Feb 15, 2016
The soul vs. the body
Proverbs 15:32 AMP
He who neglects and ignores instruction and discipline despises himself,
But he who learns from rebuke acquires understanding [and grows in wisdom].
Matthew Henry concise commentary
Sinners undervalue their own souls; therefore they prefer the body before the soul, and wrong the soul to please the body
Miyagi’s commentary
The KIng James Version of this verse says that ‘He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul, but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.” There are many people in this world who do not value their own souls. Instead, they value their bodies. They put all their time, money and energy in improving the body such as keeping the skin smooth, the muscles strong, the fat trimmed, and the face pretty. But they do next to nothing to care for their souls. The physical body will last about 80 years on this earth and then it will be gone, but the soul last forever. That is what we need to cherish and take care of.
When a person dies, his soul does not die. It either goes to be with Christ to have eternal life with Him, or it goes to the Lake of Fire to have eternal punishment. But the soul does not die. This is why Jesus came to die for humanity. He desires that the souls of man be saved from eternal damnation. The soul is more valuable than the body. But the devil has so blinded the eyes of the masses that they put all their time and money into the body and totally neglects their souls.
Often times, you can see people who have worked hard to train up their bodies, exercising rigorously, eating healthy, getting enough rest. All this is important to maintain good health. But when you look into their eyes, it is hollow...empty. So though they have a pretty shell on, there is nothing inside. The body will not last forever. The soul will last forever. So which is more valuable? And which should we spent more time and energy to care for?
And how do we value our souls? We dwell in the Word of God. We stay in the straight and narrow. We adhere to the good and abhor evil. We live committed to Christ Jesus all the days of our lives. That is loving the soul.
Summary conclusion:
To have long life is futile if Jesus is not part of your life. because all you are doing is pleasing the flesh. So instead of working to add more years into one’s life, we ought to be more concern with adding more life to our years. That is, more life with Christ.
Psalms 19:7 AMP
The law of the Lord is perfect (flawless), restoring and refreshing the soul; The statutes of the Lord are reliable and trustworthy, making wise the simple.
Psalms 41:4 AMP
As for me, I said, “O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.”
Miyagi’s commentary
When a person sins, it is because his soul is sick. And God is the only One who can heal the soul. Only He can restore and refresh the soul.
Matt 6:25 AMP
“Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing?
Matt 16:26 AMP
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world [wealth, fame, success], but forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
So while people strive to meet their physical needs such as food and clothing, the needs of the soul is neglected on a regular basis. All attention is now on the body and none goes to the soul. The devil wants man to worship anything but God. And for man to focus totally on his bodily needs, the devil has succeeded in directing a person to worship his own body...himself. At that moment, man becomes his own god.
King James Bible commentary 1187
For a person to set his heart on material possession is to live in constant, perpetual insecurity and to deprive oneself of spiritual blessings. The spiritual must be established first, rooted and grounded because the Lord’s prayer says “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”
The spiritual must take precedence over the physical. So if one is focused only on the material world, he is losing his soul and his salvation. The enemy of our souls wants us to make soul ties with the things of the world. So as a person buys into it, he is giving up his soul and losing his soul. He is losing his faith and confidence in God and losing his trust in Christ Jesus. Therefore, the lack of faith in Christ and trust in the Lord will lead to a life of constant anxiety. This lack of faith in Christ coupled with trust in material possession is sin.
Summary conclusion:
The soul is much more valuable than the body. But most people have bought the lie that the body is most important. Therefore, all the energy and money goes into preserving the body while the soul is slowly slipping away. When a person dies, the physical body goes back into the earth. What will become of his soul?
The big picture:
Invest in the soul, not in the body. It is the wiser thing to do. Make sure when you leave this earth, your soul will be with Christ. You cannot take your earthly body with you. So ease up on the cosmetics and fashions. You cannot take any of that with you.
The byword:
At the end of your life on earth
what happens to the body and soul?
If the body returns back to dirt
where then will your soul go?
Miyagi
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