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THE INWARD AND THE HIDDEN PARTS
Let us now go on to see the details of the vessel of the Lord. In the previous chapter we have seen that we were created purposely to be His containers, having God Himself as our content. For this purpose God has created us with many parts. Do not think that the term parts originated with me. God says, in Jeremiah 31:33, “I will put My law in their inward parts.” The inward parts are within our soul; they are not the outward members of our body. God also says that He will write His law upon our heart. What, then, are the inward parts, and what is the heart?
If we compare Jeremiah 31:33 with the quotation in Hebrews 8:10, “I will impart My laws into their mind,” we will see a slight but important variation. Jeremiah says, “In their inward parts,” but Hebrews renders it, “into their mind.” This comparison proves that the mind is one of the inward parts.
The term inward parts is used in the Scriptures more than once. For example, Psalm 51:6 says, “Behold, You delight in truth in the inward parts.” The inward parts must have truth. Besides the inward parts there is another part in this psalm called “the hidden part”: “And in the hidden part You would make known wisdom to me.” The truth is in the inward parts, but wisdom is in the hidden part. We need to find out what are these inward parts and what is the hidden part.
THE THREE PARTS OF MAN—SPIRIT, SOUL, BODY
Some passages to which we will refer are very familiar. First Thessalonians 5:23 is a verse indicating that we are tripartite, or of three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body. We can illustrate this by three concentric circles:
Hebrews 4:12 also mentions the spirit and the soul and the dividing of these two parts. If we would know Christ and enter into Him as the good land and as the rest, we must discern the spirit from the soul. The spirit is the very place where Christ dwells in us, so if we would know Christ in an experiential way, we must discern our human spirit from our soul. This verse mentions the difference not only between the spirit and the soul but also between the joints and the marrow of the body and between the thoughts and the intentions of the heart. The living word of God is a discerner of all these things. This proves that if we are going to know the Lord in a practical and real way, we must discern all these parts. What are the thoughts of the heart and the intentions of the heart? And how many parts are in the heart?
In Luke 1:46-47 the soul and the spirit are again distinguished.
Philippians 1:27 says that we must stand firm in one spirit—not the Holy Spirit but the human spirit—and strive together with one soul. Again, this verse shows that there is a difference between the spirit and the soul.
Finally, Mark 12:30 says, “You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart and from your whole soul and from your whole mind and from your whole strength.” Here are four different parts: the heart, the soul, the mind, and the strength. If we put all these verses together we will realize that there are quite a number of different parts within us besides the many parts of the body.
First Thessalonians 5:23 indicates that we are spirit, soul, and body, and Psalm 51 reveals the inward parts with the hidden part. The inward parts are the parts of the soul, which is proved by comparing Hebrews 8:10 with Jeremiah 31:33, where their mind is quoted as a variation of their inward parts. Just as the inward parts must be the parts of the soul, so the hidden part must be the spirit. Of all our parts, the spirit is the most hidden one within us. This inmost part is not only hidden within the body but is even hidden within the soul. Hence, there are the outward parts of the body, the inward parts of the soul, and the hidden part of the spirit.
THE THREE PARTS OF THE SOUL— MIND, WILL, AND EMOTION
There are three parts to the soul and three parts to the spirit. We must discover what are the three parts of both the soul and the spirit. Furthermore, we must also define the heart. First Thessalonians 5:23 indicates that we are a tripartite being—spirit, soul, and body—but it does not mention the heart. What is the heart, and how can we relate it with the inward parts and the hidden part?
God’s Word proves clearly and definitely that the soul is of three parts—the mind, the will, and the emotion. The shaded area in the diagram below illustrates the parts of the soul.
Proverbs 2:10 suggests that the soul needs knowledge. (Note also Proverbs 24:14; cf. 19:2, KJV.) Since knowledge is a function of the mind, this proves that the mind is a part of the soul. All three of these verses from Proverbs tell us that we need to have knowledge in the soul. Then Psalm 139:14 says that the soul knows. To know is something of the mind, which again proves that the mind is a part of the soul. Psalm 13:2 says that the soul considers, or takes counsel, which refers to the mind. Lamentations 3:20 indicates that remembrance is of the soul. That is, the soul can remember things. From these verses we can see that there is a part in the soul that knows, considers, and remembers. This part is called the mind.
