Spirit, Soul and Body after the Fall

 Adam lived by the breath of life becoming spirit in him. By the spirit he sensed God, knew God’s voice, and communed with God. He had a very keen awareness of God. But after his fall his spirit died.

When God spoke to Adam at the first He said, “in the day that you eat of it (the fruit of the tree of good and evil) you shall die” (Gen. 2.17). Adam and Eve nevertheless continued on for hundreds of years after eating the forbidden fruit. This obviously indicates that the death God foretold was not physical. Adam’s death began in his spirit.

1.What really is death: -  According to its scientific definition, death is “the cessation of communication with environment.” Death of the spirit is the cessation of its communication with God. Death of the body is the cutting off of communication between spirit and body. So when we say the spirit is dead it does not imply there is no more spirit; we simply mean the spirit has lost its sensitivity towards God and thus is dead to Him. The exact situation is that the spirit is incapacitated, unable to commune with God. To illustrate. A dumb person has a mouth and lungs but something is wrong with his vocal cords and he is powerless to speak. So far as human language is concerned his mouth may be considered dead. Similarly Adam’s spirit died because of his disobedience to God. He still had his spirit, yet it was dead to God for it had lost its spiritual instinct. It is still so; sin has destroyed the spirit’s keen intuitive knowledge of God and rendered man spiritually dead. He may be religious, moral, learned, capable, strong and wise, but he is dead to God. He may even talk about God, reason about God and preach God, but he is still dead to Him. Man is not able to hear or to sense the voice of God’s Spirit. Consequently in the New Testament God often refers to those who are living in the flesh as dead.

2.Death began in our forefathers spirits spread unto the Body:- The death which began in our forefather’s spirit gradually spread until it reached his body. Though he lived on for many years after his spirit was dead, death nevertheless worked incessantly in him until his spirit, soul and body were all dead. His body, which could have been transformed and glorified, was instead returned to dust. Because his inward man had fallen into chaos, his outward body must die and be destroyed.

3. Spirit of all Adam’s descendants fell under the oppression of the soul until it gradually merged with the soul and the two parts became closely united:-  Henceforth Adam’s spirit (as well as the spirit of all his descendants) fell under the oppression of the soul until it gradually merged with the soul and the two parts became closely united.

4. God shall pierce and divide soul, spirit and body: - The writer of Hebrews declares in 4.12 that the Word of God shall pierce and divide soul and spirit. The dividing is necessary because spirit and soul have become one. While they are intimately knit, they plunge man into a psychic world. Everything is done according to the dictates of intellect or feeling. The spirit has lost its power and sensation, as though dead asleep. What instinct it has in knowing and serving God is entirely paralyzed. It remains in a coma as if non-existent. This is what is meant in Jude 19 by “natural, not having spirit” (literal). This certainly does not mean the human spirit ceases to exist, for Numbers 16.22 distinctly states that God is “the God of the spirits of all flesh.” Every human being still has in his possession a spirit, although it is darkened by sin and impotent to hold communion with God.

5.Accounted dead to God but is still very active in other respects: - However dead this spirit may be towards God it may remain as active as the mind or the body. It is accounted dead to God but is still very active in other respects.

5.Sometimes the spirit of a fallen man can even be stronger than his soul or body.  Sometimes the spirit of a fallen man can even be stronger than his soul or body and gain dominion over the whole being. Such persons are “spiritual” ot spiritual active just as most people are. The spirit here does not point to the Holy Spirit but to the human spirit, for it is preceded by the word “natural,” which literally is, “soulish.” As “soulish” pertains to man, so “spirit” also pertains to man largely soulical or physical, because their spirits are much bigger than that of ordinary individuals. These are the sorceresses and the witches who are connected to fallen spiritual world. They indeed maintain contacts with the spiritual realm; but these do so through the evil spirit, not by the Holy Spirit. The spirit of the fallen man thus is allied with Satan and his evil spirits. It is dead to God yet very much alive to Satan and follows the evil spirit which is now at work in him (Ephesians 2:2).

