How we are made
learning about ourselves
Side notes
All Bible references are from the English Standard Version unless otherwise noted.
[1] Matthew 18:3
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
[2] 1 Corinthians 15:44-45
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being";the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
[3] 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
[4] Ephesians 1:18
..having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..
[5] Matthew 11:14-15
“..and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
[6] 2 Corinthians 2:16
to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
[7] James 4:8-9
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
[8] 2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
[9] Psalms 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
[10] 1 Peter 2:1-3
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
[11] Romans 8:2-7
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
[12] Romans 12:1-2
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
[13] 1 Corinthians 7:37
But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
[14] Jeremiah 14:14
And the LORD said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.”
[15] Job 4:12-21
"Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it. Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice: 'Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error; how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth. Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it. Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’"
[16] 1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
[17] 1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
[18] 1 John 5:19
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
[19] Luke 13:3-5
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
[20] Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
[21] Matthew 6:14-15
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
[22] Matthew 6:13
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being";the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
..having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..
“..and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation-- if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.
And the LORD said to me: "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.”
"Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it. Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up. It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice: 'Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error; how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth. Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it. Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’"
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."
And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Christianity should not be complicated. If it is, then we are the ones who have allowed it to become so. God wants us to enjoy a childlike relationship with him. Matthew 18:3[1]
Basic traits such as faith, trust, obedience, and many others are designed by God to be easy to understand and operate. When we walk with Jesus in true simplicity, we find ourselves released in so many ways to enjoy him and his presence with us.
Let us then consider some basic issues.
How we are made
The Bible teaches that we are made in three parts, spirit, soul and body. 1 Corinthians 15:44-45[2], 1 Thessalonians 5:23[3]
The body we know well. Its main feature is to house the soul, enabling it to interact with the physical world around. It has five senses to assist it in this function; seeing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting.
The spirit is also like a body, and it too has the function of housing the soul, this time however, enabling it to interact with the spiritual world around us. Like the physical body, it has five senses; seeing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting.
- Seeing Ephesians 1:18[4]
- Hearing Matthew 11:14-15[5] (also 7 times in Revelation 2 & 3)
- Smelling 2 Corinthians 2:16[6]
- Feeling (has to do with cleansing) James 4:8-9[7], 2 Corinthians 7:1[8]
- Tasting Psalms 34:8[9], 1 Peter 2:1-3[10]
The soul is the centre part of our being – the real us, so to speak. It is also made in three parts – will, mind and emotions. Romans 8:2-7[12], 1 Corinthians 7:37[13]. (While the word ’emotions’ is not mentioned in Scripture, many emotions are – anger, love, joy, lust etc)
God has programmed us to have our wills in charge, our minds as a huge computer-like memory and experience storage area, with our emotions being response and reaction mechanisms. When we place our wills in charge with our emotions submitted to them, we operate correctly and enjoy the benefits of doing so. When, however, our emotions control, we become unstable and very reactionary, generally getting ourselves into lots of trouble!
It is important to understand that all areas of our being have been defiled and do not function as God designed them to, or desires them to. Our Christian pathway and responsibility, therefore, is to examine each area, bringing it to Jesus for cleansing, renewing and strengthening. Pride is a foolish sin, and will have eternal consequences if not done away with. We must face truth about ourselves, deal with the wrongs and weaknesses, and find our freedom in Christ.
Influencing voices
There are three main personalities that can have direct input into our lives – God, self or Satan. Jeremiah 14:14[14], Job 4:12-21[15]. (7 times in Revelation 2 & 3 “…hear what the Spirit says….”)
We need to learn to discern which is which. Failure to do so inevitably leads to confusion and spiritual degeneration.
God will never contradict his revealed word, the Bible. He will never ‘lead us astray’.
Our own self internal reasoning processes can be good or bad, depending on the knowledge stored in our minds, and what decisions we make.
Satan, as you would expect, will never draw us closer to God! His guidance is full of contradictions and lies, but he has an amazing ability to cloak his words with respectability and so deceive us.
Our enemies
The Bible teaches that we have three enemies: flesh (sinful nature), world and devil. (Read Romans 7 & 8 in the Bible) 1 Peter 5:8[17], 1 John 5:19[18]
The flesh consists of the sin and woundings with which we inflict ourselves. There is only one way to handle this self-destructive tendency, and that is through repentance. There is no other way. Luke 13:3-5[19], Acts 2:38[20]
The world consists of the sin and woundings that come against us from outside ourselves. There is only one way to handle these destructive attacks, and that is through forgiveness. There is no other way. Matthew 6:14-15[21]
The devil consists of the kingdom of totally wicked and depraved demonic beings who are implacably opposed to God and seek to use any sin or woundings they can take advantage of in order to make prisoners of us and so bring torment to us. Once they gain entry into our lives there is only one way to handle these destructive beings, and that is through deliverance. There is no other way. Matthew 6:13[22]
Spiritual Gifts
The Bible teaches that every Christian is given gifts or abilities from God to enable that human to have a special function in society. There are many listed in Scripture. Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 7, 1 Corinthians 13, 1 Corinthians 14, Ephesians 3, 1 Peter 4 (You can go to the ‘Read the Bible’ section for these long references.)
Spiritual gifts are very precious abilities, and if they are not put into practice amongst us, we suffer loss. Because of our sinful nature, all abilities have strengths and weaknesses, and God does not give any one person them all. This is to ensure our interdependence, and so protect us from pride and domination.
So there we have it. If we are careful and thorough in learning all there is to know about these four areas we will discover how to live victoriously and simply, avoiding much confusion and despair.
Can Christianity really be that simple to understand and live?
Yes it can! – And it should be. It is Satan, not God, who wants us so complicated and confused that we give up. But to know oneself, strengths and weaknesses, abilities and lack of them, is wonderfully releasing.
This paper seeks to accurately represent the teachings of Holy Scriptures. You are free to copy or alter all or any part of this paper PROVIDED that the Holy Scriptures are not misrepresented as a result.