Contrary to the secular notion that we are all merely material beings functioning purely by physical properties, the Bible reveals otherwise. According to the Scriptures, we are eternal beings created in God’s image--eternal souls that will live forever somewhere. Your immaterial part is what the Bible commonly refers to as the heart.

The word “heart” is used over 700 times in the Bible and most often refers to that part of us which inhabits our bodies but is distinct from it. We also refer to this immaterial part as the soul. The Apostle Paul prayed for the complete sanctification of the Thessalonian Christians and that their “whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess 5:23)

This trinitarian view of ourselves reflects the New Testament teaching that our bodies are temples. The Old Testament temple was constructed with three parts: the outer court, the inner court, called the Holy Place, and the most holy place, called the Holy of Holies. That innermost section was where God dwelt among His people. Over the mercy-seat sprinkled with blood, God met with Israel and gave them His commandments. (See Exodus 25:22)

As Christians, we believe that this union of spirit, soul and body is what makes us who we are. No part should ever be thought of as existing independently of the others. This is what God intended from the beginning as he “breathed into man’s nostrils (body) the breath of life (spirit) and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) Thus, we are who we are in spirit, soul and body.

Therefore, it is simply no use attempting to change yourself or grow spiritually without recognizing this truth. We grow and mature from the inside out. True sanctification begins in our spirit through communion with God. Before salvation, our spirits were dead to Him but now we have been made alive through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

True sanctification begins in our spirit through communion with God.

Too often we seek change through our souls apart from our spirits. Our souls are made up of our mind, emotions and will. While it’s true that people can change through mere willpower, this should not be considered spiritual growth. Increasing one’s knowledge of the Bible is also not to be construed as personal sanctification, though it can definitely be a part of it.

When we talk about dying to self, what exactly is it being mortified? It’s our emotions, our thoughts, and our wills becoming subject to the Holy Spirit who dwells within our spirit. Spiritual growth is never forced. It happens when our spirit, in communion with God, yields all to Him. This is what produces genuine, lasting change.

Men who make emotional decisions for Christ soon discover those decisions usually last as long as the feeling. Those who seek to will themselves into spiritual maturity also find that willpower easily dissipates. It is imperative that we seek God in the spirit, in complete surrender, holding nothing back, so that He can begin the process of real change.