Christian Body and Soul - Free Christian Lessons

Christian Body and Soul

Hospitals

Hospitals Christian images Hospitals are establishments which provide medical and surgical aid. They are places of healing and mending where patients are treated by doctors, nurses and people working quietly behind the scenes. Some hospitals, however, have acquired bad reputations for misdiagnosis and poor treatment, and these are naturally avoided. People expect doctors and nurses to look after them - not to hurt them.

A church (local and universal), like a hospital, is a place where the spiritually sick and injured come to be healed. Sadly, Christian churches have built a bad reputation as organizations which attack their own wounded. Too often people enter churches seeking aid (grace and compassion) but all they receive is an assault (judging, condemnation, hypocrisy and a list of taboos). No wonder churches have become the last resort for healing in a spiritually sick world.
The church was designed as a place of spiritual healing. As church members, we are on the hospital staff and our duty is that of healing and mending. We should treat each person we meet as we would wish to be treated - with grace, compassion, encouragement and mercy.

The Cancer of the Soul

Sin Nature Cancer is a corruption in our body – a malignant tumour that tends to spread. We can feel and see the signs of cancer in the form of lumps and melanomas. These always start small and are almost undetectable, but will continue to grow if unchecked until they are inoperable.

We are born spiritually sick. We have a hereditary disease, passed down from Adam, which corrupts all that God intended us to be. It is called the Sin Nature and it is the cancer of our soul.
This Sin Nature has signs of corruption in the form of jealousy, bitterness, hatred, anger, pride and so on. At first these symptoms may be very small and hard to see, but if left unchecked they grow and grow until the corruption has infiltrated all facets of our soul.
One day there may be a cure for cancer, but the only cure for the Sin Nature is death and resurrection. (The Sin Nature does not follow us into Heaven). Until then, we must try to keep this disease in remission. Medicine has its own treatments to stop the deadly spread of cancer. God’s treatment for our soul is a daily intake of the Word (Bible) and faith in the promises within.
It is a long process of rehabilitation. Ever so slowly the spread of the Sin Nature is halted until we reach a point where we start reversing the corruption. Eventually, there will be very little evidence of the existence of the Sin Nature in our soul. But we mustn’t be fooled - the Sin Nature is never cured: it’s only in remission. Should we ever stop the treatment, the soul-cancer will start to spread yet again. (Romans 6:12,13. Romans12:2)

A Balanced Diet

One of the major causes of illness and disease is deficiencies in our body. The body is not designed to survive on only one source of food. It needs a balanced diet of various vitamins, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates. Different food groups combat and prevent different ailments. As for taste, some food groups are far more appealing than others and often the tastiest are the least beneficial. Yet, if we only eat food that tastes nice and neglect that which doesn’t, we will soon cause deficiencies within our body and leave ourselves open to all sorts of ailments.

For a Christian to maintain a healthy, balanced spiritual life, God has given us the Bible. It contains spiritual food. Some spiritual truths are very appealing whilst others are bitter doctrines of correction. If we only digest the truths that are appealing and neglect the truths that are challenging, it will be to the detriment of our soul. Soon, we will be found deficient in certain areas of our spiritual life and open to all sorts of spiritual attack.

Beneficial Drugs

Christian Illustration Drugs get a bad name from the damage caused when misused and abused. However, drugs are designed to be beneficial to mankind. In medicine, they are useful in many processes of healing and have relieved a great deal of suffering. It is ironic, then, that many have benefited from using drugs, while others have destroyed their lives because of them.

God designed Christians to be beneficial to all humanity - to help heal a sick world through the example and power of Jesus Christ. Yet Christians (like drugs) get a bad name because of the damage they cause. They are viewed as judgmental and self righteous, exhibiting little tolerance and even less grace.
So individually, we should ask ourselves if people are better or worse off through knowing us? Do we take from those around us without giving? Do we always want grace, mercy and compassion but never give it? Are we encouraging or a drain to those around us?
God designed Christians to be a gift to the world - a pipeline for His grace. If we are focused on self instead of God, we will be like a devilish drug - a source of suffering to all who become involved with us.

Blind Faith

Blind Faith A blind person views the world very differently to most of us. They don’t have to see an object to know it’s there. The blind develop other senses and may rely on guide dogs or sticks to help them avoid obstacles and reach their destination. Often, the combination of their tools and senses gives them a greater vision of the world around them than those who have eyes to see.

