Contents
- 1 Spiritual Conversion is the transformation of human filth and fighting into Godly purity and peace.
Spiritual Conversion is the transformation of human filth and fighting into Godly purity and peace.
The seventh and final Section of Mind-Body Problem Solved is devoted to spiritual conversion. We have established that neshama-consciousness and ruach-mind are spiritual elements God breathed into each human. It gave them physical and mental life. We’ve seen that in Genesis 2:7, breath refers to neshama; however, life is in the plural, chayim; it is nishmat chayim, the breath of lives. Why is it plural? What are these multiple lives?
(Mind-Body Problem Solved, Chapter 43 – Table of Contents)
Everything is packets of energy and spirit
And even more profoundly, why did God, who alone possesses neshama, breath this life-giving element into lowly humans? We’ve seen God yatsar-formed humans; why? Was it only to live out 70 years of physical life on Earth and die? And that’s it? So many questions that science, philosophy, and, yes, religion do not answer.
Here’s another aspect of these same questions. We’ve established that the common denominator of Theory of Everything is energy packets. The mind extends into the spiritual realm because it is the spirit in humans; it powers our neshama-consciousness. We also saw that the Holy Spirit is God’s Power that creates and transforms. The spirit animates our human world, and the Holy Spirit animates God’s spiritual domain.
Is there a relationship between the spirit in humans and God’s Holy Spirit that ties these two realms together? If so, what is it, and how does it function?
It all comes down to why God created humankind with free will and let them become obnoxious warring beings when He is pure and peaceful. When you think about it, it sounds like the opposite of Let’s make humans in our image Genesis 1:26. Humans are corrupt while God is pristine.
What’s going on here?
That’s where spiritual conversion comes fully into play. There are two clear aspects here.
1. Spiritual in spiritual conversion
Spiritual as opposed to physical. This is not a body or clothing makeover. This tells us the focus is on the spiritual. change of mind. This verse is a key to grasping spiritual conversion; “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5 ). Why spiritual? Because the Theory Of Everything is all about spirit, and God is all about Spirit. Christ’s mind is Holy Spirit.
The Bible shows us that spiritual conversion is God’s process of taking the spirit in humans and slowly transforming, molding it into the Spirit of God.
Look at what has happened to the spirit in humans, the mind, and where it’s taken humanity. The book of Romans is that of spiritual conversion. It gives us the entire process, starting with the state of humankind, and it’s not bright.
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has shewed it to them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Sam: It is clear that there are too many coincidences in nature for the Creation to be a hazard. See Section 1 of Mind-Body Problem solved).
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (Sam: note the initial problem is with humans; they distanced themselves from God. Just like Adam and Eve hid from God in the trees. A translation of ruach, רוּחַ, is vain, in Job 15:2, 16:3, fitting for vain imaginations of humans).
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, (Sam: Remember the emphasis on warring Proverbs between wisdom and foolishness. Human wisdom, their ideas of spirituality, is their foolishness).
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Sam: This is the transgression of the first four of the Ten Commandments).
24 Wherefore God also gave them up (G3860) to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over (G3860) to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Sam: Understand, God did not change human minds. Humans rejected God and transformed themselves into reprobates; God decided to leave them in that state, for the time-being).
Humans have betrayed God and imprisoned their minds in foolishness. Here are alternate translations of give over / up. Check deeper meaning of reprobate at UnlockBibleMeaning.com, you’ll see the renderings castaway and rejected. Humans have thrown themselves on the rocks and are shipwrecked and they don’t know it, yet.
παραδίδωμι paradidōmi par-ad-id’-o-mee; From G3844 and G1325; to surrender that is yield up intrust transmit:
KJV – betray, bring forth, cast, commit, deliver (up), give (over up), hazard, put in prison, recommend.
God Himself allowed humans to retain their reprobate minds. Strange. This seems counter-productive. Why didn’t He wave a magic wand and make all humans pure and pristine? Because He has an excellent reason for doing it His way.
2. Conversion in spiritual conversion
Conversion means moving from point A to point Z. However, it is not an instant, ah-ha moment, One moment, I’m not spiritual, and the next I am, I’m saved. Conversion means starting at point A and proceeding to B, then C, then D, and all the way through all the steps until you reach the final step, point Z.
