Video Transcript: The Care and Decluttering of the Soul

Hi, I'm Henry Reyenga. And I want to welcome you to the care and decluttering  of the soul mini class. Since I was called into ministry at around the age of  12, I have often thought about the soul. In fact, I went to Dordt college. And  I studied philosophy, because I wanted to learn. Who are we? What does  the Bible say about who we are? When we think about the decluttering of  the soul, a little anthropology must be shared. And this is an area of big  debate and Christian philosophers, since the early church, and through the  Reformation, and in recent times, have made their decisions on what is a  soul. So I'm going to propose how I see it. And I love you to research this  yourself. But we need to come with a working definition. So when we talk  about the clear care and decluttering of the soul, we, you can at least know  where I'm coming from, and how I see it now. Again, these are deep  questions, and research them yourself, but I'm going to attempt to share the clarity that I have come to understand about the decluttering of the soul. So  first of all, what is the soul? What is the soul? We read in the Bible that you  are created a living soul, you were created a living soul, Genesis 2:7, and  Jehovah, God formed man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into  his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. So what is that  living soul? That's the word nephesh. And the nephesh, the living soul,  created in Genesis has a body, you are a physical dimension with breath of  physical life, you know, inside to be you are given into your nostrils the  breath of life. And it's the soul is also spirit. You have a spiritual dimension  with the breath of consciousness, awareness, and identity. Then there's this question, Where was Jesus between Good Friday and Easter morning? So  that was one of the big research papers I had in my studies at Dordt  College, and even then Calvin seminary. And I remember writing a paper,  probably my seminary, research paper on that question, Where was Jesus  between Good Friday and Easter? So we read the Scripture that Jesus  gave up his spirit, you know, after My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me, paid for our sins on the cross, then his body died? Where did his spirit  go to this spirit, sleep until Easter morning. And those were some of the  questions. But there are a lot of insights into that in Scripture. And after  researching all of that, and came to this conclusion, that Jesus  consciousness, his spiritual person, so to speak, preach to those in prison,  so that everybody, before Jesus could also hear the Gospel. Now, that's  where I came down. Again, I'm coming into a long discussion on that. And  maybe one of these days I'll do a mini course, that gifted all the passages.  But we see one clue in that passage when the thief on the cross, said, you  know, remember me when you get into your kingdom, Jesus said, today,  you will be with Me in Paradise, in paradise in the intertestament period,  meant the place of blessing for disembodied spirits as the were waiting for 

the Judgment Day. And, and there were two compartments, we see that in  the story of Lazarus and the rich man. And the rich man is in this place of  torment, waiting for the Judgment Day, and the blessed are in the bosom of  Abraham. So But you You see Jesus using the word, today you will be with  Me in Paradise. And then Easter morning Jesus rises from the dead. So  when I see, for the purposes of this class, I see a living soul to be body and  spirit. So you have a physical dimension, with the breath of physical life,  and then have a spiritual dimension, with a breath of consciousness,  awareness, and identity. So, now, let's look at something else here. So, you were created with a human nature, not a divine nature, not an angel nature. So Romans 1:3, regarding his son, who asked who is human nature was a  descendant of David. In other words, Jesus was born in a manger, through  Mary, a descendant of David. He's fully God, and he's fully human man.  And we also see that in the categories of existence, that there's a God  nature, Romans 1:20, For since the creation of a world God's invisible  qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen and  been understood from what has been made so that men are without  excuse. So what we have here is, we see those two categories. And we  also see in the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 1and 2 about there's the angel  nature. So now there being there may be in the universe, different natures. I mean, some would argue in philosophy, there's the animal nature, which is  different than the human nature. In it, who knows, but in terms of what we  see in Scripture, we have, there's God nature, that category of existence,  God created this world, God is separate from this world, in this essence,  and he created this world, then there's human nature, that we experience,  there's angelic nature. But when we think about decluttering, the soul and  our topic, you know, we need to be clear this is we are of human nature.  And, and we see that in Philippians, 2:7 about Jesus Philippians, 2:6-7,  who, being in very nature, God, that's talking about Jesus did not consider  equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing  taken the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. So  where do we fit, we fit as creations of God nephesh that's that Hebrew word for living soul, with a physical body dimension, and a spirit dimension. So  that makes up our soul. When we think about decluttering of the soul, we're  talking about the body, the spirit that makes our soul who we are in where  we fit. So your soul was created to love God and others. We see that in  Deuteronomy 6:5, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your  soul and all your strength. Jesus reiterated that in Luke 10:27, He  answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul  with all your strength with all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. So in a sense, that's the north star of a decluttered soul, to love God, and to love our neighbor. So that's what we want. And I wish it were that easy, but 

