GOD IS SPIRIT – LISTEN TO HIS PROMISE TODAY
Sakkie Parsons
Someone wrote to me and asked whether God has a soul.
Now, before I give you my answer, I must say right away that there will be people who may not agree with me. But I will share with you how I personally understand the Word in this regard. Please remember, I’m only giving a few examples that support my view – though I could have provided many more. I simply don’t want this message to become too long.
To me, it is clear that God is Spirit, because He says so in His Word:
John 4:24 (AMP)
“God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus is also Spirit, because He Himself said:
John 10:29-30
“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].”
We also know that Jesus, who is one with the Father, dwells in us in the person of the Holy Spirit:
2 Timothy 1:13-14
13 Keep and follow the pattern of sound teaching (doctrine) which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard [with greatest care] and keep unchanged the treasure [that precious truth] which has been entrusted to you, [that is, the good news about salvation through personal faith in Christ Jesus], through the [help of the] Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
So, God, who is Spirit, lives in you – in the person of Jesus Christ, who is also the Holy Spirit dwelling in you and in me.
That is why we, together with my great hero Paul, can testify:
Galatians 2:20
“I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Now consider what His “paying the price for us” involved:
Isaiah 53:2–12
2 For He [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no stately form or majestic splendor that we would look at Him, nor [handsome] appearance that we would be attracted to Him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and pain and acquainted with grief; and like One from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or esteem Him.
4 But [in fact] He has borne our griefs, and He has carried our sorrows and pains; yet we [ignorantly] assumed that He was stricken, struck down by God and degraded and humiliated [by Him].
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing]; the punishment [required] for our well-being fell on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, we have turned, each one, to his own way; but the Lord has caused the wickedness of us all [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing] to fall on Him [instead of us].
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth [to complain or defend Himself]; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before her shearers, so He did not open His mouth.
8 After oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation [His contemporaries], who [among them] concerned himself with the fact that He was cut off from the land of the living [by His death] for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke [of death] was due?
9 His grave was assigned with the wicked, but He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10 Yet the Lord was willing to crush Him, causing Him to suffer; if He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, and the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand.
11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He shall see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge [of what He has accomplished] the Righteous One, My Servant, shall justify the many [making them righteous—upright before God, in right standing with Him], for He shall bear [the responsibility for] their sins.
12 Therefore, I will divide and give Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoils with the mighty; because He [willingly] poured out His life to death, and was counted among the transgressors; yet He Himself bore and took away the sin of many, and interceded [with the Father] for the transgressors.
This Jesus – who endured such horrible, inhumane suffering so that you and I could receive His loving grace – has made it possible that, when we leave this life, we can be with Him forever and inherit eternal life.
Yes, this Jesus, who endured all that suffering you just read about – and even overcame death by rising on the third day after His crucifixion and walking out of the tomb…
This same Jesus gave us these words, and today you are reading His own personal message to you.
And while you read this, maybe you feel discouraged, even in despair, as you look at your life, your circumstances, and the chaos in the world around you.
Just remember what He, the One whose words you are about to read – endured for your salvation. He rose from the dead and conquered death so that you and I may live forever.
Matthew 11:28–30
28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].
29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls.
30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”
Now listen to what He, who is God and cannot lie, says to you – if you believe Him today and do what He says:
John 10:27–30
27 “The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.
28 And I give them eternal life, and they will never [ever] by any means perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand.
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
30 I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].”
Greetings,
Sakkie