The second part of the soul is the will. Job 7:15 says that the soul chooses. To choose something is a decision made by the act of the will. This proves that the will must be a part of the soul. Job 6:7 says that the soul refuses. To choose and refuse are both functions of the will. First Chronicles 22:19 says, “Set your…soul to seek.” Just as we set our minds to think, so we set our souls to seek. This is, of course, the soul making a decision, which proves that the will must be a part of the soul. Then in Numbers 30 binding one’s soul is mentioned ten times (KJV). When we read this chapter, we understand that to bind the soul is to make a decision. It deals with a vow that is made with the Lord. To make a decision to bind the soul is to make a vow to the Lord. Thus, it is proven that the will must be a part of the soul. Psalm 27:12; 41:2; and Ezekiel 16:27 (KJV) translate the Hebrew word soul into “will.” The prayer made by the psalmist is, “Do not give me over / To the will of my adversaries.” In the original it means, “Do not give me over to the soul of my adversaries.” This proves clearly that the will must be a part of the soul.
The emotion is the third part of the soul. With the emotion there are many aspects, for example, love, hatred, joy, grief, etc. All of these are expressions of the emotion. References to love are found in 1 Samuel 18:1, Song of Songs 1:7, and Psalm 42:1. These verses show that love is something in the soul, proving, therefore, that within the soul there is such an organ, or function, as the emotion. Concerning hatred, note 2 Samuel 5:8, Psalm 107:18, and Ezekiel 36:5. These passages indicate that hatred is something of the soul. Since hatred is an expression of the emotion, these verses also prove that the emotion must be a part of the soul. Ezekiel 36:5 is better translated using the expression despising in their soul. It means the dislike or hatred of the soul. Joy, an element of the emotion, is also a part of the soul, as seen in Isaiah 61:10 and Psalm 86:4, again proving that emotion is a part of the soul. Then there is the matter of grief, mentioned in 1 Samuel 30:6 and Judges 10:16. Grief is another expression of the soul. Another aspect is desire: 1 Samuel 20:4, Deuteronomy 14:26, Ezekiel 24:25, and Jeremiah 44:14. As to Ezekiel 24:25 and Jeremiah 44:14, the right meaning is reached when the American Standard Version is checked with the Young’s or Strong’s Concordance. Desire, an element of the emotion, is shown by these verses to be in the realm of the soul.
These verses establish the ground to verify the three parts in the soul: the mind, the will, and the emotion. In the Scriptures it is difficult to find any additional parts of the soul, for these three parts cover all the functions of the soul. The mind is the leading part, followed by the will and the emotion. These are the verses which best reveal what are the three parts of the soul.
THE THREE PARTS OF THE SPIRIT— CONSCIENCE, FELLOWSHIP, INTUITION
It is interesting to note that there are three persons of the Godhead, three parts of man’s being, three inward parts of the soul, and also three parts to the spirit. All are in three parts. The Scriptures also reveal three parts in the tabernacle, the building of God. Three is the basic figure or number. Even in Noah’s ark there are three levels. With the tabernacle the number three is used many times. For example, the width of one board is one and a half cubits. When two boards are joined as a pair, the total width is three cubits. This means that the number three is a whole unit.
Therefore, the spirit is a complete unit, composed of three parts or functions: conscience, fellowship, and intuition. The shaded area in the diagram below illustrates the parts of the spirit.
It is easy to understand the conscience. We are all familiar with this. To perceive right from wrong is one function of the conscience. To condemn or to justify is another one of its functions. It is also easy to comprehend the fellowship. The fellowship is our communion with God. Within our spirit such a function makes it possible to contact God. In a simple word, fellowship is to touch God. But it is not very easy to understand the intuition. Intuition means to have a direct sense or knowledge. There is such a direct sense in our spirit, regardless of reason, circumstances, or background. It is a sense without reason, a sense that is not “reasonable.” It is a direct sense of God and a direct knowledge from God. This function is what we call the intuition of the spirit. Thus, the spirit is known by the functions of the conscience, the fellowship, and the intuition.