6. Flesh is the composite of the unregenerated soul and the physical life. As in yielding to the demand of its passions and lusts the soul has become a slave to the body so that the Holy Spirit finds it useless to strive for God’s place in such a one. Hence the Scripture declares, “My Spirit shall not always plead with Man; for he indeed is flesh” (Gen. 6.3). The Bible refers to the flesh as the composite of the unregenerated soul and the physical life, though more often than not it points to sin which is in the body.

7.Once man is completely under the dominion of the flesh, he has no possibility of liberating himself. Soul has replaced the spirit’s authority. Everything is done independently and according to the dictates of his mind. Even in religious matters, in the hottest pursuit of God, all is carried on by the strength and will of man’s soul, void of the Holy Spirit’s revelation. The soul is not merely independent of the spirit; it is additionally under the body’s control. It is now asked to obey, to execute and to fulfill the lusts, passions and demands of the body. Every son of Adam is therefore not only dead in his spirit but he is also “from the earth, a man of dust” (1 Cor. 15.47).

8.Fallen men are governed completely by the flesh, walking in response to the desires of their soulish life and physical passions. Such ones are unable to commune with God. Sometimes they display their intellect, at others times their passion, but more often both their intellect and passion. Unimpeded, the flesh is in firm control over the total man. This is what is unfolded in Jude 18 and 19— “mockers, walking after their own lusts of ungodlinesses. These are they who set themselves apart, natural men, not having spirit”.

9.Being soulish is antagonistic to being spiritual. The spirit, that noblest part of us, the part which may be united to God and ought to regulate the soul and body, is now under the dominion of the soul, that part of us which is earthly in both its motive and aim. The spirit has been stripped of its original position. Man’s present condition is abnormal. Wherefore he is pictured as not having spirit. The result of being soulish is that he becomes a mocker, pursuing ungodly passions and creating divisions.1 Corinthians 2.14 speaks of such unregenerated persons in this fashion: “The natural (soulish) man does not receive the gifts of the spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” Such men as are under the control of their souls with their spirits suppressed are in direct contrast to spiritual people.

10.They may be exceedingly intelligent, able to present masterful ideas or theories, yet they do not consent to the things of the Spirit of God. They are unfit to receive revelation from the Holy Spirit. Such revelation is vastly different from human ideas. Man may think human intellect and reasoning are almighty, that the brain is able to comprehend11. truths of the world; but the verdict of God’s Word is, “vanity of vanities” Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 12:8.

11. While man is in his soulish state he frequently senses the insecurity of this age and so he too seeks the eternal life of the coming age. But even if he does, he is still powerless to uncover the Word of life by his much thinking and theorizing. How untrustworthy are human reasonings! We often observe how very clever persons clash in their different opinions. Theories easily lead man into error. They are castles in the air, tumbling him into eternal darkness.

How true it is that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit intellect not only is undependable but also extremely dangerous, because it often confuses the issue of right and wrong. A slight carelessness may cause not merely temporary loss but even everlasting harm. The darkened mind of man frequently leads him to eternal death. If only unregenerated souls could see this, how good it would be!

12.While man is fleshly, he may be controlled by more than just the soul:-  While man is fleshly, he may be controlled by more than just the soul he may be under the direction of the body as well; for soul and body are closely entwined. Because the body of sin is abounding in desires and passions, man may commit the most hideous of sins. As the body is formed of the dust, so its natural tendency is towards the earth. The introduction of the serpent’s poison into man’s body turns all its legitimate desires into lusts. Having once yielded to the body in disobeying God, the soul finds itself bound to yield every time. The base desires of the body may therefore often be expressed through the soul. The power of the body becomes so overwhelming that the soul cannot but become the obedient slave.

God’s thought is for the spirit to have the pre-eminence, ruling our soul. But once man turns fleshly his spirit sinks into servitude to the soul. Further degradation follows when man becomes “bodily” (of the body), for the basest body rises to be sovereign. Man has then descended from “spirit-control” to “soul-control,” and from “soul-control” to “body-control.” Deeper and deeper he sinks. How pitiful it must be when the flesh gains dominion.

