The Immortal Soul and Its Response to God’s Call

Again and again in Scripture, people are referred to as “souls” (Exodus 31:14; Proverbs 11:30). The human soul is the part of a person that is eternal – the part that continues to live after the body dies and decays. Jesus said we should not fear those who can kill only the body but not the soul (Matthew 10:28).

There is some confusion about whether the human spirit and the human soul are the same thing or differ in some way. The Bible is not entirely clear on this matter, but there is evidence of at least some subtle differences. The spirit is described more in terms of power or strength (Numbers 14:24), while the soul appears to be a more static essence. Again, the Bible gives us very little detail about the distinctions between the two. However, there is indication that they are separate entities (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12).

Jesus Christ, being fully man as well as fully God, also had a human soul. His soul experienced sorrow in Gethsemane as He prayed before going to the cross. He said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death” (Matthew 26:36–46). A messianic psalm also speaks of the Messiah’s soul, saying it would not be abandoned in Sheol, nor would His body see decay (Psalm 16:9–10; Acts 13:35–37).

The human soul can be strong or weak (2 Peter 2:14), saved or lost (James 1:21; Ezekiel 18:4). It is created by God (Jeremiah 38:16). The soul needs God’s protection, cleansing, and redemption (Leviticus 17:11; 1 Peter 1:22). The human soul is immortal, and every soul will exist somewhere for eternity (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46). That is a sobering thought—every person you have ever met is a soul living in a body, and that soul will exist forever. Some will reject God’s love and as a result will have to pay for their sins with death (Romans 6:23), and because the soul is eternal, this will be eternal death. Those who accept the free gift of forgiveness and Christ’s atoning sacrifice will experience the opposite—eternal life and peace in heaven (Psalm 23:2).

When the Holy Spirit does His convicting work in a person—providing heavenly insight that speaks to spiritual needs, in contrast to the fleshly pursuit of worldly comfort and pleasures—one becomes “cut to the heart.” The natural question is: what must be done for things to change, for salvation and return to God?

“Brothers, what shall we do?” Repent, be baptized, and believe (in Jesus). Acts 2:38

“What must we do to do the works God requires?” – Believe in the One He has sent. John 6:28–29

Repentance and faith are all we can do. That’s it. Because we can do NOTHING without the Lord. John 15.

Faith acts as a barrier between the old man, our sinful nature and works, and the new creation in us—the works of faith.

So, if we lack faith in something, it is better not to do it. James says that faith without works is dead. But he does not call for more or greater activity—he calls for works that come from faith. “Which are from faith” is the key here. Not works for show or imitation of faith. We need works motivated by true faith. There is no need to imitate faith or imitate works that look faithful. We must truly believe—and from that belief, works will naturally follow. That’s why Jesus says that in order to do God’s works, we must believe.

Works are a product of human will.

The soul has mind, emotions, and will. The intellect and emotions don’t initiate works—they simply decorate or justify them. It is the will that drives action.

Therefore, if a person has faith—and it is genuine faith—his will is guided by that faith. The result is action driven by a will shaped by faith. The mind informs and motivates the will, emotions stir and influence the mind, and conscience provides moral motive—but if there is no will, there are no deeds.

Thus, the hardest part of faith is turning it into action—into a decision of the will. People often have such strong will for sin and destructive deeds! But where is the believer’s will for works of faith?

Fear and obedience in a humble soul silence the voice of worldly logic and emotion, and give way to heavenly reason and feeling, leading to action and works born of faith.

That is why James says that works complete faith—not because they earn salvation, but because they mature it and prove it true.

This is the meaning behind the teaching of the apostle Paul: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12). Working out our salvation does not mean saving ourselves. If that were the case, Christ’s sacrifice would be unnecessary. Salvation has already been accomplished for us through the Lord’s work. But we cannot remain passive, having received the revelation of that sacrifice. Our response to the finished work of salvation is this “working out.” Because if our response didn’t matter, if salvation did not involve it, we would be nothing more than passive and will-less spectators to the greatest act of love and sacrifice ever made for our redemption.

The power and the love of God demonstrated in Jesus’ teachings being the Father’s and not his own

The power and the love of God demonstrated in Jesus’ teachings being the Father’s and not his own

July 25, 2025

Jesus teaches as recorded in the Gospel of John that his teaching is not his own but that of the Father. He mentions that in John 7:16-18 and in 8:28-34.

