Healing Testimony: Sandy
By Grace Through Faith Building Project
INTRO: – I’d like to continue to build on both what Mark H and Jenny
Here are the 8 points to Paul’s System of Truth
Paul’s Pneuma Concept: Spirit, Soul, and Body
Identification with Adam
Man’s Condition in Adam
What Happened to Jesus – From the Cross to the Throne
Identification with Christ
Who we are and What we have Now in Christ
What Jesus is Doing for us Now
How to Grow Up in Christ
I want to start off with a story Mark Hankins told:
it’s about what they were teaching in science class way back when he was in school
back then they said…Science classifies all living things in two categories: plants or animals.
Scientists have put man in the animal kingdom.
One day my high school biology teacher asked the class, “How many of you are plants?” No one raised a hand. He asked, “How many of you are animals?” Some students raised their hands; others did not. He asked if anyone in the class was dead.
He kept on and on in an effort to make his point – that every living thing is either plant or animal. My teacher continued until everyone in the class had raised a hand except me. He asked me, “Are you a plant?” I said, “No, I am not a plant.” Then he asked me, “Are you an animal?” I said, “No, I am not an animal.” He asked, “What are you, then?” I answered, “I am a spirit made in the image of God, made a shade lower than God Himself.” He looked at me and said, “I am not talking about church.” I told him, “I am not talking about church, either.” – (Mark Hankins)
In the story of what happened to Mark – it was incomplete truth to the science world at that time – so it wasn’t in line with God’s truth
True science actually supports God – as we heard in one of our Christian World View
The same can be said of this man: Who many believe was Solomon:
Solomon was considered the wisest man of his time
Eccl. 3:18 I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts.
Eccl. 3:19 For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity.
Eccl. 3:20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.
Eccl. 3:21 Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? (ESV)
We see the lack of knowledge concerning which class of being that man was created in – This man had no spiritual insight concerning this one area
Not knowing where man will go – kind of confused saying the spirit of man
Yet not making a distinction between man and animal
TODAY: Who Is Man?
Luke 17:20 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;
Luke 17:21 nor will they say, “See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” (NKJV)
Jesus introduced a new kingdom to us:
Q: What is one of the key factors of this kingdom?
You won’t see it with your eyes – (not a new nation, form of government)
It is an invisible kingdom and is put on the inside of us — WITHIN US
It’s pretty cool to put the kingdom we will eventually live in – on the inside of us first – it’s a taste of “Heaven on Earth”.
A MAJOR change that happened after Jesus redeemed us is…
How Man Is Described
2 Pet. 2:12 But these men, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed—do not understand whom they are insulting, and consequently in their destruction they will be destroyed, (NET)
This is a description of men who are not in the new kingdom – who are not born again
The language used to describe them is “irrational animals – creatures of instinct”
Titus 1:12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” (ESV)
Outside of Christ – there is name calling – judgement on people’s character and ethnic backgrounds
Jude 10 But these people insult powers they don’t know anything about. They are like senseless animals that end up getting destroyed, because they live only by their feelings. (CEV)
Jesus even though He thought in line with heaven He used the Jew’s description of a non-Jew – that was common in that day
Mark 7:27 And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (ESV)
Jews in Jesus’ day sometimes referred to Gentiles as “dogs.”
In Greek, this word is “kuon”, meaning “wild cur”
Non-Jews were considered so unspiritual that even being in their presence could make a person ceremonially unclean
After Jesus arose and became available to mankind: Here are some new descriptions/new terminology for mankind
Jesus introduced the human body as being a temple:
John 2:20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”
John 2:21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. (ESV)
The Epistles written by men who the Holy Spirit came on:
1 Cor. 3:16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? (ESV)
Jesus introduced the idea – After His resurrection we see the same thing happens to us
All who receive Jesus as Lord become the temple of God
QUESTION: Who are you? ANSWER: If you are a Christian you can say I am the temple of the living God
Here is another description God gives to those converted:
Eph. 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and care faithful in Christ Jesus: (ESV)
I grew up Catholic – it was not an easy task to be named a saint in that church
The In Christ Christians – the converted ones – they are ALL called saints
QUESTION: Who are you? ANSWER: If you are a Christian you can say I am a saint
1 Pet. 2:5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (NKJV)
Here are some final thoughts about Man as a Spirit
Remember Mark Hankins’ science teacher? “all living things in two categories: plants or animals.”
Man is neither plant or animal – man is a spirit
That puts mankind in a class that no other creature is in
So these things are DISTINCT FOR MAN
The Way God Communicates to Spirits
You can google and read that humans communicate with both plants and animals:
The way you communicate to a spirit being is totally different than the way you would communicate to a plant of animal
Because both animals and plants are not spirits
An animal hears with their ears
The scientists believe plants also hear
We have no scriptures though that say either plants or animals have what we are about to read going on:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion….Genesis 1:26
Rom. 8:15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
Rom. 8:16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. (NLT)
FACTS:
Jesus said God is a Spirit
Man was created in God’s image – So – man is a spirit
When we receive His Spirit – We ARE adopted by God Himself
And if we allow Him – He will Father us
We are sons of the Father God and WE KNOW IT
What Do Spirits Feed On
The Gospel was designed by God to speak to the spirit of man – the heart:
All education not pertaining to the things of God – is mainly designed to speak to our intellect – our minds – our emotions
Much of it is vital – doctors save lives – lawyers defend people – farmers feed us – tradies build necessary things – truckers get all the stuff to us
Feeding: What we feed plants and animals is much different than what we feed our spirits. (of course we feed our natural bodies normal food)
STORY: Patsy buys plant food – she buys bird seed
She enjoys working out in the yard and feeding both
But I noticed she doesn’t eat the plant food or the bird seeds herself
I noticed every morning I can find her pretty much in the same place feeding her spirit – on God’s Word
SO: the first thing we acknowledge is: Our born-again spirits only eat one kind of food – The Word of God
We have choices to make – think like the kingdoms of the world – or think in line wit the Kingdom of God
Most people on earth are in a sense forced into schooling – it’s required by governments, places of work, ect…The schooling COMES TO US
On the other hand – WE CHOOSE to be schooled in the way of the Kingdom of God – It isn’t a required subject in most schools in the world
What Food Does for the Human Body – God’s Word Does for the Spirit Man
Reveals Jesus the Living Word to Us
Reveals Who We Are in Christ
Purifies Us, Guides Us, and Instructs Us
Is Our Bread
Strengthens Our Beliefs
Our Spirits Hold Our True Identity
Q: Who are you being schooled by? Who is schooling your children?
“Spirit – soul – body” verses “body and soul” NO awareness of spirit
The schooling is very different
Identity becomes fleshly and soulish
Knowing our true identity solves problems
We interpret life from the Spirit perspective
The end of being ruled by feelings and emotions
Relationships can be built around truth
We knowing where we go after death