THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE SOUL

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Understanding the soul is crucial if we want to understand humanity’s spiritual and moral existence. Throughout the Bible, the soul is presented as the very core of a person’s being, reflecting both the physical and spiritual nature of a person. It is the soul that reflects both the nature of the flesh and the nature of the spirit. Among the three components of man, the soul is in a neutral position—a battleground where the struggle between the flesh and the spirit takes place. It is within the soul that decisions are made, shaping both the present life and the character of a person.

The soul stands at the center of human existence, but it does not inherently lean toward good or evil. It is neutral, and as such, it is influenced by both the flesh and the spirit. The flesh, which craves the things of the world, pulls the soul toward sin and rebellion against God. In contrast, the spirit, which desires communion with God, pulls the soul toward righteousness and truth. Before a person is born-again, the flesh dominates the soul, leading the soul to reject God and prioritize selfish, worldly desires.

Before spiritual rebirth: The soul is predominantly controlled by the flesh, which seeks selfish desires and worldly pleasures. In this state, man cannot access any spiritual things from God, unless God will give it to him, his spiritual understanding is clouded, making it impossible to truly grasp the things of God.

After spiritual rebirth: When the spirit takes control, the soul becomes open to God’s will. A renewed soul is now influence by the things of the Spirit, and the person begins to desire the things of God. He can now access the spiritual things and can now contact God.

The soul can be likened to a mirror, reflecting both the desires of the flesh and the aspirations of the spirit. Romans 8:8 makes this clear: “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Without the Spirit, even seemingly good deeds are not counted as righteousness in God’s eyes. This is why spiritual rebirth is essential. Through rebirth, the spirit have some control of the soul, although the flesh is still dominant. Matthew 7:21 highlights that not everyone who claims to follow Christ will enter the kingdom of heaven—only those who truly do the will of the Father. Those who do the will of the Father are those people indwelt by the Spirit of God. This indicates that genuine transformation is necessary, not just outward religious practices.

The soul is often understood as comprising three main components: the mind, the will, and the emotions. Each of these plays a significant role in the process of spiritual transformation.

1. Mind – The mind is the seat of thoughts, reasoning, and understanding. It is where beliefs are formed and where truth is processed. Romans 12:2 emphasizes that transformation begins with the renewal of the mind: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” As the mind is renewed through the Word of God, old patterns of sinful thinking are replaced with divine truth. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that the Word of God has the power to penetrate and transform even the deepest thoughts and intentions of the heart.

2. Will – The will is the decision-making aspect of the soul. It is what drives a person to act based on their thoughts and desires. When a person aligns their will with God’s will, true spiritual growth occurs. Acts 11:23 refers to the “purpose of the heart,” indicating how crucial the will is in shaping our actions and choices. Faith becomes activated when the will chooses to respond to God’s revelations.

3. Emotions – Emotions are the feelings that arise from the soul. Joy, sorrow, love, and fear all originate here. While emotions are an important part of our relationship with God—John 16:22 says, “Your heart shall rejoice“—they must be grounded in truth. Emotions can often be misleading, and without the guidance of a renewed mind and spirit-led will, they may lead us away from God rather than toward Him.

The soul is not unique to humans; it is present in various forms across creation:

Angels: Spiritual beings with their own form of soul.

Animals: According to Job 12:7-10, animals possess souls as well. They reflect the divine hand in their existence and function, showing that the soul is a part of all living creatures.

Humans: The human soul is the summation of flesh and spirit, reflecting both physical needs and spiritual aspirations.

Two major components influence the soul: the flesh and the spirit. But these two have allies that also contribute in influencing the soul:

Allies of the Flesh: The World, Satan and his demons. These are the negative influences to the soul. This world which is dominated by Satan and his demons, has great influence in our soul next to our flesh. If you go to the flow of this world, it will lead your soul astray. These influences are often represented symbolically as Tobiah, Sanballat, and Geshem in the book of Nehemiah.

Allies of the Spirit: The Spirit of God, the Church and the Angels. These are the ones who provide positive influences to the soul, guiding it toward spiritual transformation, growth and perfection. The Spirit of God that now resides with our spirit is the major influence of our soul if we let it. The next great positive influence on our soul is the Church – group of Bible believers resided by the Spirit of God that will help us grow if we surround ourselves with them.

Understanding how the soul functions can help in recognizing the challenges and strengths it faces:

Fleshly Soul: This is the kind of soul that leans towards the flesh. The Bible calls this the “carnal soul.” Its activities only benefit the flesh. A believer with a fleshly soul is always unstable, their spiritual life fluctuating with external circumstances. They rely on physical needs and material conditions to define their spiritual state.

Spiritual Soul: This soul is the opposite of the fleshly soul. This one always prioritizes the needs of the spirit. It always favors the spirit. This kind of soul remains stable, always focused on spiritual growth and grounded in a relationship with God, irrespective of external factors.

The soul is crucial to God’s plan:

Love and Devotion: The Lord desires our souls, as stated in Matthew 22:37. True love for God involves giving our souls entirely to Him. Despite having everything, God seeks our hearts, symbolizing our souls.