we know that this soul fell into sin. So your fallen human natured soul is  fallen at the human or at the human body, and human spirit level. And we  can look to Genesis chapter 3 And I would love for you to read that on your  own. In the, in this mini course, we want to try to get through this material.  But if you pause or, and maybe you know that passage very familiar. But  here's the synopsis, Adam and Eve and we see in chapter 1, the creation of humanity, we see that Adam and Eve are in a garden. They're loving God,  they're loving each other, and the serpent, the devil. And he has an angelic  nature, which has its own spiritual and powers created by God to be come  to Adam and Eve, and tempt them to go beyond their human identity or  nature, and actually be like, God, that was the lie. And they took up that  opportunity, and they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil  and fell into sin. Now, some people think about that. It's like, well, the next  day God was walking in the garden, and you can read about how they then  said, We're shameful, you know, we've hid. We, you know, we blame they're blaming the serpent, they're blaming each other. And all of that, you know, I  believe there that there could have been a passage of time where they  actually imbibed in the fallen nature. Before God showed up, you know, we  don't see God showed up the next day. There's no cool of the day, I mean,  things cooled down, and who we don't know the exact time. But we know  that Adam and Eve fell into sin. I believe at first it was heavy, amazing.  Satan gave them things they never thought they could have imagined with  the knowledge of good and evil. And then when God showed up, they had  their answer their narrative down, it was this it was that the serpent it was  the woman it was, you know, it was you, yourself, God, who created this  mess, because as they imbibed in the sinful nature, that fallen sinful nature, they started seeing shame and hurt, and in all sorts of things, things that we see today. So that's Genesis 3. So it is interesting that that Human Fall  targets the body and the spirit differently. And we see that Romans 7:5, for  when we were controlled by the sinful nature, the sinful passions, aroused  by the law, were at work in our body so that we bore fruit for death. Romans 8:13, For if you live according to your sinful nature, you will die. But if you  put to death, the misdeeds of the body, you will live Galatians 5:13, you My  brothers are called to be free, but do not use your sinful or use your  freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather serve one another in love. The  apostle Paul even mentions the body the misdeeds the body. So our human nature, affected by the fall of Adam and Eve that we experienced this fall in  people, but the body reacts different that's the potentially than the spirit.  When it comes to that sinful nature, the body we have senses pain and  pleasure. And you can study, a lot of work has been done on the senses of  the body, but the you know, we're hungry and the fallen nature and hunger  creates this the fallen nature with our sexual desires creates this. So in 

many ways, the clutter on the soul does enter into your and my life through  the body. And we're going to talk in this class about how people in the  history of the church sought to address that. issues related to the fallen  human as experienced with a body but there's also interesting your fallen  human nature and soul is fallen at the human body and spirit level, but  there's also the Fallen spirit. You know, we can't get into all of II Peter 2, but again, it's one to read. These men are springs without water and mists  driven by storms. blackest darkness the reserved for them for the mouth  empty, boastful words and by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful of the  human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who  live in air. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of  depravity, for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. What does  this have to do with the spiritual side? Well, Peter is talking about that there  is a spiritual fallen side. And in. This is where temptation often occurs. But it occurs, you know, at the depravity level, with how the spirit thinks about  things and how others lead others in certain areas. A person in history like  Adolf Hitler, at the spiritual level, he really took Social Sciences of the 19th  century, and applied a worldview in evolution, this worldview and applied it  toward the annihilation of certain peoples like the Jewish people and others. So it was very spiritual. You know, I know that in the study of philosophy,  and right now we see very fallen spiritual spirits out there and the ideas,  worldviews that bring chaos and bring the world to ruin. A lot of times  people think of the sinful nature as moralistic in terms of the body. But no,  it's also very spiritual. You know, those first commandments in the 10  commandments, you know, to love God. To not create an idol. All of those  things are extremely spiritual. And if you've been mastered by someone,  other than God, in some idol, that's a spiritual exam. That's an example of  the spiritual side of you the dimension of you that's fallen into sin. They will  we talk about the declutter of the soul. These are important discussions. So  there's a war inside yourself your soul, your wonder? I Peter 2:11. Dear  friends, I urge you as aliens and strangers in the world to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Now the sinful desires could be body  desires, spirit desires, as a soul that occupies a body and spirit, there's  often a war between your body and spirit and themselves. So sometimes  your body and spirit fight against themselves. Your soul can become jaded  through your bodies, or spirits experience. This is what I see in ministry.  And as we study ministry sciences like what what is happening, you know,  we see when a human fallen into sin apart from conversion, which we're  gonna talk about a little bit. We all become like, there's a phrase in English  called a headcase, you know, like, just, you know, it's almost like a form of  mental illness like an angst Well, the soul, that is, the body and the spirit,  had many experiences in the fallen world fallen from within, experiencing 