Humanity is completely blind to the spiritual world; however, God has not left the Christian to stumble in the dark. We are told to see things using our sense of faith. Faith may be blind, but it is certainly not deaf (through hearing we have believed). Faith is guided by the Word of God and we must use this spiritual-sense so as not to get lost in our spiritual life. God has given us a stick (the Holy Spirit) to alert us to danger and help avoid obstacles. God has also supplied a guide dog (a Minister) to help us reach our destination (by teaching the Word). Remember that guide dogs must be looked after to be effective and faithful in their service. If we persevere by utilizing our God-given tools, we will inevitably develop a greater insight into what is happening in the world around us.

Getting Older

Christianity Thank God for old age. This is His way of reminding us that our time on earth is winding down. He never intended this corrupt planet to be our permanent home. God only allows us limited time to seek Him. A spare split-second and faith (in Christ) is all we need to assure our place in Heaven. If the vitality of youth were to continue to the very day of our death, many of us would never feel the need to seek God. With healthy bodies and an abundance of energy, it is easy to say arrogantly, ‘I don’t need God! I’m in charge of my own life. I have strength and beauty aplenty. I can be my own God.’
We easily forget that, if not for the grace of God, we wouldn’t have the basic necessities such as oxygen, sunshine and water to keep ourselves alive even for a minute. Inevitably, it’s our failing bodies that remind us that we are dependent creatures.
As we become older, the crutches of youth are slowly kicked out from under us. For some, it requires falling into that helpless state of old age to finally ask for a hand-up.

Living in a Sick World

Leprosy and Christianity On entering a hospital, you quickly see it is filled with sick and injured patients in need of treatment. You will also note the patients suffer from different ailments: some have cancer, some kidney failure, others broken bones - the list goes on. Doctors and nurses use different procedures and techniques for each circumstance – there is not one treatment that cures all. The remedy for a cut finger will not be successful for those with kidney failure.

We live in a sick and dying world where every nation is like a patient. However, not every nation suffers from the same illness. Some are afflicted with poverty, some with tyranny, while others suffer from war and famine. Prosperous countries are not immune, they are chronically sick with indifference and dependencies.
Our job, as Christians, is to help bring these nations to good health (salvation), but how do we convince these nations to take their medicine (God’s Word)? That which works for one nation won’t necessarily work for another. A nation suffering from war or famine will require different treatment to a nation suffering from apathy.
We should first pray that God will be apparent in every nation’s circumstances so its people will see the need to seek treatment. Then we should pray that God sends the right doctors (missionaries) who know those special treatments for successful administration of the cure (salvation).

Suffering from Spiritual Leprosy

Leprosy and Christianity Leprosy (or Hanson’s Disease), destroys the nerve system, leaving a patient without feeling and completely numb to pain. Disfigurements attributed to leprosy are, in fact, ‘untreated’ infections that turn gangrene. Those with leprosy are said to be the hardest patients to treat - because they don’t suffer feelings of pain and discomfort, they ignore their injuries and don’t seek aid until it is too late for successful treatment.

People living in the prosperous nations can be said to be suffering from Spiritual Leprosy. Because they are not suffering, they are the most difficult people to be given the good news of salvation. Those in nations afflicted with poverty and war are far more responsive to God’s great offer of salvation because they are feeling the pain and seek a cure.
Living in a rich nation, it’s easy to become dependent on outside stimulus for entertainment. It is not long before the nation is over-stimulated, desensitized to violence, indifferent to the feelings of others, numb to the surrounding natural beauty and neglectful of important priorities. Sadly, this leads to Spiritual Leprosy which brings a nasty infection of national apathy. However, because the nation is not suffering, it does not seek the aid (Salvation) it so desperately needs. No wonder evangelists and missionaries have far more success saving those in third world nations, than they do in their own.

Healing Powers

A doctor is someone qualified to practice medicine. Doctors identify health problems and by using different techniques (from a prescription to surgery) realign or remove a blockage to allow the body’s natural healing processes to begin. We mistakenly think that doctors heal the sick – in fact, doctors rely on the human body’s marvelous ability to heal itself.

Ministers of God’s Word are like doctors. They help the spiritually sick by identifying problems and administering Biblical solutions. If the patient accepts the treatment, then God can begin the process of healing. However, in a world with so many ailments (such as violence, abuse, depression, anger, prejudice, indifference, apathy, poverty and affluence) a one-off treatment does not exist. Just as doctors have their area of specialty, ministers are also gifted with aiding a certain category of patients. Some have the divine gift to treat those suffering from indifference. Others will specialize in bringing hope to those in despair, or enlighten those with prejudices, or lift those in poverty.
We should always be thankful to our ministers; but remember, if we have received spiritual healing caused from their insightful prescriptions (sermons) all they have done is remove a blockage or realign our spiritual life so God’s amazing grace can flow back in to accomplish the actual healing.

