LIFE IN THE SPIRIT

"But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." 

Rom 7:6

We need to understand the central role the Holy Spirit plays in the new covenant. Without this insight, we will be left with nagging questions. Without His indwelling, we will be left longing for Sinai! When Jesus entered His ministry as the Covenant Messenger He was baptized in water by John, and

…while He was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove (Lk. 3:21,22).

From that point on we see Jesus being led by the Spirit and demonstrating all the gifts of the Spirit!

Jesus full of the Holy Spirit was led about by the Spirit (Lk. 4:1). And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Lk. 4:14). The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me (Lk. 4:18).

After the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, we see the central role the Holy Spirit played in the church, God’s new covenant people. In Peter’s sermon, he quotes Joel and says,

It shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My spirit upon all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:17,18).

Peter told the people,

Repent and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all those who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself (Acts 2:38,39).

The history of the new covenant church is a history of the working of the Holy Spirit. “Filled with the Holy Spirit,” they began “to speak the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). The deacons were “full of the Holy Spirit” and they did “great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:3,8). “The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up and join this chariot’” (Acts 8:29). “The Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away” (Acts 8:39). Ananias laid His hand upon Saul and he was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17). The disciples were comforted by the Spirit (Acts 9:31). By the Spirit they foretold coming events (Acts 11:28). The Spirit spoke to the church (Acts 13:4). Paul was “sent out by the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:4). They were filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:52). By the power of the Holy Spirit the sick were healed, the dead were raised, demons were cast out and the power of the enemy was broken. Here we see the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus.

…He Himself will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire (Lk. 3:16).

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you (Jn. 14:16,17).

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you (Jn. 14:26).

When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me (Jn. 15:26).

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come (Jn. 16:13).

An accurate knowledge of the role of the Holy Spirit is fundamental for a correct understanding of the new covenant and it is also necessary for a right interpretation of the Sabbath. The role the law filled in the old covenant is filled by the Holy Spirit in the new. Scripture compares and contrasts the law with the Spirit in many ways. A subtle example of this is seen in the events surrounding the giving of both covenants. After the law was given, the children of Israel immediately went into disobedience and fell under condemnation. They made a golden calf, worshipped it, sacrificed to it, and said, “This is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Ex. 32:8). Because of this sin “about three thousand men of the people fell that day” (Ex. 32:28). These three thousand were killed by their brothers at the command of God.

At the giving of the Spirit in the new covenant, on the other hand, we find a different and better outcome! “There were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41). I believe these numbers are recorded to point out the contrasting nature of the two covenants and show the relationship between the law and the Spirit.

Notice thoughtfully how the Holy Spirit takes the place of the law in Paul’s comparisons and contrasts between the old and new covenants in 2 Cor. 3:3-18.

                    THE OLD COVENANT                     THE NEW COVENANT

                                      

                    Written with ink                                     Written with the Spirit

                    On tablets of stone                                 On tablets of the heart

                    Not of the letter                                      But of the Spirit

                    The letter kills                                        The Spirit gives life

                    Ministry of Death                                   Ministry of the Spirit

                    Ministry of condemnation                      Ministry of righteousness

                    Came with glory                                     Abounds in glory

                    Glory has faded away                             Glory remains

Unless the new covenant Christian understands the role of the Holy Spirit and experiences His presence, he will long for Sinai. It is only the indwelling and empowering of the Holy Spirit that can write the principles of the new covenant law of love on our hearts so that we have an ever-present Person who will teach us all things (Jn. 14:26), guide us into all truth (Jn. 16:13), and testify to us of Christ (Jn. 15:26). The old covenant law was external—written on stone. The new covenant law is internal—written on our hearts. The new covenant Lawgiver is present in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

If anyone loves Me he will keep my word, and My Father will love Him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him (Jn. 14:23).

The Spirit and the Word

Today the church has, to a large degree, bought into the Western worldview, which eliminates the supernatural. That is not the view of Scripture. The book of Acts, as well as the whole of Scripture, is filled with the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit. It is my belief that the New Testament Christian who rejects the present-day “gifting” of the Holy Spirit is not experiencing the fullness of new covenant life: a personal relationship with the indwelling Christ

…who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us (Eph. 3:20).

The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit’s preferred way of working is through the word of God, the Bible. We believe that the Bible is the Spirit-inspired word of God and therefore, the Holy Spirit takes this written word (logos), and as we prayerfully read and study it and He speaks to us the living word (rhema) of God.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God Eph. 6:17.

Those who seek to live by the “promptings of the Holy Spirit” without a corresponding study of the word of God place themselves in a position where they may think they are receiving specific direction from the Holy Spirit when, in reality, they are hearing from their own subconscious mind or wishful thinking. Sometimes we hear people saying, “God told me this,” or “God told me that,” and following these comments are statements that are incongruent with the written word.

