Tag: soul

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Sanctification and Preservation

Posted on by Will

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

God is the one who makes us holy and keeps us to the end.

 

Behind the Words

“Completely” is from holotelēs, made up of holos, meaning “all, or the whole” and telos, meaning “the end point.” Thus, holotelēs means “completely to the very last part.”

“Spirit” is translated from pneuma, meaning “a breath of air.” It is that part of man which gives life to all animal life (see Genesis 2:7; 7:15, 22).

The word “soul” is translated from psuchē (or psyche). This word refers to the affections, desires, and emotions, which distinguish mankind from the rest of the animal world.

“Body” is from the Greek word soma, which refers to the physical part of man.

The word translated “kept” is from tēreō, which means “to guard and keep from loss or injury.”

Amemtōs is the Greek word translated “blameless.” It is made up of the negative particle a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of memphomai, meaning “to find fault.”

 

Meaning Explained

Having finished his teaching to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul now expresses a prayer for them (and us). He prays for complete sanctification for the saints. As we have noted a number of times, sanctification refers to the state of “being set apart from sin and its consequences.” This is not, as some churches teach, a condition in which we have so completely turned from sin in our life that we become completely sinless. Notice that we are not the ones who set ourselves apart; that is God’s doing alone. Also see that this complete sanctification occurs when our Lord comes for us.

Almost since the day Paul wrote this letter, there has been an ongoing debate among Christians as to whether man is made up of two parts (soul and body) or three parts (spirit, soul, and body). The main argument for the two-part theory is the fact that soul and body are contrasted a number of times in the Bible (Job 7:15; Psalms 31:9, 44:25; Isaiah 10:18; Micah 6:7; and Matthew 10:28), whereas this is the only verse where all three are listed. Notice, however, that in 1 Corinthians 15:44, Paul refers to our earthly body as a natural body (literally soul body) and our resurrected body as a spirit body. If the soul and the spirit are the same, then so will our heavenly body be the same as our earthly body. Also note that the writer of Hebrews indicates that the Word of God can divide the soul and spirit. Given these two facts alone, it is reasonable to conclude that man is made up of spirit, soul, and body.

Finally, notice that Paul tells us that it is God who preserves us blameless. He is the one who has declared us to be righteous (without sin), and He is the only one who can prevent the loss of that righteousness until the coming of the Lord.

 

Application

As we study who and what God is, and as we continue to submit ourselves to Him, we come to realize more fully how powerful and righteous He is and how weak and sinful we are. We also become more and more aware of how undeserving we are of the legal righteousness and the salvation that has been given to us.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

James 5:20 – A Converted Sinner

Posted on by Will

let him know that the one turning a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

Truth to Learn

We need to proclaim the truth of God to all people.

 

Behind the Words

“Sinner” is translated from the Greek word hamartōlos, from the verb hamartanō, meaning “to miss the mark” or “to sin.” The word hamartōlos refers to a person whose life is characterized by sin, one who is constantly sinning.

The word translated “soul” is psuchē (or psyche), which is a derivative of the verb psuchō, meaning “to breath.” Hence, it refers to the immaterial portion of man.

The Greek word kaluptō is translated here as “cover.” This word means “to envelop or wrap around, like the bark of a tree.” That is, it means “to completely cover over” or “to hide.”

“Multitude” is from plēthos, which is derived from the verb plēthō, meaning “to fill.” Hence, plēthos means “fullness” or “a very large number.”

 

Meaning Explained

Though the previous verse speaks of those who have known the truth (believers) and have turned away from it, this verse seems to be talking about the conversion of the unsaved. Let’s see why this is so. In the previous verse James addressed his audience as “brothers.” He also said in the previous verse, “… if any among YOU should stray …” referring to someone who is part of this group of brothers.

