The following is a repost of a April 2001 post on H2O.
The key to properly understanding the Bible is remembering that it is all about the spirit. Whatever is spoken of in the Bible no matter how literal it appears to be is intended to convey something of the spirit. The intention of the creator in inspiring the Bible is to relate to them the true facts of their lives. These facts include the most incomprehensible reality of our created origin as well as our divine spirit nature in the image of and as sons of God. We also must accept on faith that the realities of life are stranger than fiction. The awesome truth although the Bible is very limited about what it says about it is that just like mankind designed, manufactured, tested, and perfected computers, TV, radio, and the internet, God made
us.
The object lesson of humans as Gods Little Computer People gives us some focus on some of the deepest mysteries of life. Humans are PAC men (Planned and created) Man, They are interactive players in a game called life. To humans from their very limited perspective the game is extremely serious as they perceive the earthly life as all there is. They are not understanding or believing that just like man can restart and give new lives to it computer people God has just that much control and commitment over the lives of men. This gives justification and support to concept of reincarnation. Certainly man as a soul is an actor on the stage of life.
The soul can be defined as spirit related to the flesh. This is differentiated from the divine spirit inheritance which makes men in the image of God. Man is royalty, sons of the true God, kin to the angels. They have been assigned to the earth to rule over the earth. Christ attempted to educate men of this awesome truth which includes returning to their original home (heaven) when they die physically.
He in the course of his eternity long career plays many roles and builds his reputation, qualifications and drawing power to be used in greater ways in the staging of what we call real life dramas. From actors they become spirit variety teachers, producers , directors, costume designers, set makers, etc. Certainly there are far more things that in the realm of the spirit as there is in the world of flesh. This strange but true reality when meditated upon clearly makes the point that nothing in life is totally coincidence. Just as all seeming intelligence of a computer program is at most artificial so is every action of man. Every action or thought is inspired of by the spirit of God if it is good and proper or from an opposing spirit which is unbeneficial. Man has interactive play in the game of life.
The following old posting emphasizes how all things of scripture are about the spirit.
THEN AND NOW
I used to believe as I was taught by Jehovah's Witnesses the soul is totally synonymous with all that man is. It was taught me it included the body which and is subject to death when the body dies for they are one and the same. Several scriptures literally and loosely interpreted are offered by JWs in support of their definition of a soul. The scripture stating how man was created tells us God blew into his nostrils and man became a living soul. I was taught that we must imply that from this statement that a soul is the entirety of a man which includes his body (false assumption). This is combined with the scripture that says that the soul that sins it itself wll die. I was taught that this proves that because the soul has been determined to be the body that the soul dies when does the body.
I now believe what I inherently know to be the truth. A person's body is not at all themselves. Their bodys are just their vehicles to carry them through this human existence. The soul in actuality is a part of a physical person that cannot be seen. It is their spiritual essence that is not subject to death at the same time man is. So to reinterpret the scripture stating the soul that sins shall die we must make note of the fact that a persons body, a thing and not a person is incapable of sinning. Only our spiritual selves can. It is for certain we are spiritual creatures physically embodied. Another scripture says "do not be afraid of he that can just destroy the body but fear him that can destroy both body and soul in Gehenna (hell). Clearly this is proof the soul or the person survives inherently the physical death of the body. The death of the soul being spoken of due to sin is not referring to physical death at all. That death is spiritual death allowing us to understand that by saying men are inherently everlasting for their souls continue past physical death does not mean it is being said they are immortal. Immortality implies one is incapable of dying. The bible assures us that God has the power to destroy the everlasting souls he created on the grounds of sin (???). All statements and physical occurences that have occurred in the lives of biblical characters are not intended to teach us anything of a physical nature but are object lessons meant to teach us how to live spiritual lives in or out of the flesh. Animals being souls would imply that they too have inherently everlasting spiritual lives. After physical death or seperation the soul can go to one of two places. They are:
Heaven- heaven is not a physical place seperated from us by physical distance. It is a different dimension of life which occupies the same physical space. It is a spiritual condition. At death as in sleep or out of body experiences the long journey in spirit can be made.
Hell is also not a place as JWs have described it. They say hell is the common grave of mankind. Hell is not a place but a spiritual condition where one is in darkness completely seperated from God. It is a condition that Jesus Christ voluntarily agreed to be subject to and so for three days was in hell. God could not help him during that time that began even prior to his physical death. They never could have killed Jesus unless God had abandoned him. This is the very reason Jesus cried out at his death, Father ..Why have you foresaken me? A complete darkness encmpass the place of Jesus death at high noon because God could not have people look upon his son as he gave up his life. Jesus returning to his fathers right hand at the end of this time spent in hell required a rebirth of spirit making Christ the first person ever to be reborn. The descriptions of hell as a place of fiery torment only can be interpreted in a spiritual sense. Somehow a everlasting soul that is abandoned by God will experience in some spiritual sense tormenting conditions of such magnitude. A lifetime without love and beauty would in my estimation be intolerable making anyone in that situation desirous of death but yet not being able to die. Everlasting torment.
The battle of Armageddon is a spiritual battle good against evil in which victory is destined for good. Bible prophecies in reference to Bible lands were to foretell of spiritual events in this the last days.
AssyriaTyre Judah Babylon
Egypt
The land of Assyria represents dependence on human might.Babylon represents dependence on religion.
Egypt represents dependence on human wisdom.
Tyre represents dependence on wealth.
Judah in the center represents all whose hearts are right with God
(Jews).
All biblical history was to foretell of things to be fulfilled in its spiritual context. All spiritual lands that plagued Israel and who drew Gods people from God will be destroyed. There was no intent to predict any other physical fulfillment of Bible prophecy but instead its more important spiritual fulfillment to take place in the final part of the days.
The battle of Armageddon likewise is a spiritual battle good against evil in which good is to win out. This is all with the aid of Christ and his spiritual army. Never was it being predicted despite the prophecys use of literal terms that it be in any way a physical war with physical casualties. Just as the Bible encourages that Christians warfare should not be against flesh and blood but against evil spirit forces. Certainly Gods war will be no less directed towards destroying the evil spirits that capture his people so that no man has to die but be turned around. When seen in this context we are aware that the battle of Armageddon is already ongoing for a longtime as Christ spirit is slowly taking over in the earth and submitting nations to his kingdoms subjective control.
In this post is a composite of my personal philosophies of life as I have been inspired to understand them. I have tested these inspired utterances and found them to be from God (true). I invite you to test them for yourselves.
Zechariah