¹⁶So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. ¹⁷If anyone’s will is to do God’s^[e] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. ¹⁸The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. (John 7:16-18)

28 So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” 30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him. (John 8:28-30)

This is a significant testimony of the essence of God and the Trinity. It is a selfless expression of obedience to the ultimate truth when limited by the human flesh of incarnation. If Jesus as the Son of God is also the Son of Man, that puts limitations on him and requires that he act in his human form in a way that is adequate to the limitations of living in the flesh. The flesh of fallen man succumbs to sin and pride. We want to teach our teachings and receive glory. Jesus teaches what the Father has revealed (or rather entrusted) to him and does it for the Father’s glory. In sin we seek recognition. In the Trinity and his relationship with the Father Jesus acts out of love that is perfect and that he knows firsthand as part of the Trinity. Hence, he seeks the recognition of the Father and his teachings. Jesus appears as a man and for that reason he is not trusted because man is not God. However, his teachings show not a typical fallen human’s behavior but one that reflects the perfect love of God. He came as a man so he can demonstrate and transfer to men that ability, to love like God because of receiving the love of God. Receiving it not only intellectually but also essentially, by our human essence being transformed through the birth of the Spirit, the birth from above, into a new creation. This is the part of Jesus’ teaching which is so difficult to grasp with only human minds.

That is the reason that Jesus says that when the Son of Man is lifted up (see John 3:13-14; 8:28; 12:27-34). Here “lifted up” has a double meaning. One, the most obvious is that “lifted up” refers to his death on the cross, as the cross is lifted up. But there is a meaning that points to the spiritual reality beyond the cross, and that is the resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father, in heaven. We see that allusion in John 3:13: “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” Some manuscripts add also “who is in heaven.” Thus, we understand – we don’t have a mere man here, this is not a mere human perspective on life and the things as they are.

The “other-worldly” essence of Jesus’ teaching we also see in his call to the disciples to love one another (John 17). He states that by the love among his followers the world shall know that they are his disciples. That we are his disciples. It is not the love produce by human effort and soulish emotion that remains dis-attached from God. Sinful love imitates true love, but it is shallow, empty, and before all self-centered and hence sinful. It is impossible for fake love to be sacrificial. Love is impossible outside of knowing Christ and accepting the grace to love from him, through faith in him. It is impossible to grasp love without truth. And truth is Jesus. One needs to believe in Jesus to begin to understand God, to have his eyes opened to the truth and begin to understand that God is love: “They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father” (John 8:27).

Jesus says that “when you see me lifted up you will know who I am:”

²⁸So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. ²⁹And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” ³⁰As he was saying these things, many believed in him. (John 8:28-30)

In essence he is saying that when they crucify him and when he is resurrected, he will be lifted up in his crucifixion but also in his resurrection and ascension, and they those who believe will understand who he is through his act of selfless birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Thus, “lifted up” means lifted up on the cross, and lifted up into heaven. Only then they (we) will be able to understand that what he teaches and does cannot be taught and done by a mere sinful human. The resurrection is the proof that the Father “has not left him alone” (v. 29). But the crucifixion even if being a “lifting up” to glory is only a way down to abandonment from the Father, because of sin and punishment through death. Quite paradoxical but even if lifting up is a way down it is still one step up on the way to glory by full obedience to the Father. Jesus can sacrifice because he knows the love of the Father. Only those who believe in him can come to understand and embrace the love of the father and the sacrifice as victory and strength and not as loss and defeat.

Also, if Jesus teaches the doctrine of the Father, he is distanced from proving that the teaching is worthy or true. It is the Father’s it is from God. Jesus only acknowledges that it is his task (for us a privilege) to be chosen and seen worthy to be ambassadors, conveyors and the teachers of the Father’s love and sacrifice of his Son, so man can be saved from the curse of sin and death. At least we as Christians do not have to do what Jesus did. It is finished (John 19:30). We need to only believe in him and that will release the power and the love of God in our lives. We will be born from above, as he is, not only from below, but we will also not be of this world any longer, as he is not of this world (John 8:23).

We have a perfect example in Jesus. His teaching was not his, it was the Father’s. Our teaching is not ours, it is Christ’s; our commission is not our own it is Christ’s; we do not send ourselves, we are sent by God (Matthew 28:18-20). We are purchased with a price that reveals the ultimate love of God (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23). We do not seek recognition from others but the fellowship of love which is from God. And the truth is that Jesus showed us that love and its ultimate power: defeat of death and bringing forth eternal life.

