DISCERNING SOUL AND SPIRIT

 

DISCERNING SOUL AND SPIRIT By Frank Mceleny For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 Over the last several months, our little house church has been studying Hebrews 4:12. What does it mean to have the soul separated from the spirit, why is it necessary? It has been a rich study, and in the last few weeks I have posted some of my own thoughts on the subject. I pray they have been a blessing to some. A few days ago the Holy Spirit, dropped into my spirit, the analogy of the conjoined twin, and the vastly complicated procedures it requires to separate them. Here are some of my thoughts on that... The writer to the Hebrews tells us that the Word of God is "living and powerful... piercing even to the division of soul and spirit." This is no ordinary distinction. Soul and spirit are so intimately joined that only the living Word of God can separate between them. They are not confused in God's sight, but they are often confused in ours. Perhaps the closest illustration is that of conjoined twins. They are distinct persons, yet so intricately joined that they may share blood vessels, muscles, sinews, and even vital organs. To separate them requires extraordinary skill. In a far deeper spiritual sense, the soul and the spirit are so closely associated that only the Great Physician, through His living Word, can distinguish one from the other. This is why Hebrews does not first speak of deeds, ministries, or outward acts. Instead, it immediately says that the Word is "a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Two believers may perform the very same outward act. Both may preach, pray, worship, give, or serve. To human eyes the actions appear identical, yet one may spring from communion with God while the other proceeds from the self-life within the soul. Outwardly they look the same; inwardly they are worlds apart. The greatest deception, therefore, is not always between good and evil, but between what is spiritual and what is merely soulish. The soul is capable of producing what appears deeply spiritual, while self quietly remains upon the throne. Only the Word of God can divide between soul and spirit, exposing the true source of our thoughts, motives, and intentions, revealing whether they arise from the regenerated spirit or from the self-life that still seeks its own way. Used with permission of Frank Mceleny on Facebook CLICK HERE https://www.facebook.com/fmceleny