A LIVING SOUL! As humans, we are living souls. Our soul consists of four dimensions.  When one of those dimensions is off, we are incomplete and at best ineffective. What are these four dimensions and how can we develop them so that we can live effective lives? 

This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.

Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.

But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again.

From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)

Asking for God’s Help

Holy Father, everything we seem to touch becomes stained and messed up. We resigned to do things your way. Show us the way, Dear Lord. We need you to lead in our life. In Jesus’ Name Amen

As human beings, we are living souls. When we die, our breath returns to God. Thus, we become dead souls. Rather than float around in heaven or else were with disembodied spirits, we unconsciously rest in the grave waiting to be awakened when Jesus returns with the sound of the last trumpet.

There are four basic dimensions that make us human. They are: (1) the mental, (2) the physical, (3) the spiritual, and (4) the social. The four work in harmony with one another. When one is lacking, so will our lives. In most cases, we tend to work on two or there of these but not all four of them.

The Bible provides us with a model of one who developed in all four dimensions. According to Luke 2:52, Jesus grew and developed in all four components. 

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)

In other words, Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.

The Desire of Ages points out that “His mind was full of energy with thoughtfulness and wisdom beyond His years. He was wiser than other children his age. Yet, he had a beautiful disposition that was thoughtful of others. Yet, His mind and body developed gradually, in accordance with appropriate child development. As a child, Jesus had a peculiar, charming personality in which His hands were willing and always ready to serve others. He showed a patience that nothing could disturb, and a truthfulness that would never sacrifice integrity. In principle, He was firm as a rock. And His life revealed the grace of unselfish courtesy in which he was always kind to everyone.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 68, 69. Adapted

Most of us place the four dimensions of humanity into four compartments that operate separately from one another.  But, as we often do, we cannot restrict religion only to spiritual matters. For in Matthew 4:23 we find that Jesus who is our perfect example taught, preached, and healed. He did not go about satisfying His selfish needs; He showed concern for the needs of others.

23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. (Matthew 4:23)

Hence, when we understand that humans consist of four dimensions, we will not only seek to develop those dimensions ourselves, we will respond to others in a manner that considers all four dimensions, their physical, mental, social, and spiritual.

Thus, we will not limit our work to teaching only the Bible, or to only the social needs or the physical needs, or merely the mental needs. We will seek to embrace the whole being.

Bible truth encompasses all four aspects of our lives: our physical, mental, spiritual, and social.

The point is that these elements are so powerfully interconnected that they really cannot be separated.

As humans, we fall short of God’s ideal for us.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God according to Romans 3:23.

But, this does not mean we stop trying. God’s ideal for us is to try to live as Jesus lived. He wants us to emulate Him. And as we strive to imitate Jesus, God through the power of his Spirit will help us. He will give us His amazing grace. Grace is God’s gift of mercy, forgiveness, and power over sin. It is God’s desire to make us brand new.

In the process of becoming new, we work not on just one dimension of our life, we work simultaneously on all four dimensions by surrendering them to God.

This work is a part of God’s saving plan to get us ready for His coming. So, God wants to improve us mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially as we wait for Him to come back. 

Thus, the wonderful example of the life of Christ, the matchless tenderness with which He entered into the feelings of the oppressed soul, weeping with those that wept, rejoicing with all that rejoiced in His love, must have a deep influence upon the character of all who love God and keep His commandments.

They will give sympathy, not grudgingly but liberally; by kindly words and acts they will try to make the path just as easy for weary feet as they desire the path to be made for their feet. As we receive daily and hourly the blessing of God, we can do no less to show our gratitude than to have a kindly, unselfish interest in those for whom Christ has died.—Our High Calling, p. 183. 

Although you may look at the mistakes, you’ve made in life and feel that you can never measure up to Jesus. No need to fall into despair, no need to lose hope; his perfect life is the substitute for our imperfect life.  And his death on the cross paid the penalty for our sins. His resurrection is the surety that if we accept Him, we will awake when he calls for us upon his return to this earth to get his followers as he has promised.

Until then, we who accept him as our loving Savior, who rescued us from the penalty of eternal death, must work to develop all four dimensions of our lives. One of which is the physical. Did you know that your body is a place or temple for God’s Holy Spirit to live in? Thus, it is our duty to keep it in proper condition that welcomes His presence. Find How in Day 3: The Body Is God’s Temple

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