Text: Genesis 1:26-31, 2:7
Theme: Journey of a Soul
Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever.
Introduction:
Many Christians all over the world observe, ALL SAINTS DAY AND ALL SOULS DAY. Even before the world started to celebrate the Earth Day, Water day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Siblings day and so on. The purpose of All Saints' Day is to commemorate those saints—known or unknown—who led a noble and virtuous life in line with Christian doctrine (Romans 8:27, Revelation 14:12). So, I would like to draw your attention to the Doctrine of Soul with reference to Holy Bible. Today, I would like to give a sketch on the Journey of a SOUL.
When a human body is formed in a mother's womb, the Soul's Journey begins. Through the breadth of God, the formless soul finds its identity in the flesh. It never dies and endures forever, even after the death of a human body. A person's soul becomes invisible to the human retina after their corporeal death. It does, however, live forever and is immortal. The question now is, where does it reside? In Hell or Heaven?
Illustration: (adopted and edited)
A middle-aged woman had a heart attack and is taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience. She saw God and an angel of death were talking with one another. Angel asked “Did I bring the right person? God said, "No" “she has another 30 years to live.” Then they let her to live.
Upon her recovery, she decided to stay in the hospital for a few more days for beautification treatment. She had a massage, a face lift, liposuction, tummy tuck, hair straightening and change of her hair color, and so on. Since, she got another 30 years, she came out of the hospital with more beauty and with a duck walk.
She walked out of the hospital, and was killed by an ambulance speeding by. She arrived in front of God and complained, "I thought you said I had another 30 years."
God replied, "I didn't recognise you! When you became more artificial" So be natural.
Today, I humbly request you to be sure of where you would spend your eternity. God has given as a Living Soul, he redeems it to become a Loving Soul, and the aims at to make us a Heavenly Soul.
1. Living Soul
Journey of a Soul is the theme of all religions. God gives life to every living thing in its existence. All life energies go out and return to God. The theology of Soul is beautifully explained in the Bible. God breathed into the Nostrils of a Man and Adam became a living Soul (Genesis 2:7). Body + Breath of Life = Living Soul.
“God crated man in his own image and likeness” (Genesis 1:26-27). “The LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7, Jeremiah 38:16). "My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." (Psalm 139:15-16). God made us slightly lower than Himself (than the angels) and gave us authority over His creation (Psalm 8:4-5). Jesus, who for a little while was “a little lower than the angels” (Hebrews 2:6–9,
The Hebrew (nep¯eš) nephesh and Greek psyche are refers to “soul”, “life” or “person.” In the Old Testament "nephesh", appears more than 700 times. The word “soul” refers to complete identity (Genesis 27:4, I Kings 20:32, 1 Corinthians 15:45). “Soul” means a whole person with consciousness, desires and emotions (Genesis 49:6, Exodus 13:12). Soul means heart and mind (Numbers 11:6). It is the seat of the appetites, emotions, and passions, and the activity of the mind, will, and character. It weeps (Jeremiah 13:17). It vexes (Judges 16:16), it grieves (Judges 10:16), it feels bitter (1 Samuel 1:15), it humbles (Leviticus 16:31, 23:32), and it dies (Genesis 35:18, Ezekiel 18:4; James 5:20; Revelation 20:4; Psalm 89:48; Job 36:14; Leviticus 19:8; 21:1, 11).
God used both material and immaterial components, tangible and intangible during the creation of Adam and Eve. He created the physical body, with its bones, organs, cells, etc., is the tangible. God intended it to endure for the duration of physical existence. Soul, spirit, intellect, will, conscience, emotions, and personality are the intangible elements. The flesh and life is connected through the blood (Leviticus 17:11).
Jesus had emphasised the importance of the Human tripartite such as Body, Spirit, and Soul. His teachings were focused on the importance of the eternity while giving concentration on the need of looking unto God for everything needed in life. The Old Testament writers had given lots of teaching on the journey of a Soul.
There are a few places in the Bible where the body, soul, and spirit are mentioned. 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.” Each part is different and plays a different role in us. Luke 1:46-47: “And Mary said: My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
We are aware that the five senses are associated with the physical body are taste, smell, touch, hearing, and sight. The human mind, feelings, will, emotions, memories, imagination, convictions, wants, and attachments comprise the soul. The communication with God takes place through The Spirit. We can only make use of the spirit through accepting Christ and God into our lives.
2. Liberated Soul
According to Romans 3:23, everyone has fallen short to live up to God's glory. Man commits the ignorant and presumptuous sins (Numbers 15:28, 30). The fall of the humanity, the fall of the Soul is beautifully recorded in the Bible. Adam and Eve were together while she ate the Fruit. He was with her very much.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines “It frequently designates life, a person or self, the expression of emotions, and ‘in adjectival form,’ soulish indicates a person governed by the sensuous nature with subjection to appetite and passion.”
God created an unpolluted, sacred, soul in the human body. The intercourse of the Body and Soul results in an inseparable human entity. Whatever the Flesh wills the Soul is willing to accomplish but whatever the Soul wills the Flesh is unwilling. Because of its vile nature, the human soul need God's protection, purification, and atonement (Leviticus 17:11; 1 Peter 1:22).
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”(John 3:16). The word World refers to the Humanity.
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29).
But unfortunately the Spirit works against the Flesh or Body and the Body against the Flesh. However, thanks be to God (Romans 7:18-25). The body sins the soul is punished (Numbers 15:31, 16:38). Now, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10). A redeemed soul is active to love God. A redeemed Soul directs to pray (Psalm 16:2, Mathew 26: 41).
The SHEMA of the Jews clearly directed every Jew to the worship of YHWH. “Hear O Israel, the LORD is our God the LORD is one, and as for you, you shall love the LORD your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
3. Lasting Soul
The life span of man is expressed vividly by the biblical chronology. Man was created to live forever on the earth (Genesis 2:7, 2:17). After the fall, the span has fixed, men lived longer, and Methuselah lived to the span of 969 years. Then the life span was reduced to 120 years (Genesis 6:3). Then Moses scripts that Man lives up to 70 years and with strength 80 years (Psalm 90:10).
“Since a man’s days are already determined, and the number of his months is wholly in your control, and he cannot pass the bounds of his allotted time” (Job 14:5). The time for the death of a tiny bird in a remote forest is of a concern to God and determined by God, So, our days are numbered and determined by God with great care and wisdom (Matthew 10:29-31).
Psalm 103:15 man is like a grass, and 1 Peter 1:24 “all flesh is like grass.” Man’s life is a fleeting shadow (Psalm 144:4). My days are passing smoke (Psalm 103:2). A mist that appears foe a little time (James 4:14).
“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), death is universal fact: “Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men” (Romans 5:12). Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” John 3:18 says that unbelievers are already under judgment.
“Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:35-36) through this verse, Jesus confronted his hearers with a profound reality that their souls can be lost.
Some believe that there is an intermediate state between their death and resurrection, their body remains in the grave while their spirit or soul is in the unseen realm of the dead awaiting final judgment. But, Paul clearly says that the born again believers die, their souls will immediately be in the glorious presence of Jesus Christ, and their bodies wait for the resurrection at the end of the age (2 Corinthians 5:8). “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).
The end of journey of the soul is clearly expressed by Paul in Philippians 1:21-24: “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.”
He convincingly made this statement, “I desire to depart and be with Christ”, rather saying, “I will die and wait at my grave.” (Luke 23:42-43, Acts 7:59). Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Conclusion: Decide it today, where and how you would spend your eternity?
