In the previous chapter we saw how to serve in spirit and how to serve God by exercising our spirit. Therefore, we must reject our soul. We also saw that the soul is composed of three functions: the mind, the emotion, and the will. If we would reject the soul, we must reject these functions of the soul. Although they are good, we still must reject them. We should not serve God by these organs. In the service to God these organs have their positions, but they should not occupy the first place. We should allow only the spirit to have the preeminence in our service to God. If we serve God by the mind, emotion, or will, then our spirit will definitely be suppressed and depreciated and will not have its proper position. If these functions dominate our service to God, then our spirit will lose its position and will not be able to manifest its function.
We should never allow our service to come out of our soul. We must always judge, condemn, and reject the soul. All our services should have the spirit as their source. They should all come out from the spirit and allow the spirit to be dominant, to have authority, and to control everything. This does not mean, however, that our mind, emotion, and will are of absolutely no use in our service to God. These faculties still have their place, which is secondary and not primary. They should not take the lead; rather, they should be under the control of the spirit.
This matter, however, is somewhat difficult. Because we are too accustomed to living in the mind, emotion, and will, it is hard for us to get out of them. We are in these faculties even when we pray or read the Bible, not to mention when we are doing other things. We have lived in our mind, emotion and will too deeply and for too long, so it is not easy for us to be saved from them or to get out of them. Moreover, these items are basically man himself. Just consider this: How can a person get out of himself? This is a difficult thing! It is easier for us to get out of sins and the world because these are from outside of us. It is very difficult, however, for us to not live by the self because it is not merely inside of us, but also it is simply us. It is truly hard for us not to live by the self— the mind, emotion, and will—and to live without the self by rejecting the functions of the soul. It is relatively easy not to do the things that are evil or wrong but to do the things that are good and right. However, it is truly difficult not to do things by the self or the soul but to do things by the spirit.
We must know, though, that if we do not do things by the spirit, then what we do in our service to God does not have much weight or value. Furthermore, if we do not live by the spirit, it is difficult for us to grow in the spiritual life. This may be considered a very crucial point. Whether our service will have any value and whether our spiritual life will have any growth, all these questions depend on whether we can be delivered from the self, whether we can reject the soul, and whether we can live and serve by the spirit instead of by the soul.
If we would reject the things of the soul, then we must clearly see before God that anything that comes out of our mind, emotion, or will is a hindrance and an enemy to the spirit. If we see this, we will condemn and reject our mind, emotion, and will. In the past we loved and appreciated these things. Perhaps you were one who has imagination, intelligence, and cleverness. Maybe you were one who is rich in emotions and can easily sympathize with and care for others. Or perhaps you were one who is strong in will and has backbone and opinions. In the past you boasted in these things and you appreciated and thought highly of them. Now, however, you realize that although these things are good, they are spiritual hindrances which prevent you from touching your spirit. If you appreciate and think highly of these things, you will not be able to learn to exercise your spirit, to really touch your spirit, or to serve God in spirit. Once you have this realization, you will hate your thinking and cleverness, your sympathy and concern for others, and your views and opinions. You will condemn all these things. In the past you considered these things to be your advantages, but now you see them as your problems. This is why you condemn them. Moreover, every time you meet with some situation, you are in fear and trembling, being afraid that your mind, emotion, or will may come out first. Therefore, in every situation, you do not dare to use these items first. Rather, you reject them.