’re going to see, or perhaps you are sure that you’ve seen it all, then you will miss many things that you could have seen.

We have faith like children, but we are to also be wise as serpents. We are not simpletons. We are wise with the word of God, applying it and wielding the sword of the Spirit with expert skill. So, we have a child’s wonder and an adults mind.

So mankind may submit to the "spirit of error," and turn away from the "spirit of truth" (1Jo 4:6).

There is life that is true and a life that is error, and there is a spirit to both of them.

1Jo 4:1-6

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus [Gnostics for one] is not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

In the context of John’s letter, the ones who are not from God are the false teachers who have been trying to infect the believers in their communities. Their false doctrines haven’t changed. They have new titles and the movements have different names, but there is nothing new under the sun.  

When the human spirit is brought into relationship with Divine Spirit, the results are the holiness of heaven.

True life is a life of holiness, or one set apart unto God. What we mean by being brought into a relationship with the Divine Spirit is that we are allowing ourselves to be infected by the Holy Spirit. We walk with Him in obedience to the Father and following the Son.  

1Pe 1:13-19

Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." 17 And if you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.