Throughout Scripture, we read evidence to the fact that we are of two parts: the body as the material part and the spirit/soul as the immaterial part. Going back to Genesis 2:7, God formed Adam from the dust (material) and breathed life into him (immaterial). In Matthew 10:28, Jesus speaks of the body and soul as two parts that make up every human. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5:3, speaks of the body and spirit as two separate things making up his being. In 3 John 2, the Apostle John talks about praying for good health (body) for Gaius to match that of his great spiritual state.
This view of mankind should instruct and inform our counseling methods so as not to overemphasize one over the other. We cannot address the soul without addressing the needs of the body. We know both are linked to each other in one person given the Scripture verses above. If we address the body only, we fail to minister to the needs of the soul and omit instruction from God’s Word.
The Outer Man
For example, if a counselee is not eating right due to stress, we are only addressing half of the problem as counselors if we simply point him to Matthew 6:25 and not address the body issue. In this case, we can see from Scripture that sleep and nourishment are important. It was important enough for David to sleep under the comfort of God’s sovereignty (Psalm 3:5-6).
Even Jesus, being truly man as well as truly God, needed rest and nourishment throughout His life because of His physical humanity. In Mark 4:38, Jesus is asleep in the boat while the storm batters around the apostles. It is clear from Mark’s passage that in the midst of trials we need to attend to the body. In John 4:6-7, Jesus is weary on His journey from Judea, so He sits at Jacob’s well and asks the Samaritan woman for a drink of water. The same can be said for Elijah in 1 Kings 19:5-8. God provided food and water for him to sustain him through his trials.
We cannot address the soul without addressing the needs of the body.
The Inner Man
On the other side, we cannot only attend to the body’s needs and not address the spiritual needs of the counselee with regard to the inner man. As counselors, we must continually use Scripture to address the needs of the soul. Secular psychology and modern medicine cannot help the heart of man, where all our troubles stem from.
Paul, in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, encapsulates the authority and sufficiency of Scripture for our lives. Its ability to help believers tackle any issue in this life has been demonstrated in the countless changed lives. They are not only words on paper, but they are God’s Words and His Words are truth (John 17:17). They cut to the heart of us in our issues (Hebrews 4:12) and help us to walk in purity (Psalm 119:9), convicting us of our sin and correcting us so that we may become conformed to the image of His Son. Best of all, God’s Word gives us encouragement and hope to persevere with a focus on what is heavenly instead of what is earthly.
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4 comments On Outer Man Meet Inner Man
Thanks so much for sharing this! I’m a stay-at-home mama pursuing my ACBC certification and your articles have helped enlighten my mind as I’ve studied.
Hi! Thanks so much for the comment. Glad the blog has been enlightening. I’m hoping to get blogging again soon. It’s been a big year of change since my last post. And it’ll change even more as my wife and I expect our first child. Prayers for you as you pursue your certification.
Thank you so much for sharing! i am also pursing my ACBC certification. It is hard for me to take theology test. Your post helped me a lots. I plan to move to South California next year. Hope to meet you after the pandemic ends.
Hi, I am also taking ACBC test. The theology part is hard, I found your post when I am searching for one theology problem I plan to move to South California next week. Hope to see you after the pandemic ends.