By Brodie Kalamen
1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together—spirit, soul, and body—and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ.
The entire makeup of the human has three parts: we have a soul, we have a spirit, and we live inside a body.
“I am a Spirit. I have a Soul. I live in a Body.”
“I am a Spirit. I have a Soul. I live in a Body.”
In church circles, while there is value in most circles, I’ve noticed that the Pentecostals focus primarily on the spirit while Charismatics often focus on physical healing of the body and expression of spiritual gifts. Where is the focus on the soul?
There is a danger in associating anything soulish as evil. The reality is that your soul defines your personality and humanity. It was for the human soul that Jesus Christ came to the earth to save. It is the reason why we are called ‘soul winners,’ not ‘spirit winners’ or ‘body winners.’
I’ve come to recognize that with most Christians, the soul is often neglected. People can lean to believing that anything ‘soulish’ is ‘fleshly.’ Sadly, if your soul is not satisfied, you will never have a meaningful life or existence. If your soul is empty, you can speak in tongues and serve in church, but you’ll never be a happy person in life.
What fulfills the human soul?
Here are seven needs that satisfy the human soul:
Here are seven needs that satisfy the human soul:
1. Spirituality
St. Augustine, the greatest Christian thinker of the early church, said that God created us with a ‘God-shaped vacuum’ in our souls that only God can satisfy. David expressed this in Psalm 42:1: “As the deer pants for the water, so my soul longs for you.” When we come to church, we want to reach God with our heads without neglecting our hearts and souls. We desire to come under the power of God and experience His presence.
2. Love
We long for community and relationship. This is why we spend so much time on social media, telephones, and chat channels—it shows a need. If you look around a restaurant, take notice of those who have a phone and are endlessly ‘scrolling’. There is a ‘search’ in our generation. Coming to church will provide a meaningless life if you haven’t got relationships to develop or build on. We need to feel like we belong and are connected – the ‘koinonia’ was a foundation of the first church. This was meant to be shared within immediate family circles and outside family circles.
3. Self-Esteem
A soul needs to feel proud of itself. Even Jesus was attacked by the devil to doubt who He was: “If you are the Son of God…” How do you know you’re the Son of the Living God? Christianity is an “in spite” faith. Despite trials, temptations, and tribulations, we will overcome. The very fact that Jesus was tempted means that His identity wasn’t guaranteed to Him. It wasn’t conclusive in His mind that He was the Son of God. He went to the synagogue to learn and read the Bible. Scripture confirmed to Him that He was the Son of God. He concluded that He was begotten of the Father. Only when He was assured of His identity could He receive and release worship.
A soul needs to feel proud of itself. Even Jesus was attacked by the devil to doubt who He was: “If you are the Son of God…” How do you know you’re the Son of the Living God? Christianity is an “in spite” faith. Despite trials, temptations, and tribulations, we will overcome. The very fact that Jesus was tempted means that His identity wasn’t guaranteed to Him. It wasn’t conclusive in His mind that He was the Son of God. He went to the synagogue to learn and read the Bible. Scripture confirmed to Him that He was the Son of God. He concluded that He was begotten of the Father. Only when He was assured of His identity could He receive and release worship.
4. Knowledge
Why are we, explorers? Why is there a channel called “Discovery”? Why do women read magazines and surf the internet for popular news? Knowledge is power. If you don’t have a hunger for knowledge, you are dying. Even though we live in an ‘information age’, the demand for knowledge continues. It’s growing and shifting like the tides. It is the reason why many academics continue to pursue education even after finishing school or spend precious resources on ‘coaches’ and ‘advisors’.
5. Security
We need food to eat, a place to lay our head, air to breathe and even sex. Every soul needs a sense of security. The human drives need to be fulfilled. We need security from the elements of nature and economic stability. When a country experiences an economic crisis, people often immigrate to more stable countries in search of stability. Our soul flourishes when we live with security.
6. Aesthetics
Art, painting, decoration, fashion, music, dance, coding and colour—people need beauty. Without art in your life, you live an impoverished life. Art is an expression of our creativity and innovation. It touches the soul of the people. Art makes the invisible visible, bringing the spiritual into the natural realm. Art expresses emotion and delight, whether it makes you laugh or brings you to tears.
7. Freedom
We need freedom of speech and expression. We need to feel like we can express what is inside us and say what we need to communicate. We need freedom of worship. People are willing to go to jail for their faith, even if their faith isn’t Christian. If you are attending an anti-charismatic church, you will feel frustrated. We need freedom from poverty and lack, freedom from fear, freedom of discussion and reason, freedom in worship and freedom of thought. Freedom is the message of our faith. Through Christ, we are free from death, sin, and shame.
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ set us free.
If you lack any of these needs, you will live an impoverished life and feel incomplete. Because of these fundamental needs…
We have Church because of Religion.
We have Family because of Love.
We build Business because of Self-Esteem.
We pursue Education because of Knowledge.
We elect a Government because of Security.
We have the Arts because of Aesthetics.
We have the Media and the Press because of Freedom.
We have Family because of Love.
We build Business because of Self-Esteem.
We pursue Education because of Knowledge.
We elect a Government because of Security.
We have the Arts because of Aesthetics.
We have the Media and the Press because of Freedom.
These are the seven pillars of the human soul. Without any of these pillars, society feels broken and impoverished – the human soul dries up. As believers and followers of Jesus, the church can carry these values and implement them so that the human soul is “holy and whole.”
Psalm 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
All I know for sure is that I once was lost but now I am found, was blind but now I see because of the grace imparted to my soul, spirit and body by faith in who
Jesus Is and what he accomplished on the cross.
Without Him I can do nothing.
Well Brodie, here I was thinking the Seven Mountain Mandate was
primarily a model or paradigm for the organization of a church but you have gone into the soulish realm with the same headings.
That’s quite a shift.
I think I’ll just stick to the simplicity that’s in Christ, exercise faith, love God and try not to suffer the paralysis of analysis by thinking too much.
Thanks for your input to the blog. Starting a conversation is always of value.
Thank you, Pastor
WoW! I read your devotion and now have seven things to say!
1) Spirituality: Amen!
2) Love: Thankfully, social media hasn’t imprisoned me but work, and more work have. By the grace of God, being in a free land, and having good health I strive to strengthen important family relationships.
3) Self Esteem: bah don’t need that psych-babel. Ha, just kidding! My identity is in Christ Jesus and may it be renewed everyday with strength and vitality for in him I am less than nothing!
4) Knowledge: Have you ever lit a fire without matches?
5) Security: So important, but the opposite could be interesting to consider, if I was single. Would I shrug off the security of home and country if I had no immediate family concerns or if my wife was as adventurous as I think I would like to be, and seek a role of evangelising in a remote area because my security [should be] in Jesus?
6) Aesthetics: Amen!
7) Freedom: Way too much to unpack on this one! :-) But yes we NEED freedom and in Jesus Christ we have freedom!
Wow, so many things to discuss from one devotion. This was a fun read and it enriched my soul!
Thank you, Brodie, for sharing your thoughts. Blessings