To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Subject: HF005 - The Christian Soul
Date sent: Tue, 20 Jun 2000 11:20:22 -0500

Hebraics, 

This Bible study is entitled, 'The Christian Soul."

Our reference Scripture is Psalm 131:1,2, where David says, "O 
Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve 
myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have
composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his
mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me." 

In the study of Jewish literature, you will come across the phrase 
'the Jewish soul.' Whether they mean this in pride is not important. There
is a such thing as a Jewish soul. But there is also the Christian soul.
The soul speaks of your personhood, or what makes us distinctly different
from everyone else. (Forget the technical language.)

Paul said an interesting thing to the Galatians concerning the 
Jews. He said, "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from 
among the Gentiles." (Gal2:15) 

Did Paul mean Jews were not sinners? Hardly. In another writing, 
he plainly states that the Jew without Christ, as just as lost as the
Gentile without Christ. His point was that the Jews had been given
advantages unknown to other people groups. These advantages had to do with
their role before God. It was these advantages that helped shape their
thinking or bend of life.

Paul explains this to the Roman believers. He said, "Then what 
advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? 
Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with 
the oracles of God." (Rom3:1,2)

The Hebrew prophets were given a sacred trust. This trust passed 
to the Hebrew apostles. God's words were to be placed in written 
form by these Hebrew men. For this reason alone, the Jewish soul 
was shaped differently from the Gentile soul. And yet, without 
Christ neither Jew nor Gentile is saved. Jesus specifically told the
Jewish leaders, "Unless you believe I AM He, you will die in your sins."
(John 8:24) 

The point is that our soul is shaped by many life factors, such as 
our environment, by our genetics, by our associations, by our 
religion, by so many factors that it is unnecessary to speak of them 
all. Everything in life affects our soul. 

But the Jewish soul or a Gentile soul is a mute issue when it 
comes to salvation. Paul said, "Among them we too all formerly 
lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of
the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest."
(Eph2:3) When Paul says "we" he is putting the Jew right in the mix of
sinners. 

Paul the Jewish man went on to call himself the "foremost" sinner 
of all. (1Tim1:15) 

Did David understand the issue of sin and our personhood? Yes. 
He said, "Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my 
mother conceived me." (Psa51:5) 

David was not saying his mother was an adulteress. He was 
speaking of his natural life. David was in anguish over having been 
accosted by Nathan the prophet concerning his sin with 
Bathsheba, and because of the death of Uriah. David felt the the 
wretchedness of being a sinner. 

Paul said much the same, when he said, "Wretched man that I am! 
Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom7:25)

But both Paul and David knew the answer. David look ahead and 
saw the resurrection of Christ. He knew that his eternal future 
rested in the atonement of Messiah. As a prophet, David spoke in 
what is called 'prophetic perfects.' That means David saw the very 
things he spoke of. (It was as if he were there in person.)

And this is why David could further say, "The Lord is my light and 
my salvation; who shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; 
whom shall I dread?" (Psa27:1) David had seen the beauty of the 
Lord. He saw Jesus of the cross, and he saw Jesus of the 
resurrected glory. 

For example, David said, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, 
that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days
of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in His
temple." (Psa27:4)

David saw the beauty of Jesus. Isaiah also saw this beauty. It 
says, "In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord..." (Isa6:1) 

In another place, Isaiah said, "Lord, who has believed our report? 
And to whom as the arm of the Lord been revealed." The apostle 
John said that Isaiah saw Jesus; "These things Isaiah said 
because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him." (John12:41) 

Now for the Christian soul - What happens with a person is truly 
born again? A number of things happens, but the essential issue is 
that of an inward nature change, and of the permanent indwelling of 
the Spirit of Christ. The Biblical Christian is given a nature that is
like Christ's. This is what it means to be a Christian. 

But a problem remains. It is not our soul that is born again. It is 
that part of us that is called 'spirit.' In the lost man, whether Jew or
Gentile, the human spirit and the human soul have become nearly one and
the same. This is why you don't hear much in the former testament of the
distinctions. You do hear it in apostolic writings. 

In Hebrews, it says, "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." (Heb4:12)

The metaphor of the Word of God being "sharper" may also allude 
to spiritual circumcision. The new birth is a circumcision where the heart
(spirit) and soul once again have distinct functions. 

Paul explains the true circumcision by way of a warning. He said, 
"Beware of the dogs (those who present false gospels. The 
Judaisers were in view, but this can be expanded.), beware of the 
evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true 
circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ 
Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh." (Phil3:2,3) 

A problem in all this is that just because a person is born again, 
this does not mean nothing else is needed. The soul of the 
Christian is constantly undergoing a renewing process. Our life has 
been shaped by the world. It now needs to be shaped by the Holy 
Spirit. Paul spoke of this to the Galatian Christians, when he said, "My
children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you."
(Gal4:19)

What was the hindering element for the Galatian Christians? 
Believe it or not, it was religion. This can be our problem also. Many 
believers are little acquainted with the truth of their new creation
in Christ. And so, they are often easily distracted by various forms of
religion. For the Galatian Churches, it was the religion of the Jews. 

Here's the scene - When a new believer first enters the realm of 
salvation, regardless of the Church he or she is involved in, there is a
burst of spiritual life. There is joy! There is peace! There is
wonderment! Grace is flowing over them like a river. They are unable to
contain themselves.

But sometimes along the line comes this feeling of, "Something is 
wrong. What's happening to me? I feel like I'm caught in a net? 
What is the net?" What has happened is that a religious mind set 
is interfering with the renewing work of the Holy Spirit. 

