2016.09.11_Commit Your Spirit to the Lord

To Whom Will You Commit Your Spirit Which Lives eternally

God created humans’ soul, and gave them flesh. For mankind, the soul and body cannot be separated. However, the way of the soul is totally different with that of the body. Worldly people go in the way of body. In fact, since this world is optimized for the way for body, in order to seek the benefit of soul, the body has to accept various inconveniences. So, in a saint’s life there has to be conflict between soul and body.

Nevertheless, for mankind there is a duty that they have to carry out. According to how they have done for the duty they go to heaven or hell. In other words, they, no matter what kind of hardship, must believe in Jesus Christ and escape death. They have to abandon the world that rushes toward death and turn to the way of heaven. This opportunity must not be missed. However, unbelievers do not even admit the existence of the soul. Though the soul is the master of a person, unfortunately, flesh reigns in that person.

Even though the lifespan of flesh is very short, the desire of flesh is very strong. Flesh is bound in its senses and reacts sensitively to emotions. Moreover, flesh is so selfish and requires so much that it is very reluctant to be generous. Flesh blocks the way for the soul with all kinds of sinful desires, and when time is up, it does not take any responsibility for the soul and just leaves. On the contrary, the soul does not perish, and must enter the world which is to come. It is the soul that needs care. Once flesh returns to the dust of the ground, it no longer needs care, but the soul is different.

Then, to whom must we commit our soul? We are the ones who have committed our souls to Jesus. After we part from our flesh, we (our souls) will rest in paradise, and on the very day of the Lord’s second coming, we will resurrect and finally enter heaven. On the other hand, an unbeliever’s soul will remain in Hades (universe), trembling with fear, and will be resurrected on the day of punishment and will be thrown into hell. Therefore, whether entering heaven or being thrown into hell, everyone will resurrect and gain an imperishable body.

A Saint’s Resurrection Is Wearing Spiritual Flesh With the Word of Christ.

Jesus was resurrected, and so will we who are united with Him. However, the resurrection that we will experience is different with that of Jesus. Our bodies are made of the dirt and dust of the ground, but Jesus’ body is comprised of God’s word. The resurrected body of Jesus is the same as the body before he died. His body that was raised is the same body that had been pierced and beaten by a whip. In contrast, our resurrection is not about gaining back the body that returns to the ground, but about turning our soul into the body with God’s word. Therefore, we do not have to remain to the body that we used to use.

What happens to the saints who are alive at the moment of the Lord’s second coming? They will experience the transformation of their bodies to spiritual bodies in an instant. This does not mean that an unholy body turns to a holy one. 2Peter 3:10 says, “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire.” The flesh from the ground will disappear when the Lord comes again, and since at the same time the soul changes into a body, people would perceive that their perishable bodies change into imperishable ones.

Unbelievers will experience resurrection. Their resurrection is prepared for punishment, which will occur one thousand years later, after the first resurrection of saints. Since the soul cannot sense without its body, punishment is meaningless. The body enables sense, sense enables pain, and then punishment works. After unbelievers receive an imperishable body, they will be thrown into hell. This is the second death.

Let Us Commit Our Spirit to the Lord

Now, there exist two kinds of worlds: faith and unfaith. Unbelievers are not willing to believe the news of salvation that believers deliver, and won’t even to listen to it either. Among them some even do not accept the existence of life after death, and others commit their souls to their descendants. For them, their descendants are the people who are responsible for their lives after death. Apart from them, we are those who commit our souls to Jesus.

Stephen, one of the ordained deacons in the early church, was killed by the Jews while he was testifying Christ. Right before he died, he saw the Lord standing before His throne, and at that moment he cried out, “Lord, receive my spirit!” This confession is considered natural for this time, but it was surprising for him to say that, who had lived in Judaism for his whole life. Stephen, even while he was being stoned by the fierce crowd, prayed for them, saying, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” It was possible for him to do that because he was assured that he would go to heaven and that the Lord entrusted his soul.

The Lord said, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) This phrase is not just a written word, but the promise of the Lord which is given to us today. The Lord also said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:2-3) By believing this promise, we must commit our souls to the Lord, the Word who became flesh and came to the world. That is because He will take our souls to the house of the Father later on.

Practicing Jesus’ word is the way to commit our souls to Him. The most important thing is to take the duty of God’s work with all of our lives. In other words, we must devote our lives to God’s work, knowing that work in the church is the inheritance of glory from God. Until our lives run out, we must keep our attitude of faith that we committed our souls to the One who became flesh from the Word.

Although we are justified by the merits of Christ, that does not make us automatically holy. The Lord, by entrusting heavenly works to those who became righteous, makes them holy ones. Thus, even if it is very small, and if it is from the Lord and for the sake of church, we have to take charge of it with thanks. By doing so, when the Lord comes again, we will receive a spiritual body and a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom.