SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
8/25/2014 9:00 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Sanctification’s
Human Components
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: 1
Thessalonians 5:23b
Message of the
verse: “and may your spirit and soul
and body be preserved complete,”
In this short portion of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 there stems
a debate of what the make-up of man is, whether he is made up of three parts,
body, soul, and spirit, or two parts, body, soul/spirit, which is
interchangeable as seen in the Scriptures.
We will talk more about this later, but first I want to talk about the
body and how the Greeks viewed the body. MacArthur writes the following about
this culture: “That culture—influenced
by a philosophical dualism which taught that man’s spirit is inherently good
and his body inherently evil—held the body in low esteem. That philosophy provided a convenient
rationale for dismissing as inconsequential whatever immoral physical behavior
people might have engaged in.” Paul
writes to them that their bodies are also to be sanctified, meaning that they
cannot just conduct themselves in any way they wanted to, for in doing that
they would be sinning against the Lord.
MacArthur writes: “If
sanctification is to be complete, it will extend to every part of the believer,
especially the body, which thinks, feels, and acts in response to the holiness
of the inner person.”
People who believe that the body is made up of two parts
which consist of the body and having the soul and spirit being the other part
are called dichotomists, and people who believe that a person is made up of
three parts, the body, soul, and spirit are called trichotomists. I will have
to admit that it has been a long time since I have heard of these two terms and
so I cannot say that I actually believe is the truth. I can also say that in reading John MacArthur
he makes it clear that he is a dichotomist, and I usually do not have trouble
with the things that he believes in for I know that he puts a lot of effort in
his study in making his decisions. One
thing for sure and that is that if we are made up of one or two parts Paul is
writing that all of our parts are to be sanctified.
I will quote from MacArthur has to say about Hebrews
4:12. “Some claim Hebrews 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,’ supports a
trichotomists view of man’s essence because it suggests splitting soul and
spirit. But a careful look at the
verse’s language refutes that contention.
The writer did not say the sword of the Word penetrates a person’s inner
being and separates his soul from his spirit.
He said only that the sword cuts open the soul and the spirit of the
person. He used a second metaphorical expression ‘piercing…both joints and
marrow’ to further depict the deep penetration God’s Word makes into the inner
person. This verse poses no special
difficulty for the dichotomist position”
With that quote I will end for as I said I will have to take some time
to look and study more on this subject.
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: I would pray that
the Lord will give me the grace so that I will be on my way of being sanctified
in body, soul, and spirit as Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I do not want to complain, but I want to be
content, and I do not want to fear but to have faith.
Memory verses for the
week: Colossians 3:1-7.
1 Therefore if you have
been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set
you mind on things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you died and your life is hidden with
Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our
life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore consider the members of your
earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed,
which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the
wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience; 7 and in them you once
walked, when you were living in
them.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Jonah.”
Today’s Bible
question: “What was the second sign that
God gave Moses at the burning bush?”
Answer in our next SD.
8/25/2014 10:34 AM
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