When Does the Marriage Begin?

Wedding, couple, grass, sunset

Popular Christian culture has advised us that there should be “no sex before marriage.” Hollywood has independently added the emphasis on the wedding ceremony. In general, this is a good rule, but the “before” period is not always well established. This begs the question: When does, actually, marriage begin? A popular Christian website, which answers biblical question states the following:

So, what constitutes marriage in God’s eyes? It would seem that the following principles should be followed: 1) As long as the requirements are reasonable and not against the Bible, a man and a woman should seek whatever formal governmental recognition is available. 2) A man and a woman should follow whatever cultural, familial, and covenantal practices are typically employed to recognize a couple as “officially married.” 3) If possible, a man and a woman should consummate the marriage sexually, fulfilling the physical aspect of the “one flesh” principle. (Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/marriage-constitutes.html.)

The above summary is well balanced in many ways and generally in line with biblical and New Testament teachings. There are other Christian traditions that put marriage in dependance of an external ecclesiastical authority: “Marriage begins in God’s eyes when the constitutionally established and widely recognised authority of a defined region joins the couple” (Source: https://africa.thegospelcoalition.org/video/when-does-marriage-begin-in-gods-eyes/ ).

In this view the emphasis is on external recognition by an authority which is deemed to have the right to pronounce the beginning of the marriage, and that authority is equated with God. This view focuses on the teaching that “officers of the state are servants of God.” However, since marriage does not originate with the state, the state cannot officiate a procedure that would validate it in God’s eyes. One example is those jurisdictions that are using legislation to make up new types of marriages which are unnatural and abominable in the eyes of God. Even if popular during the era of the emergence of the nation-state this view is putting too much power in the hands of the state on matters which are of God’s concern (Matthew 22:21).

On the other end, ignoring the need for recognition of the union between a man and a woman, and just “being married in our hearts” and denying the need for any external recognition of the marriage, is showing disrespect to the institution of marriage. Marriage was created by God in the beginning, and all sins of sexual immorality are actually some form of violation of that primary design for man and his helper. Focusing only on the internal and spiritual aspect of marriage is in fact denying that marriage to be spiritual has social and public manifestation; and shows some level of lack of commitment and responsibility toward marriage especially if it has been already sexually consummated.

Both of these extreme views and practices can be corrected over time so that the marriage finds its full alignment with God’s will for the couple, or unfortunately may lead to separation and break up. In the former view consummating the marriage to become one flesh is recommended, “whenever possible.” That is commendable sensitivity to all various possible problems in man to wife relationships but the command of God is “go and multiply” which does not happen without marital consummation. On of the most fundamental features of marriage that define it as such is the physical and the related emotional and soulish unity that occurs at the consummation of the husband-wife relationship. If the rule “whenever possible” is liberally applied we will be led to endorse societal and state-mandated constructs of “marriage” that have nothing to do with marriage.

Here I will suggest four distinct elements that would help determine the moment of the beginning of the marriage, which may not be one specific moment in time, but a number of such moments.

Recognition by God. This recognition is achieved in the era of the New Testament by taking into account the faith of the man and the woman, the counsel and recognition of the church and community, and following New Testament teachings.
Recognition by the community. The community in this case consists of those who know and care about the couple and involves parents, the church, friends, and a larger society depending on culture, circumstances, and tradition, all of which should not contradict the faith.
At the consummation of the marriage and becoming “one flesh.”
Recognition by the law of the land. Of the three, this one is the least important and must be evaluated accordingly if the law of the land appears to contradict the biblical model of marriage and is not against the teachings of Christ.

Thus, the marriage is an important union and rests upon the creation of man as man and woman (Genesis 2). On the one hand it is universally accepted within certain parameters, which resemble the original design for marriage – a multifaceted partnership between one man and one woman. On the other, a distinct society may move away from the natural understanding and practice of marriage. Yet the starting moment can be determined only as all of the above factors are taken into account.

The Church of Jesus Christ is not mandated to impose our understanding of marriage on all of society. However, the Church must abide by the biblical understanding of marriage and may not “update” those to conform to the mores of the day. If a society wants to regulate marriage, something a secular government has no right to, since marriage did not originate in the will or power of the secular ruler, it can deviate from the biblical and natural standards. For example, laws that mandate that men can merry men are a sign of moral corruption and usually the societal decay and imminent collapse into chaos.

