What does it mean to walk in the Spirit?

 

 Believers have the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Comforter who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit assists believers in prayer (Jude 1:20) and “intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:27). He also leads the believer into righteousness (Galatians 5:16–18) and produces His fruit in those yielded to Him (Galatians 5:22–23). Believers are to submit to the will of God and walk in the Spirit.

 A “walk” in the Bible is often a metaphor for practical daily living. The Christian life is a journey, and we are to walk it—we are to make consistent forward progress. The biblical norm for all believers is that they walk in the Spirit: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, KJV; cf. Romans 8:14). In other words, the Spirit gave us life in the new birth (John 3:6), and we must continue to live, day by day, in the Spirit.

 To walk in the Spirit means that we yield to His control, we follow His lead, and we allow Him to exert His influence over us. To walk in the Spirit is the opposite of resisting Him or grieving Him (Ephesians 4:30).

 Galatians 5 examines the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer. The context is freedom from the Law of Moses (Galatians 5:1). Those who walk in the Spirit “eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope” (verse 5) and are free from the Law (verse 18). Also, those who walk in the Spirit “will not gratify the desires of the flesh” (verse 16). The flesh—our fallen nature under the power of sin—is in direct conflict with the Spirit (verse 17). When the flesh is in charge, the results are obvious (verses 19–21). But when the Spirit is in control, He produces godly qualities within us, apart from the strictures of the Law (verses 22–23). Believers “have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (verse 24), and now we walk in the Spirit (verse 25).

 Those who walk in the Spirit are united with Him and the bearers of the fruit the Spirit produces. Thus, those who walk in the Spirit walk in love—they live in love for God and for their fellow man. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in joy—they exhibit gladness in what God has done, is doing, and will do. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in peace—they live worry-free and refuse anxiety (Philippians 4:6). Those who walk in the Spirit walk in patience—they are known for having a “long fuse” and do not lose their temper. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in kindness—they show tender concern for the needs of others. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in goodness—their actions reflect virtue and holiness. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in faithfulness—they are steadfast in their trust of God and His Word. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in gentleness—their lives are characterized by humility, grace, and thankfulness to God. Those who walk in the Spirit walk in self-control—they display moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to the flesh.

 Those who walk in the Spirit rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them in thought, word, and deed (Romans 6:11–14). They show forth daily, moment-by-moment holiness, just as Jesus did when, “full of the Holy Spirit, [He] left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness” to be tempted (Luke 4:1).

 To walk in the Spirit is to be filled with the Spirit, and some results of the Spirit’s filling are thankfulness, singing, and joy (Ephesians 5:18–20; Colossians 3:16). Those who walk in the Spirit follow the Spirit’s lead. They “let the word of Christ dwell in [them] richly” (Colossians 3:16, ESV), and the Spirit uses the Word of God “for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Their whole way of life is lived according to the rule of the gospel, as the Spirit moves them toward obedience. When we walk in the Spirit, we find that the sinful appetites of the flesh have no more dominion over us.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

 There are many misconceptions about the identity of the Holy Spirit. Some view the Holy Spirit as a mystical force. Others understand the Holy Spirit as the impersonal power that God makes available to followers of Christ. What does the Bible say about the identity of the Holy Spirit? Simply put, the Bible declares that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also tells us that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, a being with a mind, emotions, and a will.

 The fact that the Holy Spirit is God is clearly seen in many Scriptures, including Acts 5:3-4. In this verse Peter confronts Ananias as to why he lied to the Holy Spirit and tells him that he had “not lied to men but to God.” It is a clear declaration that lying to the Holy Spirit is lying to God. We can also know that the Holy Spirit is God because He possesses the characteristics of God. For example, His omnipresence is seen in Psalm 139:7-8, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” Then in 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

 We can know that the Holy Spirit is indeed a divine person because He possesses a mind, emotions, and a will. The Holy Spirit thinks and knows (1 Corinthians 2:10). The Holy Spirit can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit intercedes for us (Romans 8:26-27). He makes decisions according to His will (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). The Holy Spirit is God, the third Person of the Trinity. As God, the Holy Spirit can truly function as the Comforter and Counselor that Jesus promised He would be (John 14:16, 26, 15:26).

Is the Holy Spirit a person?

 Many people find the doctrine of the Holy Spirit confusing. Is the Holy Spirit a force, a person, or something else? What does the Bible teach?

 The Bible provides many ways to help us understand that the Holy Spirit is truly a person—that is, He is a personal being, rather than an impersonal thing. First, every pronoun used in reference to the Spirit is “he” not “it.” The original Greek language of the New Testament is explicit in confirming the person of the Holy Spirit. The word for “Spirit” (pneuma) is neuter and would naturally take neuter pronouns to have grammatical agreement. Yet, in many cases, masculine pronouns are found (e.g., John 15:26; 16:13-14). Grammatically, there is no other way to understand the pronouns of the New Testament related to the Holy Spirit—He is referred to as a “He,” as a person.

 Matthew 28:19 teaches us to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is a collective reference to one Triune God. Also, we are not to grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30). The Spirit can be sinned against (Isaiah 63:10) and lied to (Acts 5:3). We are to obey Him (Acts 10:19–21) and honor Him (Psalm 51:11).

 The personhood of the Holy Spirit is also affirmed by His many works. He was personally involved in creation (Genesis 1:2), empowers God’s people (Zechariah 4:6), guides (Romans 8:14), comforts (John 14:26), convicts (John 16:8), teaches (John 16:13), restrains sin (Isaiah 59:19), and gives commands (Acts 8:29). Each of these works requires the involvement of a person rather than a mere force, thing, or idea.

 The Holy Spirit’s attributes also point to His personality. The Holy Spirit has life (Romans 8:2), has a will (1 Corinthians 12:11), is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10–11), is eternal (Hebrews 9:14), and is omnipresent (Psalm 139:7). A mere force could not possess all of these attributes, but the Holy Spirit does.

 And the personhood of the Holy Spirit is affirmed by His role as the third Person of the Godhead. Only a being who is equal to God (Matthew 28:19) and possesses the attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and eternality could be defined as God.

 In Acts 5:3–4, Peter referred to the Holy Spirit as God, stating, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” Paul likewise referred to the Holy Spirit as God in 2 Corinthians 3:17–18, stating, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

 The Holy Spirit is a person, as Scripture makes clear. As such, He is to be revered as God and serves in perfect unity with Father and Son to lead us in our spiritual lives.

 How is the Holy Spirit like a fire?

 The Bible describes God as “a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29), so it is not surprising that fire often appears as a symbol of God’s presence. Examples include the burning bush (Exodus 3:2), the Shekinah glory (Exodus 14:19; Numbers 9:15-16), and Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 1:4). Fire has many times been an instrument of God’s judgment (Numbers 11:1, 3; 2 Kings 1:10, 12) and a sign of His power (Judges 13:20; 1 Kings 18:38).

 For obvious reasons, fire was important for the Old Testament sacrifices. The fire on the altar of burnt offering was a divine gift, having been lit originally by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24). God charged the priests with keeping His fire lit (Leviticus 6:13) and made it clear that fire from any other source was unacceptable (Leviticus 10:1-2).

 In the New Testament, the altar can serve as a picture of our commitment to the Lord. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are called upon to offer our bodies as “living sacrifices” (Romans 12:1), engulfed by the divine gift: the inextinguishable fire of the Holy Spirit. At the very beginning of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is associated with fire. John the Baptist predicts that Jesus will be the One to “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11). When the Holy Spirit began His ministry of indwelling the early church, He chose to appear as “tongues of fire” resting on each of the believers. At that moment, “all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (Acts 2:3-4).

 Fire is a wonderful picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is like a fire in at least three ways: He brings God’s presence, God’s passion, and God’s purity. The Holy Spirit is the presence of God as He indwells the heart of the believer (Romans 8:9). In the Old Testament, God showed His presence to the Israelites by overspreading the tabernacle with fire (Numbers 9:14-15). This fiery presence provided light and guidance (Numbers 9:17-23). In the New Testament, God guides and comforts His children with the Holy Spirit dwelling in our bodies—the “tabernacle” and the “temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 5:1; 6:16).

 The Holy Spirit creates the passion of God in our hearts. After the two traveling disciples talk with the resurrected Jesus, they describe their hearts as “burning within us” (Luke 24:32). After the apostles receive the Spirit at Pentecost, they have a passion that lasts a lifetime and impels them to speak the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31).

 The Holy Spirit produces the purity of God in our lives. God’s purpose is to purify us (Titus 2:14), and the Spirit is the agent of our sanctification (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2). As the silversmith uses fire to purge the dross from the precious metal, so God uses the Spirit to remove our sin from us (Psalm 66:10; Proverbs 17:3). His fire cleanses and refines.

 What is the human spirit?

 The human spirit is the incorporeal part of man. The Bible says that the human spirit is the very breath of Almighty God and was breathed into man at the beginning of God’s creation: “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). It is the human spirit that gives us a consciousness of self and other remarkable, though limited, “God-like” qualities. The human spirit includes our intellect, emotions, fears, passions, and creativity. It is this spirit that provides us the unique ability to comprehend and understand (Job 32:8, 18).

 The words spirit and breath are translations of the Hebrew word neshamah and the Greek word pneuma. The words mean “strong wind, blast, or inspiration.” Neshamah is the source of life that vitalizes humanity (Job 33:4). It is the intangible, unseen human spirit that governs man’s mental and emotional existence. The apostle Paul said, “Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him?” (1 Corinthians 2:11). Upon death the “spirit returns back to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; see also Job 34:14-15; Psalm 104:29-30).

 Every human being has a spirit, and it is distinct from the “spirit,” or life, of animals. God made man differently from the animals in that He created us “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26-27). Therefore, man is able to think, feel, love, design, create, and enjoy music, humor, and art. And it is because of the human spirit that we have a “free will” that no other creature on earth has.

 The human spirit was damaged in the fall. When Adam sinned, his ability to fellowship with God was broken; he did not die physically that day, but he died spiritually. Ever since, the human spirit has borne the effects of the fall. Before salvation, a person is characterized as spiritually “dead” (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13). A relationship with Christ revitalizes our spirits and renews us day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16).

 Interestingly, just as the human spirit was divinely breathed into the first man, so the Holy Spirit was breathed into the first disciples in John 20:22: “And with that [Jesus] breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). Adam was made alive by the breath of God, and we, as “new creations” in Christ, are made spiritually alive by the “Breath of God,” the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:17; John 3:3; Romans 6:4). Upon our acceptance of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of God joins with our own spirit in ways we cannot comprehend. The apostle John said, “This is how we know that we live in Him and He in us: He has given us of His Spirit” (1 John 4:13).

 When we allow the Spirit of God to lead our lives, the “Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16). As children of God, we are no longer led by our own spirit but by God’s Spirit, who leads us to eternal life.

What evidence is there of a spiritual realm?

 The Bible teaches the existence of an immaterial, spiritual reality, unseen by human eyes. The physical reality is evident for all to see—although some doubt the existence of a material universe, too! The Bible says that the spiritual realm consists of both good—God and the holy angels—and evil—the devil and his demons. Demons are most likely fallen angels who rebelled against God and were thrown out of heaven (see Ezekiel 28:11–17; Isaiah 14:12–15; Revelation 12:7–9). The Bible also teaches that humans were created by God in His image, which means we have a spiritual component (Genesis 1:27). We are more than physical entities; we possess a soul/spirit destined for eternity. Even though the spiritual realm is invisible to the physical eye, we are connected to it, and what goes on in the spiritual realm directly affects our physical world.

 In our culture, the most commonly accepted form of evidence for proving the existence of something is empirical evidence, which involves using the scientific method of observation and experimentation. Is there empirical evidence for a spiritual realm? It doesn’t take much research before one realizes there is “evidence” both for and against the existence of a spiritual realm. It comes down to which studies one wants to believe.

 The best, and most prevalent, evidence available proving that there is a spiritual realm is testimonial evidence. We can look at the sheer number of religions around the world and the billions of people who focus their lives on the spiritual realm. Is it likely that so many people would report encounters with the spiritual and it not be real?

 The best testimonial evidence for a spiritual realm is the Bible itself. Historians, both Christian and non-Christian, agree that the historical authenticity of the Bible is strong. Jesus claimed to be God’s Son, the One who came down from heaven. He made this fact quite clear: “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world” (John 8:23). The Bible recounts numerous encounters that people had with the spiritual realm. Jesus cast demons out of people regularly, healed the sick by speaking to them, miraculously fed thousands of people, and spoke with people who should be dead: Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1–3). These are all indicators that the spiritual realm is real.

What is soul care?

 

It is common to refer to human beings as made up of body, soul, and spirit. Although human beings are integrated wholes, this division is a helpful way to refer to the three main components of human existence. The distinction is helpful, even though there is some debate over the separateness of the soul and spirit. Some theologians prefer to see humans as simply material and immaterial beings without a strict distinction between soul and spirit. It may be that the immaterial side simply has a “soulish” aspect and a spiritual aspect rather than being two separate things—soul and spirit.

The body, though by no means simple, is the easiest part of a human to understand, and care of the body is also straightforward and easy to understand.

The spirit may be defined as the immaterial part of a human being that has the capacity to relate to God. A person, outside of Christ, is spiritually dead and unable to respond to God in an appropriate way (see Ephesians 2:1–6 and Romans 8:5–8).

The soul is the immaterial part of a human being that can respond to other people. In Greek the word for “soul” is psyche from which we get the word psychology. The soul involves the mind and emotions. It gives us the capacity to relate to others and to form bonds. It is our souls that respond to beauty and high ideals. People with healthy souls are capable of forming meaningful relationships, and people with unhealthy souls find it more difficult. Soul care is the attention given to healing a wounded soul or maintaining a healthy soul. In a Christian context, soul care is often linked to finding help to overcome temptations, fight addictions, and have peace with God.

At this point it is helpful once again to make a distinction between soul and spirit. Sin and spiritual death affect the whole person. Our bodies feel the effects of sin, and so do our souls. Some people have healthier souls than others and are thus better able to have healthy relationships. If a person with an unhealthy soul attends counseling or even enters into the treatment of a psychologist, he or she may be able to make changes that will improve personal relationships and the level of functioning in society. However, this improvement of the soul will not change a person’s eternal destiny, nor will it give him or her spiritual life. Likewise, a person who has become spiritually alive in Christ may still have a damaged soul and may be in need of soul care. Some believers have to work long and hard to overcome bad habits and destructive patterns. Such struggles often continue all of their lives.

Many people who speak of “spiritual life” or “spirituality” are really speaking of the wondrous capacities of the soul, apart from a relationship with God. Sometimes this is referred to as the “inner life.” These people are often speaking of an appreciation for beauty and wonder, as well as qualities like honesty, openness, and kindness, which are conducive to forming authentic relationships with other people. They speak of tranquility, inspiration, and self-confidence. While these may be attained in some measure apart from a relationship with God, the best medicine for an unhealthy soul is a healthy spirit—one that has been animated by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. Many in popular culture wrongly assume that the greatest need for mankind is soul care and that the “spiritual” is simply a tool for attaining inner peace and health in the realm of the soul.

Thomas Moore’s book Care of the Soul has been a bestseller for the past 25 years. From the back of the 25th anniversary edition: “Promising to deepen and broaden the reader’s perspective on his or her own life experiences, Moore draws on his own life as a therapist practicing ‘care of the soul,’ as well as his studies of the world’s religions and his work in music and art, to create this inspirational guide that examines the connections between spirituality and the problems of individuals and society.” In this book the “spiritual” truth that is offered is actually inspirational truth pulled from the world’s religions. If a person follows the advice that Moore gives in his book, that person’s soul may indeed become healthier, but his or her spirit will still be dead apart from Christ, just as a good diet and exercise will improve the body while doing nothing for the spirit (see 1 Timothy 4:8). Thus, Moore’s book is accurately titled Care of the Soul, because, while it focuses on the soul, it will do nothing help a person attain spiritual life.

Some ministries practice soul care from a biblical basis. One such ministry, called Soul Care, is dedicated to helping Christians develop healthy souls. The Seven Pillars that are promoted by this organization are Prayer, Use of Scripture, Soul Searching, Simplicity, Solitude/Silence, Spiritual Friendship, and Journaling. These pillars are similar to what others would call “spiritual disciplines.”