The net can be many things, but it is usually wrapped up in being 
diverted from the truths of God. This is why John said, "I have no 
greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in truth." 
(3John4) To walk in the truth is to experience victory. 

In the Scriptures, 'truth' is not merely a doctrine. The Greek 'alethia'
as used in the new covenant for our experiencing the Divine realities of
God in Christ. Paul these realities as, "righteousness, peace and 
joy in the Holy Spirit." (Rom14:17) 

The problem is that some in the Church are choking on letterisms 
and on non-Biblical teachings. (You have heard me say that 
metaphysics is taking the place of the gospel everywhere, and 
some Christians don't even know the difference.)

Paul explains the reality of truth this way; "For neither is 
circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And 
those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, 
and upon the Israel of God." (Gal6:16)

What did Paul mean by 'this rule'? The word 'rule' in the Greek is 
where we get our word canon. It is applied to those writings that 
are considered sacred by the Christian Church. However, Paul 
says God only has one canon for the new covenant believer. It is 
the "new creation." The issue is, "Are you born again?"

How can Paul say such a thing? We need all the laws we can get. 
Well it was easy for him to say, because Paul understood the new 
covenant as well as it can be understood. (Remember this is the 
3rd heaven man.) 

Every person who is truly born again is under the life supervision of the
Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of God who births us, seals us, tutors us,
educates us, refreshes us, turns our trials into victories, helps us
escape from bad teachings, keeps the glory of Jesus before us, and many
other such like things. Our final presentation in heaven is a thing of the
Spirit. 

In the new covenant this work of the Holy Spirit comes under the 
issue of sonship. Paul said, "Because you are sons, God has sent 
forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!."
(Gal4:6) Our relationship with the Father is not the relationship of a
servant. Each child of God is given a conscious awareness of Divine
things. We are each a son or daughter of the living God. Even angels know
the Divine seal upon God's children. 

And so again we look at the Christian soul. Our inward life is being
reshaped by the Spirit of God on a continual basis. He knows us
personally, and knows exactly what we need, and when we need it. This work
of the Holy Spirit is so powerful, that He can and does take every
situation of our life, and turn it into part of our shaping in Christ. 

This is why we hear, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery 
leading to fear again. But you have received a spirit of adoption as sons
by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (Rom8:15)

And again, "And we know that God causes all things to work 
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called 
according to His purpose." Paul explains God's purpose as our 
final glorification together with Christ. (Rom8:28-30)

Another Scripture speaks of this spiritual processing on our lives a little
differently. Paul says, "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
(inward spiritual likeness) from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, 
the Spirit." (2Co3:18)

The key to this Scripture is to understand what we are beholding, 
and where we are beholding it. 

The glory is certainly the glory of Jesus. This is the glory that David 
and Isaiah, and all the prophets saw. But where do we see the glory? 
God has a special place set aside for His people can see the glory 
of Jesus.

Listen carefully; "But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil 
lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the 
veil is taken away." Paul's point is that the new covenant believer 
can now look at the sacred writings of Moses and the prophets, 
and of course the apostles, and the glory of Jesus will reflect itself
upon their inward life. 

And so, the more Jesus is ministered to your heart and soul, the 
more you find your inward life being restored and strengthened. 

One of the most beautiful of the Psalms explains this process. 
David said, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." (Psa23:1) 
The explanation is: I shall not be wanting and I will not be hurting,
because He "restores my soul." 

Psalm 23 is the Psalm of the Shepherd walk. It is sandwiched 
between the Psalm of Redemption, and the Psalm of the 
Millennium. 

And so, where do I go from here? We must learn to say with David, "O 
Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; nor do I involve 
myself in great matters, or in things too difficult for me. Surely I have
composed and quieted my soul; like a weaned child rests against his
mother, my soul is like a weaned child within me." 

Can you do that? Can you repent of being "proud?" Can you let 
your soul become relaxed in the knowledge that Jesus is going to 
see you through? Can you let go of bitterness? Can you be quiet in 
His rest? Can you determine from this day forward that you will not 
involved yourself in matters too difficult for you?

Coming back to the purpose of the Scriptures in restoring our 
souls, let me share a personal testimony - When we began 
Christian Challenge in 1976, I had certain instructions from the 
Lord. One of them was not to try to make the ministry a traditional 
Church. We were to set the ministry up on the order of the School 
of Prophets in the former testament.

Now that is scary. Who knows what that actually means. I didn't. 
What I found out later is that the School of Prophets was a 
mentoring society. And that is what the Church is designed to be. 

The problem was that many of us had lost the concept of the 
Biblical disciple. (Talmid.) 

To further educate me something else happened in a short space of 
time. It is evening and I am in bed, unable to sleep. I was 
wondering, "What am I doing here?"

Then I had this strong impression to get up and get my Bible out. I 
went to the kitchen table, and opened my Bible. It fell open to the 
book of Psalms. Again I had a sense of the Lord instructing me. 

It was here that the Lord begin to impress upon me how very 
special this book is with regard to restoring the soul. I heard in my
heart how Psalms was designed to teach us to think properly, how
to believe, what to believe, and how to view everything. 

What I felt in my heart was, "This book is designed to teach us the 
promises of God, the providence of God, the provision of God, and the
power of God." From that day to this day, Psalms has become one of my 
favorite reading place. 

Did you know that the Jewish people in the time of Christ, had 
three books that they cherished above all else. They were the book 
of Deuteronomy, the book of Isaiah, and the book of Psalms. 
Wonder why? Not I. 

Perhaps I have taken this study far enough for now. Do you need 
healing. The study is open for discussion. 

Be well in Christ. 

Buddy

Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org