However, as society drifts away from the true God, revealed in Jesus Christ, and the Gospel is not influencing how society at large thinks, the view of marriage will devolve into non-Christian understanding and hence sexually immoral choices will be promoted. In current societies, known historically as “the Western civilization” laws of the land and governments are endorsing types of “marriage” that is not only incompatible with the Bible, but in many cases, it is seen as “abomination” (Leviticus 18:22 bans the sexual act between men, which excludes any recognition of a “marriage” between two men.) The endorsement of sexual immorality as a “human right” is yet another tendency which points to the moral decay in those nations and societies.

The ordinary consequence when any form of godlessness and corruption become blatant in a society, as a form of rebellion against God and his created natural order, is social deterioration, decay and eventually chaos and collapse. These are all the manifestation of God’s judgment on such society. The judgment is usually preceded by persecutions against those believers, who point out the corruption and the sin in society and gauge the level of deviation from God and His standards, including on issues of marriage and sexual immorality.

It is also to be remembered that Christians are advised in the NT writings of the apostles to marry believers to avoid future complications in the marriage and potential suffering as a result of the often-irreconcilable differences between a believer and a non-believer. However, this is not a rule that is absolute, but the warning is there. Some of the apostles were married, and some not. Peter had a wife, and a mother-in-law, while Paul was celibate. There is no requirement or any definitive advantage to being married or not married as a servant of God and a Christian.

The Church of Jesus Christ however has a task to preach the gospel, the nearness of the kingdom of God, and the call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Only when perceived from this perspective marriage gains its meaning and importance. It is to be remembered that the Bible uses symbolic imagery of the marriage between Christ and His church.

Thus, keeping sexual purity is not only a matter of restraint from doing something naughty before or after the wedding ceremony, or the day of issuance of the marriage certificate by the state. It is a total, comprehensive attitude toward God, the church and the opposite sex, reflecting our faith in Jesus Christ, or lack thereof.

Theirs Is the Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 5:1-12 contains the so-called beatitudes in the teachings of Jesus. The beatitudes are at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, a highly studied and significant record of Christ’s teachings in His own words.

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against
you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (ESV)

I want to point out the first one: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Most of the times I have heard talks and sermons on this verse, the speaker, be it a man or a woman, gives a rather wrong interpretation. They tend to treat the phrase “poor in spirit” as if it means “poverty of spirit,” “lack of spirituality,” “going through hard times spiritually,” “struggling in one’s faith,” ‘’falling short of having of the Spirit of God,” “hungering for the spiritual things.”

None of these interpretations are right, as long as they insist that the poverty relates mainly to the spiritual state of the person. It is actually that the spiritual state of the person is such, that that his attitude is of being materially poor in this world.

The New Life Version even translates it like this: “Those who know there is nothing good in themselves are happy, because the holy nation of heaven is theirs.” Not that far from the proper meaning but still focusing on rather lacking spirituality and worthiness of self, rather than focusing on lacking of material possessions.

The Greek translation of “poor” actually means “those who own nothing.” It is not the poverty that defines the spiritual condition, it is the opposite – the spiritual condition evokes a feeling of poverty, a sense of owning nothing of material value in this world. It is not that you are in a destitute spiritual state. That would not be a blessing, but a curse. Jesus teaches that it is a blessing to be so spiritually connected with the things of God that regardless of your actual wealth or lack thereof here on earth, you consider yourself to be poor. Materially poor. Financially poor. You have nothing; you have it, but it is of no value to you, nor is it a goal in your life.

This interpretation goes along with the other teachings of Jesus on the competition between faith in God and material wealth, mammon. You cannot serve God and mammon (Matt. 6:24); the invitation to the rich young ruler to leave his wealth and influence, discard of his possessions and to come follow Him (Mark 10:17-27); sending His disciples on a mission trip to preach and demonstrate the kingdom of heaven without any means of payment (Matthew 10:9).

The mission in Matthew 10, of sending the 12 apostles, contained two parts: to proclaim the message and to do works that obviously went along with that message. The message was: “The kingdom of heaven is near.” The works were: Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons.” Freely you have received, freely give (v. 8). The demonstration of the kingdom of heaven was not to be tied to the secular financial system of exchange of value and money.

