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While the believer is trichotomous, having body, soul, and spirit, the unbeliever is dichotomous, having only body and soul. It is the human spirit which is that part of man by which he can relate to God. The unbeliever lacks a human spirit. He is spiritually dead. But he is physically alive. Again, spiritual death is separation from God. Everyone is born physically alive, but spiritually dead. Everyone who dies physically without coming to the Father through Jesus will continue to be separated from God, having no relationship with God. Spiritual death is having no relationship with God. Those who die without ever having accepted Christ as Savior will forever be without any relationship with God. And the place of their forever separation will be the lake of fire.
Paul addresses believers who once were spiritually dead, but physically alive.
Ephesians 2:1 For you were once dead in your trespasses and sins, 2] in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Of Ephesians 2:1, the Bible Knowledge Commentary states;
2:1 Unregenerate persons are deadin . . . transgressions (cf. v. 5) and sins (Col. 2:13). This death is spiritual, not physical, for unsaved persons are very much alive physically. Death signifies absence of communication with the living. One who is dead spiritually has no communication with God; he is separated from God. [The Bible knowledge Commentary, New Testament, p. 622]
For the one who has physically died without personally trusting in Christ for eternal salvation, this spiritual death will be perpetuated forever in the lake of fire.
Quote:
Originally Posted by trettep
Every living being has a spirit:
Mat 5:3 BlessedG3107 are theG3588 poorG4434 in spirit:G4151 forG3754 theirsG846 isG2076 theG3588 kingdomG932 of heaven.G3772
Notice it isn't that the blessed are the ones that have Spirit but those poor in it. Meaning surely everyone must have a spirit.
No, every man does not have a human spirit. Matt. 5:3 is not saying that and is not using the word ''spirit'' in that sense. As is the case with many words, the word 'spirit' has a range of meanings. What Matt. 5:3 is saying is that the poor in spirit are those who consciously depend on God, and not on themselves; they recognize that they are poor inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God. The poor in spirit is but one of nine qualities of which Jesus speaks in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11). Each of these qualities are gualities which the Pharisees lacked in their Pharisaic ''righteousness.'' The Pharisees were not poor in spirit. They did not ''mourn'' in recognition of their needs. Instead, they were proud rather than humble and gentle. They depended on their own ''righteousness.'' The 'poor in spirit' refers to a state of humility.
As Ephesians 2:1 plainly states, even though a person may be physically he can be dead spiritually. The person who has not trusted in Christ does not possess a human spirit. At the point of faith in Christ the Holy Spirit in regeneration creates a human spirit in the one believing for the purpose of the imputation of eternal life at salvation. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. It was a reference to a spiritual birth. The unbeliever is minus a human spirit. When he simply believes on Christ he is regenerated or born again.
Now there are those who hold to the view that even the unbeliever has a human spirit, but that it is in a degraded condition which renders him dead to God and is simply revitalized when one believes in Christ.
Whichever view you hold to, the unbeliever is spiritually dead to God and minus a relationship with God. He is separated from God. He is dead as Ephesians 2:1 states.
No, every man does not have a human spirit. Matt. 5:3 is not saying that and is not using the word ''spirit'' in that sense. As is the case with many words, the word 'spirit' has a range of meanings. What Matt. 5:3 is saying is that the poor in spirit are those who consciously depend on God, and not on themselves; they recognize that they are poor inwardly, having no ability in themselves to please God. The poor in spirit is but one of nine qualities of which Jesus speaks in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-11). Each of these qualities are gualities which the Pharisees lacked in their Pharisaic ''righteousness.'' The Pharisees were not poor in spirit. They did not ''mourn'' in recognition of their needs. Instead, they were proud rather than humble and gentle. They depended on their own ''righteousness.'' The 'poor in spirit' refers to a state of humility.
As Ephesians 2:1 plainly states, even though a person may be physically he can be dead spiritually. The person who has not trusted in Christ does not possess a human spirit. At the point of faith in Christ the Holy Spirit in regeneration creates a human spirit in the one believing for the purpose of the imputation of eternal life at salvation. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. It was a reference to a spiritual birth. The unbeliever is minus a human spirit. When he simply believes on Christ he is regenerated or born again.
Now there are those who hold to the view that even the unbeliever has a human spirit, but that it is in a degraded condition which renders him dead to God and is simply revitalized when one believes in Christ.
Whichever view you hold to, the unbeliever is spiritually dead to God and minus a relationship with God. He is separated from God. He is dead as Ephesians 2:1 states.
I think your using private interpretation to define what the Word of God is saying. Your saying the word "spirit" has many meaning but the scriptures do not make such a distinction.
The ultimate fate of everyone will be the Life of God.
Except that the truth of God's Word says differently
Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Jesus (using the mind of Christ) repeated the same thing:
John 5:28-29 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned"
Jesus (using the mind of Christ) went into even further detail when he said:
Matthew 25 " When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. "
"All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."
"He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ' "
" Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' "
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Except that the truth of God's Word says differently
Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Jesus (using the mind of Christ) repeated the same thing:
John 5:28-29 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned"
Jesus (using the mind of Christ) went into even further detail when he said:
Matthew 25 " When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. "
"All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."
"He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ' "
" Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.' "
“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
That is like at the score in the middle of the football game and declaring the victory when there is still another quarter to go. The ultimate fate (at the end of the game) is everyone will be saved.
