Who is Man?

Changchun International Fellowship Church 8th March 2009

Bro Josphert josphert@yahoo.comwww.josphert.org

The stability of manThe most stable geometric figure is the triangle. As human beings we always understand and experience things in three dimensions. Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

The creation of man.Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. The Lord Jesus tells us that "it is the Spirit who gives life" (John 6:63). "The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God." Rom 8:16

The soul and spirit are distinctIt is very important to distinguish between the spirit from the soul, because it forms a fundamental part in a believers spiritual growth.There is a soulish life (which produces a carnal believer) and a spiritual life (which produces a spiritual believer).To be carnally minded is death. Roms 8:6

The Total man1Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Man 1. Intuition2. Communion3. ConscienceMindWillEmotionsBoneBloodFleshHeart

The inner Faculties The Spirit (inner man): Intuition: To make us to know spiritual realityCommunion: To fellowshipConscience: To monitor good and evilThe Soul: Mind: To think, chooseWill: To decideEmotions: To feel, affection, desire.

Feeding the Total manThe spirit: feeds on the word of God. (Matthew 4:4)The soul: feeds on mental food: natureThe body: feeds on physical food.

The law of genesis states: a thing need to remain in contact with the material of creation other wise it might die.

Praying for the total man dailySpirit: strengthen the inner man, (Eph1,3). Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me bless His holy name.Soul: Take up your cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). Not my will but your be done.Body: present your bodies as a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1-2). To be under the spirit.

The creation of manThe implication is that when God breathed the breath of life it produced two lives, 1. A spiritual life (the life of David)2. A soulish life (the life of Saul)

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4

The expression of a characterGod in His creation characterizes man by his soul. Later God in many occasions only calls man soulAngels characteristics lie in their spirits.

Two materials This spirit of any man is eternal, but it does not have the "eternal life" which only believers receive at regeneration.

Man was created using two independent materialsspirit and body.

Without the spirit, the body is dead. (guarantee)

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Two materials

Old manNew manHoly Spiritspiritbodysoulnormalcarnalsoul

The mans trinityThe function of the soul is to maintain the spirit and the body in their proper order. The soul looks to the spirit for the supply which the latter has received from the Holy Spirit and communicates to the body

Zoe lifePsuche lifeBios life

Before the fallThe spirit was king.

Luke 1:46-47And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Man is Gods Temple1 Corinthians 3:16Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? We know that the temple is divided into three parts. The outer, Holy place and Holy of holies.

Conscience "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. " (Psa. 51:10). "When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in His spirit and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. (John 13:21)."I had no rest in my spirit" (2 Cor. 2:13).1 Timothy 4:1 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

Intuition And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? (Mark 2:8).For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Cor. 2:11).

communion"The true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truthfulness" (John 4:23). "We serve in newness of spirit" (Rom. 7:6). "I will pray with the spirit" (1 Cor. 14:15).

The non believerOf course the unregenerated person has functional conscience, intuition, and communion faculties of the spirit. But has not received eternal life and the Holy Spirit does not dwell there. He can only worship evil devils. Even witches can have a spiritual life which is not connected to God but to devils.

The mixture of the non believerThe soul-spirit-devil (ssd) complex

Heb 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Expression of life In the next lifeIn the present life, the soul of man is the only expression but in the next life the spirit shall be the ultimate expression. Just like as in angels now.

(1 Cor. 15:44-45).It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Thy Word!, Thy Word!, Thy Word!2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Hebrew 6:1

The spirit of manThe word "spirit" is referred to as ruach in Hebrew in the Old Testament The word spirit is referred to as pneuma in Greek in the New Testament. Ruach and pneuma are used in the Bible about 700 times.About 50% refer to Holy Spirit and evil.About a 100 times refer to wind.In many of the other occasions its refers to the human spirit.

The Flesh or body

In Hebrew the word basar is translated "flesh" in the Old TestamentWhile in the Greek word sarx in the New Testament is used for the word flesh. About 400 times the word is used in the Bible.

The HeartThe word "heart" in the Old Testament is translated from the Hebrew word leb, while the Greek word kardia is translated heart in the New Testament. We find the word heart in the Bible about 700 times.We get the word cardiology from here.

The SOULThe word "soul" in Hebrew is the word nephesh in the Old Testament While soul is translated psuche in Greek in the New Testament.From where we get the word psychologyCollectively the words are used about 800 times in the Bible.