The above examples additionally speak that it is a blessed state when in your spirit you have
acknowledged that you have nothing to hold on to in this world. This acknowledgement can be applied to people who are actually rich in this world, and have a lot of money and possessions, and people who are materially poor and have very little to live life on earth. Both categories of people can be either “poor in spirit” or the opposite – “rich in spirit.”

To understand “poor in spirit” we may look to explain what is to be “rich in spirit.” If in your spirit you focus on money, material possessions in order to secure your life on earth, then regardless of the state of your finances and material wellbeing, you are “rich in spirit.” Your spiritual life, your connection to God, is tied to your earthly state of wellbeing. Your life is tied to earth. You understand the clear logic of this life and this world; that if you have money and possessions, you will have an easy and desirable life on earth. As long as you live on earth, riches will help you fulfill your dreams and desires, and people will respect and honor you. If you’re poor on earth, you will have few friends, and you will live a limited life. These are the simple reasons for all the “get rich quick” schemes to be so popular, as well as lotteries and gambling. People want to get rich, so they can have a good life on earth.

However, spiritual life is a category of the teaching of Jesus that points to life that recognizes not only living in this material world, but also that man has an inner life, connected to the aspiration for more, for a life beyond the mere life on earth. That is why it is the spirit that is charged with judging the value of life – be it on earth or in the spiritual realm. This is to say that you can be poor by the spiritual values you have, even if you are rich in earthly possessions – they do not interest you. You do not hold them in as high a regard as you do matters of the spirit, of life eternal, of God, and of issues of moral value.

One might wonder how can someone who is materially poor can also be poor in spirit; or more simply put, if you do not have anything, how can you be rich in spirit? In the very same way that you can be rich in possessions, yet poor in spirit. People who are poor do not necessarily lack completely. They still have some money or possessions, but very little in order to live a happy life on earth. However, they understand that to live a good life on earth, you need to have money and possessions. Thus, they strive and want to change the situation. They want to move from poverty to riches. That is the reason why many people from poor regions and countries emigrate and move to start a life in richer countries. That is why people seek education and “opportunities in life” – because they are “rich in spirit” – it is their understanding that riches are the way to have a good life in this world. And those of poor countries who cannot move to rich countries, if we expand that example of today, feel sorry, left behind, as if they’re missing out on life. “Riches” is their standard, even if they don’t have access to it. Their internal spiritual life is overwhelmed by the desire to be rich, and not poor in this world. Therefore, they are rich in spirit.

In an opposite fashion, the poor in spirit, either rich or poor in possessions, consider themselves poor because they know that no riches or earthly goods would be taken to the eternal life which they expect and hope for. They are blessed because they have seen the truth about what is actually of value. However, the blessing does not end with only this understanding. Jesus continues to say that “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The Lord’s prayer goes: “May Your kingdom come, may Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.” In Matthew 18 we read that “whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will bound in heaven.” For those who seek God and His kingdom, life on earth is not limited to success on earth. There is an invisible, spiritual, yet real intertwining of the earth, the visible world, and the presence of heaven on earth as a result of the work and ministry of Jesus and the faith of those who seek God.

If you are poor in this world, then naturally, the kingdom of heaven is what you are looking for. This means that the resources of the kingdom of heaven will be at your disposal. If you are rich in this world, you do not need the kingdom of heaven, because you are spiritually rich. You are satisfied that you have goals in this life and for this life. That is why we are blessed, if in our spirits we feel poor according to the world’s values and possessions, and like we have nothing to hold onto on this earth. We live for the world to come, yet the blessings begin even now.

The message is: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” and it belongs to the poor, who have nothing in this dying world.

Short Bible Study: The spirit is willing but the body is weak

Mark 14:38

Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

This verse is an admonition by the Lord in the context of Him asking His disciples to keep watch while he prays in the garden of Gethsemane. That prayer is crucial for history and salvation. Will He go to the cross or not? Jesus said to His disciples “keep watch while I pray.” The apostles instead fell asleep.

Jesus needed His disciples to watch in the sense of being a moral and spiritual support for His prayer about this crucial decision. They seemed to have sensed the importance of what was about to come – Peter stated a bit earlier that he would never deny Jesus, that he would die for his Lord. Yet, he and the rest, who sore allegiance to Jesus fell asleep during a less trying requirement to be loyal.

It is a tendency of the flesh to escape pivotal spiritual moments and battles. It is too much for us to bear. Yet there is a remedy for this weakness – prayer.