Practices for caring for the soul, as those caring for the body, can be either biblical or unbiblical. Christians should avoid any practices of soul care that are unbiblical. Likewise, some practices for caring for the soul (meditation, listening to music, making restitution for wrongs done, decluttering one’s life, and performing random acts of kindness) may be based on common grace and therefore helpful without imparting spiritual life, just some practices are helpful in caring for the body but do not yield a resurrection body.

God cares for the whole person, and soul care can be a valid ministry to others. We serve “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4). The Lord wants to transform us and renew our minds (Romans 12:2). John’s short letter to Gaius expressed a godly concern for Gaius’s health: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well” (3 John 1:2). Though the term soul care is never found in the Bible, John was certainly involved in form of soul care as he ministered to the Body of Christ.

Do we have two or three parts; body and soul/spirit, or body, soul, and spirit?

 

Genesis 1:26–27 indicates that God created mankind distinct from all the other creatures. Scripture clearly teaches that man is intended to experience intimate relationship with God, and, therefore, He created us as a unity of both material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual) aspects (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Matthew 10:28, 1 Corinthians 5:5, 2 Corinthians 4:16; 7:1, James 2:26). The material component of humans is obviously that which is tangible and temporal: the physical body. The immaterial aspects are intangible: soul, spirit, intellect, will, conscience, mind, emotions, etc. These exist unendingly beyond the lifespan of the physical body.

 All human beings possess both material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual) characteristics. Each person has a physical body. However, the intangible, non-physical qualities of mankind are often debated. What does Scripture say about these? Genesis 2:7 states that man was created as a “living soul” (KJV). Numbers 16:22 names God as the “God of the spirits of all flesh” (ESV). Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it,” indicating that the heart (not the myocardium-i.e.the muscular tissue of the heart.) is central to man’s will and emotions. In Acts 23:1 Paul refers to the conscience as that part of the mind that convicts us of right and wrong. Romans 12:2 speaks of the transformative power of a renewed mind. These verses, and numerous others, refer to the various aspects of the spiritual components of humanity. We are a unified combination of both material and immaterial qualities.

 Somehow, the soul, spirit, emotions, conscience, will, and mind are connected and interrelated. Perhaps the soul-spirit is comprised of a combination of all the other immaterial human aspects. With this in mind, is humanity dichotomous (“cut in two”) or trichotomous (“cut in three”)? In other words, do we have two parts (body and soul-spirit), or do we have three parts (body, soul, and spirit)? It is impossible to be dogmatic. Theologians have differed over this issue for centuries, and there has never been a decisive orthodox declaration of which is true.

 Those who believe Scripture teaches that man is a dichotomy see humans as comprised of two parts: a body and a spirit. There are two general views of this dichotomy. The first view is that man is a united body and spirit that together comprise a living soul. A human soul is the spirit and the body united as one personhood. This view is supported by Genesis 2:7; Numbers 9:13; Psalm 16:10; 97:10 and Jonah 4:8. This view emphasizes that the Hebrew word nephesh in these verses refers to an integrated (unified) soul, living being, life, or self—i.e., a unified person (soul) comprised of a body and spirit. It is noted that, when the Bible speaks of the ruach (“breath, wind, or spirit”) being separated from the body, the person is disintegrated (fractured)—dead (see Ecclesiastes 12:7; Psalm 104:29; 146:4).

 The second dichotomic view is that the spirit and the soul are the same thing with two different names. This view emphasizes the fact that the words spirit and soul are often used interchangeably (Luke 1:46–47; Isaiah 26:9; Matthew 6:25; 10:28, 1 Corinthians 5:3, 5) and should be understood as synonyms referring to the same spiritual reality within each person. Therefore, the dichotomous position holds that man is comprised of two parts. Man is either a body and spirit, which makes a soul, or a body and soul-spirit.

 Those who believe Scripture teaches that man is a trichotomy see man as comprised of three distinct parts: body, soul, and spirit. They emphasize 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12, which seem to differentiate between spirit and soul. The dichotomist counters that, if 1 Thessalonians 5:23 teaches trichotomy, then, by the same hermeneutic, does Mark 12:30 teach tetrachotomy?

 Is it important to conclusively decide between dichotomy and trichotomy? Perhaps not; however, a word of caution is appropriate. Some who hold the trichotomist view have erroneously taught that God can bypass our soul/intellect and communicate directly with our spirit; such teaching leads to irrational mysticism. Other churches have used the trichotomous position to teach the possibility of Christians being demon-possessed. Because they see the soul and spirit as two separate immaterial aspects within the Christian, they postulate that one can be indwelt by the Holy Spirit and the other can be possessed by demonic forces. This teaching is problematic in that there are no biblical references that those who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit can be simultaneously possessed by demons.

 Regardless of whether a Christian believes dichotomy or trichotomy best represents an accurate understanding of Scripture, we can all unitedly praise God with the psalmist: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Psalm 139:14).

Spiritual Direction

  It has become popular in modern society to be “spiritual, but not religious.” “Spiritual” usually means that a person is in touch with his or her own spirit, the spirits of others, and some (personal or impersonal) Higher Power or Spirit that inhabits (and perhaps empowers) the universe. To do this, one does not need to be part of an organized religion or believe any specific doctrines about God, sin, salvation, heaven, hell, or Jesus. In fact, doctrine will probably only limit one’s spirituality since God (who- or whatever He, She, or It may be) is undoubtedly bigger than religious categories. Religion separates us, goes the common thinking; spirituality brings us together.

 The Bible teaches that our most basic need is not first and foremost that of spiritual direction or of getting in touch with our “spiritual self” but that we are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1) and in need of spiritual life that can only come from God. The God who gives spiritual life is the God who created the world and entered the human race as Jesus Christ. Spiritual life is only available to those who are raised to new life in Christ through faith in Him (Ephesians 2:6–7). Those who are “raised with Christ” are born again into new spiritual life and are indwelled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the Ultimate Spiritual Director (Romans 8:14). And He will always glorify Jesus (John 16:14) and direct us to become more like Christ (Ephesians 4:15).

Do our thoughts affect others and Self?

 

Thoughts and emotions have a profound effect on one another. Thoughts can trigger emotions (worrying about an upcoming job interview may cause fear) and also serve as an appraisal of that emotion (“this isn't a realistic fear”). In addition, how we attend to and appraise our lives has an effect on how we feel.

 Do thoughts affect reality?

Once we agree to give our attention to a thought, it becomes more and more real to us over time and has more and more power over out life.” It triggers an emotion, which then triggers a body reaction and drives us to act in a certain way. ... This is how your thoughts shape your reality. This is why you are what you think.

 Does thoughts feelings and behavior are connected?

“The way we think about something affects the way we feel about it. Our thoughts and feelings influence our behaviors, choices, and ultimately, outcomes.” Behaviors are our actions or the ways in which we present ourselves to others.

 Why are our thoughts so powerful?

Neuroscientists have discovered that repetitive thoughts form neural pathways as neurons that fire together get wired together. Thus, the more a particular thought or belief is activated and reinforced, the stronger these neural pathways become and the more automatically they become our "go to" pattern of perceiving.

 What do negative thoughts do to your brain?

The study found that a habit of prolonged negative thinking diminishes your brain's ability to think, reason, and form memories. Essentially draining your brain's resources. Another study reported in the journal American Academy of Neurology found that cynical thinking also produces a greater dementia risk

 Does mind affect matter?

It has also been established that the mind is inexorably linked to matter. Brain scans indicate that thoughts are intimately related to brain activity. Brain neurons interact through synaptic connections to generate mental phenomena, and damage to a part of one's brain affects mental functions.

 Do thoughts cause emotions?

Scientists have discovered that our emotions are often caused by our thoughts [1]. This means two people could be in the same situation, but they might feel different emotions because they have different thoughts.

 What is the power of our thoughts?

Our thoughts are very powerful instruments we use to either create happiness and wealth, or sickness and poverty. If your life doesn't look like what you're dreaming of, it means you have thoughts which go against you. Your thoughts create your life. If you want to change your life, change first your thoughts.

 How our thoughts affect our mental health?

Negative attitudes and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness can create chronic stress, which upsets the body's hormone balance, depletes the brain chemicals required for happiness, and damages the immune system. Chronic stress can actually decrease our lifespan.

 Can we control our thoughts feelings and behavior?

The only things we can control in life are our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. ... If we know how our minds work, we can be intentional about influencing our thinking and feeling patterns. We can evaluate reality more clearly, make better decisions and improve our ability to achieve our goals.

