MATTHEW KALLIMAN'S WEBSITE
Songs and Teachings of the Bible
Songs and Teachings of the Bible
Doctrine Five
THE SPIRIT IN MAN
There is a "spirit in man" which imparts greater intelligence to human beings than that given to animals. The human spirit is not an immortal soul, but preserves a person's thoughts, memories, personality and character between the time of death and the time of resurrection.
The Spirit of God may be joined with the human spirit, imparting God's nature to an individual. By contrast, Satan "broadcasts" an unholy spirit by which he provokes people to sin and corrupts human nature. Human minds are "tuned in" either to God's Holy Spirit or to "Satan's wavelength."
The Spirit of God may be joined with the human spirit, imparting God's nature to an individual. By contrast, Satan "broadcasts" an unholy spirit by which he provokes people to sin and corrupts human nature. Human minds are "tuned in" either to God's Holy Spirit or to "Satan's wavelength."
THE SPIRIT IN MAN
Research has shown that the human brain is similar to the animal brain in size and composition. However, the output of the human mind is vastly superior to that of the animal brain. Animals cannot think, reason, speak or create as humans can. Animals cannot produce literature, art or music. The vast difference between human mind and animal brain can be accounted for only by the existence of a non-physical component within humans, which the Bible calls the spirit in man.
If a person's arm or leg were cut off, he could still live. But if his head were cut off, he would die. We "live between our ears" -- we do our thinking inside our head.
A highly educated university professor once made the following frank admission to his class: "Students, I want you to know that it bugs the ~~~~ out of me to realize that my brain can contemplate its own death!"
The following biblical passages refer to the spirit in man:
If a person's arm or leg were cut off, he could still live. But if his head were cut off, he would die. We "live between our ears" -- we do our thinking inside our head.
A highly educated university professor once made the following frank admission to his class: "Students, I want you to know that it bugs the ~~~~ out of me to realize that my brain can contemplate its own death!"
The following biblical passages refer to the spirit in man:
" . . . there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding."
(Job 32:8)
" . . . the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom. . . . " [Notice that God was able to put an idea into the mind of King Cyrus, upon which he acted. Proverbs 21:1 says, "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, . . . He turns it wherever He wishes."]
(II Chronicles 36:22; Ezra 1:1)
"Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him."
(Zechariah 12:1)
"Thus says God the Lord,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,
Who gives breath to the people on it,
And spirit to those who walk on it:"
(Isaiah 42:5)
"For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?"
(I Corinthians 2:11)
"The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart."
(Proverbs 20:27)
The Holy Spirit "bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."
(Romans 8:16)
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, 'Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.' Having said this, He breathed His last."
(Luke 23:46)
"And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' "
(Acts 7:59)
"Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it."
(Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Doctrine Four covered the fact that the dead are "asleep" -- unconscious until the time of their resurrection. God retains the spirit of every human being who dies. Upon "waking up" in the resurrection, all of the thoughts, memories, personality and character of the individual are restored. Doctrine Four
SATAN'S SPIRIT CORRUPTS HUMAN NATURE
Scripture teaches that the world has been cut off from God since the time of Adam and Eve, who were expelled from the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:22-24; 6:5; Ephesians 2:12; 4:17-18). The Creation has been "subjected to futility" for almost 6,000 years (Romans 8:20), during which time Satan has "held the world captive" by influencing the nature of humans and animals (Genesis 2:19-20; Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25; Ezekiel 34:25; Matthew 8:30-32).
During this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) Satan "broadcasts" impure thoughts, attitudes, moods and feelings into the unsuspecting minds of human beings from the time of their earliest youth (Genesis 8:21; Ephesians 2:2-3). He "stings" people with sin, comparable to a bee sting or a snake bite (I Corinthians 15:56; Romans 7:14-25). The sin, like venom, spreads through its victim and leads to death (James 1:15). Just as soft clay or wet cement hardens over time, and as small twigs grow into mature trees, even so the hearts of human beings slowly become hostile against God. Thoughts lead to actions, actions become habits and habits mature into a person's character. That is why human nature is not inclined to obey God (Romans 8:7), and is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Human beings learn to "cover" their sinful nature by pretending to be righteous, presenting a mere outward facade of good character to others (Matthew 12:33-37; 15:19; 19:17; 23:25-28; John 2:25; 7:7).
Human beings are not "born that way" (sinful) -- they "become that way" after they are born. Human nature, influenced by Satan, is the cause of all of this world's problems, violence, crime and immorality (Genesis 6:1-11; Leviticus 18:1-3, 24; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:3-17).
