A Case of Mistaken Identity

A Case of Mistaken Identity

As I was preparing for the Higher Ground ministry, I was reading the workbook we are using this fall when I came across this statement, "Someone has said that man is a spirit who has a soul and lives in a body. The spirit is the core of your identity. Whatever you are in the spirit is who you are." (1)

It occurred to me how we tend to get confused.

Please understand there are two schools of thought regarding the make-up of man. And I don't want to be dogmatic about one or the other, but I will tell you that I've known people that are very passionate about both views.

The Dichotomous view is that man is comprised of two parts - the material (body) and the immaterial, soul/spirit (being one and the same).

The second is the Trichotomous view that man is comprised of three parts-body, soul and spirit. The body is material, soul and spirit are two separate immaterial components. The soul is mind, will and emotions, and spirit is the part that is regenerated, it is the eternal part of who we are.

Regardless of which view we take, our propensity is to define who we are and who others are based on what we see and experience through the mind, will and emotions. That is where we tend to get our identity from. If that is true, we will loose our identity when we die. I'm not saying we will be mindless, will-less and emotion-less robots!! Not at all! But our mind, will and emotions will be perfected (body too!!). Amen, Hallelujah!!

Now stop and think about this a moment. If our body and soul (mind, will and emotions) is who we are, we will live out life in a way that matches that identity (which by the way are all effected by the fall - study the doctrine of Total Depravity). If however, we are who we are in the spirit, that is, our identity is in our spirit, then we are who God says we are. We will live out life in a way that matches that identity. Not perfectly, but beautifully.

At the moment of salvation, conversion, regeneration, the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ took up residence in us. "Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1 Corinthians 3:16; "that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;" Ephesians 3:17 We have the indwelling spirit in us, as much as we will ever get, have or need. The spirit in us is already perfect because it is not our spirit cleaned-up, straightened out, rebuilt but rather it is the very spirit of God. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" Galatians 2:20 It is His Spirit in us that defines who we are. It is our spirit that gives us our identity. Whether you are a dichotomist or a trichotomist you agree we are spirit. Our spirit is who we are. At the very core of our being we are spirit.

Oh, my fingers want to fly as I type. My heart wants to pour out into this Victory Call His truth, a truth that will set your heart soaring as well.

Who are you, really?

Diane