While the work of the Holy Spirit cannot be boxed in or perfectly described, it is important that the Christian not try to live by the written word without the Holy Spirit as a guide to interpret it, or to live by the Holy Spirit without allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through the written word.

How, then do we live?

In the book of Galatians, we have the clearest teaching about the reign of law. It came in with Moses and ceased with Christ.1 Paul, under the direct guidance of the Holy Spirit, foresaw the questions some of the immature Christians in Galatia who had been sidetracked by a law-focus “gospel” would ask. Therefore, we have his clear answer to the implied question: “Paul, if we are not under the law anymore, then how do we live?” His answer is clear, powerful, and relevant to those of us who come from a law-centered religion. Read this section through in context and then we will clarify what is taught.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another. Gal. 5:16–26.

The above section is so important that I want to comment on each key element:

Paul’s statement, “if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law,” agrees perfectly with our findings thus far. To be led by the Spirit is to follow just where the Spirit leads. The Christian no longer needs an external set of rules if he is in step with the Holy Spirit and feeding on the Word of God.

The struggle is not between the Christian and the law, as portrayed in Romans 7:7–24, where Paul depicts what life is like for the Christian who lives according to the old covenant. Rather, the war the Christian must fight is between the Spirit and the flesh. The outcome is determined by who is the master of our lives: the Spirit or the flesh.

Paul does not define evil as the transgression of the law because Christians are free from the law. Rather he defines evil as the deeds of the flesh. These deeds are the natural outgrowth if we follow the promptings of our fallen nature.

These “deeds of the flesh” Paul says “are evident”. The mature Spirit-filled Christian does not need to be told these are wrong. The Holy Spirit working in the conscience of the believer grounded in Scripture is a sufficient guide.

The deeds of the flesh

Now let us consider Paul’s list of the deeds of the flesh which can be subdivided into five categories:3

Sexual sins:

“Sexual immorality” would include adultery, sex outside of marriage, or, we might say, the “natural sexual sins”.

“Impurity” would include the unnatural sexual sins such as homosexuality, lesbianism, incest, and bestiality.

“Sensuality” has the overtones of portraying, even in public, an attitude of indifference to or inappropriateness toward the sexual sins and desires.

Loyalty sins:

“Idolatry” is allowing oneself to become infatuated and enamored with anything or anybody apart from Almighty God. This sin is rampant in the Western world and in the church.

“Sorcery” has two basic connotations. The root word implies a use of drugs. Later the meaning of this word came to be used for any activity involved with the powers of evil including secret meetings with evil spirits. Today it would include a vast number of activities associated with the occult. Practicing sorcery is seeking power or guidance from some evil or source other than God and the Holy Spirit. This would include Ouija boards, horoscopes, fortune tellers, books on extra-sensory perceptions, etc. All power is not of God!

Social or relationship Sins:

“Enmities” are hostile negative feelings.

“Strife” refers to people taking sides, fighting wars of words, forming cliques, and doing unloving acts.

“Jealousy” is seen when we envy others and often secretly hate them because they are perceived as being better than we are.

“Outbursts of anger” are hurtful words hastily spoken when strife and enmities are present.

“Disputes” refer to arguments as to who is right and who is wrong.

“Dissensions” reflect division, disloyalty, and negative attitudes.

“Factions” are an outgrowth of the above works of the flesh. They occur when people align in groups, and the groups then champion their own agendas without concern for others.

“Envying” is an inordinate desire to possess what someone else has such as wealth, popularity, prestige, position, and power, etc.

Self-control sins:

“Drunkenness” is abusing any substance to such a degree that it affects one’s thinking and/or hurts one ’s self or others.

“Carousing” refers to activities such as wild parties which are often associated with people who are out of control and where unnecessary temptation and evil are present.

“And things like these.” Here Paul implies that this list could be greatly enlarged. However, he has been specific enough so that his readers will understand what he is speaking about.

We must also note Paul’s clear warning against those who make it a practice to give in to the deeds of the flesh. He did not say that they will go to heaven but just not get the same rewards as those who do not do such deeds of the flesh. Rather, he said, “As I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” In other words, those who make it a practice to follow the deeds of the flesh are not genuine Christians. They are not controlled by the Holy Spirit. They have another lord and master. Within the new covenant, there is no open door to “living in sin” and having the assurance of salvation. True, we all fall short, but our loyalty to God is seen as we keep in step with the Holy Spirit residing in our lives and not following the flesh.

The fruit of the Spirit

Having outlined the deeds of the flesh, Paul now turns to the fruit of the Spirit that will be manifest in the genuine Christian’s life.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23

Here is another insight worth underlining. The new covenant law can be summed up in one basic overarching principle.

