A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
Related Articles
RETURN TO SYLLABUS
NEHEMIAH
LESSON #2
INTRODUCTION continued
MEMORY VERSE: ROM 12:2
BEFORE WE CAN DISCUSS THE THEME OF BUILDING UP THE WALLS OF OUR PERSONALITY, WE NEED TOMAKE SURE WE HAVE A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF SOME BASIC TERMS.
DEFINITIONS OF BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT (HEART)
THE NATURE OF MAN BEFORE THE FALL:
THE MOST PREVALENT PART OF MAN WAS HIS SPIRIT, THEN HIS SOUL, AND THEN HIS BODY.
THE NATURE OF MAN AFTER THE FALL:
THE MOST PREVALENT PART OF MAN WAS HIS BODY. HE REALIZED HE WAS NAKED AND NEEDED TO CLOTHEIT. THE SECOND MOST PREVALENT PART OF MAN WAS HIS SOUL, AND THE SPIRIT WAS THE SMALLESTPART OF MAN.
LETS DEFINE SOME TERMS:
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE BODY OF MAN?
THE BODY IS THE WORLD-CONSCIOUS PART OF MAN. IT IS THROUGH THE BODY WE RELATE TO THE WORLDAROUND US BY SEEING, HEARING, TASTING, SMELLING, AND TOUCHING.
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE SPIRIT OF MAN?
THE SPIRIT OF MAN IS THE GOD-CONSCIOUS PART OF MAN. THE PART OF ME THAT WORSHIPS (EITHERGOD OR SOMETHING ELSE.) IT IS THAT GOD-SHAPED VACUUM WITHIN EVERY PERSON THAT ONLY GOD CANADEQUATELY FILL. IT IS THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE:
1. COMPREHENSION OF GOD
OUR SPIRIT SOMEHOW TELLS US THERE IS A GOD OUT THERE SOMEWHERE.
2. CONSCIENCE
OUR CONSCIENCE INHERENTLY TELLS US RIGHT FROM WRONG.
3. CREATIVITY
IT IS THROUGH OUR SPIRIT THAT MAN IS CREATIVE BEYOND THE INGENUITY THAT ANIMALS ARE ABLETO ACHIEVE.
4. INSIGHT
IT IS THROUGH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE HAVE WHAT SOME CALL A “SIXTH SENSE”.
5. MOTIVATION
WE EXPERIENCE MOTIVATION TO ACCOMPLISH A GOAL THROUGH OUR SPIRIT TO PLEASE GOD.
6. SENSITIVITY
WE EXPERIENCE A SENSITIVITY (EMPATHY) TO OTHER PEOPLE AND TO GOD THROUGH OUR SPIRIT.
THE BIBLE USES THE WORD “HEART” (leb IN HEBREW AND kardia INGREEK), AND SAYS THAT MAN’S HEART IS CONSISTENTLY EVIL, DECEITFUL, WICKED, HARDENED, ANDPRIDEFUL. THIS IS WHY THE BIBLE SAYS WE DESPERATELY NEED TO RECEIVE A NEW HEART, A CLEANHEART, A HEART FILLED WITH GOD’S LOVE, BE BORN AGAIN. JER 17:9
GOD NEVER DELIVERS, SAVES, AND REDEEMS OUR “HEART” OR SPIRIT. HE GIVES US A NEWCLEAN ONE: A HEART TO KNOW HIM. EZE 11:19 EZE 18:31 EZE 36:26
WHAT CONSTITUTES THE SOUL OF MAN?
THE SELF CONSCIOUS PART OF MAN; THE EGO OR PERSONALITY.
THE SOUL CONTAINS THE MIND, THE WILL, AND THE EMOTIONS.
1. MIND = INTELLECT, REASON, MEMORY PRO 23:7 PSA 103:1-2
A. CONSCIOUS = AWARENESS PHI 4:8-9
B. SUB-CONSCIOUS = MEMORY BANK PSA 19:12-13
C. UNCONSCIOUS = SUM TOTAL OF EVERY
EXPERIENCE REMEMBERED OR NOT; THE HIDDEN PARTS OF US THAT WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW, BUT GODDOES. PSA 19:12-13 PSA 139:23-24 JER 17:9 PSA 51:6
2. WILL = FREE CHOICE
3. EMOTION = LOVE, HATE, ETC.
THE BIBLE USES THE WORD “SOUL” (nephesh IN HEBREW AND psyche INGREEK). IT TELLS US THE SOUL OF MAN IS TROUBLED, DOWN TRODDEN, WEARY, LUSTFUL AND SUBJECTTO SIN. PSA 77:2 JOB 10:1 JOH 12:27
GOD NEVER GIVES US A NEW SOUL. HE DELIVERS, SAVES, REDEEMS, AND RENEWS OUR OLD ONE. PSA49:15 PSA 72:14
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF MAN WHEN HE IS BORN AGAIN?