abuse or sadness from without. So what starts happening is bitterness, like  bitterness is an example in my opinion, of, of, you know, a form of clutter,  we're going to talk about that later, where hurt from the past becomes  internalized, and those experiences make that consciousness, the spirit,  that is jaded. But we also see that in in very bodily forms, where, if  someone is imbibing in their sinful nature as it applies to the body, even the  very pleasures that once made, their body experience, pleasure becomes  less and less and less. And again, I'd go back to Adam and Eve when they  fell into sin, I believe there was a time when God gave them over to these  desires. But at some point, you know, he comes in the cool the day to talk  with them. And, and all of a sudden, you know they have their whole story  down. But the pleasures of first falling into sin, before God showed up.  Were diminishing, diminishing, diminishing. So in spite of all this fallenness,  God shows up, and he shows up in the Bible in the Old Testament, giving of the law, the prophets. The whole point was ultimately that humans would be restored. And then Jesus comes along his work and ministry. And it's  fascinating that it comes down to that conversion, is the only remedy of the  soul and the conversation with Nicodemus, in John 3, brings this so clear.  We see that salvation enters through the spiritual side of our soul. So  remember the soul is body and spirit. And we see in John 3, this whole  discussion was brought up where Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and  said, No, how can someone enter the kingdom of heaven? And then Jesus  says, well, to be born again. And and you Nicodemus didn't think about that  spiritual dimension of our existence of our soul, right away went to. That's  crazy. How can you be born again, go back to your mother's womb and be  born again. And Jesus makes it clear that salvation comes to us where our  spirits are born again. And that then revitalizes, renews, it revives our dead  fallen souls, and that has implications for our body has implications for our  spirit, our very essence, is then saved, we are saved from the fall, we are  saved from death. Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water, and that is our physical body,  birth. And the spirit, Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to  spirit, you should not be surprised at my saying, You must be born again.  The wind blows wherever it pleases you hear it sound, you cannot tell  where it's coming from, or where it is going. So does every one born of the  Spirit. So conversion, changes the soul, the body and the spirit.  Conversion, changes the very trajectory of your life. So when we talk about  the care and the decluttering of the soul, that very first piece is, are you  born again? Have you surrendered your soul that is body and spirit to the  living, Lord Jesus? Have you prayed, Lord, forgive my sins, my rebellion,  my soul rebellion to you. I put it at the cross. I bring it there. And maybe as  you're taking this class, some of you have not done that. So I'd like to right 

now, if you you've probably heard the gospel, it's as simple as essence is  this? Do you confess your sins? Do you want to have a restored  relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Do you want the Holy Spirit to  enter into your soul's existence? That Your Spirit will be impacted by the  Spirit of God? And do you then want to live your life in a decluttered way, a  spiritually decluttered way that affects your spirit and your body. So let us  pray. Oh, Lord, someone here may have prayed in the past that they want  more of you But today we're going to ask that you totally fill them up that  you make them born again in their spirit, so that their soul might be  connected to you. And that as we begin this soul care and decluttering  class, we begin with salvation Lord, and for all of us, Lord, renew us at the  soul level, fill us more with your Holy Spirit that our spirits may actually think the thoughts after you. That our spirits may put a death the misdeeds of the  body, that our spirits will live for you in a mission to love our neighbors  more, that the fruits of the soul connected to God might be seen by  everyone. And Lord, again, if someone has not come to know you. If you're  praying this prayer with me, we're gonna have a prayer of salvation. Lord  Jesus, if you have not given your life to God, pray this with me, Lord Jesus,  I am a sinner. At the spirit and the body level, I have rebelled against you.  And now Lord, I come to you to give my very person my heart to you. Fill  me with your Holy Spirit, I claim the blood of Jesus. And I receive the  promise, that if I confess with my lips, that you are Lord And Lord, I do this  right now. And believe in my heart, that I might be saved, Lord, I receive  your salvation, the salvation of my soul, through Your Holy Spirit, in Jesus  name, Amen. So, if you already are a believer, that prayer resonates again,  as a beautiful hymn, that every time you hear it prayed, it is like a beautiful  hymn that's been played in the past. And it still is as if it's fresh. Even if  you've said this sinner's prayer in the past, you've heard this like fresh  again, if this is for the first time you are saved. If your soul, your spirit, to  your very heart level said that prayer, you are saved. And this is what you  have in store for you. You have a heart that reflects who you are. And listen  to Luke 6:45, a good man out of the good treasure of his heart, bring forth  that which is good and evil man, the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth  that which is evil. For out of the abundance of your heart, your mouth,  speaketh, speaketh with that passage is talking about is when you are  connected to God, your soul, which is your body and spirit, your soul. The  Bible tries to talk about the wonder behind your soul, like how did you  describe it, and it's often talked about as your heart, your heart, your wanter your spiritual and body wanter, this composite essence, in again, it's hard to explain. But the best way, one of the best ways the Bible explained it is your heart of the overflow now of your heart. You speak in James talking about  our what we say out of our words, comes out of our heart. So this soul 

declutter class is going to pursue the care and nurture and decluttering of  that soul, so that the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the fruits of righteousness, the  fruits of love, may shine in each one toward God and love towards your  neighbor. I am so happy that you're part of this. This first session I know is  pretty deep. You don't We don't often talk about Christian anthropology. So  maybe watch it again. I believe God is going to do a mighty act in your life  as we explore the decluttering of our soul.