This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Jn. 15:12

In Galatians, we find that the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is manifest first in love. We love because He first loved us. Here is the guideline for new covenant living! While the “gifts” of the Spirit are given severally as the Spirit wills, all are to participate in the fruit of the Spirit. These virtues are a greater evidence of the Spirit’s control than any of the more spectacular gifts as mentioned in Corinthians 12–14. Let’s examine the wonderful thing called the fruit of the Spirit. We will note that all the aspects of the fruit of the Spirit are supernatural and are outside the realm of personal achievement without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

“Love” is agape love—a selfless love that loves not for its own sake but for the sake of the other person who needs our love. It is a sacrificial love, an unconditional love, and a never-ending love. It is a wholesome attitude toward others that results in positive actions and is supremely modeled by Christ.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us… (Eph. 5:2)

This love is not a natural love that can be worked up it is truly a “fruit of the Spirit”.

…the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Rom. 5:5).

“Joy” is an inner attitude of cheerfulness that is not dependent upon circumstances. It is a supernatural joy often expressed in the very face of persecution and difficulty.

But the Jews incited the devout women of prominence and the leading men of the city, and instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. But they shook off the dust of their feet in protest against them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:50–52.

But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. Phil. 2:17

“Peace” is an inner contentment and serenity of mind. It is what I call “living the eternal kind of life.” It is knowing that we are saved and that no matter what happens to us, we will be with Christ. It is experiencing eternal life NOW. Peace is the assurance that everything is right between us and God. It is a supernatural gift of the gospel. It is peace with God.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1).

It is also the peace of God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7).

“Patience” is patient endurance that waits hopefully for God’s timing. It is a divine quality that allows us to endure other people and their offensive actions without these circumstances triggering the deeds of the flesh and causing us to retaliate. It is seeing those who cause us frustration or real hurt as needing our offer of forgiveness and our prayer of encouragement.

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9).

The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged (2 Tim. 2:24).

Patience is tested not just when we have to wait for something, patience is demonstrated when we have been wronged and do not react to the one who wronged us.

“Kindness” is not only an attitude that wishes others well but a divine quality that moves us to positive actions that are appreciated by others.

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? Rom. 2:4

It will be the supernatural quality of kindness expressed to others that will point them to our kind God.

“Goodness” is a divine quality that motivates us to be good people. Good people avoid hurting others and seek the good of all.

The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good, and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil. Mt. 12:35

In the quotation of Jesus above, it is clear that the heart must be renewed by the Holy Spirit. It is the “new man” that must be present on the inside before we can bring something good from the heart. In its unregenerate condition, the heart is desperately wicked and unclean.

“Gentleness” is a divine quality that is careful not to cause hurt or harm. It is a quality that is needed when we seek to restore others.

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted. Gal. 6:1

Gentleness has a long reach—even if anyone is caught in any trespass he/she is to be treated with a spirit of gentleness!

“Self-control” is an all-encompassing virtue given by the Spirit. A self-controlled person is not one to have outbursts of anger or disputes. Self-control allows one to be truly free—free to choose how he/she will respond to varying and adverse circumstances rather than be controlled by unbridled passions and lusts. A self-controlled person is a mature person, one who needs few, if any, external laws to govern behavior.

Paul concludes this section by saying,

…against such things, there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Gal. 5:23–25.

It becomes patently clear that one who walks by the Spirit does not need the old covenant law to govern external behavior for he has the internal guide and power of the Holy Spirit. Life in the Spirit is mature life—a life lived by a few overarching principles taught by Christ and interpreted and applied by the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. Thoughtfully look over the list of the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. They cannot coexist! Both are expressions of the inner man or heart. Either one is motivated by the flesh or by the Spirit. Yes, indeed, life in the Spirit produces righteousness far beyond the law! Now it becomes clear how and why the Spirit replaces the function of old covenant law in the life of the believer!

Summary

1. The Holy Spirit plays an indispensable role in the life of a Christian teaching him “all things”, “testifying about Christ”, and “guiding into all truth.” And “disclosing what is to come.”

2. In the new covenant the Holy Spirit plays much the same role as did the law in the old covenant.

3. The Holy Spirit actually indwells the believer, and there is the secret of life in the Spirit.

4. If a Christian is led by the Spirit, he/she is not under the dominion of old covenant law.

5. Paul defines evil, not as transgression of the law, but as the deeds of the flesh.

6. The deeds of the flesh are “evident” to a Spirit-led Christian.

7. The fruit of the Spirit is a supernatural manifestation of the qualities of love.

8. The Holy Spirit indwelling the believer is a better guide to righteous living than old covenant law.

9. The Holy Spirit works in conjunction with the word of God, the Bible.

10. The Holy Spirit not only guides the believer but supplies the power to live the Christian life.

Endnotes

1 Gal. 3:15–29.

2 Genuine Christian who allows the Holy Spirit to reign in his life.

3 Some of the insights presented here were gathered from Clinton Chisholm’s excellent tape set, “The Christian and the Mosaic Law” available from Life Assurance Ministries.1aa

NATURE OF MAN: GIVEN BREATH OR SPIRIT?