Understanding the soul’s eternal nature is key. Our God will not give us New Soul: The Bible does not mention the provision of a new soul. The Lord promised us to give us new spirit and body (John 16:13, Ezekiel 11:19, 36:26; 1 Corinthians 15:53-54). But there is no mention of giving us new soul. Our soul will only be transformed which starts during our born-again experiences. This indicates that the transformation and sanctification of the soul are ongoing processes that align with spiritual renewal.

Spiritual transformation, or the metamorphosis of the soul, begins with the quickening of the spirit. This is the process by which believers are transformed from one degree of glory to another, as described in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” This ongoing transformation is like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly—believers are continually being shaped into the image of Christ by the Holy Spirit.

Rom. 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Romans 12:2 calls for the renewing of the mind as the first step in this process. As God’s Word penetrates the soul, old thoughts and attitudes are renewed, leading to a transformation in the way we think, act, and feel. As the mind is transformed, the will becomes aligned with God’s purposes, and our emotions begin to reflect the joy and peace that come from living in the Spirit. We have already been quickened by our Lord in our spirit. We are in the transformation of the soul phase right now, were we die daily to our old mind, will and emotions. We are renewed everyday through the Spirit of the Lord.

Revelation is key to the transformation of the soul. Revelation is not merely the acquisition of knowledge; it is the unveiling of divine truth that God places in the believer’s spirit. It is God’s Spirit becoming part of your spirit. Revelation is the part of God that becomes you (becomes a part of you). Once revelation is received, it must be acted upon by our will for it to produce fruit. Thus, by this process, a revelation becomes faith. This is the essence of faith—acting on the revelation that God has given to us. According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is the evidence of things not seen. In other words, faith is the process of making the spiritual things that are not seen, to be seen in the physical world. Faith is making the spiritual world being seen in the physical world. Faith can only be a dead faith if we don’t apply it in action to be seen in the physical world as James 2:2 explains, underscoring the importance of applying and practicing what we receive from God.

2 Cor. 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 describes the need to take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ. This means that our standard should be the Word of God (Christ). If we have any thoughts that is against the Word of God, we should hold them captives and obey the Word. As believers, we are called to reject these old thoughts and replace them with the truths revealed in God’s Word. The change in our minds is the start of the transformation of our soul. This is the most significant part of our soul’s transformation, as the mind, will, and emotions will begin to reflect the influence of the Spirit of God.

One of the most common mistakes in our Christian walk is focusing too much on changing our behaviors through our own efforts rather than changing it through the Word that we receive. This kind of action is wrestling in the flesh which we can never win because only the Spirit (Word) can defeat the flesh. Galatians 5:16 urges believers to “walk in the Spirit” rather than striving in the flesh. Trying to defeat sinful habits through human effort alone is a losing battle, for the flesh cannot overcome itself. Victory over sin and the flesh can only be achieved by walking in the Spirit.

Churches who promote changing the behavior through fleshly efforts can lead to legalism and harsh treatment of those who fall short. Disfellowshipping or ostracizing believers who sin ignores the heart of the gospel—righteousness comes from Christ alone, not through us. 1 Corinthians 1:30 reminds us that Jesus is our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, the focus should not be on what we can do about our behaviors but on allowing the Spirit to work in and through us.

The key to overcoming sin is not condemnation or harsh rebuke, but being a light that reflects the love and truth of Christ. Matthew 5:14-16 calls believers “the light of the world.” Darkness cannot be dispelled by focusing on it—it is driven only by the presence of light. When we always point out the wrong of others, that is only focusing on darkness. Darkness cannot be defeated by pointing it out. We need to be a light. When we become examples to others living in the light of Christ, it has transformative power in their lives, showing others the way to freedom and grace.

1 John 3:20 “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.”

The human heart is actually the soul of man. It is the window where you can see both his spiritual and fleshly nature. Ezekiel 36:26 speaks of God giving believers a new heart—a heart that is soft, responsive, and inclined to follow Him. This does not mean that God will give us news souls. The changing of our heart actually start by giving us His Spirit that will quicken our spirit and will eventually transform our heart (soul). Jeremiah 17:9 warns that the heart is deceitful above all things. This is the kind of heart that is not yet quickened or is much influence by the flesh. But 1 John 3:20 reassures us that God is greater than our hearts. He is able to transform even the hardest heart into a vessel that reflects His love and glory by giving us His Spirit. So even if you think you have the hardest heart (soul) to be transformed, remember that God is greater than our hearts.

In conclusion, the soul is the battlefield where the flesh and the spirit fight for control. As believers, we are called to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh (Galatians 5:16). This transformation begins with the renewing of the mind, and it continues as we yield our will and emotions to the Spirit’s guidance.

Victory over the flesh is not achieved by human means, but by walking in the Spirit. As we grow in faith and understanding, our soul will increasingly reflect the image of Christ. Through this transformation, we will experience the fullness of life that God desires for us—a life that glorifies Him and draws others to His saving grace.