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Cowardice (δειλία)

For the God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but inherent ability and love and a saved frame of mind – 2 Timothy 1:7

Cowardice means to lack mental or moral strength. Jesus uses this concept of cowardice with the disciples when they feared for their lives while in a storm on the sea, in which Christ was in the stern of the boat asleep. Having woken Him up because the waves were covering the boat, they pleaded with Him to save them. Jesus responds to their fear with asking them why they are being cowards, and then rebukes the wind and the sea, Matthew 8:26. At this point the disciples were aware that Jesus is the Messiah, and they had already seen some very incredible signs proving that He is in fact God in the flesh. Their cowardice was unfounded, for all they had to do was watch Jesus and they should have known not to fear.

In the upper room, just prior to Christ’s death and resurrection, when Jesus is giving the disciples instructions concerning the new relationship that is about to come into existence between God and man because of what He will face and His imminent victory over death and Satan, Jesus tells them that He leaves His peace with them. My peace I leave with you. My peace I give you. Not just as the world gives, I give you. Stop letting your heart be troubled nor cowardly, John 14:27. This peace that Jesus spoke about is one of the aspects of the fruit from the Holy Spirit by which the mind can be in an unruffled state, Galatians 5:23-24. The Christian has the ability, because of the filling of […]

Cowardice (δειλία)Luther Walker2023-11-25T07:37:27-08:00

The Human Nature and How it Relates to Adam and the Christ

In discussing the human nature, there are major theological differences, especially in the realm of the spirit and soul. These disagreements are not discussed in this paper but will certainly influence the reader’s perception of what is stated. The author highly encourages the reader challenges their own thinking on this matter by solely relying on Scripture rather than theology to strengthen their understanding of and confidence in the truth regarding the human nature. This paper in no way implies, supports, suggest, or reveals that there is any change in the clear separation of the pre-Testament, Israel, Church, or Millennial Kingdom saints. These groups of believers have different promises with different content to their salvation and will always be distinct.

Where does the human soul and spirit come from? We know that the body comes from the parents, but what about the other parts of the human nature? To understand this, we are going to examine what Scripture reveals about where the body, soul, and spirit originate from and how this unique creation of God propagates, along with the fact that even though we share in our nature, we are individuals and personally liable to God.

In the creation of humans, we have two stories in Scripture that give us details on our beginning. These stories are not in contrast to one another; rather, the second one gives us more details on what God did in creating humans. In Genesis 1, we are given an overview of the renovation of the earth and the creation of Adam. God created humans; male and female¹, yet He did not create both male and female. As we examine chapter two of Genesis, we find that Adam is […]

The Human Nature and How it Relates to Adam and the ChristLuther Walker2023-11-25T15:06:39-08:00

The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)

When God created Adam, after forming him from the dust of the ground, He breathed the breath of lives into his nostrils and Adam became a living soul¹. Neshamah is used twenty-five times in Scripture to describe the breath of those who are living; however, it is only used twice with lives. God breathed the breath of life into Adam and during the description of the devastation of the flood upon the earth, all flesh that was upon the dry land died; all that had the breath of the spirit of lives within it, Genesis 7:22. This includes humans, birds, cattle, and beasts along with the Nephilim, who would also have possessed the breath of lives because they are a perversion of spirit and human beings that have a physical body. Animals are included because they have a fleshly based body and therefore must breathe just as the human body requires breath to live.

Breath by itself is primarily used concerning the breath in humans. In Joshua 11:11-14 all those who had breath were destroyed, but the animals were not. When God brought Israel into the land, the wicked inhabitants of the land was destroyed. As Joshua led them into the land, they fought against the kings and left none with breath alive². Sometimes they wiped out the animals along with the humans, and other times they were permitted to take possession of the animals.

Ruach (רוּחַ) describes the spirit of a human, Job 32:8, Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) describes the soul, and Neshamah (נְשָׁמָה) relates to the life within the physical body. When God breathed the breath of lives into Adam, he became a living soul; therefore, the breath of life is not the […]

The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)Luther Walker2023-11-23T18:04:53-08:00

Speaking down (καταλαλιὰς)

Lalia (λαλιά) describes how a person speaks. The manner in which Peter spoke exposed him as one who follows the Messiah, Matthew 26:73. The Samaritan’s who came out to investigate the words of a woman claiming the Messiah was at the well of Jacob did not believe because of her speech, but because they heard for themselves, John 4:42. The leaders of Israel could not understand Jesus’ speech because they were not able to listen to His words, John 8:43, for they were out from their father the devil and could not handle the truth.

The addition of the preposition “kata” (κατα) expresses a speech that is speaking down or against another person. This type of speech comes from one who judges others, while not doing the very things they claim the others should be doing, James 4:11. Unbelievers will speak this way about those who refuse to follow in their corrupt ways, 1 Peter 3:16. In this case, our conduct is to be honorable so that when they speak down concerning us as though we are the ones doing wrong, our good works will glorify God in the day we are examined by others and they will be put to shame, 1 Peter 2:12.

As for the Christian, this type of speech is to be set aside, 1 Peter 2:1. It comes from a carnal frame of mind, 2 Corinthians 12:20, and is found alongside selfish ambition, inner burning anger, whisperings, and deceit, which are all works of the flesh. Although this type of speech is not a sin, it is unrighteousness, Romans 1:30, and therefore should not come out of our mouths. How we speak is important, for words can have a great impact on […]

Speaking down (καταλαλιὰς)Luther Walker2023-11-25T07:45:05-08:00

The Inarticulate Babbler

When I was an inarticulate babbler, I spoke as an inarticulate babbler, I framed the mind as an inarticulate babbler, I reasoned as an inarticulate babbler. When I became a man, I rendered ineffective the things of the inarticulate babbler. 1 Corinthians 13:11

Nepios (νήπιος), is a word that describes a stage in a child’s life when they lack the ability to speak in an understandable and intelligent way. This concept is then taken further to those who have grown up, but still act as though they are a child because they have not learned how to discern right from wrong. This is not restricted to how a household or business is managed, but also to the person’s own lifestyle. We have many people today that are coming out of schools and colleges of higher learning that lack the basic abilities to discern right from wrong; what is good from what is bad. They have not learned critical thinking skills; therefore, they accept ideas that go against truth and reality, against logics, against what is rational, and always lead to destruction, while ignoring facts and modifying history to justify their childish behavior.

This same lack of discernment plagues the Church, even though those in Christ have been given all things pertaining to life and godliness. Yet, so many reject God and follow after the next teaching of men that is always based upon trickery and deceit to manipulate the follower through ignorance. We mature through the exercising of our senses to discern right from wrong, while seeking truth through our relationship with the Holy Spirit as we learn to identify and pursue His desires. As we mature, we put away the childish ways of thinking and develop […]

The Inarticulate BabblerLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:12:07-08:00

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