Taking Our Medicine

Taking Medicine Medicine is an external substance that assists the internal restoration of health. Doctors often prescribe the remedy; however, it is up to an individual whether or not to follow through and take the prescription. Medicine may either taste nice or awful, but its primary purpose is to help heal a sick or injured body, not to delight the senses.

Whether we like it or not, we have very sick souls (sin nature). To help restore our spiritual health, God has prescribed a medicine we should take daily - the Word of God (Biblical truths).
It is up to the individual to follow through and take God’s prescribed remedy. At times we may not feel like taking it and some days it may taste awful (doctrines of correction). However, we should always keep in mind the purpose for God’s Word is to help heal the sickness in our soul. Without the daily intake of God’s Word, the sin nature within us will soon take control. Symptoms such as depression, bitterness, worry, stress and anger will start to reveal themselves. The continuing unfairness of life will become unbearable. Soon we will be laid up with spiritual sickness and become a burden to ourselves and all those around.
We have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, by taking our daily spiritual medicine - even when it sometimes leaves a bad taste in our mouths. (Psalm 119:9-16)

Daily Soul Care

Bad Breath To maintain good dental hygiene and strong, white, healthy teeth there are certain things we must do daily. Floss to take away bits of food caught between the teeth. And brush to stimulate the gums and remove the build-up of plaque. However, if we stop our daily mouth-care it will soon become evident to all. Teeth go yellow and start to decay. Gums become infected, making our breath bad enough to make a skunk blush (and people will go out of their way to avoid us).

Dental hygiene is an excellent illustration for our soul-care. If we want to maintain a strong, healthy soul we should examine it daily. First, we must quickly remove those bits of pride, jealousy and other sins by privately admitting them to God (1 John 1:9). If we fail to do so, those sins will start decaying sections of our soul. Secondly, we need God’s Word to brush our souls on a daily basis. This removes the build-up of wrong priorities and stimulates our spiritual life.
Should we neglect this daily soul-care, it won’t be long before our whole soul is infected and rotting. Soon, it will become evident to others that our attitude stinks and before long they will all go out of their way to avoid us.

Ignoring Our Body

We all have a duty of care towards our body. Wherever our soul goes, it must travel within our body (except in death). When we suffer pain, get sick or grow old, we may wish to leave our body – but whether or not we like it, we’re stuck with it (for now anyway). Since we cannot exchange our body, we should maintain a healthy relationship with it. When ignored or abused, our body has ways of reminding us (through pain and illness) that we have a duty of care.

God says He will never abandon us. This is very reassuring in a crisis; however, we must look at the flip-side of the coin. In prosperity, when we abandon God or ignore Him, He is still with us. God never leaves us for an instant. He never forsakes us and He never gives up on us. We can never rid ourselves of Him. So it makes good sense to maintain a healthy relationship with our omnipresent God. Just like our body, He has ways of reminding us that we are ignoring Him, to the utter detriment of our spiritual and eternal wellbeing.

Intoxication

Drunkenness is a matter of choice. In fact, many small choices lead to the state of intoxication. A person must choose to let alcohol continuously pass his lips and must choose to swallow. At the first sign of light-headedness, the wise person abstains, but the potential drunk chooses to continue until reaching the point of intoxication.

There are other forms of intoxication. We can easily get drunk on bitterness, jealousy, lust or pride. As with drinking alcohol, this intoxication is a matter of choice – lots of small choices. We choose to let subjective thoughts turn into bitterness or jealousy. Then, instead of abstaining, we swallow foul thought after foul thought, and in no time we are intoxicated with hatred, anger and revenge. Similarly we become drunk with pride, lust, arrogance and power. Then, as with all drunks, it will not be long before we are making fools of ourselves and hurting those we love.
The truth is, from time to time, we all have these thoughts (the Bible says we are liars if we say we don’t). So at the first sign of intoxication, the wise person abstains by admitting those thoughts to God (1 John 1:9.) and starts afresh with a sober mind.

Uneven Strength

Athletes soon realize they must exercise all parts of their body or injuries will inevitably occur in the parts they have neglected.

