3. The Harmony of Body, Soul, and Spirit.
And next to this about the married, I am familiar also
with another interpretation of the agreement between the two which is
as follows. In the wicked, sin reigns over the soul, being
settled as on its own throne in this mortal body, so that the soul
obeys the lusts thereof;
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but in the case of
those, who have stirred up the sin which formerly reigned over the body
as from a throne and who are in conflict with it, “the flesh
lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the
flesh;”
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but in the case of
those who have now become perfected, the spirit has gained the mastery
and put to death the deeds of the body, and imparts to the body of its
own life, so that already this is fulfilled, “He shall quicken
also your mortal bodies because of His Spirit that dwelleth in
you;”
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and there arises a
concord of the two, body and spirit, on the earth, on the successful
accomplishment of which there is sent up a harmonious prayer also of
him who “with the heart believes unto righteousness, but with the
mouth maketh confession unto salvation,”
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so
that the heart is no longer far from God, and along with this the
righteous man draws nigh to God with his own lips and mouth. But
still more blessed is it if the three be gathered together in the name
of Jesus that this may be fulfilled, “May God sanctify you
wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire
without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
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But some one may inquire with regard
to the concord of spirit and body spoken of, if it is possible for
these to be at concord without the third being so,—I mean the
soul—and whether it does not follow from the concord of these on
the earth after the two have been gathered together in the name of
Christ, that the three also are already gathered together in His name,
in the midst of whom comes the Son of God as all are dedicated to
Him,—I mean the three,—and no one is opposed to Him, there
being no antagonism not only on the part of the spirit, but not even of
the soul, nor further of the body.
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Rom. vi. 12
.
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Gal. v. 17
.
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Rom. viii. 11
.
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Rom. x. 10
.
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1 Thess. v. 23
.