The Free Gift of Salvation

[Aquila]

Many are not familiar with the doctrines of grace. Many also forget our nature and that we are body, soul, and spirit. Let's consider something...

Body - Flesh (Physical/Material form)
Soul - Mind (Reason, Will, Emotion)
Spirit - "Breath" (Living Essence/Inner Man)

When an elect child of God receives the Holy Ghost, their spirit's regeneration is complete. The Lord now lives in them and His life and power flows through them. They are one spirit with the Lord. They are branches of the true vine. Living extensions of Jesus. But that is only a reality experienced in their "spirit". The "soul" (mind) isn't regenerated yet. Indeed, it will not be regenerated until the resurrection. So the soul must be renewed daily through prayer, study, and sound biblical teaching. This is "putting on the mind of Christ". So, through regeneration the "spirit" has been made holy, and has a new nature. The soul/mind may not be fully aware of this reality because it is not regenerated yet... and indeed the soul/mind may not know biblical truths regarding prayer and surrender. Old thought patterns still exist and can pose a problem. And yes, these can lead to continued temptations and even sin. This is why it is imperative to renew one's mind. Also, there is the body. The physical body (like the soul) is un-regenerated and is still subject to hormones, biological impulses, desires, needs, chemical imbalances, etc. So, both the body and soul (mind) pose as obstacles to our sanctification (growth in Christlikeness). This struggle will exist throughout our earthly lives. As we mature in Christ greater victory is attained by putting on the mind of Christ and mortifying the desires and deeds of the flesh.

Consider this... our regenerated spirit which has partaken in the divine nature is trapped in an un-regenerated humanity. So, the possibility of sin is ever with us. So is the possibility of temptation. We fool ourselves if we even think we're above the un-regenerated aspects of our being. So, we must take heed... lest we fall. When we do fall something interesting happens. If our behaviors are sinful... they are against the new inner nature of the spirit (the inner man). And so, deep in our being, we have a gnawing awareness of sin. With it comes shame, guilt, depression, feelings of having failed God, and sometimes even the feeling that God doesn't love us anymore and has abandoned us in our sinful condition. This is because we have lost fellowship with God. The sin has caused guilt and shame that now get in the way and cause us to fear, run, and even hide from God. We forget so quickly that Christ was our once and for all atonement and propitiation. We can know that God hasn't cast us out in anger and wrath, but rather is waiting as a loving and patient Father for us to confess and re-align our thinking and actions with the inner nature (His Spirit) in the core of our spirit. When we do this, this is repentance. We align soul with spirit and take control over the desires of the flesh once more, bringing harmony and peace to our entire being. This process is actually beneficial. After a lifetime of battling the carnal mind and the desires of the flesh... we have conditioned our "will" to desire perfection. And so when our souls and our bodies are finally regenerated in the resurrection we enter a state of "glorification"... that's complete regeneration (body, soul, and spirit). Every carnal inclination of mind and body will be vanquished. There will be absolutely no resistance to the now conditioned desire for perfection.

Let us not fall for the false doctrine of perfectionism... remember... until our glorification... we're still treasures in earthen vessels. And even our failures and weaknesses can serve to benefit us... if we approach the throne of grace.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Aquila

Many are not familiar with the doctrines of grace. Many also forget our nature and that we are body, soul, and spirit. Let's consider something...

Body - Flesh (Physical/Material form)
Soul - Mind (Reason, Will, Emotion)
Spirit - "Breath" (Living Essence/Inner Man)

When an elect child of God receives the Holy Ghost, their spirit's regeneration is complete. The Lord now lives in them and His life and power flows through them. They are one spirit with the Lord. They are branches of the true vine. Living extensions of Jesus. But that is only a reality experienced in their "spirit". The "soul" (mind) isn't regenerated yet. Indeed, it will not be regenerated until the resurrection. So the soul must be renewed daily through prayer, study, and sound biblical teaching. This is "putting on the mind of Christ". So, through regeneration the "spirit" has been made holy, and has a new nature. The soul/mind may not be fully aware of this reality because it is not regenerated yet... and indeed the soul/mind may not know biblical truths regarding prayer and surrender. Old thought patterns still exist and can pose a problem. And yes, these can lead to continued temptations and even sin. This is why it is imperative to renew one's mind. Also, there is the body. The physical body (like the soul) is un-regenerated and is still subject to hormones, biological impulses, desires, needs, chemical imbalances, etc. So, both the body and soul (mind) pose as obstacles to our sanctification (growth in Christlikeness). This struggle will exist throughout our earthly lives. As we mature in Christ greater victory is attained by putting on the mind of Christ and mortifying the desires and deeds of the flesh.

Consider this... our regenerated spirit which has partaken in the divine nature is trapped in an un-regenerated humanity. So, the possibility of sin is ever with us. So is the possibility of temptation. We fool ourselves if we even think we're above the un-regenerated aspects of our being. So, we must take heed... lest we fall. When we do fall something interesting happens. If our behaviors are sinful... they are against the new inner nature of the spirit (the inner man). And so, deep in our being, we have a gnawing awareness of sin. With it comes shame, guilt, depression, feelings of having failed God, and sometimes even the feeling that God doesn't love us anymore and has abandoned us in our sinful condition. This is because we have lost fellowship with God. The sin has caused guilt and shame that now get in the way and cause us to fear, run, and even hide from God. We forget so quickly that Christ was our once and for all atonement and propitiation. We can know that God hasn't cast us out in anger and wrath, but rather is waiting as a loving and patient Father for us to confess and re-align our thinking and actions with the inner nature (His Spirit) in the core of our spirit. When we do this, this is repentance. We align soul with spirit and take control over the desires of the flesh once more, bringing harmony and peace to our entire being. This process is actually beneficial. After a lifetime of battling the carnal mind and the desires of the flesh... we have conditioned our "will" to desire perfection. And so when our souls and our bodies are finally regenerated in the resurrection we enter a state of "glorification"... that's complete regeneration (body, soul, and spirit). Every carnal inclination of mind and body will be vanquished. There will be absolutely no resistance to the now conditioned desire for perfection.

Let us not fall for the false doctrine of perfectionism... remember... until our glorification... we're still treasures in earthen vessels. And even our failures and weaknesses can serve to benefit us... if we approach the throne of grace.

I like this and agree, Aquila.