The Spiritual and Social Aspect by Silvia Pel

It is one of those busy days in the life of Jesus. The house of Peter is packed. Multitudes are thronging around the great teacher and healer. There is a special attraction – a divine dignity and authority – that they never have experience by the religious leaders. But while Jesus is sharing the word of life to the crowd, His spirit is drawn to a tragic case. Not with His physical eyes does he behold Him, but with divine eyes He beholds the sufferer that is on the verge to despair.

He has tried everything. He has sought the help of the doctors, just to get it confirmed that his case is a hopeless one. He has sought relief from the Pharisees, just to be convinced of his lost condition – that Gods wrath is upon him. And he knows it – the law of cause and effect… It is his own sin that has led him to the condition he now is in. Burdened by a guilty conscience, tired of pain, abandoned, without hope, without any goal and future he falls into despair. A deep depression takes hold of him.

But one day a glimmer of hope is kindled. His friends tell him of a new religious teacher. He is not like the others. They tell of His wonderful works – how even lepers and paralytics are restored to full health. If he just could meet this great physician, there might be hope anyway. His hope sinks, though, when he remembers how this disease is brought upon him by his own transgression. He fears that this Holy Man is too pure to have such a wretch in His presence… The burden of sin, remorse, guilt – this is his greatest pain. If he could only look into the eyes of this Restorer, and get the assurance of full forgiveness, he would be at peace…

As Jesus in the spirit feels his struggle, He brings conviction to the sin-sick and pained heart. He knows that the sufferer bitterly regrets his past, and longs for forgiveness. Jesus fills his heart with hope. His faith grows stronger. By unseen powers, he is drawn to the Saviour.

Jesus is in the house of Peter. As the tiles of the house are broken up, and the paralytic descends, He knows the story. He looks into those suffering eyes, and utters the words that the man needs more than anything: ”Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (Mk. 2:5) The burden of despair rolls from the sick man’s soul, the peace of forgiveness rests upon him. His physical pain is gone. The helpless paralytic is healed, the guilty sinner pardoned!

This story well illustrates the importance of spiritual restoration. How many in this world are suffering from a burdened conscience, remorse and guilt. How many are longing for the words: Thy sins are forgiven thee!

There is truly a close connection between our physical, mental, social and spiritual health. If we are suffering from spiritual disease – sin and guilt, our mental faculties are affected. If we do not know the secret of laying our burdens at the foot of the cross, despair and depression may take hold of us. A depressed state of mind, has a weakening influence upon the immune-system, and we easily suffer physically – catching a flu, or whatever it may be. In this state we do not feel capable of being a blessing to those around us, and even the social aspect is affected.

But the word of God gives us a recipe of how to restore this bad circle:

1. SPIRITUAL

Confess your sins:

”He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” (Prov. 28:13)

You can never experience full joy and freedom, as long as you have a guilty conscience. Jesus presents to us an amazing offer: He will exchange our burden of sin and guilt with His own peace and joy! He asks us to cast all burdens upon Him – for He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7).

Believe in the power of Jesus – to cleanse you and keep you from falling:

”If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1. Joh. 1:9)

”Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majexty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

All power in heaven and earth are committed unto Jesus (Mt. 28:18). He came to this world to save us from our sins, and He offers us freedom from this burden of guilt and shame (Mt. 1:21, John 8:31-36). He tells us to come to Him as we are – sinful, unattractive, hopeless – if we are willing to be changed, He has the power to perform the change. We need to take hold of His promises by faith. “For all the promises of God in him (Jesus) are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (2. Cor. 1:20). When Jesus says He can cleanse you, you can trust that He will do so. When Jesus says that He can keep you from falling again, you are to claim this promise and walk in it by faith. All Gods biddings are enablings! As you realise this unlimited power of your mighty Saviour and never failing Friend, life takes on another meaning. Each day you can explore Gods power to save – in your life. He is your source of wisdom and strength – you can ever look to Him when temptations and trials meet you. He has promised that He will not allow even one temptation to meet you that are more fierce than you can overcome as you take hold of His unlimited power (1. Cor. 10:13).   

Spend time in prayer and communion with Jesus:

”Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5: 17)

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 6-7)

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” (Heb. 12: 1-3)

Prayer is the breath of the soul. It is essential for Christian growth. It is the power-station for the believer. Even Jesus, when He walked on the earth, realized His need for constant communion with His heavenly Father in order for Him to successfully perform His mission. In order to give us a fair example to follow, He took on human nature, and met the temptations and trials of daily life as you and I have to meet them – not in our own power, but in the power of our Heavenly Father (Mark 1:35). How much more are we in need of this constant communion with divinity!

Prayer and Christian meditation has proved to have a positive effect in medical research – it relieves stress, which is a main factor in many of the lifestyle-diseases we are battling with in our world today. Eastern meditation is more frequently used in alternative healing, though. According to research, both Eastern and Christian meditation has proved to be effective in relieving stress, but there is an important difference that we need to consider. During the research, the patients brain-waves would be measured. During Eastern meditation the patient would soon enter into alpha-waves, which signifies that the frontal lobe is disconnected, and there is no filtration of the incoming information. Your reasoning powers and analytic abilities are gone, and your mind is unprotected and open for manipulation from outside forces. For a Christian this is extremely worrisome. God has created us with reasoning-powers, and He is speaking to us through the frontal lobe, which is the seat of spirituality, morality and the will. We are asked to be alert and gird up our mind, for our Creator well know that the spiritual wickedness in high places are ever ready to take control of our minds. In contrast to the effect of Eastern meditation on the brain wave patterns, Christian meditation caused relaxation, while keeping the brain in beta-wave pattern. This signifies that the reasoning powers are in-tact, and the frontal lobe is alert.

