Series 2 - Lesson 3 - Annotation 13
What is the result if man fails to recognize the unity of his being, as spirit, soul, body?
13. Failure to recognize the oneness of man's being as spirit, soul, body (and the place of each phase in making up the whole man) causes us to experience a sense of lack, separation, and unfulfillment. Then, as the lesson points out, our physical organism (body) will fail to manifest the health that is ours as a son of God.
A feeling of separateness reveals itself to us in many ways. At one extreme, it may take the direction of an attempt to retire within the self, to become an introvert. The first phase, or spirit, is thought to be found entirely here, and soul and body phases are left undeveloped. A person becomes thus an introvert often seeks to escape from participation in life; he may become a recluse.
At the other extreme, through our non-recognition of our triunity of spirit, soul, body we may give ourself over to the view that the gratification and comfort of the body is our paramount interest; we would then become an extrovert. Or there may be a search for soul satisfaction by the intellectual pursuit of knowledge, thus developing the intellect (thinking faculty) to such an extent that anything of the spiritual side of life is ignored or counted of little value.
We need to know that the essence of our being is the Spirit of God, the source of the life, substance, and intelligence that permeates our soul and body. It is in recognizing the values of spirit, the pursuits of the soul (mind), and the development of the body that we find integration, the unity of our threefold nature bringing harmony into all levels of life.
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Preceding Entry: Give the phases of man as a threefold being, and explain the result if he fails to recognize this unity of his being.
Following Entry: What is meant by believing on Christ unto salvation?
