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I Thessalonians 5:23, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

This morning, it should be no surprise that man does not understand his condition by nature, as most men have no concept of the parts of man (or their state at various times). Man is a three-part creature, always has been and always will be. No part of man gets lost in the ebb and flow of the sands of time. Nor does a part of man get added to make him more than three parts. When God created Adam, he was good and very good. He was not a spiritual creature, but he was a good natural creature. He had a good natural spirit, soul, and body. They were without sin, yet not holy. When Adam fell, all three parts fell from the state of natural goodness into the wretched, abysmal vortex of depravity and total corruption.

Therefore, when Christ came to redeem His people from the curse of the law, He had to redeem them wholly. He did not come for just our souls. Nor did He come for just our bodies or spirits. He came so that every one of us would live in heaven with Him in spirit, soul, and body. If all three parts are dead in sins from the fall of Adam (which Scripture
certainly affirms), then simple logic concludes that all three parts have to be made alive in Christ for the whole man to be in heaven. This making new or alive comes in two places. While Christ's death sealed the legal agreement, vital work still had to be done in every child of grace for their washing and renewal.

 The first act of vitality is regeneration. One might ask, "What exactly is changed in regeneration?" This is certainly a fair question, and it is best answered with a question, "Can you tell the difference between the soul and spirit?" Bible readers (no matter how much they may protest) will have to affirm that we cannot discern the difference between the two. Hebrews 4:12-13 declares that only Jesus Christ knows that difference, and therefore, the new birth changes those two parts of the man. His old, dead nature that dwells in the soul and spirit is now circumcised and gives him the position of a spiritual Jew. Many sleepless nights have been spent by foolish preachers trying to figure out what the difference is between these two parts of man, but simple Scriptural language says that it is not for us to know. When the body lays down in death, the spirit and soul go back to God. (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Genesis 35:18) This leaves one part of man still unchanged.

 The body is left in its corruptible state until that last glorious day that will forever shine into all eternity. It pleased the Lord to leave our new creature housed in corruption while we sojourn here. However, the body will not remain so forever. Just as surely as we have been quickened within, our body will be raised again at the last day. Our Lord has begun a good work in us (new birth). He will perform it at the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (resurrection). He begins many good works in us during our lives that come to fruition at later times, but certainly, this is the greatest work that He has begun in us that will come to greater fruition than any other act.

 Christ even told those in John 5 not to marvel at what He told them of the new birth in verse 25. What a marvellous thing will occur in verse 28 when all the graves will be opened.  What a marvellous event when those who are alive and remain are caught up together with those gone on before to meet the Lord in the air. Truly, this sight is beyond any other and not worthy of comparison. We shall see Him as He is, and know Him as He knows us. Truly, our prayer is that He keep and preserve us, and He has promised that He will. Therefore, we will all (without the loss of one) appear with Him in glory both holy and wholly.


In Hope,

Bro Philip