Fundamental Belief #7. Nature of Man—Man, and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the power, and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings, each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love Him and one another and to care for their environment.

How one understands the nature of man interacts with a number of important doctrines including: 

• What happened when Adam and Eve sinned
• How the sin of Adam impacts the human race
• How the incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus impact the human race
• What it means to be “born again”
• The meaning and role of sanctification
• What happens when believers die

Before we dive into the troublesome aspects of this doctrinal statement, I would first like to address the aspects of this belief that are shared in common with mainstream Christianity.

Orthodox Christians would all agree that man and woman are created in the image of God, created for the glory of God, and are called to love Him and to love one another. Orthodox Christians would also agree that God in Christ reconciled the world to Himself.

There will be some differences of opinion within Christianity, however, regarding the emphasis on free will in the first two statements of this passage. Nevertheless, these statements are not outside of the range of beliefs found within orthodox Christianity.

This fundamental belief, however, claims that each person is an indivisible unity of body, mind and spirit. The idea that these aspects of a person are indivisible is hard to reconcile with the Biblical claim that “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.(Heb 4:12 ESV). If the spirit can be separated from the soul as distinctly as joints from marrow, it is very hard to maintain that the body, mind, and spirit are indivisible. Adventist doctrine clearly departs from Scripture alone in this aspect of their belief statement.

This claim that body, mind, and spirit are indivisible is also strongly countered in Scripture in passages stating that the spirit returns to God or is being commended to God.

“You hide Your face, they are dismayed; You take away their spirit, they expire and return to their dust” (Psalm 104:29).

“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

“He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, ‘Child, arise!’ And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat” (Luke 8:54-55).

Adventists claim the spirit is one’s “breath” or “life force”, but Scripture denies this interpretation as well: “He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled, and said, ‘Where have you laid him?’” (Jn. 11:33b-34).

Let’s dig deeper into the Adventist claim that the soul (a living person) = spirit (breath) plus a physical body.

Generally, Adventism will draw this interpretation from Genesis 2:7: “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.”

Adventists correctly point out that the words for breath and spirit are the same. As a result, they conclude that spirit only refers to breath and that the Bible does not “speak of the spirit as an entity which can exist independent of our physical nature. We are not made of independent parts temporarily connected, but of body, soul, and spirit in one indivisible whole…Neither in the Old Testament nor the New Testament does ruach or pneuma refer to an intelligent entity capable of existence apart from the body”. (http://ssnet.org/lessons/99b/less04.html)

Let’s compare the Adventist claims with the Bible.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt 20:28).

According to Jesus, the body and the soul can be separated, since it is possible to kill the body but not the soul. The Adventist claim that body, soul, and spirit are indivisible is a direct contradiction to the teaching of Scripture.

A thorough examination of the New Testament passages regarding our spirit reveals just how inadequate the Adventist explanation of spirit=breath truly is.

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God (Romans 8:16).

Does it make any sense that the Holy Spirit testifies to our breath? The implication of this verse is clearly that our spirit is just as real and living as the Holy Spirit is.

For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so, the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11).

Is the spirit of man really breath? How can breath know anything? Why is man’s spirit compared to God’s Spirit if man’s spirit is only a breath?

I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Corinthians 5:5).

Once again there is a clear divisible distinction made between flesh (body) and spirit. Would calling man’s spirit his “breath” make any sense here?

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1).

If our spirit is just breath, how can it be defiled? Was Paul just being redundant with his statement here?

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water (I Peter 3:18-20).

What and where are these imprisoned breaths?

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen (Galatians 6:18).

Does it make sense for God’s grace to be with our breath?

The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the world, how she may please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:34).

Here is yet another example of a distinction being made between flesh/body and spirit.

The Adventist teaching regarding man’s spirit is incomplete and ignores significant aspects of the New Testament. The Bible plainly teaches that the spirit can be separated and distinct from the soul and body. The language of Scripture is incompatible with the Adventist explanation that the spirit is merely breath.

Influence on Adventist Health Message

Adventist doctrine regarding the unity of body, mind, and spirit also impacts their understanding and teaching on health. Because Adventists believe that these are inseparable, anything that impacts the well-being of the body also impacts one’s spiritual life. This is a key reason for Adventist teaching and practices regarding diet; the foods one chooses to eat can inflame sinful urges or produce a more spiritual state of being for the person. Bad physical health inevitably impacts the person’s spiritual health. Despite claims to the contrary, diet is always a moral issue for those espousing this belief. Adapting one’s diet to more closely conform to the teachings of Ellen White is necessary if one seeks to improve their spiritual condition and ultimately achieve salvation.