Our spirit is willing and ready, but we live in a mortal body. We are not only spirits. I like the term “flesh” rather than “the body” used in KJV. The flesh is our being, spirit soul and body, living under the conditions and the demands of a fallen world. If we do not control the flesh by the spirit in us, or rather with the help of the Holy Spirit, our being and our life will take its course according to the directions received not from God but from the world, or the desires of the flesh.

We must therefore purposefully treat our prayer and spiritual life as an integral part of the needs and task of our lives in this world. Equal to shopping, eating, working for a living, time with family. Actually, as if our spiritual life is more important than all of these activities.

Often, we pray for our earthly needs, but those are included in our prayer of higher tier, the one for that addresses the purposes of the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Our watchfulness is based on our placing the values of the kingdom of God as the frameworks from which we discern and judge things, people, and events, and on that basis – our prayer, so we do not fall into temptation, and consequently – sin.

We do not need a modern, relevant, or emerging church; we need a watchful and prayerful church. We do not need big congregations; we need prayerful assemblies where the truth of the Gospel and the Word of God is the foundational standard. But that starts with individually carving out time and effort to bring into our daily routine watchfulness and prayer.

Sermon Diary: How to Hear God’s Voice

Sheep

“My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27)

Reading the Scriptures, we understand that man’s life is dependent on his communication with God. The Creator of the universe created us to communicate both with Him and with each other. To fulfil this purpose of His, He has given us a voice and the ability to read, write, and listen. Without the use of the senses, which are the entrance to our consciousness and souls, without our much-needed communication, life is practically impossible.

God wants us to hear His voice much more than we want to because He is not ignorant of our need to be saved, as we are often. We seem to be deluded about His role and will in our lives. For this reason, we often turn away from God as He reaches out His hand to us to give us eternal love, the perfect expression of which we see in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

It is good to know that the Bible gives us many practical instructions on how to hear God‘s voice. In many cases, when we read and study the Scriptures, when we receive dreams from Him, when we converse with and receive advice from mature Christians, when we observe natural phenomena or study historical events, we can hear with our spiritual senses the words of the Lord of all things visible and invisible.

At the same time, we can rarely define God’s voice as audible – in the sense we put when we talk about human relationships. Because of our separation from God through sin, He speaks in a fallen world more covertly—often enigmatically. For this reason, it is necessary to be active in listening in order to be able to hear Him.

There are certain spiritual principles to apply when seeking to hear God’s voice, but three of them are especially effective if we apply them with faith:

1. “My sheep hear my voice”
Jesus said this: “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27). These words make it clear to us that in order to understand the words of the Lord Jesus, we must be His, to be obedient as sheep, to be active in listening, for Him to know us and for us to follow Him.

2. “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear…”
In many places in the New Testament, and especially in the parables that Jesus told His followers, we can read these words: “He who has ears to hear, let him listen…”. Of course, we know very well that there are no people without ears. Jesus’ call is about those who are interested in His teaching paying attention to His words and being open to receiving and reflecting on them. Only the listeners will understand the true content of what He is saying.

3. “The Spirit of truth will guide you into all truth”
The Lord declares: “And when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he will not speak of himself, but whatever he hears, that will he speak, and he will declare to you the things to come” (John 16:13). From these words we understand that even without having the intellectual capacity to perceive all truth, we will be guided into all truth by the Spirit of God. We also realize that through the words of the Spirit we will receive prophetic vision and knowledge by which we will be informed of things to come.

Short Bible Study: John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life.

We are so used to the verse in John 3:16 and, unfortunately, to its out of context interpretation. This interpretation seems to focus on a “positive message” where just the first half of the verse is the focus of attention: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son…” (I am keeping the punctuation of the ESV). This emphasis points to God’s great love which moved Him to sacrifice His Son as a propitiation for the sins of rebellious mankind is very important. The lack of love, kindness, and real acceptance is ruining people’s families, friendships, and lives. Man needs the message of true love. However, it is the omission of the rest of the verse and the context of this teaching that exacerbate the problem of misunderstanding God’s love and replacing it with human wants.

The unconditional love of God actually has a condition: eternal life is given to those who believe in Him, the Son. For the full context we must read the passage including verses 17 to 21:

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of our sins, and God’s graceful acceptance for anyone into this truth is unconditional. There are no preferences, anyone, even the gravest sinner, the evilest man is welcome.

