Spirit Soul Confusion and 2 Types of Defeats

We have shared that man is a tripartite being of spirit, soul, and body. When a person is saved, his spirit is reborn by the Holy Spirit and has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But his soul and body remain unchanged. This explains the need of Rom 12:2 when one mind has to be renewed with the Word of God. And also for 1 Cor 5:5 where the flesh is destroyed and the spirit is saved. Our rebirth spirit is of God, ZOE life, and is perfect in righteousness and complete (Col 2:10, 2Pet 1:3 given all, Eph 3:20 power in us) and sin not (1 John 3:9). But our flesh does sin (Rom 7).

With Spirit and Soul against Righteousness and Sin, we have 4 combinations. With the confusion of spirit and soul, we can add 2 more. See the picture below. The point of interest is in the confusion of Spirit (righteousness) and Soul (need to be sanctified).

Confusion Type 1 Acceptance by Work

• The person's Identity is defined by the behavior of the Soul instead of by the Bible
• It is "Performance or Work Based Acceptance by God".
• A person's identity should be defined by his spirit – Rebirth ZOE (God’s kind of ) Life, that is complete and righteous. Have the Indwelling Holy Spirit and Christ inside and not by his performance of the Soul and body.
• These people will feel good when they have quiet time, and prayers but will feel terrible when they sin. They felt condemned. However, instead of drawing from God, they promise to do better. But by their own strength, they will fail again, which results in condemnation.
• Some will try to remove condemnation by doing good work to compensate. They actively serve in church to remove the condemnation inside. They ask God for forgiveness and strength not realizing that Grace has been given in their Spirit and did not draw from it.
• Long-term defeat and burnout result in them coming to the conclusion that God is not real or not helpful or not loving and hence they give up on God and go back to the world. 
• Sin ->Defeat ->Depressed ->Give Up -> Back to the World-> Denounce Christ
  

Confusion #2 Soul claims Spirit’s Righteousness

• These people claim Spiritual Righteous Standing before God for their Souls as well.
• They believe that no matter what they do with their flesh (soul and body) they will always be righteous.
• Salvation Grace becomes a License to Sin.
• When they sin, they must confess their righteousness in Christ (sin-focused brings bondage, righteousness-focused brings freedom)
• Sinful acts are pardoned with God’s grace.
• Their salvation is of doubt as they misuse God’s grace.

Note: the two types of errors are learned from Ps John's 7 Sep 2006 message.

Feeding the passage to ChatGPT gives the following response which I think is excellent. So included here:

The distinctions made between spirit, soul, and body in your text are fundamental to many Christian theological frameworks, particularly within the context of salvation, sanctification, and the Christian life. Here are some thoughts on the key points mentioned:

Tripartite Nature of Man

The concept that humans are composed of spirit, soul, and body is supported by passages such as 1 Thessalonians 5:23. In this view:

• Spirit: The innermost part that connects with God and is reborn at salvation (John 3:6).
• Soul: The mind, will, and emotions, which require ongoing renewal (Romans 12:2).
• Body: The physical aspect, which remains subject to sin and decay (Romans 7:18).

Rebirth of the Spirit and Renewal of the Mind

The rebirth of the spirit through the Holy Spirit is central to Christian belief (John 3:5-6). The ongoing renewal of the mind (soul) through Scripture (Romans 12:2) emphasizes the need for continuous growth and transformation in a believer's life.

Distinguishing Spirit and Soul

1 Corinthians 5:5 and Romans 7 highlight the tension between the reborn spirit and the unredeemed flesh. This underscores the importance of distinguishing between the perfect righteousness of the reborn spirit and the ongoing sanctification needed for the soul.

Confusion Type 1: Acceptance by Works

• Performance-Based Acceptance: This error arises when believers base their identity on their soul’s behavior (thoughts, emotions, actions) rather than their reborn spirit’s righteousness. This can lead to a cycle of self-effort, failure, and condemnation, contrary to the grace provided in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).
• Grace Misunderstanding: Believers struggling with this may not fully grasp the sufficiency of God’s grace already given to them. Instead of resting in their identity in Christ, they try to earn acceptance through work, leading to burnout and potential abandonment of faith.

Confusion Type 2: Misusing Grace as a License to Sin

• Righteousness of the Spirit Misapplied to the Soul: Some may wrongly believe that their actions in the body and soul have no bearing on their spiritual state. This can lead to licentiousness, thinking grace permits continued sinful behavior (Jude 1:4).
• Need for Holiness: True understanding of grace should lead to transformation and a desire for holiness (Titus 2:11-12). While believers are positionally righteous in Christ, this righteousness should manifest in a progressively sanctified life (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Balancing Grace and Sanctification

The healthy balance is recognizing that believers are completely righteous in their reborn spirit but are also called to live out this righteousness in their soul and body through the process of sanctification. The power for this transformation comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit, not from human effort alone (Philippians 2:12-13).

Application and Encouragement

• Identity in Christ: Believers should anchor their identity in their reborn spirit, fully righteous in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 2:10).
• Ongoing Renewal: Continuous renewal of the mind through Scripture and the Holy Spirit’s work is essential for living out this identity (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23).
• Grace Empowerment: Understanding and relying on God’s grace should lead to genuine transformation and freedom from the power of sin (Romans 6:14).

In summary, avoiding the two types of confusion involves a balanced understanding of grace and sanctification, rooted in the believer’s identity in Christ while pursuing practical holiness in their daily life.