2. MENTAL

Cultivalte cheerfulness, thankfulness and a spirit of praise – count the blessings!

”Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Phil 4: 4)

”A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Prov. 17: 22)

”Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm. 103: 2-5)

We are living in a world filled with misery. There are enough discouraging things that take place to constantly fill our minds. But even though this planet is marked by sin, we can still trace tokens of Gods amazing love and creative power. What do we fill our minds with – what absorb our thoughts and mark our words and actions? Life is like a walk through a garden.  We may complain about the thorns and thistles and mourn of their power to hurt and destroy, or we may focus on the roses and the lilies, their wonderful design and delicate smell.

God asks us to rejoice in Him always. The world is offering a countless number of amusements. But this doesn’t seem to give an answer to the longings of the soul. Never have we witnessed so many different forms of entertainment, but at the same time the suicidal rate is breaking records, and the mental hospitals are filled with depressed people. Why? The joys and pleasures of the world are not able to give lasting satisfaction – it does not fill the deep soul hunger. It creates an unstable curve of feelings – like a shoot of drugs which are able to excite, but leaves you in a deeper emptiness as the effect wears away. These sources of satisfaction are just like “broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jer. 2:13). Jesus only is the Fountain of life – He is the living water! (John 4:14) He is able to supply all our needs (Phil. 4:19)!

As we read through the Bible there is one thing that God constantly impresses upon His people: Don’t forget how the Lord has led you! (Deut. 4:10, Psalm 105-107) In old times they would raise stones of remembrance when God had blessed them in a special way, led them out of dangerous situations and given them victories. We remember Bethel that Jacob raised after God had given him the impressive dream of the ladder between heaven and earth (Gen. 28:10-22). Bothered by a guilty conscience, threatened by a revenging brother, separated from all earthly friends – alone among the perils of the wilderness… All hope seemed lost, as he even felt that God had abandoned him. He had nothing to cling to, but a hard stone for resting his troubled head… Then God reveals His love and care – the pardoning grace shown through Christ, the ladder restoring the breach which sin had made, connecting heaven and earth. He beholds the heavenly beings ministering unceasingly… No condemnation, but pardoning love for a repenting sinner. He has passed through the dark tunnel of utter hopelessness and depression, and taken hold of Gods promises. Hope and joy takes the place of gloom and discouragement. The hard stone is lifted up and turned into a token of Gods restoring grace – a stone of remembrance.  Later when discouragements was about to take hold of him, he could look back to the Bethel experience. He could claim Gods promises a new, and be assured of that God who had helped him in the past, was surely just as able to help him now.

In 1. Samuel, chapter 7, we read another account of a memory-stone. Miraculously God had given His people great victory in a seemingly hopeless situation. To impress the victory upon the people, and make it a lasting memory, he raised a stone and called it “Eben Ezer”, saying: “Hitherto the Lord hath helped us”. It would be good for us also to count the blessings of the Lord, and raise spiritual Bethels and Eben-Ezers in our life – to claim past blessings, and trace where we last saw the light as we feel dark clouds of discouragement surround us. We have nothing to fear for the future except we should forget how God has lead us in the past.

3. PHYSICAL

God will bless those with health who are obedient to the physical and moral laws:

“And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” (Ex. 15: 26)

If we are obedient to Gods laws – physical and moral – He has promised to bless us and restore our health. When we experience sickness we have to reason from cause to effect. When we find the source, we have to make it right. Then God can bless. (Remember, though, that the life of the righteous is not without trials – but God has promised to be our strength and give us the grace needed: Job 2: 7-10; 1: 20-22; James 1:2-4; Is. 40:29-31.

4. SOCIAL 

By helping others, you are helped yourself:

“Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.” (Is. 58: 6-11)

When you are doubting, speak faith. When you are distressed, speak encouragement. When you have pain, relieve the pain of those who suffers more… Then you will be a blessing both to yourself and others. You will forget your own self in serving God and your fellow men. This gives true satisfaction.

Be overbearing. Don’t allow yourself to be easily wounded. Cease to mind the little differences:

“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” (Col. 3: 12-14)

There are always things to complain about and faults to see in others. The devil wants to make us sensitive and easily hurt and we react and cultivate bad thoughts of our brothers and sisters. Train yourself to see the good qualities, and not always place a bad motive into their actions. This does not mean that there is no room for correction and reprove. As we see our dear brothers and sisters straying from the path, it is love to care and make an effort to bring them back. But should shun personal grievances and sour, hurt feelings. Be sure that you are at peace with God and that your fellow men have nothing rightly to blame you of (1. Pet. 3:16-17). Cultivate mental hygiene: If others wrongfully tries to fill you with guilt, do not allow it. Let God search your heart, and be at peace. Don’t take upon yourselves burdens which do not pertain to you. If you feel someone treat you badly – say to yourself: It’s not my problem. It’s his/hers. I need to pray for that person.

We should not allow our feelings to be easily wounded. We are to live. Not to guard our feelings or our reputation, but to save souls. As we become interested in the salvation of souls we cease to mind the little differences that so often arise in our association with one another. Whatever others may think of us, it need not disturb our oneness with Christ, the fellowship with the Spirit.

We have looked at the 4 aspects of life: The Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Social. Of Jesus it was said: ”And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” (Lk. 2: 52)

The harmonic development of body, mind and soul is what God wish for His children. Jesus is preparing His bride for translation. He is working on the plan of Restoration. May we allow Him to perform this work in us, is my prayer.

”And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (2 Thess. 5:23-24)

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