WE ARE STILL MOST AWARE OF OUR BODY AND SOUL, BUT WE NOW HAVE A NEW SPIRIT THAT IS ALIVETO GOD. THATS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE BORN AGAIN.
THE PARALLELS IN NEHEMIAH FOR THEME #1 – REBUILDING THE WALLS OF HUMAN PERSONALITY
ROM 12:1-2 EPH 4:22-24 2CO 10:5
WE ARE TOLD TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS. TRANSFORMED FROM WHATAND RENEWED WITH WHAT?
WE NEED TO GET RID OF THE NEGATIVE, CORRUPT THINKING AND SINFUL BEHAVIOR OF OUR PAST LIVESBEFORE WE CAME TO JESUS. THEN WE CAN PUT ON THE MIND OF CHRIST.
THE JEWS HAD REBUILT THE TEMPLE OF GOD SO THEY COULD WORSHIP.
WE INVITE JESUS CHRIST INTO OUR HEART SO THAT WE CAN WORSHIP GOD THROUGH CHRIST. WE BECOMETHE TEMPLE OF GOD THROUGH WHICH WE WORSHIP GOD. INVITING CHRIST INTO OUR HEARTS IS THEFIRST STEP OF THE RENEWAL PROCESS. HOWEVER, MANY OF US DON’T GO BEYOND THAT FIRST STEP INOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. WE ARE LIKE THE JEWS WHO BUILT THE TEMPLE BUT DID NOT BUILD THE WALLSOF THE CITY.
IN THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH THEY BUILD THE WALLS. IN THE SAME WAY THE HOLY SPIRIT WANTSTO REBUILD THE CRIPPLED, WEAK, BROKEN DOWN AREAS OF OUR SOUL AS A RESULT OF THINGS THATHAVE HAPPENED TO US IN THE PAST. WE STILL CARRY WITH US PAST FAILURES, HURTS, SINPATTERNS, ALL OF WHICH GOD WANTS TO HEAL AND MAKE US COMPLETE PEOPLE IN CHRIST.
THE PARALLELS IN NEHEMIAH FOR THEME #2 – BUILDING THE CHURCH
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST IS NOT A BUILDING ON A STREET CORNER. IT IS THE PEOPLE OF GODWHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST. THEREFORE, THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS ONLY AS STRONG AS THEPEOPLE WHO MAKE UP THE CHURCH. IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A STRONG CHURCH, WE NEED STRONGCHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH.
TO HAVE STRONG CHRISTIANS IN THE CHURCH, WE NEED TO ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO REBUILD THEWALLS OF OUR PERSONALITY SO THAT WE BECOME WHOLE PEOPLE, HEALED FROM THE INSIDE OUT.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE TWO THEMES IN NEHEMIAH ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER. FROM STRONG, WHOLEPEOPLE WE GET STRONG LEADERS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE MADE WHOLE, THEY CAN BETTER SERVE GOD ANDMINISTER TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO NEED THAT SAME HEALING. IN THE END WE BUILD A STRONG CHURCHFOR JESUS CHRIST.
HOMEWORK
NEHEMIAH 1
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION FOR THE INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH
HAVE YOU INVITED JESUS CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART AND LIFE SO THAT YOU ARE “BORNAGAIN”?
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF YOUR LIFE DO YOU LET JESUS CONTROL?
10% 25% 50% 75% 90% 100%
IF YOU HAVE NEVER INVITED JESUS INTO YOUR HEART AND WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT BUT DONTKNOW HOW, YOU CAN CONTACT ME BY E-MAIL: joyce@mailscrubbers.net TO FIND OUT HOW.
PREPARATION FOR NEH 1
READ NEH 1
WHAT IS THE CONDITION OF ISRAEL?
WHAT WAS NEHEMIAH’S RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM?
WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT NEHEMIAH’S PRAYER IN VERSES 5-11?
IF THE TEMPLE PARALLELS OUR SPIRIT, AND THE WALLS PARALLEL AREAS OF THE SOUL, WHAT DO YOUTHINK THE CITY GATES COULD REPRESENT?
(NEH 1:3)
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 24:9
