by Beth Fore
Human beings are the greatest and most complex things God created. The human body is composed of many different systems, each of which is a miraculous wonder within itself. The fact that the systems all work together in harmony and accomplish their purposes, even under stress and duress, is a marvelous feat that only the most creative, imaginative, imminent, powerful Creator could produce.
In addition to the physical body, human beings also have minds, souls, hearts, emotions, and spirits. Anyone who looks at a healthy human being surely should be in awe of the one who created such a remarkable, inconceivable, complex, integrated being. And we marvel even more when we see the symphonies, the plays, the books, the architecture, the artwork, and all the other products human beings can produce. God is truly an awesome God, and He alone is worthy of our honor, our praise, and our worship!
The Bible acknowledges God as the creator of human beings, created in likeness to the Creator. In Genesis 1:26-28, we read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground’” (New International Version).
In this Scripture, God tells us that He (God the Father), Jesus Christ (His Son), and the Holy Spirit (God’s Spirit) together created mankind in their image, or likeness. Since mankind has seen only Jesus Christ in a physical body, the image, or likeness, to which God is referring must be a spiritual image, or likeness. Therefore, human beings (both male and female) have spirits that are like the spirit of God, and these spirits are housed within their physical bodies.
God created both male and female human beings in His image, and He told them to be fruitful and have many children to fill the earth. He also gave them the rule over all the fish, the birds, and all living creatures other than mankind.
Human beings are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God created them; it is His desire that they believe Him, accept His gift, and obey Him so that He will receive the honor and glory that is due Him. It is the spirit of man that must do these things. The body of human beings carries out all the physical functions of mankind, and it will grow old and die; however, it is the spirit of human beings that carries out all of the spiritual aspects of mankind, and it will live on forever.
I Corinthians 15:42-49 says, “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man’” (NIV).
The body of mankind is perishable; it was created from dust, and it will die, decay, and return to dust. The spirit of man is imperishable; God created it and placed it in mankind, and it will live forever, leaving the body when the body returns to dust. So, it is the spirit of mankind that is the essence of each person, which is made in the image of God; and it is the part of mankind that will live on eternally. It seems very logical that our spirit is the most important part of us, the part we should spend most of our time nurturing and maturing so that we can produce the gifts of the Spirit and honor and glorify our God.
It seems that most human beings spend a disproportionate amount of time focusing their energy and resources on the physical body, rather than the spirit. Perhaps we should take an inventory of our time to see how much of it we spend on our physical appearance, the food and drink we enjoy, the entertainment and pleasure which bring us temporary satisfaction, and keeping our bodies healthy and in the least amount of pain possible. For most people, the majority of their time is probably spent on these physical things.
I am now 77 years old, and I have Parkinson’s disease and many other physical ailments which make it very difficult for me to have the energy, or the ability, to accomplish the tasks I used to do easily. It takes much more time and effort to perform the necessary tasks to take care of myself, such as dressing, bathing, eating, and getting up out of chairs and beds. I realize that most of my time is spent just trying to accommodate the basic needs of my life!
Perhaps this is God’s way of making sure He has our attention and helping us really understand that we need Him in every area of our lives. We are no longer the independent, do-it-yourself, self-sufficient, egocentric people we once were. There are many things we cannot do for ourselves, and we need the help of others to live our lives.
Once a person has unraveled this mystery of life, or God has unraveled it for him, the person realizes that the body is only a house, a dwelling place for the spirit. Regardless of the house, whether it be a 50-room mansion or a one-room shack, it is only temporary; and one day it will be destroyed. But the spirit of man can live in any house, thriving and being joyful and fruitful. The spirit of man thrives when it is in harmony with the Holy Spirit of God who lives with man’s spirit inside of him. For this reason, the disciple James could say, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4 NIV).
Every person, including Christians, will face trials and temptations of many kinds in this life. These things test a person’s faith, and the person who withstands the trials and perseveres through all of them will become a mature and complete Christian. That is the goal for each Christian’s life. So, a Christian should not ask God to spare him from every trial and temptation in life; rather, a Christian should ask God to give him the strength and perseverance to remain faithful and strong in the Lord throughout these trials and temptations. Only then can a person become mature and complete in Christ.
Before Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, He promised to leave the Holy Spirit with the apostles to lead them into all truth and to guide and lead them where they needed to go. They would never be alone!
Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:15-17 NIV).
God’s Holy Spirit lives in the heart of the Christian. He is our advocate, and He will help us and be with us forever! What a blessing and wonderful thought for us to ponder! God doesn’t just send us a wonderful spiritual mentor; He gives His own Holy Spirit to live with us and in us and to be present in our lives always! That is an incomparable blessing and gift from our God! It also reminds us that our physical bodies also house the Holy Spirit of God. This should encourage us to take the best care of our bodies because the body of each Christian is the temple of God.
Jesus also prayed for all believers that they would be unified and be as one. He prayed, “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23 NIV).
Since human beings are God’s creation, and He has made us in His image, our spirits are in harmony with Christ and the Holy Spirit who live within us and give us everything we need to be fruitful and shine the light in the darkness, so that people will know God and His Son, Jesus Christ. We also need to remind ourselves daily that God is imminent over every person and every thing, and we have nothing to fear. The evil forces may harm, and even kill, our physical bodies, but they can’t kill our spirit because the Scripture says, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (I John 4:4 NIV).
The Spirit Within Us
Human beings are God’s mastery in creation,
formed in His image from His imagination.
It is our spirit within us that defines each one of us,
not our fleshly bodies which God formed from the dust.
The spirit within us is not defined by our gender;
neither male nor female does the Creator prefer.
Though the body is physical and only temporary,
the spirit is spiritual and will live on eternally.
The fleshly body that houses our spirit within
may be an extravagant mansion or a cave-like den.
It may be healthy and beautiful, appealing to the eye,
or it may be diseased and ugly, “repulsive” we decry!
The body has limitations which affect our perspective
and it influences the way we feel, think, and live;
but the spirit within us is boundless and free
and can delight in the LORD, filled with joy abundantly.
Just as our bodies need food, water, and air,
so our spirits need spiritual nurturance and care.
Our spirits long to live with God’s Spirit in unity
and to live with other people in peace and harmony.
The body of a Christian is God’s temple, His residing place,
where human spirits live and enjoy His amazing grace.
Though the body grows old and returns to dust forevermore,
the human spirit lives eternally with Christ, whom we adore!
Discussion Questions
- How would you explain the scripture, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness….” (Genesis 1:26)?
- Why do you think we spend so much more time on the body, rather than the spirit?
- What are some ways you can focus more on your inner spirit?
- Why is it so important to understand that the body is perishable and the spirit is imperishable?
- Why are trials and temptations so important to the Christian?
- What does it mean to you that both Christ and the Holy Spirit dwell within you?
- What are some specific ways that this indwelling of God in you makes you a much stronger and joyful person?
- How does an understanding of the importance of your spirit help you better cope with physical illnesses?
- As a mature Christian, what advice would you give a young Christian about dealing with the trials and tribulations he will face?
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