By
Shelby G. Floyd
Good morning! I am sure we all had a great Thanksgiving with our family and friends. The songs we have sung today are really great and go perfectly with my lesson. I really like that last song about “the soul that never dies!”
My subject today is the “The Immortal Spirit of Man!” The Bible says that all Scripture is given by inspiration of the Almighty. And the word of God is able to make us perfect unto salvation. That salvation is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:14-17). And it is in Christ that we find the complete growth and purpose of man.
GOD MADE MAN IN HIS IMAGE
Man has an immortal spirit. And I use the word man in the sense of Adam being the federal head of the human family. That includes man and woman. So we are talking about mankind.
We read in the Bible the question: “What is man that you are mindful of him?” And so we will answer that question in the course of this lesson. Did you know that all of us have an immortal spirit or soul? This soul/spirit came from Almighty God. Soul and spirit are sometimes used interchangeably. But there is also a slight distinction between the soul and the spirit. We will discuss that later.
In order to introduce this lesson, we must go all the way back to Genesis. The Bible says that God created man in his own image. Just think about that. We are made in God’s image. What or who is God? He made us in his image. “So God created man in his own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27 NKJV). This recounts the origin of man in one verse of Scripture. Man and woman were made in God’s image! Therefore, we were made to honor God.
In Genesis we read “The Lord created man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). This expressed the twofold nature of man. The body was made out of dust. There is not anything made out of dust today that can equal what God made out of the clay! But God did not stop after he had made man out of the earth! “He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
And then God planted man in the garden of Eden. I have always wondered where the garden was located. Many others wonder too! It is identified as being near the river Euphrates. But we are lost in locating the other three rivers.
Anyway, in that garden, God placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Trees are a great blessing. We have all enjoyed the fall scenes of Indiana. Indiana has a forest of oak trees operated on behalf of the USS Constitution and any repairs that ship may need. It is off-limits to everyone else!
Therefore God created a beautiful garden for man and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was there. And it appears that man did not know the difference between good and evil until he ate of that tree. God commanded him not to eat of it.
Do you remember your innocence growing up as a child? You never committed any sin. And then the first time you committed sin; you did not have a good feeling. Then you thought, “I am now a sinner, because I know the difference between good and evil!” That will give us some idea of how Adam and Eve felt when they realized the difference between good and evil (See Genesis 2:15-17). And God said to them, “you will surely die!” Man did not die physically that day. Man died spiritually because he was separated from God. And after he was separated from God, he hid from Him because he was guilty.
WHAT IS MAN?
I love the eighth chapter of Psalms that was read publicly today. David wrote that God made man a little lower than the Angels:
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalms 8:3-5 NKJV).
But we started with the question, “What is man that you are mindful of him…?” (v 4). Think about the fact that we have been made a little lower than the angels. So when we sum up God’s care of man (Psalms 8:1-8), we learn that,
1. God was mindful of man,
2. God made man a little lower than the angels,
3. God crowned man with glory and honor,
4. God gave man dominion over all his created works, and
5. God put all things under the feet of man; all animals, fish, and even what passes through the paths of the sea!
Did you know that a scientist found out there are paths that run through the sea, and all oceangoing vessels follow those paths. And recently I read how the Eastern ocean and the Western ocean meet together. It appears that it is visible and then they just mix together! God’s creation is amazing to behold!
MAN HAS A BODY WITH THE SPIRIT
Let us now discuss that man has a body with a spirit. What is man? Man is a body with a spirit. But is the body the primary nature of man? We usually think of ourselves as a body with a spirit. But we have that turned around completely. I can understand why we think we are a body with a spirit. It is because we live in a material world, and we tend to see ourselves simply as a material being. I have hair, eyes, face, heart, arm, legs, etc. We emphasize the outward man in our thinking. We are a material being and we use the material being in most of our activities. But is that concept true? We have the answer to what is man in reverse! We are not a body with a spirit. We are an eternal spirit/soul with the body. The spirit and soul make up the primary nature of man. We read from James, “Receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). What is man, that God is mindful of him? We are not a body with a soul and spirit! We are a spirit/soul with a body. Our primary nature is our spirit and soul.
The Bible answers the question, what is man? Paul addressed this question when he wrote to the church in Thessalonica. “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). God wants us to be preserved blameless when Christ comes back. What should be blameless? Our spirit, soul, and body! And that is the entire man. Notice that Paul put it in that order. He did not say body, soul, and spirit. That is the way we talk. He said, “your whole spirit, soul, and body.” God wants us to be blameless. And the only way we can be blameless is through Jesus Christ. That is the whole point!
There is a slight distinction between the spirit and the soul. For instance, scripture says “The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, Searching all the inner depths of his heart” (Proverbs 20:27). So the spirit of man is the light of the Lord. It searches all of our inward parts. Our spirit is the searching supervisor of the entire person. It searches us completely!
THE SOUL
But what about the soul? The soul is sometimes used interchangeably with the spirit. At other times the word seems to refer to our mind, will, and emotions. This is where Satan tempts us to sin.
THE BODY
And then the body is the house where the soul and spirit reside. The body is mortal, but very important, because it is the medium by which we live and act in this earthly world. What is man? Man is the whole spirit, soul, and body!
THE IMMORTAL SPIRIT
Now we shall examine our immortal spirit. It is that which controls all of our thoughts and actions. The spirit of man is our control center. I view my spirit as being located in my head. Let us examine the Scriptures, and learn what God said about the spirit that is in man! The Bible is a book that reveals man to himself. We can learn who we are by reading God’s word. You will not find out what man is from secular education and worldly universities. Some people are saying man would be better off by not attending anti-religious and anti-Christian universities and schools. But for sure, you will only learn who you are by searching God’s word (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
DANIEL THE PROPHET
Now let us search the word of God in the book of Daniel concerning the spirit of man. When we think of Daniel, we associate him being thrown in the lion’s den! He was also thrown into the fiery furnace that was heated up seven times its normal temperature. But since he trusted in God, not even a hair on his head was singed. Daniel was a prophet of God in captivity at Babylon. He wrote his book around 605 – 530 BC. Concerning his own spirit he said, “I Daniel, was grieved in my spirit within my body, and the visions of my head troubled me” (Daniel 7:15).
Daniel said he was grieved “in my spirit.” But where is your spirit Daniel? It is “within my body.” Yes, Daniel was grieved! Daniel, were you grieved in your spirit? He also tells us he was grieved in his head! “And the visions of my head troubled me.” Let us sum up all of that. Daniel was grieved by the visions of his head within his spirit in his body. Therefore Daniel affirms that we all have a spirit within our body, seemingly to be located in our head!
JOB THE PATRIARCH
What about the man named Job? He is one of the oldest writers that we can locate in the Bible. He was one of the patriarchs. The patriarchs ruled the family. He was basically a perfect man who did everything right! He was committed to God. And he lived in a way that pleased God. The devil approached God and suggested that Job was only good because God was too good to him! God had blessed him with great material wealth. Satan suggested that if God would take everything away from Job, he would curse God to his face.
God agreed to put Job to the test. Many bad things start happening to Job. He lost his children. He lost his animals, he lost his family. He was covered with boils from his head to the soles of his feet. And yet he refused to deny God. And even his own wife said “Job, why not curse God and die!” Satan told Job that God does not care about you. Job replied, “Though he slay me; yet will I serve him.”
Job also said something that relates to our topic about the spirit of man: “But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives him an understanding” (Job 32: 8). According to Job, the breath of the Almighty God gives the spirit of man understanding. Therefore, we can understand what God communicates to us through his word.
WISDOM OF SOLOMON
God’s Word teaches us that this spirit in man will return back to God one day. King Solomon, a man of great wisdom wrote, “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Remember, we are made out of dust! When we breathe our last breath, and shuffle off the mortal coil to the dustbin, the spirit of man will be very much alive. The immortal spirit of man will return back to God who gave it to us. That will happen because he is the Father of our spirit!
ZECHARIAH THE PROPHET
And I wish to present another verse regarding the immortal spirit of man. God is the one who formed the spirit within us says Zechariah,
“The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel, Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundations of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1).
Zechariah wrote to Israel, the people of God. But they were disobedient from the time they came out of Egypt until they entered the promised land! And God had to continually correct them and guide them in the right way. Let us all remember that God formed the spirit of man within him! And as our Creator, He has the right to guide and correct us when we go astray!
GOD, THE FATHER OF SPIRITS
In the New Testament, the writer to the Hebrews wrote,
“Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:9).
I had a good father who corrected me on many occasions. And I remember those corrections! And they guided me to the place where I am now. Fathers do a good thing when they correct their sons and daughters. If we paid our human fathers respect when they corrected us, how much more should we respect God when he corrects us? So the writer asked the question, “Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” If we do not study and know the word, how is God going to correct us so we can live? We must know how, when, and where we go astray for God to correct us. But many people do not want God to correct them.
THE TRANSLATED SPIRITS
ENOCH
Now let us study some spirits living on earth that were translated back into the heavenly world of spirits. I speak of some individuals that did not experience a normal death. In the book of Genesis, we read of a man named Enoch who lived during the age of the patriarchs. He lived several generations after Adam. Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam (Jude 14-15). During this time the fathers ruled their family and sometimes even the extended family. Scripture says, “Enoch lived 65 years, and begot Methuselah (Genesis 5:21). Then Enoch lived another 300 years and had sons and daughters. Altogether, the days of Enoch were 365 years. (Genesis 5:22-23). And then we read this astounding statement: “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). The oldest man to ever live was Methuselah, and he lived 969 years and he died (Genesis 5:27). Sometimes we will refer to an older person and say, “Why, they are as old as Methuselah!” Enoch did not die, but he fathered the oldest person to live!
But we want to key in on the statement, “And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Enoch was just walking along one day at the age of 365 years and God took him into heaven. God took Enoch into heaven spirit, soul, and body! Afterward, no one saw Enoch any longer. He was translated into the world of spirits.
I wish to point out that when we get to heaven, we are not going to be naked spirits. We will be just like Jesus. We will be spirit, soul, and body. We will have a new body to go with our soul and spirit (Study 1 Corinthians 15). In heaven we will have a glorified spirit, soul, and body.
ELIJAH
And now we speak of another person who did not see death. And that is Elijah the prophet. Elijah was a great prophet of God. He did not mince words with anyone. He was translated into heaven in a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire in a great whirlwind!
We read of his experience in 2 Kings chapter 2. Elijah had a fellow prophet by the name of Elisha, who followed him everywhere he went. He wanted to be just like Elijah. He wanted to imitate him. He wanted to be a great prophet just like Elijah.
The Lord informed Elijah that he would take him away to heaven. Elijah told Elisha that the Lord was sending him to Bethel. Elisha told Elijah that he would not leave him. When they got to Bethel, the sons of the prophets came out and asked Elisha if he knew that the Lord would take away his master today. He said, “yes I know; keep silent.”
Then Elijah told Elisha to stay where he was for the Lord was sending him to Jericho. Elisha went with him to Jericho. When they got to Jericho the sons of the prophets asked Elisha, “Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over you today? So he answered, Yes, I know; keep silent” (2 Kings 2:5).
Then Elijah said that he was going to the Jordan River. Elisha followed him. Elijah struck the Jordan River with his mantle and the waters parted and they both crossed over on dry ground. Then Elijah told Elisha to ask what he could do for him before he was taken away. Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” (2 Kings 2:9). Elijah said if you see me when I am taken away, it shall be so.
Then as they talked, suddenly Elijah was taken up into heaven by a whirlwind in a chariot of fire with horses of fire. Elisha saw it happen and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen” (2 Kings 2:11-12).
EXHORTATION
Friends, when we come to our last breath, may God give us the spirit of Enoch and Elijah! We desire to be called up to be with the Lord forever more. Enoch and Elijah lived on the earth for some time, but they never died a normal death. They were both translated spirit, soul, and body into heaven. Let these two men encourage us to live like they did, and on the last day be translated into heaven with a glorified spirit, soul, and resurrected body!
My friends Jesus has promised that he will come back and take us to our eternal home:
““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1-3).
When Jesus comes back it will be like a flash of lightning from the East to the West (Matthew 24:27). Jesus said that only the Father knows the day when he will come back. No man and not even the angels know that day (Matthew 24:36). And none of us today know how long it will be! But Jesus did promise to reward us when he does come back: ““And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.” (Revelation 22:12).
When I was a little boy, we lived on a mini farm on the south side of Indianapolis, called “Sunshine Gardens!” Back then many families raised chickens. My parents would mail order baby chicks and they would be delivered on a Greyhound bus. They would come in a cardboard box with little holes punched out.
We would put them with the mother hen and I noticed when a rainstorm would blow up, the mother hen would cluck and the baby chicks would go under her covering wings. That is a beautiful picture of the care God has for each of his saved people. Jesus said near the end of his life,
“ “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ” (Matthew 23:37-39).
Those are the words that Israel and all nations need to hear today! And if you have not found refuge under the wings of Almighty God, today would be a wonderful time for you to respond. Do so my friend even today! *
*Copyright © 2024 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved
Shelby G. Floyd delivered this sermon December 1, 2024, at the Heartland Church of Christ, 1693 West Main Street, Greenwood, Indiana 46142