This rule applies to Christians individually and collectively. As a Church we should not concentrate on Christian fellowship and neglect learning the Word of God. As individuals we should not put all our effort into serving strangers and neglect serving family. If we are strong in only one area, the neglected area will inevitably collapse under the strain.
This is also true in our relationship with God. Our spiritual strength does not come from us - it originates by allowing God to work in certain aspects of our life. God strengthens, revitalizes, comforts, encourages and gives confidence to those areas of the soul we surrender to Him. However, those areas we refuse to give over to God will soon feel the strain. It is through that strain many of us realize we have to hand all aspects of our lives to God so He can build them up to enable us to have all-round spiritual strength and not suffer unnecessary injury.

Body Language

Our bodies have a unique way of communicating – not in words, yet the message is normally very clear. If we step on something sharp, our body immediately sends signals to our brain to move. If we drink too much alcohol, our body lets us know its displeasure making us sick, as well as reminding us the following morning with a nasty hang-over. Our body tells us when food is required or needs to be disposed of. When we regularly exercise, the body rewards us with a sense of well-being to encourage further exercise. Alternatively, it sends messages of fatigue when it has been over-exercised. Pain is the body’s way to alert us to change our behaviour if we are doing something that is causing damage.

God has many ways of communicating with us which don’t involve direct speech. He speaks through His Word (the Bible) and speaks through our conscience (our sense of right and wrong). He gives an inner peace and joy to encourage us in the right direction. He also communicates with feelings of unrest and emptiness when we have left the true path. God is constantly sending us messages in ways that don’t interfere with our free-will. Maybe we should take the time to listen to what our Creator is trying to tell us.

Critically Injured

A critically injured woman staggered to the hospital. Immediately she was whisked to the Emergency-Room for treatment. A foolish doctor on duty examined her and shouted to the nurse, ‘Quickly, get me a comb and make-up. This woman’s appearance is atrocious.’ Soon the injured woman was on the operating table having her hair brushed, receiving new clothes and a complete makeover while she quietly bled to death from her inner wounds.

As Christians, we sometimes get so caught up with outward appearances that we don’t fix the real problem. Like Adam and Eve after the fall, we become so preoccupied with appearances that we devote our time sewing fig leaves to cover up.
When people come into our lives and church seeking grace and healing for inner wounds (caused from living in a fallen world), we often ignore those wounds and concentrate on adjusting their outward behaviour to conform to our own legalistic standards. Sadly, it’s no wonder spiritually wounded people see the church as the last place to go when seeking treatment. (Matthew 23:25)

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Gym Membership

Christians A young man, keen to get fit, purchased ‘life membership’ to a long-established gym. After a few weeks, however, he lost interest and never went to the gym again. Many years later he grew fat and lazy. His family and friends even voted him ‘least likely to ever exercise’, but unbeknown to everyone, the man who was so anti-exercise remained a member of the gym to his dying day.

We are wrong to assume that because a person doesn’t act as a Christian – he is not a Christian. When anyone believes in Christ, God instantly writes his or her name in the ‘Book of Life’. From that moment onward they are eternal members of the Family of God. Soon after that they may lose interest in Christianity, but they still remain members of Heaven.
Our eternal salvation (Heavenly Membership) is eternally secure – it was purchased by Christ at the cross. It doesn’t depend on what we do, but on the work accomplished on our behalf by the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross. We can do nothing to earn salvation – we can do nothing to lose it. Salvation is simply accepted as a gift. Once accepted, our name is irrevocably written in the ‘Book of Life’ and it is there for eternity. However, the shape we are in on reaching Heaven and the rewards received depend on the amount of time we have spent spiritually exercising on earth (doing God’s will). (Ephesians 2:8 -9).

Gym Attendance

When we desire to get into shape or build a little muscle, we can join a gym or sporting club. However being a member is not enough to get fit - it is only the initial step. If we want results – first we must do the right thing (exercise) and, second, refrain from doing the wrong thing (by eating excessive junk food).

If we want to be strong Christians we soon realise that attending or being a member of a church is not enough for spiritual growth – it’s only the initial step. Spiritual growth comes from exercising in the Word of God (using the promises and reflecting on the profound truths within the Bible) and refraining from doing the wrong thing (sin). Furthermore, teachers of God’s Word are like personal trainers and we benefit only if we put into practice their Biblical advice.