13.Sin has slain the spirit: - spiritual death hence becomes the portion of all, for all are dead in sins and trespasses. Sin has rendered the soul independent: the soulish life is therefore but a selfish and self-willed one. Sin has finally empowered the body: sinful nature accordingly reigns through the body.

Hene saved by grace through faith" is a core Christian doctrine (Ephesians 2:8-9) stating that salvation is a free gift from God based on His unmerited love (grace), not human works or merit. Humans receive this gift by trusting in Jesus Christ's sacrifice (faith), ensuring salvation is not earned and eliminating boasting. God is committed to restore our Spirit Soul and Body in the same order (1 Thessalonian 5:23) He create in the Eden Garden. Let us preach Gospel.

Did Jesus go to hell between His death and resurrection

There is a great deal of confusion regarding this question. The concept that Jesus went to hell after His death on the cross comes primarily from the Apostles’ Creed, which states, “He descended into hell.” There are also a few Scripture passages that, depending on how they are translated, describe Jesus going to “hell.” In studying this issue, it is important to first understand what the Bible teaches about the realm of the dead.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent of sheol is hades, which also refers to “the place of the dead.” The New Testament indicates that sheol/hades is a temporary place, where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection and judgment. Revelation 20:11–15 makes a clear distinction between hades and the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the permanent and final place of judgment for the lost. Hades, then, is a temporary place. Many people refer to both hades and the lake of fire as “hell,” and this causes confusion. Jesus did not go to a place of torment after His death but He did go the hades.

Sheol/hades is a realm with two divisions—a place of blessing and a place of judgment (Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27–31). The abodes of the saved and the lost are both generally called “hades” in the Bible. The abode of the saved is also called “Abraham’s bosom” (KJV) or “Abraham’s side” (NIV) in Luke 16:22 and “paradise” in Luke 23:43. The abodes of the saved and the lost are separated by a “great chasm” (Luke 16:26). When Jesus died, He went to the blessed side of sheol, or paradise. (Some believe, based on a particular interpretation of Ephesians 4:8–10, that Jesus took believers with Him from sheol to another place of bliss that we now call heaven. More likely, Ephesians 4 refers to the ascension of Christ.) All the unbelieving dead go to the cursed side of hades to await the final judgment. All the believing dead go to the blessed side of hades to await the resurrection. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes, according to Jesus’ own words , He went to the blessed of the Sheol.

Some of the confusion has arisen from such passages as Psalm 16:10–11 as translated in the King James Version: “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life.” “Hell” is not a correct translation in this verse. A correct reading would be “the grave” or “sheol.” Jesus said to the thief beside Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43); He did not say, “I will see you in hell.” Jesus’ body was in the tomb; His soul/spirit went to be with the blessed in sheol/hades. Unfortunately, in many versions of the Bible, translators are not consistent, or correct, in how they translate the Hebrew and Greek words for “Sheol” “hades” and “hell”.

Some have the viewpoint that Jesus went to “hell” or the suffering side of sheol/hades in order to further be punished for our sins. This idea is completely unbiblical. It was the death of Jesus on the cross that sufficiently provided for our redemption. It was His shed blood that effected our own cleansing from sin (1 John 1:7–9). As He hung there on the cross, He took the sin burden of the whole human race upon Himself. He became sin for us: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This imputation of sin helps us understand Christ’s struggle in the Garden of Gethsemane with the cup of sin that He asked to pass from Him (Matthew 26:39).

As Jesus neared death, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). His suffering in our place was completed. His soul/spirit went to hades (the place of the dead). Jesus did not go to “hell” or the suffering side of hades; He went to “Abraham’s side” or the blessed side of hades. Jesus’ suffering ended the moment He died. The payment for sin was paid. He then awaited the resurrection of His body and His return to glory in His ascension. Did Jesus go to hell? No. Did Jesus go to sheol/hades? Yes.