Continuing further into this belief statement, Adventist doctrine distorts the result of the fall. Notice carefully what the section says and, even more importantly, what it doesn’t say. It says that we are born with weakness and a tendency toward sin; it does not say that we are born in sin (Isa 51:5), that we are dead in our sin (Eph. 2:1), that we are fully condemned as a result of Adam’s sin (Rom. 5:18).

“Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin, my mother conceived me.” (Is. 51:5).

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1).

“So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men” (Rom. 5:18).

The denial of an immaterial human spirit and of original sin leads to a number of spurious and heretical doctrines. First is the idea that Jesus was born with a sinful (or fallen) nature but did not sin. The corollary to this teaching is that man can also learn to live without sinning.

This doctrine also denies any real change in us as a result of the new birth; if we were the same as Jesus before our new birth, there is no reason for a literal change in us as a result of that birth. There is no understanding that we are actually born dead spiritually before we are made alive through rebirth in Jesus. Being “born-again” becomes nothing more than a decision about today. Within SDA doctrine, that decision is primarily about committing to obeying the Law-particularly the 7th-day Sabbath.

Without any real change occurring from being born again, it is very hard to have any basis for salvational assurance.

This just as easily turns into a decision a short time later to no longer obey the Law. In the most extreme interpretation, any willful disobedience undoes one’s status with God, requiring a new, or renewed, decision to obey again. Without any real change occurring from being born again, it is very hard to have any basis for salvational assurance. This links directly to the next concept, the meaning and role of sanctification. Justification and sanctification can be confused or confounded. This often happens within Adventist teaching on the doctrine. While we will explore this in far more detail in the discussions of Fundamental Beliefs 10 and 11, it is useful to see how this is also linked to an understanding of the nature of man and the meaning of being born again.

Justification is the gift from God whereby a believer’s standing with God is based solely on being counted as having the righteousness of Christ. Sanctification is the fruit of the Spirit operating in the life of a believer. Salvation is completely and only based on justification. Sanctification can be presented as the required evidence flowing from justification or as the next step in salvation after justification. Both of these are flawed concepts that make salvation about our lives rather than God’s gift. However, when being “born again” is incorrectly understood as a decision to obey, sanctification takes center stage as the source for one’s standing with God.

Impact on Doctrine of Death

Finally, we reach the impact that the doctrine of the nature of man has on our state after death. We will discuss this further in Fundamental Belief #26, but it is important to see how it is intertwined with the belief about body, mind, and spirit being inseparable and the related denial of any inner change occurring as part of being born again. Adventists are slightly misleading when they claim that they believe in “soul sleep” or an “unconscious” state between death and resurrection. In both sleep and unconsciousness, the body and brain continue to operate, albeit with reduced awareness of our surroundings. For instance, people still experience pain and likely pleasure when asleep or unconscious. These are not accurate descriptions of what SDAs teach about what occurs after death. According to SDA doctrine on the nature of man, when death occurs the inseparable body, mind, and spirit all cease–the body, mind, and spirit are all equally dead. 

Source: https://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/2023/03/02/9-nature-of-man-given-breath-or-spirit/

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?

A friend asked me one day how I explained two things: the Seventh-day Adventist teaching about the death and assumed resurrection of Moses and Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). As I considered how best to answer these questions, I realized one must first lay a foundation for understanding death from a biblical perspective. In this study I will build a case for the orthodox Christian view of death; then I will deal with the two questions my friend asked.

Breath or being?

The word translated "spirit" in English is the Greek word pneuma in the New Testament and the Hebrew word ruach in the Old Testament. Most of us grew up being told that these words usually mean "breath" when used in the Bible. These Greek and Hebrew words certainly can mean "breath" or "wind" in the right context, but that's not how they are usually used in the Bible.

In proper biblical hermeneutics, context always determines the meaning of a word.

According to Zodhiates' well-respected Greek lexicon The Complete Word Study Dictionary, when "spirit" [pneuma/ruach] is used in the Bible, it usually has one of the following three meanings:

1. Man's immaterial nature which enables him to communicate with God, who is also spirit.

2. An incorporeal, immaterial being, such as an angel.

3. The Holy Spirit.

Try an experiment to test the context of "spirit". Read the following verses and substitute the word "breath" every time you see the underlined words "spirit" or "Spirit":

Proverbs 20:27 – The spirit [ruach] of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being.

Romans 8:15-16 – For you have not received a spirit [pneuma] of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit [pneuma] of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit [pneuma] Himself testifies with our spirit [pneuma] that we are children of God.

Hebrews 12:9 – Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits [pneuma], and live?