 

 Are thoughts waves?

Thoughts are Like Sound Waves

 This has been demonstrated with sound waves where researchers are attempting to create a quiet environment. You can use sound to literally cancel and silence unwanted noises.

Could consciousness come down to the way things vibrate?

 

 By Tam Hunt, University of California, Santa Barbara

 Why is my awareness here, while yours is over there? Why is the universe split in two for each of us, into a subject and an infinity of objects? How is each of us our own center of experience, receiving information about the rest of the world out there? Why are some things conscious and others apparently not? Is a rat conscious? A gnat? A bacterium?

 These questions are all aspects of the ancient “mind-body problem,” which asks, essentially: What is the relationship between mind and matter? It’s resisted a generally satisfying conclusion for thousands of years.

 The mind-body problem enjoyed a major rebranding over the last two decades. Now it’s generally known as the hard problem of consciousness, after philosopher David Chalmers coined this term in a now classic paper and further explored it in his 1996 book, “The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory.”

 Chalmers thought the mind-body problem should be called “hard” in comparison to what, with tongue in cheek, he called the “easy” problems of neuroscience: How do neurons and the brain work at the physical level? Of course they’re not actually easy at all. But his point was that they’re relatively easy compared to the truly difficult problem of explaining how consciousness relates to matter.

 Over the last decade, my colleague, University of California, Santa Barbara psychology professor Jonathan Schooler and I have developed what we call a resonance theory of consciousness. We suggest that resonance – another word for synchronized vibrations – is at the heart of not only human consciousness but also animal consciousness and of physical reality more generally. It sounds like something the hippies might have dreamed up – it’s all vibrations, man! – but stick with me.

 All about the vibrations

 All things in our universe are constantly in motion, vibrating. Even objects that appear to be stationary are in fact vibrating, oscillating, resonating, at various frequencies. Resonance is a type of motion, characterized by oscillation between two states. And ultimately all matter is just vibrations of various underlying fields. As such, at every scale, all of nature vibrates.

 Something interesting happens when different vibrating things come together: They will often start, after a little while, to vibrate together at the same frequency. They “sync up,” sometimes in ways that can seem mysterious. This is described as the phenomenon of spontaneous self-organization.

 Mathematician Steven Strogatz provides various examples from physics, biology, chemistry and neuroscience to illustrate sync – his term for resonance – in his 2003 book “Sync: How Order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life,” including:

 – When fireflies of certain species come together in large gatherings, they start flashing in sync, in ways that can still seem a little mystifying.

 – Lasers are produced when photons of the same power and frequency sync up.

 – The moon’s rotation is exactly synced with its orbit around the Earth such that we always see the same face.

 Examining resonance leads to potentially deep insights about the nature of consciousness and about the universe more generally.

 Sync inside your skull

 Neuroscientists have identified sync in their research, too. Large-scale neuron firing occurs in human brains at measurable frequencies, with mammalian consciousness thought to be commonly associated with various kinds of neuronal sync.

 For example, German neurophysiologist Pascal Fries has explored the ways in which various electrical patterns sync in the brain to produce different types of human consciousness.

 Fries focuses on gamma, beta and theta waves. These labels refer to the speed of electrical oscillations in the brain, measured by electrodes placed on the outside of the skull. Groups of neurons produce these oscillations as they use electrochemical impulses to communicate with each other. It’s the speed and voltage of these signals that, when averaged, produce EEG waves that can be measured at signature cycles per second.

 Gamma waves are associated with large-scale coordinated activities like perception, meditation or focused consciousness; beta with maximum brain activity or arousal; and theta with relaxation or daydreaming. These three wave types work together to produce, or at least facilitate, various types of human consciousness, according to Fries. But the exact relationship between electrical brain waves and consciousness is still very much up for debate.

 Fries calls his concept communication through coherence. For him, it’s all about neuronal synchronization. Synchronization, in terms of shared electrical oscillation rates, allows for smooth communication between neurons and groups of neurons. Without this kind of synchronized coherence, inputs arrive at random phases of the neuron excitability cycle and are ineffective, or at least much less effective, in communication.

 A resonance theory of consciousness

 Our resonance theory builds upon the work of Fries and many others, with a broader approach that can help to explain not only human and mammalian consciousness, but also consciousness more broadly.

 Based on the observed behavior of the entities that surround us, from electrons to atoms to molecules, to bacteria to mice, bats, rats, and on, we suggest that all things may be viewed as at least a little conscious. This sounds strange at first blush, but panpsychism – the view that all matter has some associated consciousness – is an increasingly accepted position with respect to the nature of consciousness.

 The panpsychist argues that consciousness did not emerge at some point during evolution. Rather, it’s always associated with matter and vice versa – they’re two sides of the same coin. But the large majority of the mind associated with the various types of matter in our universe is extremely rudimentary. An electron or an atom, for example, enjoys just a tiny amount of consciousness. But as matter becomes more interconnected and rich, so does the mind, and vice versa, according to this way of thinking.

 Biological organisms can quickly exchange information through various biophysical pathways, both electrical and electrochemical. Non-biological structures can only exchange information internally using heat/thermal pathways – much slower and far less rich in information in comparison. Living things leverage their speedier information flows into larger-scale consciousness than what would occur in similar-size things like boulders or piles of sand, for example. There’s much greater internal connection and thus far more “going on” in biological structures than in a boulder or a pile of sand.

 Under our approach, boulders and piles of sand are mere aggregates, just collections of highly rudimentary conscious entities at the atomic or molecular level only. That’s in contrast to what happens in biological life forms where the combinations of these micro-conscious entities together create a higher level macro-conscious entity. For us, this combination process is the hallmark of biological life.

 The central thesis of our approach is this: the particular linkages that allow for large-scale consciousness – like those humans and other mammals enjoy – result from a shared resonance among many smaller constituents. The speed of the resonant waves that are present is the limiting factor that determines the size of each conscious entity in each moment.

 As a particular shared resonance expands to more and more constituents, the new conscious entity that results from this resonance and combination grows larger and more complex. So the shared resonance in a human brain that achieves gamma synchrony, for example, includes a far larger number of neurons and neuronal connections than is the case for beta or theta rhythms alone.

 What about larger inter-organism resonance like the cloud of fireflies with their little lights flashing in sync? Researchers think their bioluminescent resonance arises due to internal biological oscillators that automatically result in each firefly syncing up with its neighbors.

 Is this group of fireflies enjoying a higher level of group consciousness? Probably not, since we can explain the phenomenon without recourse to any intelligence or consciousness. But in biological structures with the right kind of information pathways and processing power, these tendencies toward self-organization can and often do produce larger-scale conscious entities.

 Our resonance theory of consciousness attempts to provide a unified framework that includes neuroscience, as well as more fundamental questions of neurobiology and biophysics, and also the philosophy of mind. It gets to the heart of the differences that matter when it comes to consciousness and the evolution of physical systems.

 It is all about vibrations, but it’s also about the type of vibrations and, most importantly, about shared vibrations.

What is the human soul?

 

The Bible is not perfectly clear as to the nature of the human soul. But from studying the way the word soul is used in Scripture, we can come to some conclusions. Simply stated, the human soul is the part of a person that is not physical. It is the part of every human being that lasts eternally after the body experiences death. Genesis 35:18 describes the death of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, saying she named her son “as her soul was departing.” From this we know that the soul is different from the body and that it continues to live after physical death.

 The human soul is central to the personhood of a human being. It is said, “You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.” In other words, personhood is not based on having a body. A soul is what is required. Repeatedly in the Bible, people are referred to as “souls” (Exodus 31:14; Proverbs 11:30), especially in contexts that focus on the value of human life and personhood or on the concept of a “whole being” (Psalm 16:9-10; Ezekiel 18:4; Acts 2:41; Revelation 18:13).

 The human soul is distinct from the heart (Deuteronomy 26:16; 30:6) and the spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12) and the mind (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). The human soul is created by God (Jeremiah 38:16). It can be strong or unsteady (2 Peter 2:14); it can be lost or saved (James 1:21; Ezekiel 18:4). We know that the human soul needs atonement (Leviticus 17:11) and is the part of us that is purified and protected by the truth and the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:22). Jesus is the great Shepherd of souls (1 Peter 2:25).