2 Corinthians 4:10 “always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body”.

 2 Corinthians 4:10 ^“always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body”.

 2 Corinthians 4:10, which speaks of "always carrying in the body the death of Jesus," is widely interpreted as a call for believers to adopt a lifestyle of identification with Christ's sufferings, self-denial, and service. Rather than a one-time event, this is viewed as an ongoing, daily process of dying to self-will and selfish desires, which allows the resurrected life of Jesus to be manifested through the believer. 

Key Aspects of "Carrying the Death of Jesus"

• Identification with Sufferings: The "death of Jesus" (or "dying") refers to the persecution, hardship, and risks of death that Christians—particularly Paul and his companions—faced while serving Christ. It is a tangible, physical identification with Christ's own experiences.
• Lifestyle of Self-Denial: This involves a daily "death" to self-interest, ego, and the flesh, as described in Philippians 3:10 and Galatians 2:20.
• The Goal of Manifestation: The purpose of this ongoing sacrifice is that "the life of Jesus" (his resurrection power, love, and character) can be displayed, or made visible, in the believer's mortal body (2 Cor 4:10).
• The Paradox of Ministry: Paul argues that this "death" (suffering) is not a sign of defeat but rather a conduit for bringing divine life to others. 

Contextual Understanding

• "Jars of Clay": Paul explains that this treasure (the gospel) is placed in fragile human bodies ("jars of clay") so that the surpassing power is clearly seen to be from God, not from human strength.
• Not a Misfortune: Rather than viewing hardships as a personal failure or loss, this passage encourages believers to treat suffering as a "badge of honor," a way of joining in the mission of Christ.
• The Role of the Holy Spirit: While the passage focuses on the believer "carrying" or bearing this death as a, personal, physical experience, other scriptures (such as Romans 8:11) indicate that the resurrection life that flows from this dying is accomplished by the Spirit of God. 

Summary: - Carrying the death of Jesus is a call to live a surrendered life, where the believer is willing to die to their own comfort, pride, and desires, so that the power of Christ's resurrection can be openly displayed through them.

 

The blood of Jesus

Revelation 12:11, ^“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death”.

Jesus stated, "I will raise him up at the last day," four times regarding the believer in John 6 (see verses 39, 40, 44, and 54). One aspect of salvation is resurrection.

John 6:54-56, ^“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them”.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink”.

"Whoever consumes My body and eats my blood I will bring him up on the last day because my blood has eternal life. Because my blood is a drink and my flesh is food. "He who continually eats My flesh, and continually drinks My blood, continually abides in Me and I in him" uses the ongoing present tense for the words eats, drinks, and abides.

It is evident that the Lord places a high value on consuming His flesh and blood. Although I am not the ultimate authority, I firmly think He is referring to the sacrament of Communion, often known as the Lord's Supper. Communion is the consumption of Jesus' blood.

"I don't like the thought of drinking blood," says a part of us. It took me years to understand this sentence, as I recall. However, we must consume Jesus' flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life.

So have your Lord’s Supper regularly.

 

The Church Began in Unity

1. The title of teaching is Return to Unity. The unity that I have in mind is the unity of the body of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth—not any particular denomination, not people with any particular label, but all the people who have truly acknowledged Jesus as Savior and Lord and are seeking to live for Him and do His will. Whatever denominational label, nationality, or cultural background is not important.

In the sight of Jesus there is only one church on earth. It’s not a Catholic church, it’s not a Protestant church, it’s not a Baptist or a Presbyterian or an Anglican church; it’s His church. And I believe He’s very jealous that it should be His church and His alone.

We generally talk about my church. But one day the Lord spoke to me and said, “Would you mind telling me whose church it really is?” I had to stop and think and I said, “Lord, I hope it is your church but I am not too sure.” And that really cured me of trying to put my label or my ownership on any section of the church of Jesus Christ.

I talk about return to unity because it’s very clear from the record of the book of Acts that the church began in unity. Let me read you just a few Scriptures that state this very clearly.