John 3:5-7 – Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit [pneuma] he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit [pneuma] is spirit [pneuma]. Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"

Simply put, "spirit" does not usually mean "breath" as used in the Bible. The suggestion that it does is a falsehood that not only violates context, but it also violates at least three essential Christian doctrines:

1. The new birth. I listed John 3:5-7 last in the above list in order to highlight its essential message of the Gospel. If we boiled the Bible down to its most basic essence, it is this: man sinned and experienced spiritual death. Since then we have all been born dead in our sins, separated from God, and in need of a Savior. Jesus paid the price for our sin and offers us life and relationship with God. When we come to faith, our dead spirit is regenerated and is now able to commune with God's Spirit. Our dead spirits are born again of the Spirit, and we have eternal life as a present possession. The new birth is not merely metaphor; it is the essence of salvation and is central to the Gospel message. If we interpret our spirits to be mere "breath", we have destroyed the reality of a new birth and spiritual life. To say that our "breath" is born again is contrary to what the Bible teaches and is destructive to our understanding of what it means to be saved.

2. God's being. Insisting that pneuma/ruach mean "breath" in the Bible violates the Christian concept of God's being. God is pure spirit—an incorporeal, immaterial being. That's what Jesus says in John 4:24: "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." In fact, Jesus is reinforcing the same teaching he delivered to Nicodemus in chapter 3. He is implying that because God is spirit, those who worship him must have a spirit that is alive to do so. Once again, if you insert "breath" into what Jesus is saying, His words become complete nonsense.

3. The identity of the Holy Spirit. Insisting that pneuma/ruach mean "breath" in the Bible infringes upon the personhood of the Holy Spirit. "Holy Spirit" is hagios pneuma in the Greek. So if we insist that pneuma must mean "breath" we end up with the "Holy Breath". This interpretation would be closer to the Jehovah's Witness' idea that the Holy Spirit is merely a force than the Biblical teaching that He is a person.

What happens when we die?

The next logical question is, "If our spirit is not merely our breath, what happens to the body and the spirit when we die?"

The condition of the body at death is not the same as the condition of the spirit. The Bible often refers to death by the euphemism "sleep". However, that euphemism is only applied to the body, never to the spirit. "Sleep" describes the appearance of the body at death, but not the state of the spirit. "Sleep" further promises that the body will rise again.

According to Scripture, at death the spirit departs the body and returns to God where it is consciously with the Lord. At the second coming God will bring those spirits of the departed saints with Him when He comes and raise up for them imperishable bodies in the resurrection.

Look at the following texts:

At death the spirit departs the body.

Luke 8:53-55 – And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" And her spirit returned, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat.

James 2:26 – For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

The absence of the spirit is the definition of death.

The spirit returns to God.

Ecclesiastes 12:5-7 – Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal home while mourners go about in the street. Remember Him before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Notice that this text speaks of man, not breath, going to "his eternal home".

Acts 7:59-60 – They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

Again, it makes little or no sense to insert "breath" here. Stephen is asking Jesus to receive that immaterial part of him that departs the body when the body sleeps in death.

The spirit is consciously with the Lord.

Revelation 6:9-11 – When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Even if there are symbolic elements in this passage, God would not use an example that is a satanic lie to teach something that is true. However much of this passage might be symbolic, it is clear that the Bible depicts departed saints as being consciously in the presence of the Lord.

At the second coming God will bring those departed saints with Him when He comes.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 – But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

I have been to Adventist funerals where verses 13 and 15 are read, but verse 14 is skipped over as if it did not exist. It's inconvenient to Adventist theology to have the departed saints coming with Jesus when He comes.

He will then raise up for them imperishable bodies in the resurrection.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 – For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Corinthians 15:52 – …in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

All of the texts above support the idea that the human spirit is other than breath and survives death. Now we will examine two of the strongest New Testament didactic (teaching) passages dealing with death.

Absent from the body; present with the Lord

We will begin by examining 2 Corinthians 5:1-9.

2 Corinthians 5:1 – For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Paul here uses the symbolism of a tent to represent our current perishable bodies. A tent is not a permanent dwelling. It's easily torn down, just like these bodies. But the good news is that we can look forward to having, at the resurrection, an imperishable body from Heaven that is permanent and will never be torn down.

2 Corinthians 5:2-4 – For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Those who have departed are said to be "unclothed". The idea that we can be "unclothed" strongly suggests that there is something real there to unclothe, namely our spirit. To be spirit without body is not a natural state. The Christian worldview is not platonic, but very physical. What we look forward to is the final state when we will again be clothed—this time with our imperishable eternal bodies.

2 Corinthians 5:5-9 – Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord—for we walk by faith, not by sight—we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

This passage is the source of the oft-repeated Christian refrain, "Absent from the body, present with Lord". The plain meaning of the text is clear: when we are in these bodies, we are absent from the Lord. When we are absent from these bodies, we are at home with the Lord. If we don't have spirits, but only breath as Adventist doctrine teaches, how could we possibly be absent from our body and at home with the Lord? The only way Paul's thought makes any sense at all is if we have a real spirit that can be absent from the body and be with Christ awaiting the resurrection.