 Matthew 11:29 tells us that we can turn to Jesus Christ to find rest for our souls. Psalm 16:9-10 is a Messianic psalm that allows us to see that Jesus also had a soul. David wrote, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” This cannot be speaking of David (as Paul points out in Acts 13:35-37) because David’s body did see corruption and decay when he died. But Jesus Christ’s body never saw corruption (He was resurrected), and His soul was not abandoned to Sheol. Jesus, as the Son of Man, has a soul.

 There is often confusion about the human spirit vs. the human soul. In places, Scripture seems to use the terms interchangeably, but there might be a subtle difference. Otherwise, how could the Word of God penetrate “even to dividing soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12)? When the Bible talks about man’s spirit, it is usually speaking of an inner force which animates a person in one direction or another. It is repeatedly shown as a mover, a dynamic force (e.g., Numbers 14:24).

 It has been said that there are only two things that last: the Word of God (Mark 13:31) and the souls of men. This is because, like God’s Word, the soul is an imperishable thing. That thought should be both sobering and awe-inspiring. Every person you meet is an eternal soul. Every human being who has ever lived is a soul, and all of those souls are still in existence somewhere. The question is, where? The souls that reject God’s love are condemned to pay for their own sin, eternally, in hell (Romans 6:23). But the souls who acknowledge their own sinfulness and accept God’s gracious gift of forgiveness will live forever beside still waters with their Shepherd, wanting for nothing (Psalm 23:2).

What is the moment of death according to the Bible?

 The Bible says death is irreversible without a divine miracle (Hebrews 9:27; 1 Corinthians 15:22). What it does not say, explicitly, is when death becomes “official.” Medical developments have provided means to resuscitate those previously beyond hope. That has led to the question of where, exactly, the line is drawn between being “alive” and being “dead.” It has even raised the debate of whether a person’s body can be medically alive, while the soul and spirit have permanently departed. Such circumstances are rare but puzzling. While Scripture provides guidance, we cannot find absolute, black-and-white identifiers for declaring a person “really” dead.

 From a biblical perspective, “real” death occurs when the soul and spirit leave the physical body. Obviously, this is not an event that can be observed with the eyes or measured with medical equipment. Rather, a biblical approach would be to compare physical signs to the functions of the soul and spirit. When a person seems to irreversibly lose those functions, it’s reasonable to believe he or she is truly dead.

 There are many examples of those in a coma or persistent vegetative state who recovered, and even in the coma they sometimes showed signs of awareness. Biblically speaking, such persons were never “truly dead.” Spiritually, they were in a similar condition to someone who is sleeping: the soul is present but not actively aware of its surroundings. Those diagnosed with “brain death,” on the other hand, appear to be biologically alive, with cells that continue to function, but their brain has ceased all activity, and they lack any awareness of spirit; therefore, they are most likely devoid of a soul or spirit.

 The medical community considers death a process, rather than a single moment. Measurements used to diagnose death have varied throughout history. For many centuries, breathing was considered the litmus test for life. Those not apparently breathing were declared dead. As medical equipment improved, that standard shifted to the heartbeat. Today, it’s possible to measure breathing, heartbeat, and brain activity on a scale imperceptible to the unaided eye. As a result, medical professionals today distinguish between “clinical death,” “biological death,” and even “legal death,” depending on the topic of conversation.

 We can be certain that death, when it truly occurs, cannot be undone by medicine or technology. Once a person is “truly dead,” his soul and spirit are entirely separated from the body. That separation can only be undone by the direct intervention of God in a true miracle. So, when people speak of being “brought back” from death in an ambulance or being “dead for ten minutes,” they are using biblically inaccurate terms. In such cases, those persons came very close to death, but they were not truly dead.

 Humanity has long recognized the complexity of recognizing when real death occurs. To the casual observer, it’s possible for a person to appear dead but actually be alive. That awareness is reflected in prophecy and miracles in the Bible. For example, Jesus deliberately delayed resurrecting Lazarus until the fourth day after his death (John 11:17). This delay precluded any possible claim that it was a trick or that Lazarus was merely in a coma or sleeping. In fact, by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus’s family was concerned about the stink of decomposition (John 11:39).

 Likewise, Jesus prophesied that He would be in His grave for “three days and three nights,” since that was the customary waiting period after which death was considered official (Matthew 12:40). Not that this was absolutely necessary—Jesus was killed by professional executioners (John 19:13–18), stabbed through the heart (John 19:33–34), and buried in a guarded tomb (Matthew 27:62–66). The three-day time period, in Jesus’ case, was more for prophetic reasons than “proof” reasons.

 In the cases of Jesus and Lazarus and most people in history, defining the exact moment of death is unnecessary—they were unmistakably dead. Debates over when exactly death occurs involve a very thin “gray” area and don’t apply to most of human experience. Most controversial are instances when a person’s body exhibits biological signs of life but there is doubt about brain function. Comas, vegetative states, and “brain death” encroach into this territory.

 For the most part, those in comas and vegetative states are still considered “alive,” albeit with limited awareness. Allowing such a person to die by removing life support or withholding care would presumably cause the separation of the soul and spirit from the body; that is, it would cause “true” death. A body exhibiting brain death, on the other hand, would appear to be one that the soul and spirit have already left behind. Removing mechanical support from a body diagnosed with brain death would not appear to cause death, in the biblical sense, since that line has already been crossed.

 For this reason, most Christians are opposed to ending the life of a person in a coma or vegetative state. In cases of brain death, or when life is only possible with extreme measures, Christians are often split on the morality of allowing a person to die naturally. Living wills were created specifically to address these concerns. Obviously, this is a topic open to considerable differences of opinion. When discussing or deciding such a topic, Christians should prioritize the sanctity of life while being graceful with and forgiving of others.

What does the Bible say about near death experiences?

 

 A near-death experience (NDE) is when a person is at the brink of death and, upon recovery, reports an unusual occurrence, generally an out-of-body experience or some sort of vision of heaven or hell. There is no specific scriptural support for near-death experiences. Many people use 2 Corinthians 12:2-5 as a biblical proof text of near-death experiences. However, this is taking great liberty with interpretation and makes the assumption that the man (presumed to be Paul) was either near death or actually dead when he found himself in heaven. The passage nowhere states that the man had died or come close to death. It was a vision that God gave the man of heaven, not a near-death experience.

 That being said, it is not impossible for God to give someone near death, or anyone for that matter, a vision of heaven. However, with the completion of the biblical canon, visions are not a normative experience for Christians.

 We need to be extremely careful in how we validate our experiences. The most important test of any experience is comparing it with the Bible. Satan is always ready to cause deception and twist people’s thinking. "But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. So, it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end, they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

 Because the Bible is silent regarding near-death experiences, and scientific research has not been able to be performed reliably, we simply cannot accept the legitimacy of near-death experiences on their face value. It would be too strong to state that all near-death experiences are faked, imagined, or Satanic, but there are still serious concerns, biblically, about the validity of near-death experiences. Again, any description of a near-death experience should be validated against the truth of Scripture. If such an experience comes from God, it will line up with what He has already revealed in His Word and ultimately bring Him glory in the name of Jesus Christ.

What is the second death?

 

 The second death is mentioned on multiple occasions in the book of Revelation and is synonymous with the lake of fire. It is a “death” in that it is a separation from God, the Giver of life. It is called the “second” one because it follows physical death.

 Revelation 21:8 explains the second death in the most detail: “The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

 Three other places in Revelation also mention the second death. The first is Revelation 2:11: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.” In this verse, Jesus promises that believers (“overcomers”; see 1 John 5:4) will not experience the lake of fire. The second death is exclusively for those who have rejected Christ. It is not a place believers in Christ should fear.

 Revelation 20:6 speaks of the second death in relation to a future period called the Millennium: “Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” This verse notes three important facts. First, those who die for their faith in Jesus during the Tribulation will later be resurrected to enter the Millennium and live with Him. Second, these martyrs will escape the lake of fire or second death. Third, they will reign with Christ.

 The second death is also mentioned in Revelation 20:14-15: “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” At the end of time, even death and the grave (Hades) will be thrown into the lake of fire. In addition, every person not included in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. This condition will be final; the destination is permanent.

 In summary, the second death is a reference to the lake of fire where those who are separated from God by their sin will dwell for eternity. This judgment was recorded in Scripture as a warning to unbelievers to seek the salvation that Jesus Christ provides. The coming judgment should also challenge believers to share their faith. There is a vast difference between the final destination of those who know Christ and those who do not.

