The Wind

Post date: Mar 21, 2014 6:01:38 PM

Here is a question for you to ponder. Why does this culture associate spirituality with religious duty? I was speaking to a work associate recently who was sharing his need to return to church so that he could develop spiritually and as we spoke I couldn't help but to think; “that this was a typical response to a call from God”. He explained that he had been taught as a child to attend church and was now desirous of rekindling this lost practice. I asked him this question. Is your spiritual development dependent on church attendance and religious performance or is it through the power of God’s grace?

John 3: 7-8…Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

This is a scripture that I have struggled with for several years never fully understanding Jesus’ analogy regarding the wind however recently this has changed so I would like to share my thoughts with you.

The backbone of this scripture expresses the need for every person to be spiritually reborn. I have observed that religious fulfilment and spiritual re-birthing are terms that often get confused since many people cannot grasp the difference between the spirit and the soul. My work associates’ response was a typical one in that he, like many in this culture, has been taught that religious fulfilment can springboard a person into a spiritual relationship with God. This concept however noble is not God’s true plan of salvation.

To understand God’s plan of salvation one must first learn the scriptural basis for spirit and soul. In the book of Hebrews 4:12 the author writes; “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit…” This scripture reveals that human nature encompasses both soul and spirit.

In talking about this subject with different people I've often asked who and what is God? The response that I generally receive is that God may be a man or a woman, a greater power or an object of worship. The book of John 4:24 state that “God is a Spirit”. This same epistle also introduces us to our Savior Jesus Christ: John 1: 1; “…In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

When one understands that God is a spirit, a foundation has been set to further develop understanding. Genesis 1: 27 says “…So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” This scripture clearly describes man as being created in the image of God.

God gave Adam a pure spiritual nature. Genesis 2:7; “…And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul”. It is interesting to note that the word used to translate breath in this scripture is divine inspiration so the scripture can be more easily read like this: The Lord breathed divine inspiration into Adam giving life to his soul.

God’s purpose in creating Adam was to fellowship with him so in order to fulfill this desire he planted a Garden in Eden where they could have communion. Genesis 2: 9 “And out of ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” God commanded Adam not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge but of the tree of life there were no restrictions. Adam was free to eat of its fruit continually.

Genesis 2: 17”…But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in that day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

In my opinion this next question is one of the most important questions that any person seeking spiritual truth can ever be asked. Did Adam die that day as God had spoken?

This is the place where I believe many fail to comprehend the truth of Gods’ word. They tend to focus on the scope of man’s sin rather than on the spiritual life that was lost. The scriptures record that man was banished from the garden where he could no longer enjoy intimate communion with God or have any further access to the tree of life. It was at this point that Adam died spiritually. He ignorantly exchanged his spiritual nature for a human one.

To this point in his life Adam had been enjoying the blessings that are associated with the spiritual nature. He had never experienced death, murder, poverty, sickness and sin before but now faced all of these hardships and because of his decision to ignore God’s command Adam was now forced to relate to God through his human nature. (Five senses). Genesis 5: 4-5 “…And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years and he died.”

This issue is entitled “The Wind” but to this point I have not explained my reasons for doing so. The wind like the spirit is an unseen force affecting those things which are in its path. The Greek word for Spirit is translated breath and in Hebrew it is translated wind. God breathed divine wind or divine inspiration into Adam and he became a living soul but Adam ignorantly forfeited this blessing plunging all of humanity into spiritual darkness.

The good news is that God came in the form of a man, Jesus Christ, and through his sacrificial death has restored mankind to spiritual life. God will never impose his will on anyone so it is up to each person to first believe after hearing his word and secondly confess in prayer that he is their Savoir and Lord. Romans 10: 9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

I will end this issue with a good news scripture! Our life is restored, Praise God!

John 20: 22 “…And when he (Jesus) had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit.”