Spiritual conversion is not human ingenuity. Why do I say this? How many gurus offer 5-minute solutions? you’ve just got to master this or that technique, and you’ll reach spirituality. We are in an age of spirituality, spiritual conversion, nature retreats, music, mind transformation, meditation, mindfulness, awakening, awareness, Eastern philosophy, healing, connection with nature, hugging trees, near-death experiences, and drug tripping; it’s endless. There are more teachers, trainers, pastors, and coaches in this area, each with their method of spirituality than ever before. Are these human methods based on God’s Word? You decide.
Godly transformation takes time. A child doesn’t become an adult in five minutes; it’s a many-year process, like spiritual conversion.
The gulf humans have to breach to reach spiritual conversion
In this chapter, let’s see the gaping crevice humans must cross to reach a fuller image of God. Study the contrasting examples of light and darkness, day and night, serving and being served, and the warring Proverbs. There is a distinct gaping hole between these opposites. Humans, with spirit in man, cannot span this gap. We will see how God helps us reach spiritual conversion.
1. Realize the gulf between human ways and God’s ways
Some may think that the term I used in the title, humans are filth, is outrageously overly exaggerated. Look at this verse.
4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside you, what he has prepared for him that waits for him.
6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Sam: quite an indictment against humans).
7 And there is none that calls upon your name, that stirs up himself to take hold of you: for you have hid your face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O LORD, you are our father; we are the clay, and you our potter; and we all are the work of your hand.
The prophet Isaiah, inspired by God, uses the term filthy to describe human righteousness; that’s the gulf between God and humans. Our hope and sure promise is knowing that God is our potter, the same Biblical Hebrew word as formed, yatsar, in Genesis 2:7. As Christ said in John 5:17 “My Father works hitherto, and I work,” They work at bridging the gulf between sin and righteousness, we’ll see the how and why in future chapters.
We discussed the Ten Commandments God gave the ancient Israelites. Let’s understand the nature of this episode.
The nation was reprobate. Despite the miracles of the Exodus, they were rebellious against God. Just like Adam and Eve, after they’d received God’s instruction (Ten Commandments), “they said to Moses, let not God speak with us, lest we die, and the people stood afar off” (Exodus 20:19-21). If there would’ve been trees, they’d have hidden among them. They withdrew themselves from God.
God gave the Ten Commandments to an unmanageable nation that did not follow God. Even if some did keep them, this is not considered spiritual conversion. Look at our red and green circles of the psychology of humans. This is the minimum requirement for humankind to maintain a semblance of peace among people.
Adherence to this moral code is doing the good and avoiding the bad of the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. There is no spiritual conversion in this compliance. There is recognition and obedience but remember our righteousness is as filthy rags.
Spiritual conversion is not how well we apply traditions like frequency of Church attendance, how long we pray, or how many times we fast. It is not niggling over what we eat, how we keep the day of rest, or how we dress. Or debates about law and grace, once saved forever saved, or degree of application of the law. Of course, all those points play a part, but as Christ said, “cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Matthew 23:26).
2. Realize that only God’s Holy Spirit can help you make that leap
In Genesis 1, the Holy Spirit moved over the physical waters of tohu and bohu, confusion and emptiness, filth and fighting. It transformed them into the luscious landscape of a home for humankind. Likewise, the Spirit must do the same spiritually for each of us. It is the essential missing ingredient humans are unaware of, but they will be. Here’s our hope expressed by King David.
1. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your lovingkindness: according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions (Sam: David knew he was filthy).
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me (Sam: self-reproach, recognition of the gulf, necessary repentance, which we’ll discuss).
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. (Sam: this is God’s work and help in the process of spiritual conversion).
11 Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy spirit from me. (Sam: there’s the ingredient. Spiritual conversion only happens when the Holy Spirit is present).
David understood the Apostle John’s inspired definition of spiritual conversion, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
Worshipping God in spirit with the power of the Holy Spirit is how we exercise our minds to apply God’s purpose in our lives and reason according to His Word (love God, the first four of the Ten Commandments). How we transform our minds to apply God’s way of socialization and rulership (love neighbor, the last six of the Ten Commandments), and how we function (repentance and personal spiritual conversion in truth). Those are the five elements of consciousness. Spiritual conversion is putting on Christ’s mind to exercise our consciousness in conformity with His Word.
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