Destruction of the flesh

[Dave in Tenn]

Psalms 119:160 The sum of Your word is truth, And all of Your righteous ordinances are eonian." (CLV)


2Ti_3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)

Yes it is...and no scripture is its own interpretation.  I'm not about to argue what a 'soul' is, seeing how am I am one.  What happens when I die is also explained in scripture...it's the reverse of what happened when mankind was formed.  There is no PLACE called "sheol".  It IS what it MEANS...the unknown/imperceptible.  When I die, I will be dead.  Neither you nor I will know anything about the state of my being dead.  I won't because I will BE dead, and you won't because you can't. 

Ray used the beautiful analogy of a strip of yellow tape and a strip of blue tape.  Overlay them, and the result is green.  If the yellow tape is body and the blue tape is spirit, the soul is the resulting green...not another strip of tape.  Stop overlaying them, and the green goes away.  I'm looking forward to 'going away', even if I still have a fear of dying.  This corruption MUST put on incorruption...that's the way it has to be.  I'll be saved in resurrection.  That's 'the faith'. 

[microlink]

Is God consciousness? Is that a fact?  Maybe, but that expression is not found in scripture.  In fact, the word consciousness is not in scripture.

We know that John 4:24 does not say that God is a Spirit, as shown in the KJV. Neither does it say that God is Spirit as in the CLV.  The original Greek is Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός, which is pnuema (spirit) the Theos (God).  The translation" God is Spirit" is not accurate because the word is does not appear in the originals.  The Emphatic Diaglott has translated John 4:24 this way:

John 4:24 A spirit the God; and those worshipping him, in spirit and truth it behooves to worship.

If one takes the liberty of saying that God is Spirit, then would it not be reasonable to say that God has a Spirit?  God mentions His Spirit.  He possesses His spirit.

Mat_12:18  Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.

Gen_6:3  And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

The well known scripture I John 4:8 tells us that God is love.

1Jn 4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

Here the word "is " in the phrase  "God is love" appears in the original manuscripts (Strong's G2076).  Not like in John 4:24.  Therefore, would it not be correct to say that if God is love, He has love?

So can we say that if some thing is (exists), then can it can be said that some thing may have the attribute of having?  To have something is to posses it.

Luk_21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Primary dictionary definition of "have":
1. a. to hold or maintain as a possession, privilege, or entitlement

I hope this is not getting too much into semantics.

Man has  thoughts. God has thoughts.
It is not that God is thoughts, it is just that He has thoughts.

Psa_92:5  O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Psa_146:4  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Isa_55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Isa_55:9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Heb_4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged 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.

Also there are scriptures that talk about God as having a soul although I would conclude that is simply a way in which God personifies Himself for our feeble understanding and benefit.

[Dave in Tenn]

I am a life.  I have life.  I have a life.  Why be so "theological" about it?

[Deborah-Leigh]

I am a life.  I have life.  I have a life.  Why be so "theological" about it?

God is Spirit, not A Spirit. To insert "I have" or me mine" creates Theology! 

[onelovedread]

Is satan spirit or a spirit?

[Dave in Tenn]

I am a life.  I have life.  I have a life.  Why be so "theological" about it?

God is Spirit, not A Spirit. To insert "I have" or me mine" creates Theology! 

Arc, I'm really not talking about theology.  At least I'm trying not to.  I'm talking about language (and life).  The Scripture is words (and life).  I'm trying to demonstrate in the simplest way I know how that the language of Scripture concerning me, you, God and every person mentioned in it doesn't divide us up into severals of independent components.  If a writer of a regular book or story says "my soul" aches, and "my spirit was crushed", we know what he or she means.  Somehow, however, when the writers of Scripture say things like that, we think we have to decipher them for code or something.  What does it mean that the Scripture is Spiritually discerned?  I know what I think that means, and I've never heard a sermon that approaches it.

Now for my other hat.  There is so much discussion on this matter that it made it into the FAQ.

http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,11605.0.html

Microlink made the statement that "Ray says" and then tried to contrast it with what "Scripture says" and then proceeded to say what Scripture does NOT say.  No...not going to go unanswered on Bible-truths.com forum.  We each have to believe what we believe.  We really don't even have much choice in the matter.  But we do need to remember where we are.

 

[Deborah-Leigh]

Ray went into the beautiful exposition of having declared to us, that we are the Kingdom of a God who's Heavens are in us. Ray puts to flight the notions around which hierarchies of Theological edifices and constructs have been projected as Denominations, Theologies, Church's, Synagogues and any number of Seminaries courting their particular spin on interpretation.

The Ray Smith teaching that refer to my statement Dave,  is found in THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS FOR CHRIST'S DISCIPLES THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT IS FOR YOU. " Either we 'appolumi' - destroy/loose our souls! or God 'appolumi' our souls for us..." ~ L Ray Smith.

So, what have YOU got after you have 'appolumi" -Ed YOUR soul? Nothing of YOURS. No me, mine. No free will either ~

Arc