Notice also two other very important things:

1. Paul says he would actually "prefer…to be absent from the body"! This statement can only make sense if he is consciously with Christ. Paul can't possibly be saying he would prefer to be non-existent or unconscious. Further, Paul is not just looking forward to the second coming and the resurrection because he specifically speaks about a time when he is absent from the body and at home with the Lord. This presence with the Lord can't refer to the resurrection because Paul states he is absent from the body. Paul is describing a conscious existence, absent from the body but present with the Lord, which he sees as preferable.

2. Paul indicates that it is possible to be pleasing (the Greek word is present tense and active voice) to the Lord when in the body or absent from the body. The only way we could actively be pleasing to the Lord when absent from the body is if we are conscious and active in some way. To say that Paul is talking about a non-existent or unconscious state makes his teaching nonsense; rather, he specifically refers to being absent from the body.

To die is gain

Paul's teaching in II Corinthians 5:1-9 is consistent with his teaching elsewhere in Scripture. In II Corinthians we saw that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and that we can continue to be pleasing to the Lord when absent from the body. Philippians 1:21-26 picks up on the same themes, but in a much more personal way. Paul is in prison and possibly facing death.

Philippians 1:21 – For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Paul sees death not as a non-existent state, but as a state that can actually be described as "gain".

Philippians 1:22 – But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.

In fact, Paul is so eager to be with the Lord that he can barely choose which possibility he prefers, living or dying. Also note that there is no indication at all that the options are living on in the flesh or being non-existent. Rather the most natural way to understand Paul's dilemma is to understand the possibilities as living on in the flesh or living on in the spirit.Philippians 1:23 – But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;

Both possibilities, living on in the flesh or living on in the spirit, are desirable to Paul. Paul knows that if he remains in the flesh he will be able to continue his work and serve the fledgling church. He also knows, however, that being with Christ is a far better thing. The only way that being with Christ can be considered better than continuing on in this life is if it is a conscious existence with Christ.

Philippians 1:24 – …yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

Again, ask yourself, "What is the direct contrast to 'remain on in the flesh'?" The most direct contrast is to "depart in the spirit".

Philippians 1:25-26 – Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

As badly as he wants to depart and be with Christ, Paul instead accepts that he will remain and continue the work. This entire passage, including the choice Paul faces, is predicated upon the biblical teaching that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. As Christians, it is very comforting to know that to die is gain—to be in the very presence of our Lord.

What about Ecclesiastes 9:5?

"The dead know nothing." We have probably all heard that phrase dozens of times, and most of us believed that that was the definitive statement on the state of the dead. But what does this partial quote from Ecclesiastes 9:5 really mean when examined in context?

First we must consider the context of the immediate passage. Then we must consider the context of the book, the contextual implication of the type of literature, its context within its testament, and lastly its context within the whole Bible. Only then can we say that we have examined the context of the text. As we trace the context of Ecclesiastes 9:5 through each ring of the hermeneutical spiral it will become evident that this passage, as we were taught it, was ripped from its context at every level of the hermeneutical spiral.

Context is everything

Read Ecclesiastes 9:1-9 to see the passage in which verse 5 is embedded. The context of the passage is that the dead have no more part in anything "under the sun" (i.e. anything that is done in this world). Christians do not believe that the dead are roaming the earth as spirits. Christians do not believe in ghosts or seances or any other form of spiritualism. The dead are either with the Lord or in Sheol awaiting judgment. They are not here on earth "under the sun," and they are no longer directly involved with the activities of this world.

Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon (or in the voice of Solomon) during his apostasy. The context of the entire book is the futility of life apart from God. The Hebrew word translated variously as "futile", "meaningless", or "vanity" is used 33 times in the book of Ecclesiastes, and each time it conveys the idea of hopelessness. Several passages recommend that the reader live it up: eat, drink, and be merry because this is all there is. Several passages suggest there is no difference between the destinies of the righteous and unrighteous dead.

Christians, however, don't believe that life is meaningless, and they certainly don't believe that there is no difference between the destinies of the righteous and the unrighteous. Is Ecclesiastes teaching falsehood? Absolutely not! Rather, Ecclesiastes is intended to teach us about the hopeless outlook of life apart from God, not about the state of those who have been made alive in Christ.

Furthermore, Ecclesiastes is part of what is known as "wisdom literature" which is not usually intended to be didactic doctrinal literature. Because wisdom literature is designed to portray certain truths about life in memorable, picturesque ways, we need to be very careful in drawing our doctrine primarily from wisdom literature. Rather we should use didactic passages to interpret wisdom literature.

