Romans 8 reveals the processed Triune God dispensing Himself in His divine Trinity into the tripartite man. First, Christ comes into our spirit to make our spirit life (v. 10). Then from our spirit, He spreads to our mind to make our mind life (v. 6). Third, the processed Triune God consummated as the Spirit indwells us, making our mortal body life (v. 11). The goal of the processed Triune God is to dispense Himself into the three parts of our being. The very center of our being is our spirit. Our spirit, which was deadened (Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:13), was regenerated and made alive, even becoming life. The indwelling One, Christ as the embodiment of the processed Triune God, spreads from our spirit to our mind, and through our mind reaches our dying body.
Hebrews 4 contains the application of the revelation in Romans 8. According to our life experience, Romans 8 and Hebrews 4 speak concerning the same thing. Romans 8 is from the viewpoint of our spirit, while Hebrews 4 is written from the viewpoint of the heavens. By putting these two ends together, we can have a clear view of the divine revelation. The link between our spirit at one end and the heavens at the other end can be compared to Jacob’s dream at Bethel (Gen. 28:10-19). “Bethel” means the house of God. Genesis 28:12 says, “And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.” We can see the ladder between earth and heaven again in John 1:51. The Lord Jesus said to Nathanael, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you shall see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and operative and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, both of joints and marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.” In order to apply the revelation in Romans 8, our soul must be divided from our spirit. We must discern the distinction between our soul and our spirit. The way to have this discernment is through the word. After reading a portion of the Bible in the morning, the division of our soul and our spirit will be taking place within us, even without our knowledge. Even if what we read does not mention the soul and the spirit, we will begin to sense that certain things within us are soulish, of our self and not of Christ. Some who love the Lord and love the Word may not know the proper teaching concerning the dividing of soul and spirit. But simply by reading the Word, their soul is divided from their spirit.
When Paul wrote the book of Hebrews, many Hebrew believers were lingering on the border between Judaism and God’s New Testament economy. They were hesitating and wondering in their mind. In Hebrews 4 Paul showed the believers how to have their soul divided from their spirit through the reading and understanding of the Word. By taking the word, they were able to see that they should come out of Judaism and follow their spirit and not their soul.
Verse 13 says, “And there is no creature that is not manifest before Him, but all things are naked and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we are accountable.” In human society today, many things are confused, but before God nothing is confused; everything is clear and divided. When we come into the church, we begin to be divided. We learn to discern the difference between our soul and spirit, and we learn to discern our intents and thoughts. If we learn to discern, nothing about us will be confused; everything will be clear. When we speak a wrong word with our wife, we will immediately know that our word came from the soul. Sometimes after reading the Word, a husband may come to his wife and say: “I am sorry. I was too much in myself in the way I dealt with you.” On the other hand, if we do not love the Lord and are far away from Him, we will not be able to discern the source of our words.
The word of God is living and operative. As the word operates in us, it even has a way to heal our body. Proverbs 4:20-22 says: “My son, attend to 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 medicine to all their flesh” (Heb.). The word is medicine even for our physical body. Many lovers of God can testify that the more they read the Word, the healthier they become. If we are able, it is a healthy practice for us to fast for one meal a week. Instead of eating physical food at that time, we can eat the word of God (Jer. 15:16). When we fast, we should attach ourselves to the word of God. The word of God will make us healthy because it is living and operative.
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