Articles
Body, Mind, And Soul
While science may be able to measure and somewhat understand the human body, there is no scientific means of measuring or even understanding how the human mind works; oh, man has done and is doing some thorough research and testing and has learned much, but we still don't really know why one person will react or think differently than another. Though some have made the claim, science cannot explain emotion, or feelings, which originate in the mind. Science cannot explain why we have such people who seem to be born savants, knowing of things they have never studied, or child prodigies who are able to calculate difficult mathematical equations or play difficult musical pieces.
Though man has discover a good deal of the depths and secrets of the human mind, and though we are constantly learning more about the human body, we would have to admit we have a long way to go. And you may have noticed science doesn't study the soul of man, and avoids the subject altogether because it is not something that can be measured or tested by scientific methods. But it does exist. Yes, it exists just as surely as we each have a body and we each have a mind — like it or not.
In the world in which we human beings live, we will find some individuals or organizations who offer methods for improving the human mind, or intellect. We also have an overabundance of individuals and organizations who will try to convince us they know how to improve our physical condition and maximize our bodies' capabilities or help to achieve peak physical condition. Other individuals and organizations purport to be able to guide us and instruct us in ways our souls will be transformed and able to reach its supreme condition and far superior to anything we have ever known.
While the scientific world and mankind in general does not — and probably never will — fully understand the workings of the human mind and body, and while the scientific world and much of mankind ignores or denies the existence of the human soul, and while man is constantly offering ways for man to improve self in body, mind, and soul, you can be sure our Creator knows better than any man what is best for man's body, mind, and soul. He, in fact, knows the makeup and the workings of each thoroughly and intimately. And by that, I mean He not only knows how the human mind and body works and that the soul does indeed exist; I mean He knows your mind and its workings, your body and its workings, and your soul and its condition, and He knows what is best for each part of you. He knows you.
And as our Creator, He desires that each individual — every human being — give to Him their all: body, mind, and soul. He calls us to give ourselves fully to Him, to serve Him, to follow Him, and to love Him. Though many men have recognized this and can point to Scriptures that tell us this, these same ones quite often fail to give themselves fully to Him. We fail to give ourselves fully to Him. Oh, we might give our souls to Him, but we hold back the mind and body, or we give to Him the mind and soul, but keep the body for ourselves, or we give Him our souls and bodies but choose our own path for the mind. In every case where we do not give to Him body and mind and soul, we have failed to do what He desires of those who would come to Him. We have not given enough.
For today, let us stop for a bit and consider how our Creator has asked of His Creation [man] to give themselves back to Him fully — body, mind, and soul. Then, let us each examine ourselves to see if we have done just that and, if not, what we must do to fulfill His desire.
Soul. Let's start where man has the least trouble understanding and fulfilling God's desire: the soul. Jesus once asked, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26), and by asking this teaches us the value of a soul. He also teaches us that this is something we do not want lost and, understanding this, some gladly give their souls to Him for cleansing and salvation. When we understand the soul continues to exist beyond this physical world (cf. Matt. 22:31, 32), we see that its condition, its care, and its preservation is far more important than staying in peak physical condition or even ensuring we are of sound mind. Those who accept this truth are those willing to “believe to the saving of the soul” (Heb. 10:39), and give it to the Creator for its care.
Mind. Some arrogant atheists love to believe and say that for one to have faith, one must "leave your brain at the door"; in other words, they maintain there is no thinking, no intellect, involved in true faith. I hate to burst their egotistical bubble, but those who make such assertions are absolutely wrong. True faith, according to the one who gets to define it, is “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). True faith is an intellectual consideration of facts and evidence, and an intellectual decision or conclusion based on such facts and evidence. Despite what modern dictionaries say, faith is not 'belief without evidence.' God has given us abundant evidence to lead each man to an inevitable conclusion (cf. John 20:30, 31).
But the initial conviction in the mind that the facts of the gospel are true is only the beginning; one must continue to give one's mind to the Creator throughout our earthly lives! A disciple must now set his or her “mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:1, 2); disciples must “set their minds on…the things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5) instead of the fleshly and material things; and the disciple must continue to “love the Lord your God…with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37)_ — that itself being an intellectual decision to love the Lord because of what He has done for us, continues to do for us, and for what He has promised. To help us maintain the choice to give our Creator our minds, we must focus our thoughts and desires on the very things that remind us of all that is good and all that is necessary for maintaining a spiritual mind (Phil. 4:8). Think on these things!
Body. It is here we too often hold back and do not give to our Creator what He desires of us, at least not fully. Here is where we sometimes seek to serve two masters, though we know it is not possible (cf. Matt. 6:24). Here is where we reason, if only to ourselves, "I've given Him my soul and mind; isn't that enough?" Being physical beings, we find it hard to hand over to Him the repository of our mind and soul.
But, let us be clear on this: God demands our all, and that includes our bodies for His service, too. Paul reminded the Roman disciples, “And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom. 6:13). Simply put: As disciples, we must no longer seek to fulfill our fleshly pleasures and desires, but use that same body to perform righteous acts for God. To do that, we must give our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him (Rom. 12:1).
Give God your all. — Steven Harper
