What is the Soul?

In our daily meditations, we focus our attention on the most famous of all teachings of the Lord Jesus, commonly known as The Sermon on the Mount. We now come to one of the most valuable portions, as Jesus gives practical guidance on how we should not only conduct ourselves but also how we should think and where our behavior truly begins. The Lord gets to the heart of the matter by emphasizing the genuine change that must occur in a person’s heart. This is where God meets us. The child of God needs to learn how to align their hearts with the heart of the Father. The Book of Proverbs tells us, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life” (Proverbs 4:23 ESV). The springs of our lives begin in the decision center and thoughts. In the Old Testament, the word heart (levav) is used consistently wherever thought and intent are implied. The Hebrew word for soul (nephesh- literally, to breathe) is used for the whole being, both the body and thought. Many Scriptures show that the heart, mind, and thought are linked to the soul, and in some places, they are used interchangeably.

What is the Soul?

As a child in England, I received picture comics each week. My favorites were Beano and Dandy. When Dennis the Menace, one of the comic characters, faced a decision about being good or doing bad, a comic demon would appear alongside him, complete with horns, cloven feet, and a pitchfork. He was always depicted as saying something to try to coerce Dennis the Menace into doing something bad, while a saintly figure in a white cloak, with a ring above his head, stood on the other side, reminding him to forgive and do good. These comics illustrate the struggle that occurs in our minds and inner beings regarding whom we will listen to and obey as we navigate this sinful world system.

This inner part of us, the immaterial aspect of man—our minds, will, emotions, and conscience—is what Scripture refers to as the soul of man. If we heed and obey the dark thoughts, our souls will be shaped and conformed to dark spirits that operate in the invisible realm. This is what King David referred to in his famous Shepherd Psalm 23: “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:3, ESV; emphasis added). Perhaps you have experienced dark times when you felt no peace, and your thoughts were continually oppressed by the evil one. I trust that you have begun to walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, for no one can restore your soul, mind, will, and emotions quite like He can. How does the Lord Jesus bring peace to a troubled soul? First, we must completely surrender ourselves to the Lord Jesus, and then He begins the process of restoration and transformation. The Sermon on the Mount teaches us how to walk with Christ and avoid grieving the Holy Spirit of God, who dwells within the believer. The Lord Jesus addresses not just outward sins but also the roots of sin itself. He speaks of the kind of anger that demeans another’s character:

21“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ 22But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. 23So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.  (Matthew 5:21-24; Emphasis added).

The Anger that Leads to Murder

The Lord has a way of getting beyond surface issues to reach the root of problems that affect us at the core of our being. Committing the sin of murder is terrible, but the Lord Jesus condemned even considering or thinking of violence against another. Sinful acts are first committed in the mind and heart of the individual. It is there that choices are weighed, and a decision is made about whether the thought will be acted upon. To keep this to a 3-minute read, we will revisit it tomorrow. Keith Thomas

This meditation is from a more complete study found at the following link:  https://www.groupbiblestudy.com/engsermon/3.-reigning-over-your-soul