Is there life after death?

 

 Job, speaking out of his despair, asked, “If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14, ESV). All of us have been challenged by this question. Is there life after death? What happens to us after we die? Do we simply cease to exist? Is death a revolving door of departing and returning to earth? Does everyone go to the same place after death, or do we go to different places? Is there really a heaven and hell?

 The Bible tells us that, yes, there is life after death. This world is not all there is, and mankind was made for something more. At death, the body ceases to function and begins the process of returning to the earth, but the spiritual part of man lives on: “The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7; cf. Psalm 146:4).

 To those who are redeemed and have their sin forgiven, God gives eternal life, an existence so glorious that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9, NLT). This eternal life is inextricably linked to the Person of Jesus Christ: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). In Jesus’ prayer in this passage, He equates “eternal life” with a knowledge of God and of the Son. “Whoever has the Son has life” (1 John 5:12).

 Jesus Christ, God incarnate, came to the earth to pay for our sins and give us the gift of eternal life: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus proved Himself victorious over death by rising from the grave—He is life personified (John 11:25) and the ultimate proof that there is life after death.

 The resurrection of the Christ is a well-documented event. The apostle Paul invited people to question the over 500 eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:6). All of them could bear testimony to the fact that Jesus is alive and that there is indeed life after death.

 The resurrection of Christ, which gives us the sure hope of life after death, is the cornerstone of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15:12–19). Because Christ was raised from the dead, we have faith that we, too, will be resurrected. As Jesus told His disciples, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Christ was only the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again (1 Corinthians 15:23). Just as God raised up Jesus’ body, so will our bodies be resurrected upon Jesus’ return (1 Corinthians 6:14).

 The fact of life after death does not mean everyone will go to heaven, however. People will continue to exist after they die, and there will be a resurrection someday, but God makes a distinction between the resurrection of the just (those who are in Christ) and the unjust (those who die in their sin): “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt” (Daniel 12:2). Paul put it this way: “There will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” (Acts 24:15).

 Each person must make a choice in this life, a choice that will determine his or her eternal destination. It is appointed for us to die once, and after that will come judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Those who have been made righteous by faith in Christ will go into eternal life in heaven, but those who have rejected Christ as Savior will be sent to eternal punishment in hell (Matthew 25:46). Hell, like heaven, is a literal place. It is a place where the unrighteous will experience the never-ending, eternal wrath of God. Hell is described as a lake of fire where the inhabitants will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10). In hell, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, indicating intense grief and anger (Matthew 13:42).

 God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked but desires them to turn from their wicked ways so that they can live (Ezekiel 33:11). But He will not force us into submission; if we choose to reject Christ, the one and only Savior, we reject the heaven that He has prepared, and we will live eternally apart from Him. Life on earth is a preparation for what is to come. Faith in Christ prepares us for life after death: “Whoever believes in [God’s Son] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

 Everyone will experience life after death in some manner. For believers in Christ, life after death is eternal life in heaven with God. For unbelievers, life after death is eternity in the lake of fire. How can we receive eternal life and avoid hell? There is only one way—through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25–26).

 The free gift of eternal life is available to all. “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them” (John 3:36). We will not be given the opportunity to accept God’s gift of salvation after death. Our eternal destination is determined in our earthly lifetimes by our reception or rejection of Jesus Christ. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). If we trust in the death of Jesus Christ as the full payment for our sin, and we believe in His resurrection from the dead, we are guaranteed eternal life after death, in glory (1 Peter 1:3–5).

What is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

 

 

The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the action by which God takes up permanent residence in the body of a believer in Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, the Spirit would come and go from the saints, empowering them for service but not necessarily remaining with them (see Judges 15:14; 1 Chronicles 12:18; Psalm 51:11; Ezekiel 11:5). Jesus revealed to His disciples the new role the Spirit of Truth would play in their lives: “He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). The apostle Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).

 

These verses are telling us that the believer in Jesus Christ has the third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, living in him. When an individual accepts Christ as personal Savior, the Holy Spirit gives the believer the life of God, eternal life, which is really His very nature (Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:4), and the Holy Spirit comes to live within him spiritually. The fact that the believer’s body is likened to a temple where the Holy Spirit lives helps us understand what the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is all about. The word temple is used to describe the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctum in the Old Testament tabernacle structure. There, God’s presence would appear in a cloud and meet the high priest, who came once a year into the Holy of Holies. On the Day of Atonement, the high priest brought the blood of a slain animal and sprinkled it on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant. On this special day, God granted forgiveness to the priest and His people.

 

Today, there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem, and the animal sacrifices have ceased. The believer in Christ has become the inner sanctum of God the Holy Spirit, as the believer has been sanctified and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7). The believer in Christ becomes the habitation of the Holy Spirit of God. In fact, Scripture also says that the believer is indwelt spiritually by Christ (Colossians 1:27) and by God the Father (1 John 4:15)—the Trinity is involved.

 

As the Holy Spirit lives in the believer, He brings about some life-changing results:

 

1) The indwelling Spirit comes to a soul dead in sin and creates new life (Titus 3:5). This is the new birth Jesus spoke of in John 3:1–8.

 

2) The indwelling Spirit confirms to the believer that he belongs to the Lord and is an heir of God and fellow-heir with Christ (Romans 8:15–17).

 

3) The indwelling Spirit installs the new believer as a member of Christ’s universal church. This is the baptism of the Spirit, according to 1 Corinthians 12:13.

 

4) The indwelling Spirit gives spiritual gifts (God-given abilities for service) to the believer to edify the church and serve the Lord effectively for His glory (1 Corinthians 12:11).

 

5) The indwelling Spirit helps the believer understand and apply the Scripture to his daily life (1 Corinthians 2:12).

 

6) The indwelling Spirit enriches the believer’s prayer life and intercedes for him in prayer (Romans 8:26–27).

 

7) The indwelling Holy Spirit empowers the yielded believer to live for Christ to do His will (Galatians 5:16). The Spirit leads the believer in paths of righteousness (Romans 8:14).

 

8) The indwelling Spirit gives evidence of new life by producing the fruit of the Spirit in the believer’s life (Galatians 5:22–23).

 

9) The indwelling Spirit is grieved when the believer sins (Ephesians 4:30), and He convicts the believer to confess his sin to the Lord so that fellowship is restored (1 John 1:9).

 

10) The indwelling Spirit seals the believer unto the day of redemption so that the believer’s arrival in the Lord’s presence is guaranteed after this life (Ephesians 1:13–14).

 

When you accept Christ as your Savior (Romans 10:9–13), the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart, bringing with Him an entirely new life of love, relationship, and service to the Lord.

What does it mean when the psalmist asks God to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I” in Psalm 61:2?

 

 In Psalm 61:2, the psalmist David pleads with God, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” At several times throughout the psalm, the author cries out to God and seeks His help. He asks God to “hear” his cry and “listen” to his prayer (Psalm 62:1). Through these exclamations, the psalmist recognizes that he cannot trust in his own strength and pleads with God to be his “rock.”

The psalmist calls out to God from a place of dire need: “From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint” (Psalm 61:2). The writer feels isolated and weary; he is fast losing hope. Then comes the petition: “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). As he makes the request, David remembers the past help he has received from the Lord: “For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe” (Psalm 61:3). God’s goodness in the past gives David faith to pray in the present difficulty.

When David asks God to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I,” he’s asking God to be his place of refuge. The Bible frequently refers to rocky formations as places of safety and security where one could hide from an enemy. In 1 Samuel 13:6, some Israelite men hid in rocky caves to flee from the pursuing Philistines. In Psalm 18:2, David refers to God as “my rock, in whom I take refuge.” When God is referred to as a “rock,” the picture is not of a small rock that someone could hold in his hand. Rather, God is like a large boulder or even a rocky mountain that serves as a foundation and place of refuge.

When the psalmist asks God to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I,” he’s also asking God to lift him up to a place of shelter and protection. Some understand the phrase “the rock that is higher than I” as a reference to the city of Jerusalem, which sits atop a mountain ridge (see Jeremiah 21:13). However, David could simply be asking God to lead him to God Himself, who is the “highest ground” one could seek. Both in biblical times and today, higher ground is considered safe and secure because it provides a strategic vantage point and is easily defended. Think of how people seek out higher ground when flood waters begin to rise or how combatants in warfare seek to take the higher ground from their enemy.