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Grace Period

Generally, babies are born with flexible bodies that heal quickly. This is nature’s grace period which allows awkward children to have many accidents without causing serious injury as they learn to walk, run and play. Unfortunately, as our bodies grow older we are unable to take childhood spills and expect to walk away injury free.

When ‘born again’ as Christians, we can be likened to babies. In trying to stand on our own ‘spiritual feet’ we will naturally have many falls (sin). God is very patient and gives us a grace period to find our feet and get on track.
Though God’s grace is inexhaustible, we only have limited time on Earth to get with God’s plan (to whom much is given – much is expected). As the years pass and we show a stubborn reluctance to do things we know we should, God will allow the results of our bad decisions to take their course. As new Christians, God often protects us from the consequences of certain behaviour, but if we try those same tricks as older Christians we are sure to suffer injuries.

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Stimulating the Spirit

Soul and spirit To maintain a healthy body and mind, it is essential to stimulate the working parts. If our muscles and joints are not active, they deteriorate rapidly. Our brains need constant stimulus, as experienced by those who undergo ‘sense deprivation experiments’. Without stimulus they eventually start hallucinating.

To maintain a healthy spirit that is relaxed, joyful and compassionate, we must stimulate it constantly. We do this by leading an active spiritual life. We advance in the Christian life by learning wisdom (God’s Word). We strengthen our faith by exercising with God’s promises and acting upon biblical truths.
If we deprive our soul of the spiritual stimulation God has ordained – or substitute a pseudo-spiritual life – soon we’ll become habitually depressed, start having irrational fears; or alternatively, hallucinate with delusions of grandeur.

Scratching the Itch

Christian Image Some itches should not be scratched. Scratching may bring temporary relief, but within moments the itch will return with a vengeance, demanding to be scratched two-fold. Then if we do not restrain ourselves and continue scratching, the itch will turn into a nasty sore ready for infection.

Sinful temptations are like itches – they require insatiable scratching. When we give in to temptation, we may satisfy the urge temporarily, but it won’t be long before temptation is back again demanding to be satisfied. Should we continually try to gratify these unquenchable temptations, we will ultimately cause damage to ourselves and our loved ones.
When God tells us to resist temptation, He is not trying to stop our fun, but give wise advice to stop us from turning our life into a festering sore. (Proverbs 8:36)

The Desire & the Doing

Christian Soul Everyone wants to be fit and healthy, but this won’t happen by just wishing. Neither will filling the fridge with healthy food make us healthier. The food must be properly prepared, then eaten, to be beneficial. Simply wanting to be fitter is only the first step on a journey that takes many steps.

A mature Christian is someone who exhibits an inner strength and joy, a high sense of purpose, confidence and hope derived from the Truth, a graceful attitude towards all mankind and an unshakable faith in God.
Many of us wish for these wonderful outcomes from Christianity, but wishing alone is not enough. Having our shelves filled with Biblical books written by acclaimed theologians, or being a member of a respected church will not help either – these only lead towards the first steps of a journey that takes many steps.
To accomplish results in Christianity, we must consistently learn Biblical Truths and skills and apply them by keeping our mind on God – not on people or circumstances. The fruits of Christianity won’t be ours by simply wanting them or doing the right thing once in a while. Proper learning and application must be a daily function and become a way of life. (Romans 12:1-2, Colossians 3:23-24)

Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is the process of being restored to rights, privileges, reputation or proper condition. When we have suddenly lost the use of our body, through accident or illness, the road to recovery is always a slow, discouraging and often painful process.

As members of the human race, we are fallen creatures – separated from God because of Adam’s and our own bad decisions. God’s great wish is to restore us to the relationship with Him that He intended for us.
When we believe in Jesus Christ for our salvation, God instantly endows us with Christ’s righteousness, privileges and reputation – our rights are then restored. However, living in the devil’s world has left us spiritually crippled and, if we are to ever stand on our own spiritual feet, we must first undergo a long process of rehabilitation. God has organised everything necessary to achieve this, but left it up to us whether or not we want to be rehabilitated.
Christianity is not a one-shot decision or dedication; such change within does not happen overnight (even when we pray it will). Progress is slow and often imperceptible. There will be times of pain and discouragement when we are tempted to give up. But as with any process of rehabilitation, we must persevere; taking one small painful step after another. When we stumble, God has promised to support us. When we fall, we must look to Him to help us get up and move forward. If we continually trust in Him, we will slowly be rehabilitated to our proper condition and advance to spiritual maturity where the Victor’s Crown is guaranteed to be ours. (Romans 5:3-5. James 1:3-4)