The entire Bible is inspired; the entire Bible is true (2 Tim. 3:16); but Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God (Hebrews 1:1). The teachings of Jesus and his apostles made plain things that were mysteries in the Old Testament. This fact does not mean that the New Testament corrects the Old, only that it provides more information that expands and clarifies many things that were not fully known in the Old Testament. Some examples of things that were either mysteries or partial mysteries in the Old Testament but were more fully revealed in the New include the nature of God's Messiah, the Trinity, the Church, resurrection, and death. We have a much clearer picture of death in the New Testament than in the Old, so we must use the New Testament as our foundation for our doctrine of death.

When we begin with the solid foundation of very clear teaching that is given to the New Testament Church, we are able to interpret correctly the Old Testament, including the wisdom literature. Conversely, when a doctrine has been based largely on Old Testament wisdom literature, it is suspect because it is not grounded in the revelation of the Lord Jesus as explained in the teaching of the New Testament.

Finally, we should never interpret any passage in such a way that it contradicts something that is taught elsewhere in Scripture. The Bible is remarkably internally consistent. We know that if we ever interpret anything in such a way that it contradicts something else in the Bible, it is we, not the Bible, who are in error. This principle means we cannot interpret Ecclesiastes 9:5 in such a way as to contradict other parts of the Bible including Paul's teaching in 2 Corinthians 5 and Philippians 1.

What about Moses?

One other Adventist teaching many of us believed is that Moses was bodily resurrected from the grave with a perfect, imperishable resurrection body just like we will have some day. The biblical evidence, however, does not point to Moses being resurrected. Here is a summary of the reasons that it is highly unlikely that Moses was resurrected from the grave with a resurrection body:

1. The Bible never says that Moses was resurrected; it only says that God buried him (Deuteronomy 34:1-12).

2. The Bible specifically calls Moses "dead" (Joshua 1:1, 2).

3. The non-canonical work The Testament of Moses, alluded to in Jude 9, does not claim that Moses was resurrected with a resurrection body but that Michael the archangel buried his body.

4. Jesus is the first fruits from the dead, the first to have an imperishable resurrection body, not Moses (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). Jesus is the One who conquered death, and He is the first to rise from the grave with a resurrection body.

The rich man and Lazarus

I grew up believing that the idea of conscious existence after death was the first lie Satan ever told when he said to Eve, "Thou shalt not surely die" (Genesis 3:4). Therefore, any teacher, preacher, movie, song, TV show, or book that suggested a conscious existence after death must be satanic in that it was promoting Satan's lie and was introducing us to spiritualism. But if conscious existence at death is Satan's lie and those who teach it are false teachers, what does that say about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Jesus tells a very interesting story in Luke, chapter 16:19-31, about a rich man who died and went to Hades and a poor man named Lazarus who died and went to Abraham's bosom. Read it before we discuss it.

Some try to dismiss this passage by saying, "It's only a parable, and the main point isn't the state of the dead." This may very well be only a parable, but if it is, then it is the only recorded parable of Jesus where he uses a name for one of the characters. Because of this fact, many commentators believe that Jesus is recounting actual events involving people some in the crowd would have known. Let's assume, however, that this is "only a parable".

We can say that Jesus' parables always used true-to-life illustrations to illustrate even greater spiritual truths. Jesus would not use a falsehood to illustrate a truth. Can you imagine Jesus saying, "You know that point I was making? Well, it was a true point, but the illustration I used was absolutely false. In fact, I was using an illustration that is a satanic lie to make my point. My illustration is dangerous spiritualism, but the point is still valid."

It almost feels like blasphemy to write the preceding paragraph, yet that's essentially what those who try to explain away this passage are saying once we peel away all their layers of double talk. We're talking about God in the flesh. Jesus, who is eternally God and cannot lie (Titus 1:2), would not say something that was completely false and thereby mislead generations of Christians. We're talking about the greatest Teacher, Preacher, and Prophet ever to walk among us. This is the illustration He chose, and the people in His illustration are conscious and communicative after death.

This parable isn't "spiritualism". Rather, it reflects a spiritual reality that Christ knew to be true, and the rest of the Bible confirms it. Although I would not want to make a passage like this the primary source of my doctrine, Jesus' illustration fits perfectly with the rest of His teaching and with the didactic teaching of His apostles, so I can accept this story as representing spiritual reality. I don't need or want to explain it away and dismiss it.

Conclusion

I believe we have been guilty of falsely accusing some of our Christian brothers and sisters of spiritualism for preaching and teaching things that the Bible itself preaches and teaches. I know I personally have to repent of such accusations that I have made. My accusations and judgments were made out of my own ignorance, but I bear the responsibility for that ignorance.

Based on contextual Bible study, I now believe that at death I will be consciously with the Lord awaiting the resurrection of my perfect, imperishable body. I don't know exactly what this reality means or what it will be like, but I know that, as Paul said, it will be "better by far" than this life, as rewarding and rich as this mortal existence can be.

I rest in the promise in 1 Corinthians 2:9: "Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him."