FUNDAMENTALS OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING - Faith Hope Love

FUNDAMENTALS OF

SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

"That Ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1:9, KJV).

A SERIES OF STUDIES By

F. M. Perry November 22, 1993

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LESSON 1

FUNDAMENTALS OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

The Invisible Things

Questions tor study.

1. Cite today's common use meanings of the words "spirit" and "spiritual". Use dictionary if necessary.

2. What are the meanings of the words "spirit" (0. T. Hebrew word ruach, N. T. Greek word pneuma) and "spiritual" (N. T. Greek word pneumatikos) as used in the Bible). (See Gen 1:2; 1 Kings 22:21; Job 10:12; Psalm 31:5; Psalm 104:4; Prov. 25:28; Eccl. 12:7; Isaiah 11:2; Isaiah 26:9; John 1:32; John 4:24; John 12:32; Acts 7:59; Rom. 1:9; 1 Cor. 14:14-15; 1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:11; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor. 15:44-46).

3. What is the essence of a "spirit"? (Luke 24:39).

4. Name some of the invisible beings (spirits) mentioned in the Bible. (John 4:24; Acts 7:30,35; Heb. 1:13-14; Luke 1:26; Matt. 25:31; Matt. 26:53; 1 John 4:1-3; Matt. 4:1; 1 Cor. 10:20-21; Job 1:6; Matt. 16:23; Acts 5:3; 2 Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:7-13).

5. Name the three parts of a human being as revealed in the Bible. Which of these parts are "visible" to the senses of the flesh and which are "invisible?" (1 Thess. 5:23).

6. Can these parts of a human being live separately? Will they ever be separated? (James 2:26; Eccl. 12:7; Matt. 10:28; Acts 7:59).

7. How do we know that the term "soul" is not just a term for a human being to include both "body" and "spirit?" How do we know that the term soul is not just another term for "spirit?" (Heb 4:12; Matt. 10:26; Provo 23:7; Phil. 1:27; 1 Pet. 2:11; Luke 10:27).

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8. Consider the following concept: "The spirit quickening the body made man a living soul, a living person with the consciousness of himself. The soul was the meeting place, the point of union between body and spirit. Through the body, man, the living soul stood related to the external world of sense; could influence it, or be influenced by it. Through the spirit he stood related to the spiritual world and the Spirit of God, whence he had his origin; could be the recipient and the minister of its life and power. Standing thus midway between two realms, belonging to both, the soul had the power of determining itself, of choosing or refusing the objects by which it was surrounded, and to which it stood related." Is this concept of the function of man's spirit, soul, and body borne out by the teachings of the Bible?

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FUNDAMENTALS OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING

Lessons prepared by F. M. Perry in 1993 for presentation during the first quarter of 1994 at Wednesday Evening Bible classes at Berry's Chapel Church of Christ.

LESSON 1, The Invisible Things

INTRODUCT1ON

It's a pleasure for me to stand before you to present these lessons on a subject we are calling by the rather high sounding title, FUNDAMENTALS OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. I'm an Engineer by profession and I've learned that the key to understanding any complicated subtle thing is to first grasp the fundamental principles on which it is founded. As an electrical engineer I have learned by training and by experience that in order to build a new electrical circuit, or understand a circuit that has already been built, or trouble shoot a complicated piece of electrical equipment, I must first bring to mind the fundamental principles that apply to the circuit. Hopefully, a good engineer will have his fundamental principles so well in mind that when he has a problem put before him, he just automatically starts thinking in terms of the fundamental elements of the circuits and how they work together in a system.

Similarly, the key to understanding the spiritual realm and the spiritual truths revealed in God's word is for us to understand the basic fundamental spiritual elements and their relationships within the spiritual realm.

The subject is FUNDAMENTALS OF SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. What does the Bible mean by the term "spiritual understanding?" It is a Bible phrase. It was used by Paul in Col. 1:9. Paul said that he prayed to God that the Colossian Christians might "be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding," The meaning of that phrase "spiritual understanding" is going to have to unfold as we study. In my study of the Bible I find

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that if something is described with the term "spiritual," it has something to do with "spirits." Suffice it to say for the time being that "spirits" are "beings" who are invisible. So this class is going to be a study to see what the Bible reveals as fundamentals to help us understand spirit beings, their realm of operation, their functions, etc.

That's the purpose of this study, that we may be filled with "spiritual understanding." As Paul prayed for the Ephesians (in Eph. 3:16-19), that they might "be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man: so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God." As an engineer I like Paul's language where he said "you ... may be able to comprehend ... what is the breadth and length and height and depth," for instance, the dimensions of such a spiritual concept as the love of that great spiritual being, God. I'd certainly like to know the dimensions of the invisible realm in which the invisible spirits live, and how the invisible concepts, such as the love which characterizes God, flows forth to us.

Before we go further lets note the common use meanings of the word spirit. An American dictionary gives the following definitions:

Spirit -

1. Immaterial part or man as distinguished from the body .

2. The animating or vital principle in living things.

3. A supernatural being usually regarded as invisible but having the power to become visible at will.

4. A specified mental or emotional attitude characterizing words, actions, opinions, etc. (She said it in a forgiving spirit.)

5. A person animated by a specified quality. (He was one of the braver

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