Is God concerned only with man’s receiving His perfect gift of holy spirit at the new birth? Are you acquainted with the truth in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, that God planned for man to be a threefold being: spirit, and soul, and body? Indeed, the gift of holy spirit, the new birth, is the miracle of all miracles which makes man complete. Exactly what all is in God’s plan of redemption? What can we rightfully expect?
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 (1 Thessalonians 5:23 KJV).
There is no question that this gift from God is perfect, giving man a spiritual birth, but what about his soul and his body? The word sanctify in this verse, means to be sacred or purified from defect. Born-again ones are to be sacred or purified from defect…wholly, or absolutely, or entirely.
The verse continues to specify that the parts: spirit, and soul, and body, are to be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the power of God, in His gift and through the Word of God in the mind of the believing one, the completeness that was wrought at the new birth, is maintained. It is all part of God’s plan of redemption!
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6 KJV).
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV).
It is truly God’s plan that we are equipped and enjoy good health (including soundness or wholeness of mind) from our new birth all the way until we sleep in Christ (at which time this earthen vessel will corrupt), or we remain alive (in our mortal bodies) at his appearing. Either way, at his appearing, we shall be changed.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52 & 53 KJV).
We have a legal right to enjoy soundness of mind and wholeness of body in our earthen vessels. At the Return of Christ, we will put on a new spiritual body like unto his glorious body, that will last through eternity.
Now, that is a health plan! Yet, many lose out on the miraculous benefit of physical health and healing because their soul life (which houses the heart and mind of mankind) has not connected to the very truth that led them to the new birth.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved [receive wholeness in every part]. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:9 & 10 KJV).
At the moment of the new birth, when the man of body and soul confesses and believes, he receives the gift of holy spirit from God. This believing one now believes he is a child of God and heaven-bound. But, this magnificent scripture takes it further, saying …thou shalt be saved (made whole, preserved from danger or loss, receive soundness). God’s salvation is about healing the whole person – spirit, and soul, and body…all joined as one unit within the child of God.
Remember the lame man at the temple Gate Beautiful in Acts 3? Peter declared to those in wonder and amazement at this miracle …the faith which is by him [Jesus Christ] hath given him [the healed man] this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
In that instance of time, when a person is born again, he or she is in perfect synchronization with God with all three-component parts lined up. The soul is made whole because the individual brings his mind in subjection to the scripture by confessing what the Word of God says, while at the same time, believing in his heart the truth. With the body, being subject to the mind; all three parts align.
The spirit always remains in subjection to God, because His gift of holy spirit is perfect and it is incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23). However, should the individual, by the freedom of his or her will, choose not to subject his or her mind and heart to the scriptures regarding various promises of God, indications of its presence become limited or dormant in effect. This errant decision triggers the soul and body out of alignment with the spirit; and thus, the benefits of wholeness are abandoned. The perfect spirit does not deteriorate but always remains. The person does not lose salvation (wholeness) in terms of eternal life, but may no longer enjoy the threefold soundness, which began at the new birth. To restore and maintain the wholeness in every part, the soul of man requires frequent nourishment to flourish in spirit, in soul, and in body.
During his temptations, Jesus Christ responded in a confrontation with the Devil, …Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Job declared, …I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food (Job 23:12); while Jeremiah proclaimed, Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart (Jeremiah 15:16). These records clearly show the passion of the son of God and other great believing ones to attend to the proper feeding of their whole man, via the diet of their souls. This is how we continue in the healing wholeness of the whole person: spirit, and soul, and body, which began in that miraculous moment of the new birth.
Let’s see what this feeding of the soul does for the wholeness of the body of the born-again believing one.
My son, attend unto my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4: 20-22 KJV).
Even our bodies respond to the hearing of the Word; it is health to all our flesh! If we are lacking wholeness in our flesh, we nurse it back to health by digesting the Word (Psalms 107:20). There is not a molecule, not a cell, not an atom in the body, which does not derive health or healing from the Word. We perceive how the spoken Word heals, comforts and restores our souls, but have we earnestly considered what the spoken Word can do for our bodies?
The flesh is the whole body of man: the muscular, the skeletal, the internal organs, the skin, and every system. All are nourished, healed and maintained by the living Word of God. Here is what the wise recommend:
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health [medicine] (Proverbs 12:18 KJV).
In a state of unrest between countries, a trusted ambassador might be sent to negotiate peace.
A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health [a medicine] (Proverbs 13:17 KJV).
Why not become God’s ambassador to your own anatomy? The word health is the word for medicine. Tell your body the therapeutic value you are giving. Assure your body that you are nourishing it back to wholeness with God’s prescribed curative.
God counts you faithful to administer medicine that puts your physical being at rest. Speak well to your body concerning Him and His promises. Employ the tongue of the wise and negotiate your wholeness.
A merry heart doeth good as medicine (Proverbs 17:22) KJV.
The Rotherham Bible states this verse, …a joyful heart worketh an excellent cure.
I was made aware of a person who had a stroke, leaving one of the arms limp. Each day this person would tell the arm, You are a good arm, awesomely formed by God to perform helpful service. Again and again, this person would stroke the limp arm and speak health and assurances to the arm of how much it was loved and appreciated. In a matter of time, the person recovered and reclaimed use and dexterity, even to the driving of a car.
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health [a medicine] to the bones (Proverbs 16:24).
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health [medicine] (Proverbs 12:18.KJV).
How often have your own words pierced your body when it was in discomfort? My darn back is killing me! This stupid knee is giving me trouble. I swear, I must be having a senior moment (dementia). Employ the tongue of the wise! Pleasant words administer medicine to the bones. Speak consolably to your body, for the Word of God is the curative to all your flesh.
Many scriptures that tell of healings by our lord, use the Greek word, therapeia, from which we get our words therapy and therapeutic. We usually think of something therapeutic, as soothing, comforting and restoring, like a hot bath or spa…perhaps a massage. It may take a little time, but generally it is a pleasant experience. Even the word, therapy places a picture in the mind of recovery back to a healthful state.
Certainly, a miraculous healing took place at the moment of our salvation. We can restore and maintain that threefold wholeness as we improve our eating habits, utilize the medicine God prescribes, and speak words recommended by the wise for health to all our flesh. This is the Godly therapy. Enjoy your next spa or massage session all wrapped up in the miracle of the new birth. ~