I apologize. I did not know you had a NDE. Have you posted your story somewhere? I'd love to read it.
If not, I'd like to know your judgement experience.
No apology is necessary but I appreciate the courtesy.
I've alluded to it on CD forums once or twice and written more extensively about it in other media. I won't describe the entire experience again now.
But regarding the judgment aspect: As many others have related, that hoary old cliche - "My life passed before my eyes" actually seemed to be occurring. I watched scenes/events in which I behaved poorly and others in which I was "good." My "watching self" was stripped of excuses, rationalizations or pretense. I was ashamed and felt deeply sorry at witnessing the "bad" incidents and happy at the others.
Throughout, there was no sense of someone other than myself doing this "assessing." I was looking into a mirror of truth regarding my life and could not look away.
This event occurred when I was a child and had a strong belief in Jesus/God. But I had zero sense of God or any other presence pointing out my errors. I've since spent the better part of my life distilling the experience and extracting its lessons.
One of which is, I am certain that we are our own judges, that everyone will face that mirror of truth and be unable to look away.
I am equally certain that it matters not a whit whether one is an atheist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim or pagan - a biblical scholar or illiterate goatherd.
Belief means nothing. We are all judged on our actions. And that mirror doesn't forget a single one.
That is like at the score in the middle of the football game and declaring the victory when there is still another quarter to go. The ultimate fate (at the end of the game) is everyone will be saved.
"another quarters to go" .... yea right.
Why does responses like yours remind me of this:
Matthew 13:14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.' "
It's amazing to what extreme some people are willing to "never understand \ never perceiving" Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29, Matthew 25
Matthew 13:14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.' "
It's amazing to what extreme some people are willing to "never understand \ never perceiving" Daniel 12:2, John 5:28-29, Matthew 25
Some people when they hear something contrary run to the Bible to find something to condemn the messenger with. Others go and investigate any logic or reasoning and sometimes discover something greater than gold.
No apology is necessary but I appreciate the courtesy.
I've alluded to it on CD forums once or twice and written more extensively about it in other media. I won't describe the entire experience again now.
But regarding the judgment aspect: As many others have related, that hoary old cliche - "My life passed before my eyes" actually seemed to be occurring. I watched scenes/events in which I behaved poorly and others in which I was "good." My "watching self" was stripped of excuses, rationalizations or pretense. I was ashamed and felt deeply sorry at witnessing the "bad" incidents and happy at the others.
Throughout, there was no sense of someone other than myself doing this "assessing." I was looking into a mirror of truth regarding my life and could not look away.
This event occurred when I was a child and had a strong belief in Jesus/God. But I had zero sense of God or any other presence pointing out my errors. I've since spent the better part of my life distilling the experience and extracting its lessons.
One of which is, I am certain that we are our own judges, that everyone will face that mirror of truth and be unable to look away.
I am equally certain that it matters not a whit whether one is an atheist, Hindu, Christian, Muslim or pagan - a biblical scholar or illiterate goatherd.
Belief means nothing. We are all judged on our actions. And that mirror doesn't forget a single one.
Thank you. Your story sounds much like what is described in Rev. 20.
You are implying here that there is a standard that defines good/bad. Who establishes that standard?
I think your using private interpretation to define what the Word of God is saying. Your saying the word "spirit" has many meaning but the scriptures do not make such a distinction.
You appear to be avoiding facing the fact that Ephesians 2:1 refers to the fact that a person can be physically alive but spiritually dead.
As for the meaning of both spirit - pneuma, and soul - psuché.
HELPS Word-studies
4151 pneúma – properly, spirit (Spirit), wind, or breath. The most frequent meaning (translation) of 4151 (pneúma) in the NT is "spirit" ("Spirit"). Only the context however determines which sense(s) is meant.
[Any of the above renderings (spirit-Spirit, wind, breath) of 4151 (pneúma) is always theoretically possible (spirit, Spirit, wind, breath). But when the attributive adjective ("holy") is used, it always refers to the Holy Spirit. "Spirit" ("spirit") is by far the most common translation (application) of 4151 (pneúma).
At times, pneúma - spirit is used interchangeable with psuché - soul.
HELPS Word-studies
5590 psyxḗ (from psyxō, "to breathe, blow" which is the root of the English words "psyche," "psychology") – soul (psyche); a person's distinct identity (unique personhood), i.e. individual personality.
5590 (psyxē) corresponds exactly to the OT 5315 /phágō ("soul"). The soul is the direct aftermath of God breathing (blowing) His gift of life into a person, making them an ensouled being.
An example of the interchangeability of soul and spirit (and by that, I mean how the same function may be ascribed to each), is John 11:33 with John 12:27.
John 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit [pneumati; pneúma], and was troubled,
John 12:27 "Now My soul [psuché] has become troubled; and what shall I say, 'Father, save Me from this hour '? But for this purpose I came to this hour.
'Groaned in the spirit' compared with a 'troubled soul'. Yet the Bible distinguishes between the soul and the spirit.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
The issue you appear to wish not to address is the fact that as Ephesians 2:1 shows, a person can be physically alive but spiritually dead.
In the case of the unbeliever who has died without trusting in Christ for salvation, because he will have been resurrected after the Millennium, he will be physically alive forever, but will forever be spiritually dead and thus separated from God in the lake of fire.
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