The passage however explains the fate of those who reject the Way of God to reconciliation with Him: without belief one is already condemned because they did not believe in the name of the only Son of God. But the Word of God does not stop here. In His teaching Jesus gives an explanation exactly what the judgment is: man’s choice of evil and thus rejection of the true light of God. It is the works of man in rebellion to God that are evil and are made such just because of that rebellion. Thus verses 19-21 give the precise rationale why man loves darkness and evil, resulting in his desire to stay away from God and His Son, who is light.

With this fuller perspective we understand the love of God better:

1. God loved the world even if it was evil;

2. His love for the world moved Him to a point to offer His only Son as a sacrifice for man’s sins;

3. The love of God results in an offer of eternal life;

4. Man is evil, loves darkness, not God;

5. To enter into eternal life one must believe in the name of His only Son.

(Which means to acknowledge Jesus’ origins and essence in God, and his descent to this world in the flesh to become a man and Savior). The love of God is unconditional at the entry point but it does not condone remaining in once former state of being. True faith changes us. If one continues in darkness, he does not believe in the Son.

God’s love does not spare the painful truth. The reason for people rejecting His Son and salvation is their love for their works which are evil and done in darkness. For one to enter into peace with God he has to turn his back to darkness and move to the light. There is no love that leads to eternal life outside of the Son of God. Without faith in Christ what awaits one is judgment.

This full contextual view of John 3:16 gives us a better glimpse of the love of God for us. We are made aware not only of His nature, and His sacrifice, but even more so, as we understand our own sorry and fallen state. The love of God releases us from the grip of our own chains and addiction to darkness. Yet our darkness and corruption will condemn us to judgment if we reject the sacrifice of God, through the work, death, and resurrection of His only Son.

God is a loving Father, but He is also a righteous Judge. His true love is seen in the sacrifice of His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our sins, evil, and damnation. If we believe in His Son we will clearly see who God is, but we will also fully know who we are. We will understand that due to our rebellion and following corruption we do not deserve eternal life yet He gave it to us, if we believe in the Name.

John 3:16, the love of God and eternal life are inseparable from the second part of verse 16, and the clear teachings of verses 17 to 21. Only if we consider the context, we will fully understand the meaning of “God so loved the world” and John 3:16. Do you want eternal life? Believe in the name of Jesus Christ, God’s only Son.

Short Bible Study: Proverbs 16:3

Man praying with his hands on the Bible

Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

To commit one’s works to the Lord does not mean to relinquish all responsibility and to “let the Lord take care of it.” One’s works are his own works. Committing them to the Lord would mean that such works are given over to God as He is the Maker and Master of man and his life.

The establishment of plans, as a result of committing one’s works to the Lord, also means that there is an exchange, prayer, communication between man and God. It is a process of “committing” and then the plans are the “feedback” from God. But these plans are now established.

Often, we don’t fully commit our works to the Lord because we want to keep control. Then things do not go so well. In our human pride we feel that it is us who know best how our works should be performed. However, if we humbly say to God: “Lord, these are my works. Do what you have to with them!” then His intervention, in response to our humility, will make our plans stand. Our work will have a direction, shaped in heaven.

It is a relationship in which we must acknowledge that without God we would be able to do nothing of value, even if activities abound.

A Short Bible Study: Matthew 5:10

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

This verse is part of the Lord’s teaching known as the Beatitudes. It is an encouragement to those who are under an oppressive, unjust, and cruel treatment because of their faith in Jesus.

Without such a great promise — to be blessed for being subject of persecution — one would ask himself “Why am I suffering? Is it in vain?” But the words of Jesus are a promise that standing for the righteousness of God in this world has a great reward — the kingdom of heaven. In God’s kingdom eternal righteousness and justice reign. Those persecuted on earth will inherit this kingdom — it is theirs, it is their home, their inheritance. Those formerly mistreated for being citizen of this eternal kingdom will now live in it, they will be its rulers.

Standing with righteousness against the unrighteous, and paying a price has a great reward in waiting.

A second notion is that wherever there is a kingdom there is a system of justice. The justice of the eternal kingdom of God is founded on the just and eternal God. The suffering of those who stood for the name of God and His Son, under the persecution of the wicked kingdoms of this world, will be redeemed with the reward of heaven. For those who are faithful justice will mean their sacrifice will be their badge of honor before the King of kings.

Victory against Religious Restrictions Bill

Viktor Kostov Ministries Update

Advancing the Gospel, defending freedom