When we ask God to “lead me to the rock that is higher than I,” we’re acknowledging that He is our refuge and security and that He will provide us protection and shelter in times of trouble.

What does it mean that wine is a mocker (Proverbs 20:1)?

 

The book of Proverbs says that “wine is a mocker” and that “beer is a brawler” and that “whoever is led astray by them is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). The Bible frequently refers to wine, sometimes in positive ways when describing something satisfying (Song of Songs 7:9) or celebratory (Ecclesiastes 9:7), and sometimes metaphorically in negative ways when describing God’s judgment (Psalm 75:8) and wrath (Revelation 14:10).

 

A mocker is somebody who is hostile to a life of righteousness and ridicules all who would oppose him. Saying that “wine is a mocker” is a way of describing someone who succumbs to its influence: a drunk person tends to mock virtue and scoff at the things of God. As a whole, the book of Proverbs provides instructions for living a wise and virtuous life—by avoiding actions that end up harming oneself and others. In Proverbs 20:1 specifically, wine and beer are personified in their victims—they are enemies of wisdom who lead others astray. It can be said, then, that wine “mocks” the one who lives a self-controlled and righteous life, because such a life is the opposite of one enslaved to alcohol.

 

The statement wine is a mocker is a warning against the harmful ways a person is affected by consuming too much wine. Consuming too much wine (or any alcoholic beverage) negatively affects one’s thinking and behavior, which could lead to sinful actions. Those who consume too much wine give themselves over to its influence and allow it to control their bodies. In a sense, then, the wine “mocks” their lack of self-control.

 

The Bible frequently warns against consuming too much alcohol because of how it can lead to sinful behavior. For example, Paul commands believers not to get drunk on wine because it leads to debauchery, or indulging in sinful pleasures (Ephesians 5:18). In 1 Timothy 3:8, Paul commands Timothy to appoint deacons in the church who do not indulge in much wine. While wine and other alcoholic beverages can be safely consumed without leading to sin, we should pay close attention to the Bible’s strong warnings against excessive consumption. Too much alcohol can lead to sinful behaviors that “mock” the righteous, virtuous life God calls us to live.

What is the categorical imperative?

 

 

The term categorical imperative is closely associated with philosopher Immanuel Kant. He sought to create a basis for morality that was both universal and unconditional. Further, Kant wanted his moral foundation to be entirely based in reason and resistant to selfishness. The main formulation of his “categorical imperative” was “Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law.”

 

In other words, Kant’s categorical imperative says we should choose actions only if we are comfortable with the same action being mandatory for all other people. This means asking the question, “What if everyone always did what I’m about to do?” If that seems like a good thing, then Kant would say you ought to act accordingly. If not, then Kant would say you ought not act in that way. Under that principle, choosing to lie would be immoral because, if everyone always lied, society would collapse. If everyone always told the truth, society would flourish. Therefore, the categorical imperative would say, “One ought never to lie; one ought always to be truthful.”

 

Kant’s hope was to ground ethics in a single principle. This statement would be a singular moral foundation: the categorical imperative. Of course, Kant recognized the complications and nuances such an idea entailed. Among these difficulties are that situations are intensely contextual—details matter, so a broadly defined action is difficult to universally endorse or condemn. Likewise, Kant’s view creates an “always” or “never” binary when some actions are more easily understood using a “sometimes” approach. His own writings extensively explored these issues and their limitations, all of which are beyond the scope of a single article.

 

The categorical imperative is a form of deontological ethics: the view that ethical behavior is rooted in a “duty” to an external standard. Kant’s approach suggests that the only proper motivation for action is the fulfilling of the duty; otherwise, the act is grounded in an inappropriate impulse. The main problem within deontology is debate over what authority is used to determine a duty, resulting in competing loyalties and motivations.

 

Scripture provides a parallel to the categorical imperative in the form of what Jesus called “the greatest commandment.” In Matthew 22:37–38, Jesus cites Deuteronomy 6:5 and declares, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment.” In a sense, loving God is the most fundamental, universal, unconditional obligation of all creation. Every other ethical statement is an application of that principle (Matthew 22:40). A more practical version of this same idea was given by Christ in Matthew 7:12, known as the “Golden Rule.”

 

In the sense of suggesting all morality can be generalized in a single statement, the basic idea behind the categorical imperative is not unbiblical. Jesus implied that very concept. Likewise, the Bible indicates that motives matter independently of acts themselves (Matthew 6:1–2). However, Christ cements moral decision-making in an unchanging and perfect God (Matthew 5:48; Mark 3:35; John 14:15). Kant ties ethics to fallible human reason (see Isaiah 55:8–9; Jeremiah 17:9; Proverbs 14:12). Ultimately, we must ground moral decisions in God’s revealed Word (2 Timothy 3:16), natural evidence (Romans 1:18–20), and the influence of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; Galatians 5:22–25), rather than seeking “pure reason” as a basis for ethics.

How should Jesus’ saying “I will not leave you as orphans,” give us hope (John 14:18)?

 

As Jesus neared the end of His earthly ministry, He began to prepare His disciples for His departure. Christ’s closest followers had been with Him for three years. Their lives were so intertwined with His that the idea of the Lord leaving them would have been deeply troubling. Knowing they would feel His absence like a child might experience the loss of his parents, Jesus promised the disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:18).

 

The Greek word orphanous means “fatherless children.” It derives from a root term meaning “to be alone, deprived.” In ancient biblical culture, orphans were among the most vulnerable people (along with widows and resident aliens). According to Israel’s social structure, the father or male head of the household was responsible for guarding and protecting the family members. Orphans were left with no one to care or provide for them, moving God to place them under His own divine protection (Deuteronomy 10:18; Jeremiah 49:11; Psalm 68:5; 146:9).

 

With the prospect of His going away, Jesus knew that His disciples were anxious about being alone and abandoned (John 14:1). The Lord had called the disciples to entrust their entire future to Him, and they had made the commitment. Now, Jesus wanted to reassure them that His leaving was not the absolute disaster they were envisioning.

 

First, the Lord explained that His departure would secure their heavenly destiny with the Father for all eternity (John 14:2–6). Jesus would depart by way of His death on the cross, the very act that would gain eternal life for all who believe in Him (John 1:12–13; 3:14–16; 11:25). Jesus was going on ahead to prepare a place for them (John 14:2–3). And the way to this future life in heaven was through Jesus Christ Himself (John 14:6; see also Acts 4:12).

 

The disciples must have wondered how on earth they would continue to serve the Lord and fulfill His mission in the world without Jesus present with them. To address this concern, Jesus made His first mention of the Holy Spirit: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you” (John 14:16–17, NLT).

 

The Holy Spirit was with the disciples already, but once Jesus departed, the Holy Spirit would dwell within them. The original Greek words for “with you” literally mean “beside you.” After Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, the Spirit that had been beside them would be inside them.

 

When Jesus said, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” He was promising to send the gift of the Holy Spirit, who would arrive at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–5). A little later, Jesus reaffirmed that His leaving was a good and necessary thing: “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7, ESV). After Jesus’ resurrection, we see that the Holy Spirit makes Christ’s triumph available to the people of God.

 

Jesus lives in us—those who are the children of God—through the person and power of the Holy Spirit. We are not orphans because the Holy Spirit within us identifies us as God’s children. Paul said to the believers in Rome, “For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children” (Romans 8:16, NLT).

 

Moreover, this indwelling of the Holy Spirit is without end. The Helper, Advocate, Counselor, and Comforter (all names for the Holy Spirit) will be with us and in us forever. Jesus said, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26).

 

As members of God’s family, we have this hope: our Father will not leave us as orphans! The Lord will never abandon us (Philippians 1:3–6; Hebrews 13:5). Nor will He leave us unprotected to face the struggles and evils in this world. He sends us a Helper to fill and equip us. God’s Holy Spirit dwells in us as the constant, reassuring presence of Jesus from the moment of our salvation, throughout our whole lives, and for all eternity.

Will there be a second chance for salvation after death?

