Integrity- People of God

There are many ways to live this life on earth that we have been given to live. We see it in the various avenues, paths and possibilities, as well as in the many different nations, cultures and societies that we encounter. Every place and community have its own set of rules for life that are accepted as the norm or pattern for life in their society.

Life of the body is the time from birth to death that we live on this earth. Mankind was created with what has been defined as having three distinct parts, body, soul and spirit. There are many different definitions for the soul and spirit and for the purpose of clarifying the meaning of life we will go with the biblical distinctions for these three terms. 

Death of the body is the absence or the loss of the soul from the body. Death is the separation of the life-giving essences of the being or creature and this happens when it is no longer attached to its life source. Plants as an example, are in the state of dying when they are no longer attached to the lifegiving soil.  The body is considered dead when it is no longer attached to the living soul.  

The soul is an eternal part of mankind that distinguishes it from other living creature. It is the soul that gives meaning and value and helps to create a mindset which allow us to determine if we are living purposefully. It is the soul that produces in us the feeling that our life has merit and worth. It is sometimes called or referred to as the psyche part of mankind, which includes the intellect, emotions, fears, passions and ego. This is sometimes called the lower nature of mankind’s psyche.

The spirit is sometimes considered the higher nature of mankind’s psyche, it connects the body and soul to the divine nature of God, which includes understanding, insight, reasoning, judgement and enlightenment. According to the Bible, mankind was created as a living Spirit when God’s breath was breathed into him. The spirit is the celestial or divine part of mankind that connects and communes with God as their Creator. It was the spirit of man that died in the fall. 

Genesis 2:15-17  

Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.   And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” KNJ

There was no death or destruction on earth originally, as God created it, but sin caused humanity and this world to fall into devastation and decay. The eternal life Spirit of God that was living in mankind died and was no longer a part of the being, which God had created. This was the beginning of Satan’s reign on the earth which caused death and annihilation to enter into the world. Jesus came as a quickening or life-giving Spirit to give humanity an opportunity to be born again with God’s life-giving Spirit for His kingdom. 

1 Corinthians 15:45-49 

And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual.   The first man was of the earth, madeof dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly.  And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. NKJ

Mankind is born in sin which is their natural earthly state, they are born without Christ, and therefore could be considered just dead men walking. While their bodies and souls are functioning, their God given Spirit is dead. It was the spiritual death that Jesus was speaking of when He said, let the dead bury the dead. Spiritual death is the absence or loss of mankind’s God like spirit.  This loss or spiritual death is whathappened to mankind at the fall. Mankind’s spirit is dead whenit is no longer attached to the life-giving Spirit of God who isthe Creator and Sustainer of all humanity. 

Luke 9:60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.” NKJ

Because of Christ mankind can be born again in the Spirit of God and can worship Him in Spirit and truth. In The Old Testament they had to come and worship God according to the law in certain ways and at certain times. Jesus told the lady at the well that a time was coming and now is, that those whoworship God must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Now with the resurrection of Christ we can have God Spirit in us and we can be in a constant state of worship as we worship Him in spirit and truth.  

John3:23-24  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”NKJ

Jesus came and breathed His breath on His disciples and theyreceived the Holy Spirit. Now we are to worship God in the Spirit through faith and belief in His Son. It is the Holy Spirit of God that connects us once again to God and gives us the ability to understand and discern God’s truth from lies, which may have the appearance of truth but can lead to death and destruction. 

John 20:21-22 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. NKJ      

This world only knows what it has seen and have been taught about this life. That is why people put so much effort in piling up wealth, riches and adding more things for the temporary time that will be spent on the earth. They do not understand nor have been taught that this life span of the natural body, be it 60, 80 or even 100 years, on earth will eventually end in death. Not realizing the everlasting life for the soul and spirit will spend eternity somewhere. The greater question many people fail to answer is, where will their eternal soul spend it time in the next phase of their being.  

Those who have faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity with God. For those who refuse and reject God’s saving atonementthat is offered through faith in Christ will spend their eternity in agony and torment separated for God’s life-giving source. 

John 3:36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

1 John 5:11-12  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.   He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. NKJ

It is Jesus who has given humanity the ability to live a spirit filled life on this earth and eternity with God the Father and Creator of all. The word of God is living and powerful and it can give us the ability to discern some of the thoughts and intent of people and circumstances that are happening around us. There appears to be many good things and ways to live this life but it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability to discern the best according to God’s kingdom plans. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the ability also, to discern God’s best from what may appear to be good or beneficial according to the world. 

Hebrews 4:12 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. NKJ

Some people may have the Spirit of the living God in them, but they are without the knowledge of God’s word so they may lack in their understanding and their ability to discern or rightly divide the thoughts and intents of the heart. Many people are passionate about what they believe and yet their passions and their beliefs are rooted in lies and deception. 

Ephesians 4:1-3   I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace NKJ

This life on earth is just a trial-run or the qualifying heat that will determine our eternal destination. Our time on earth is the time given to each of us to use our God given will and authorityto choose how we will live now, which will determine where we will be for eternity

It is the living Spirit of God and His word that gives us the ability to see through the smoke and mirrors of the world’s lies and deception as well as its hate and disunity. It gives us the ability to make the best judgements according to God’s kingdom way. God’s kingdom way is the love of Christ toward all mankind in unity of the Spirit, in peace, in humbleness and in truth.  

John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.