During this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) Satan "broadcasts" impure thoughts, attitudes, moods and feelings into the unsuspecting minds of human beings from the time of their earliest youth (Genesis 8:21; Ephesians 2:2-3). He "stings" people with sin, comparable to a bee sting or a snake bite (I Corinthians 15:56; Romans 7:14-25). The sin, like venom, spreads through its victim and leads to death (James 1:15). Just as soft clay or wet cement hardens over time, and as small twigs grow into mature trees, even so the hearts of human beings slowly become hostile against God. Thoughts lead to actions, actions become habits and habits mature into a person's character. That is why human nature is not inclined to obey God (Romans 8:7), and is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Human beings learn to "cover" their sinful nature by pretending to be righteous, presenting a mere outward facade of good character to others (Matthew 12:33-37; 15:19; 19:17; 23:25-28; John 2:25; 7:7).
Human beings are not "born that way" (sinful) -- they "become that way" after they are born. Human nature, influenced by Satan, is the cause of all of this world's problems, violence, crime and immorality (Genesis 6:1-11; Leviticus 18:1-3, 24; Romans 1:18-32; Ephesians 5:3-17).
" . . . through one man" [Adam] " sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. . . ."
(Romans 5:12)
In the days of Noah,
" . . . the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."
(Genesis 6:5)
"Then the Lord said in His heart, . . . 'the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth. . . . ' "
(Genesis 8:21)
The human condition today is the same as it was before the flood:
" . . . as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be."
(Matthew 24:37)
"Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead."
(Ecclesiastes 9:3)
"The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?"
(Jeremiah 17:9)
"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man. . . ."
(Matthew 15:19-20)
"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
(Galatians 5:19-21)
"For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."
(Romans 8:6-7)
GOD IS WRITING HIS LAWS ON HUMAN HEARTS TODAY
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."
(Numbers 21:8-9)
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
(John 3:14-15)
Paul's mission was "to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. . . ."
(Acts 26:18)
"And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."
(Ephesians 2:2-3)
"This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness."
(Ephesians 4:17-24)
After stating the above, the Apostle Paul went on to teach his Gentile converts to obey God's Law (Ephesians 4:25 through 6:20). Paul taught them that, as a result of having been converted and receiving God's Holy Spirit, they were to keep the Ten Commandments (compare Romans 2:12-29 and Matthew 19:16-19). Christ Upheld the Law of God -- The Apostles Upheld the Law of God
"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. . . . I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
(Hebrews 8:8-10; see also Hebrews 10:16 and Jeremiah 31:31, 33)
Now behold, one came and said to Him, 'Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?'
So He said to him, 'Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.'
He said to Him, 'Which ones?'
Jesus said, ' "You shall not murder," "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "Honor your father and your mother," and, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "
(Matthew 19:16-19)
"Then one of them . . . asked Him a question, . . . saying, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?'
Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.' "
(Matthew 22:35-40)
"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, 'Do not commit adultery,' also said, 'Do not murder.' Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment."
(James 2:8-13)
The Royal Law
"Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor, therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."
(Romans 13:8-10)
" . . . the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law."
(Galatians 5:22-23)
The Proof of a Christian
" . . . the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. . . ."
(Romans 5:5)
" . . . God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
(II Timothy 1:7)
"But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. . . . But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit. . . ."
(Romans 8:9-11
" . . . be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, 'Be holy, for I am holy.' "
(I Peter 1:15-16)
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. . . ."
(Philippians 2:5)
" . . . Christ lives in me. . . ."
(Galatians 2:20)
" . . . Christ in you. . . ."
(Colossians 1:27)
"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. . . ."
(Philemon 1:25)
"The Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. . . ."
(II Timothy 4:22)
"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me."
(Psalm 51:10-11)
O God, Create in Me a Clean Heart
(Psalm 51)
(Psalm 51)
"Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to Our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
'For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord.
'For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than Your thoughts.' "
(Isaiah 55:6-9)
Seek the Lord
God's purpose is to change human nature by writing His laws -- the Ten Commandments -- on human hearts and in human minds, so that mankind may overcome sin and develop God's holy, righteous character (Hebrews 8:10; Matthew 5:21-30; Acts 2:38; 26:18; I Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians 5:19-24; Ephesians 5:5-6; Colossians 3:5-6; I Peter 1:14-16; Revelation 21:7-8).
The world is about to be delivered from being "held captive" by Satan; the Creation shall soon be restored to its original, pure condition (Genesis 1:31; Isaiah 42:7; 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-21; Acts 3:21; 26:18; Romans 8:21-22; Revelation 20:1-6). God is now in the process of creating a New Heaven and Earth (Genesis 2:1; Isaiah 65:17-25; II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5). Overview -- The Seventh Millennial Day
The world is about to be delivered from being "held captive" by Satan; the Creation shall soon be restored to its original, pure condition (Genesis 1:31; Isaiah 42:7; 61:1-2; Luke 4:18-21; Acts 3:21; 26:18; Romans 8:21-22; Revelation 20:1-6). God is now in the process of creating a New Heaven and Earth (Genesis 2:1; Isaiah 65:17-25; II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-5). Overview -- The Seventh Millennial Day
Fourteen Reasons Why Everyone Should Keep the Seventh-Day Sabbath