 While the idea of a second chance for salvation is appealing, the Bible is clear that death is the end of all chances. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that we die, and then face judgment. So, as long as a person is alive, he has a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc. chance to accept Christ and be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 16:31). Once a person dies, there are no more chances. The idea of purgatory, a place where people go after death to pay for their sins, has no biblical basis, but is rather a tradition of the Roman Catholic Church.

To understand what happens to nonbelievers after they die, we go to Revelation 20:11-15 which describes the Great White Throne judgment. Here takes place the opening of the books and “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” The books contain all the thoughts and deeds of those being judged, and we know from Romans 3:20 that “by the works of the Law is no flesh justified.” Therefore, all who are judged by their works and thoughts are condemned to hell. Believers in Christ, on the other hand, are not judged by the books of works, but their names are found written in another book—the “Lamb’s Book of Life” (Revelation 21:27). These are the ones who have believed on the Lord Jesus, and they alone will be allowed to enter heaven.

The key to understanding this is the Lamb’s Book of Life. Anyone whose name is written in this book was “saved before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) by God’s sovereign saving grace to be part of His Son’s bride, the church of Jesus Christ. These people need no “second chance” at salvation because their salvation has been secured by Christ. He chose us, He saved us, and He will keep us saved. Nothing can separate us from Christ (Romans 8:39). Those for whom He died will be saved because Jesus will see to it. He declared “all that the Father has given me will come to me” (John 6:37), and “I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28). For believers, there is no need for a second chance because the first chance is sufficient.

What about those who do not believe? Wouldn’t they repent and believe if they were given a second chance? The answer is no, they would not because their hearts are not changed simply because they die. Their hearts and minds “are at enmity” against God and won’t accept Him even when they see Him face to face. This is evidenced clearly in the story of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. If ever someone should have repented when given a second chance to see clearly the truth, it was the rich man. But although he was in torment in hell, he only asked that Abraham send Lazarus back to earth to warn his brothers so they didn’t have to suffer the same fate. There was no repentance in his heart, only regret for where he found himself. Abraham’s answer says it all: “And he said to him, If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded, even though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:31). Here we see that the witness of the Scriptures is sufficient for salvation for those who believe it, and no other revelation will bring about salvation to those who do not. No second, third, or fourth chances would be enough to turn the heart of stone into a heart of flesh.

Philippians 2:10-11 declares “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” One day, everyone will bow before Jesus and recognize that He is the Lord and Savior. At that point, though, it will be too late for salvation. After death, all that remains for the unbeliever is judgment (Revelation 20:14-15). That is why we must trust in Him in this life.

What does it mean that ‘the earth is the Lord’s’ (Exodus 9:29)?

 When Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites as slaves in Egypt, his actions were an attempt to subvert God’s plans in the earth. Pharaoh, who thought he himself was God, did not fear Yahweh or comprehend that He is the one and only God of all the earth and all peoples of the world. In the seventh plague, God sent a hailstorm upon the land. When Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to ask God to stop the plague, Moses said, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD’s” (Exodus 9:29).

With His power to start and then stop violent plagues involving weather, the God of Israel showed Pharaoh that He is the God of the elements and the entire world and all the people in the world, even the people of Egypt. The plague’s gravity is stressed as “the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now” (Exodus 9:18). The storm affected all the land of Egypt. Every plant, beast, and human who did not heed God’s word of warning and seek shelter was struck down and killed by lightning and hail. Yet the people of Israel who were in nearby Goshen experienced no hail and suffered no ill effects from the storm (verse 26). Yahweh wanted Pharaoh to know that He—and not Pharaoh—is the one true God who controls the land.

The earth is the Lord’s speaks of God’s sovereignty as ruler, creator, and owner of all the world: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him” (Psalm 24:1, NLT). God’s sovereignty means that He has the ultimate power, authority, wisdom to do whatever He chooses within His creation—the earth, the heavens, and everything in them. God made the point to Pharaoh, just before the plague of hail, that He was sovereign over Egypt and its king: “By now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up  for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” (Exodus 9:15–16).

 When God renewed His covenant with the Israelites and allowed them to enter the Promised Land, He required them “to fear the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the LORD’s commands and decrees” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13). Along with these demands, God appealed to Israel to recognize His absolute dominion as Lord over heaven and earth: “To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it” (Deuteronomy 10:14).

To God belongs not just heaven, but the highest heaven. To the Lord belongs the earth and all that is in it. A God such as this might seem to be above caring for our needs. Yet the Lord told Israel that He chose her because He loved her above all other nations (Deuteronomy 10:15, NLT). Of all the world’s peoples, Israel was the Lord’s treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6–11). Believers in Jesus Christ are also recipients of God’s great love (John 3:16; 13:1; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4; 5:2; 1 John 4:10, 11; Revelation 1:5).

In a practical teaching to the Corinthian church about food offered to idols, the apostle Paul quoted Psalm 24:1, saying, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (1 Corinthians 10:26). Jews often spoke this verse in mealtime prayers. Paul used it here to say that the Lord is the only real God over all things, and, thus, idols are irrelevant. In Paul’s mind, all food ultimately belongs to God. To Timothy he also taught that “everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving” (1 Timothy 4:4).

Whether the food had previously been offered to an idol didn’t matter because the food was not the problem—the problem centered on weak Christians whose consciences were scarred by past sins. Mature believers should refrain from eating meat sacrificed to idols primarily out of concern for others—weaker brothers and sisters in the church. Christians are always to act in a spirit of love and self-control, keeping the good of others in mind and God’s glory at the forefront of their priorities.

The Bible says that the earth is the Lord’s. The whole world belongs to God (Exodus 19:5). He is the possessor of heaven and earth: “The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it” (Psalm 89:11; see also Genesis 14:19, 22). In Isaiah, God’s sovereignty is pictured this way: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). We acknowledge the greatness, power, authority, wisdom, majesty, splendor, and sovereignty of our Lord when we appreciate that everything in heaven and earth belongs to Him (1 Chronicles 29:11).

What is the key to living a victorious Christian life?

 

The victorious Christian life is the life that is lived, by faith, in a moment-by-moment surrender to God. The victorious Christian life is rooted and grounded in faith. The whole of Hebrews 11 tells the stories of men and women who, by faith, were victorious in some way. Our God is always victorious, no matter the foe. Even the cross of Christ was not a defeat for the Lord, but a victory: “Now the prince of this world will be driven out,” Jesus said in the final week of His earthly ministry. At His trial before the high priest, Jesus testified, “You will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mark 14:62). That’s the victory believers share in.

The victorious Christian life is a life lived in triumph over “everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). It is the conquering of fear, knowing God’s peace (John 14:27; 16:33). It is perseverance through “trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword” (Romans 8:35), showing us to be “more than conquerors through him who loved us” (verse 37). The victorious Christian life naturally leads to a defeat of death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54–55) and a glorious reward in heaven (Revelation 21:7).

“The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17), and it’s impossible to overemphasize the importance of faith in living the victorious Christian life: “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” (1 John 5:4–5).

Part of living the victorious Christian life is properly dealing with temptation. First Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” In the context of this verse, Paul is speaking to a church surrounded by idolatry and temptation. There were social, financial, and political pressures to return to their old ways and participate in pagan practices. God in His faithfulness told them, and us, that there is no temptation anywhere at any time that will take Him by surprise, and He will always make a way to escape it and thus endure. When a Christian faces a temptation, God will always give a clear way of avoiding the sin, but it is still the choice of the individual to take the way out or not. Avoiding temptation requires moment-by-moment submission to God.

In John 15, Jesus tells a parable that gives a key to the victorious Christian life. Jesus Christ is the vine, the source of life and health and wholeness, and we are the branches, utterly dependent on the vine. The word used over and over throughout the passage is most often translated as “abide” or “remain.” The original Greek word really means “stay where you are.” Where is the Christian? The Christian is in Christ (Ephesians 2:13).

The victorious Christian life is a journey of faith, not just for eternal salvation, but of daily decisions building up into lifestyle that reflects Christ (Galatians 2:20). Faith is the calm assurance that what we do not yet see is far more real, more substantial, more trustworthy than what we do see (Hebrews 11:1). The life of faith chooses to believe God in all things (Romans 4:3). “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1–4, ESV).

The victorious Christian life is lived with eyes set on the things of heaven, not of this world. Jesus is our model in this: “For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:2–3). The eternal life of the believer is set securely in Christ. We, too, are at God’s right hand, by faith. The victorious Christian is one who lives in that reality.