If we go to the birth of the church on earth which is described in Acts 2:1, it says: “When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” They were united.

And then a little further on in the same chapter, after the Holy Spirit had fallen and multitudes had been converted, in Acts 2:44–47 it says: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all as anyone had need. So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart...”

Notice it was with one accord. They were all together. That’s how the church was born. And in Acts 4:32, a little later on in the record of the church, it says: “Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.” Very clear that they were just one body, one group of people.

Then if you think about Paul’s letters that he addressed—for instance, he wrote to the church in Corinth, the church in Thessalonica, or the church in Philippi—he never wrote to the Baptist church in Corinth or to the Anglican church or the Catholic church. There was only one church.

An interesting question would be: if Paul were alive today and wrote a letter to the church in Singapore, where would it be delivered? Who would get it?  I say that to point out how far we have moved away from the pattern on which the church was established.

I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, and I’m not even trying to make myself feel guilty. We are not responsible for centuries of history. We may suffer the consequences, but we are responsible for our own actions and for how we respond to the situation today.

One thing is obvious: when Jesus comes back, He will be coming back for a united church because He is coming back for a bride. The church is His bride.  Jesus is no bigamist. He does not have two brides. He does not have a Anglican bride and a Protestant bride and so on. Somehow between now and then the church has got to be identified as the group of people who collectively will become the bride of Christ.

Perhaps this seems impossible or unrealistic. But Jesus said: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” My conviction is that if God has said He will do something, He will do it.

One of the important revelations in Acts chapter 3 is that the present age will end with a period of restoration of all things. Restoration means putting things back in the right place and in the right condition.

God is going to do that with His people. According to Old Testament prophecy, God has a covenant people called Israel, whom He will never abandon. For centuries they were scattered, but in this century, God has been putting them back in their land.

In the same way, the church has also been outside its spiritual inheritance in Christ for many centuries. But God is now restoring His people. Peter said in Acts 3:19–21: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.”

 

2: God's Process of Making the Church Ready for the Return of Jesus :- I see four stages in this passage—four English words beginning with RE.

1. Repentance
2. Refreshing
3. Restoration
4. Return

1. Repentance :- The first word is repent. Every time God’s people get out of line with His will, the requirement is repentance. Repentance is not emotion—it is a decision. It literally means to change your mind.

It means turning from living for yourself to saying: “God, you tell me what to do and I will do it.”

2. Refreshing: - After repentance comes refreshing. When we repent, we experience renewal and spiritual life becomes exciting again.

3. Restoration: - Refreshing leads to restoration. God restores what has been lost in the church.

4. Return: -  Finally comes the Return of Jesus.

The order is:

Repentance → Refreshing → Restoration → Return

And I believe we are living in the time of restoration. God is restoring: -

• The gifts of the Holy Spirit
• Apostles, prophets, and ministries
• The full gospel message
• And most importantly the unity of the church

3: What Does Unity Mean? :-  Unity does not mean one worldwide denomination. Jesus explained unity in John 17:20–23 when He prayed: “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You.” The unity between the Father and the Son is not organizational—it is relational.

And that unity exists through the Holy Spirit. Christianity is not primarily a religion of correct doctrine. It is a religion of right relationships:

1. Right relationship with God
2. Right relationship with fellow believers

The cross itself illustrates this:

• The vertical beam = relationship with God
• The horizontal beam = relationship with people

If the horizontal beam is crooked, the vertical beam cannot be straight. So, if we are wrong with our brothers, we are also wrong with God.

4: What Causes Disunity? :- The root cause of division is not theology. The apostle Paul explains the real cause in 1 Corinthians 3:1-4 :-It is the flesh carnal nature:-

Signs of carnality include:

• Envy
• Strife
• Division
• Following human leaders instead of Christ

Paul says when people say: “I am of Paul”, “I am of Apollos”  

they are acting in the flesh. The real issue is selfish ambition. And the only remedy is crucifixion of the flesh. As Galatians 5:24 says: “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

5: How the World Will Know the True Disciples: -  Jesus gave the identifying mark of His disciples in John 13:34–35: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  Love is not a suggestion—it is a commandment. And the love Jesus speaks about is sacrificial love.