In this verse he starts out with, “let HIM know …” The “him” referred to is the one who causes the conversion, that is, the brother. The next part of this verse literally reads, “… the one turning back a sinner from his wandering way shall save a soul from death …” James is not talking about saving a body from death, but a soul. He is not talking about physical death, but spiritual death. So, either he is proposing that a Christian can lose his or her salvation, or he is talking about an unsaved person. The key can be found just a few words earlier, “… he who converts a sinner from …” This refers to a person whose life is characterized by sin, not a born-again Christian. As the Apostle John teaches us:

Everyone remaining in Him does not sin. Everyone sinning has not seen Him nor known Him. (1 John 3:6)

Now you may say, “But everyone sins, even saved Christians!” And you are correct. What John is talking about (as is James) is a person who continually, or habitually, sins. Now, of the one who does not abide (or remain) John says:

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they were of us, they would have remained (continued) with us. But they went out so that it might be revealed that they are not all of us. (1 John 2:19)

In other words, James is telling us that there are people who call themselves Christians who know the truths of God’s word but who have never truly submitted to the will of God. These who have called themselves “brothers” have wandered away after erroneous doctrines. James tells us that if we bring them back to the truth and to a saving faith, we are doing a great work (actually, God is doing a great work through us) in the plan of salvation!

 

Application

We need to reach out, not just to those who have never heard the message of salvation, but also to those who have heard the word but have turned away. We will not reach them through fighting and arguing. We must reach out to them with the Word of truth proclaimed graciously, in love, for God’s glory.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – Sanctification and Preservation

Posted on by Will

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

God is the one who makes us holy and keeps us to the end.

Behind the Words

“Completely” is from holotelēs, made up of holos, meaning “all, or the whole” and telos, meaning “the end point.” Thus, holotelēs means “completely to the very last part.”

“Spirit” is translated from pneuma, meaning “a breath of air.” It is that part of man which gives life to all animal life (see Genesis 2:7; 7:15, 22).

The word “soul” is translated from psuchē (or psyche). This word refers to the affections, desires, and emotions, which distinguish mankind from the rest of the animal world.

“Body” is from the Greek word soma, which refers to the physical part of man.

The word translated “preserved” is from tēreō, which means “to guard and keep from loss or injury.”

Amemtōs is the Greek word translated “blameless.” It is made up of the negative particle a, meaning “not” or “without” and a form of memphomai, meaning “to find fault.”

Meaning Explained

Having finished his teaching to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul now expresses a prayer for them (and us). He prays for complete sanctification for the saints. As we have noted a number of times, sanctification refers to the state of “being set apart from sin and its consequences.” This is not, as some churches teach, a condition in which we have so completely turned from sin in our life that we become completely sinless. Notice that we are not the ones who set ourselves apart; that is God’s doing alone. Also see that this complete sanctification occurs when our Lord comes for us.

Almost since the day Paul wrote this letter, there has been an ongoing debate among Christians as to whether man is made up of two parts (soul and body) or three parts (spirit, soul, and body). The main argument for the two-part theory is the fact that soul and body are contrasted a number of times in the Bible (Job 7:15; Psalms 31:9, 44:25; Isaiah 10:18; Micah 6:7; and Matthew 10:28), whereas this is the only verse where all three are listed. Notice, however, that in 1 Corinthians 15:44, Paul refers to our earthly body as a natural body (literally soul body) and our resurrected body as a spirit body. If the soul and the spirit are the same, then so will our heavenly body be the same as our earthly body. Also note that the writer of Hebrews indicates that the Word of God can divide the soul and spirit. Given these two facts alone, it is reasonable to conclude that man is made up of spirit, soul, and body.

Finally, notice that Paul tells us that it is God who preserves us blameless. He is the one who has declared us to be righteous (without sin), and He is the only one who can prevent the loss of that righteousness until the coming of the Lord.

Application

As we study who and what God is, and as we continue to submit ourselves to Him, we come to realize more fully how powerful and righteous He is and how weak and sinful we are.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved