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The Spirit Of Man
The scripture has a lot to say about the “spirit” of man. It’s an interesting
subject worthy of our study. While alive on earth, man has both a physical
and spiritual existence. In science and chemistry classes years ago students
were told that man’s body was worth about 98 cents. That was the actual
worth of the chemical elements that are found in the average man’s body.
Perhaps the monetary value of our bodies has gone up like everything
else, but the point is that our bodies are made up of the same elements
as the “dust of the earth.” It is not unusual that God inspired Solomon
to write this fact ages ago.
THE SPIRIT OF MAN COMES
FROM AND RETURNS TO GOD
Solomon also tell us where our spirit originated and where it goes
after death, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the
spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Notice the
separation of the physical man (dust) and the spiritual man (spirit). The
elements of the body will become dust. The “spirit” of man is that part
like God, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:...”
(Genesis 1:26). This is the part God deals with after the death of man.
The soul (spirit) leaves the body at death, “And it came to pass, as her
soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni:
but his father called him Benjamin” (Genesis 35:18).
THE SPIRIT OF MAN GOES UPWARD
It is Solomon that tells us the direction the “spirit” travels after
death, “Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit
of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?” (Ecclesiastes 3:21).
Here Solomon’s term “beast” is a referral to the physical (body) part of
man. The apostle Paul tells us that the saved will meet Christ in the air,
“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: {17} Then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
THE GODHEAD
RECEIVES OUR SPIRIT
God received the “spirit” of Christ, “And when Jesus had cried with
a loud voice, he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having
said thus, he gave up the ghost” (Luke 23:46). Stephen asked Christ to
receive his “spirit” “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying,
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” (Acts 7:59).
NO MAN
HAS POWER TO RETAIN THE SPIRIT
Man is powerless to control his “spirit” after death, “There is no
man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath
he power in the day of death:...” (Ecclesiastes 8:8). For this reason we
must be serious about preparation in this life. We need to be preparing
right now for our “spirit” to be “forever with the Lord,” instead of forever
with Satan in Hell. We begin this preparation with faith (Hebrews 11:6;
Mark 16:16); repentance (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30); confession (Matthew 10:32;
Romans 10:10); and baptism in water for the remission or our sins (Acts
2:38; Acts 22:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Galatians 3:27).
THE BODY
WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD
All preparation must be made in this body. When the “spirit” leaves
the body the “spirit” is ready to “return to God who gave it.” When the
body is dead there will be no more time for works of preparation, “For
as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead
also” (James 2:26). It is extremely important that we PREPARE NOW!
—John D. Cotham Shady Valley, TN