In 1 John 3:16–17 we read: “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  If we have resources and refuse to help our brothers in need, the love of God is not truly in us. Paul summarized the whole purpose of Christian teaching in 1 Timothy 1:5:  “The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.” If ministry does not produce love, it has failed its purpose.

6: How Can Unity Be Restored? Unity will come through three sources:

1. The Church: - The church must repent of attitudes that cause division.

2. God: - God will pour out His Holy Spirit on all flesh, as prophesied in Joel and quoted in Acts 2. The more the Spirit moves, the more barriers between believers will fall.

3. Satan: - Ironically, persecution will force believers together. Jesus said in Matthew 24 that believers will face tribulation. Under persecution, denominational labels will lose importance. People will stand together simply because they belong to Jesus.

At the end of the age there will ultimately be two groups:

• The Bride of Christ
• The False Church (the harlot)

The bride is the church that remains faithful to Jesus. Every believer will eventually face the decision: Loyal to Jesus — or disloyal. Joel describes it as “the valley of decision.” And in that valley every person must choose.

Pr. Ramesh C. Koundal

Eternal Hope Church

Hebrews 4:12-Revealing the Soul and the Spirit

 Sermon: The Word of God – Revealing the Soul and the Spirit

Text: Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 1. The Word of God Is Living

Hebrews 4:12 tells us that the Word of God is living and powerful. The Bible is not just a collection of historical writings or religious teachings. It carries the life of God within it.

When we read the Scriptures, we are not merely reading information; God Himself is speaking to us through His Word.

Christian teacher Watchman Nee often emphasized that the Word of God is not meant only to give knowledge but to work within a person and transform their life.

Many people read the Bible to gain knowledge, but God desires that His Word change our hearts and our lives.

For example:

• When a sinner hears the Word of God, repentance can arise in the heart.
• When a proud person hears the Word, humility can begin to grow.

This happens because God’s Word is alive.

 2. The Word of God Is Sharper Than a Two-Edged Sword

The verse says that the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword.

A sword cuts and separates. In the same way, the Word of God cuts through deception and reveals truth.

Often we think we are right in our actions and motives. But when the Word of God speaks to us, it exposes our true spiritual condition.

Watchman Nee described the Word of God as a surgeon’s knife.

Just as a doctor performs surgery to remove disease from the body, the Word of God cuts into our inner life and exposes hidden sin, pride, selfish ambition, and hypocrisy.

This process may be painful, but it is necessary for healing and spiritual growth.

 3. Dividing Soul and Spirit

One of the deepest truths in Hebrews 4:12 is that the Word of God divides the soul and the spirit.

Watchman Nee taught extensively about this distinction.

According to the Bible, a human being has three parts:

1.    Body – the physical part of our being

2.    Soul – the mind, emotions, and will

3.    Spirit – the deepest part of a person where we commune with God

Many times, what appears spiritual may actually come from the soul rather than the spirit.

For example:

• A person may serve in ministry but secretly desire recognition or praise.
• Someone may pray publicly but do so only for appearance.

Outwardly, these actions may seem spiritual, but they may be driven by soulish motives.

Only the Word of God can truly reveal whether something comes from the human soul or from the regenerated spirit.

 4. Discerning Thoughts and Intentions

Hebrews 4:12 also says that the Word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

People can see outward actions, but God sees the heart.

Sometimes we do good things, but our motives are not pure.

The Word of God reveals:

• Why we serve
• Why we pray
• Why we follow God

When we stand before the Word of God, our true motives are exposed.

God’s Word functions like a spiritual judge, revealing what lies deep within our hearts.

 5. Everything Is Exposed Before God

The next verse, Hebrews 4:13, teaches that nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.

We may hide things from other people, but nothing can be hidden from God.

Therefore, God calls us to come before H