But these three parts in the human spirit must be proven from the Scriptures. First of all, the conscience is found in Romans 9:1: “My conscience bearing witness with me in the Holy Spirit.” Comparing Romans 9:1 with Romans 8:16, the conscience is located in the human spirit. On one hand, the Holy Spirit witnesses with our spirit. On the other hand, our conscience bears witness in the Holy Spirit. This proves that the conscience must be a function of our spirit. In 1 Corinthians 5:3 the apostle Paul says that in his spirit he judged a sinful person. To judge means either to condemn or to justify, which are acts of the conscience. But the apostle says that in his spirit he judged. This confirms that the condemning or justifying function is in the spirit; hence, the conscience is in the spirit. Psalm 51:10 speaks of “a right spirit within me” (KJV)—that is, a spirit which is right. Knowing right from wrong is related to the conscience, so this verse also proves that the conscience is in the spirit. Psalm 34:18 refers to being “contrite in spirit.” To be contrite means we realize that we are wrong. In other words, we accuse and condemn ourselves, which is a function of the conscience. A contrite spirit shows that the conscience is related to the spirit. Deuteronomy 2:30 says, “Hardened his spirit,” which means that the conscience was hardened. To be hardened in the spirit means to be careless with the conscience. When we cast off the feeling in the conscience, we become hardened in the spirit. These verses offer the strongest ground for the fact that the function of the conscience is in the human spirit.
Let us go on to find the scriptural ground for the fellowship. First of all, John 4:24 tells us that we must worship God in our spirit. To worship God requires worship in our spirit. To worship God is to contact God and fellowship with God. This verse proves that the function of worship or of fellowship is in our spirit. In Romans 1:9 the apostle Paul says, “I serve [God] in my spirit.” To serve God is also a type of fellowship with God. So this also proves that the organ for fellowship is in our spirit. Romans 7:6 must be added: “We serve in newness of spirit.” In other words, service is essentially fellowship with the Lord in our spirit.
Let us consider Ephesians 6:18, which says, “Praying at every time in spirit.” There is no article before spirit, nor is it capitalized. It does not mean the Holy Spirit but our human spirit. To pray means to fellowship with God. To pray in spirit indicates, then, that fellowship with God is a matter in our spirit. Luke 1:47 says, “My spirit has exulted in God.” This means that the human spirit has contacted God. Once again, fellowship with God is a function in the spirit. Then Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit.” This verse is very clear, because it shows that fellowship with God must be both in our spirit and in the Spirit of God. First Corinthians 6:17 says, “He who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” Real fellowship means that we become one spirit with the Lord. This fellowship is in the spirit. All these verses are sufficient to prove that the function of fellowship is in our human spirit.
How about the intuition? Although it is difficult to find the scriptural ground for this function, there are some verses. First Corinthians 2:11 reveals that the spirit of man can know what the soul cannot. Our spirit can discern that which the soul cannot discern. This proves that something extra is in our spirit. Our soul can know things by reason and by circumstantial experiences, but the human spirit can discern things without these. This direct sense shows that the intuition is in our spirit. Then there is Mark 2:8, which says, “Knowing fully in His spirit.” Mark 8:12 says, “He groaned deeply in His spirit.” John 11:33 says that Jesus “was moved with indignation in His spirit.” To know, to groan, and to be indignant in our spirit come from a direct sense of discernment that is not dependent upon reason. This we call the intuition, the third function of our spirit.
Now we have the scriptural ground for these six parts: the three parts of the soul and the three parts of the spirit.
THE FOUR PARTS OF THE HEART— MIND, WILL, EMOTION, CONSCIENCE
What, then, is the heart? The heart is not a separate part in addition to the soul and the spirit but a composition of all the parts of the soul and the first part of the spirit. It includes the mind, the will, and the emotion plus one part of the spirit, the conscience. The shaded area in the following diagram illustrates the parts composing the heart.
Man does not have more than three main parts in his whole being. As a human being, we have a body, soul, and spirit. We do not have a fourth and separate part such as the heart.
Now we need to confirm that the mind, the first part of the soul, is a part of the heart. Matthew 9:4 says, “Why are you thinking…in your hearts?” Therefore, in the heart one can think. Since the thinking processes are in the mind, this proves that the mind is a part of the heart. Genesis 6:5 says, “The thoughts of his heart.” The thoughts are something of the mind, but Genesis 6:5 mentions the thoughts of the heart. The same is seen in Hebrews 4:12, which speaks of “the thoughts…of the heart.” These three passages are ample proof that the mind, an organ of the soul, is a part of the heart.
The will is seen in Acts 11:23, which speaks of “purpose of heart,” or “purpose in the heart.” Purpose is a function of the will, but in Acts it is something of the heart. This shows that the will is also a part of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the “intentions of the heart.” The intentions correspond to the purposes, which are of the will. Again, this proves that the will is a part of the heart. There are more verses, but these two are enough. To quote the scriptural standard, only two witnesses are required.
The emotion is found in John 16:22, which says, “Your heart will rejoice.” To rejoice is an element of the emotions, but here the Lord said that the heart rejoices. Therefore, this confirms that the emotion also is a part of the heart. In the same chapter the Lord said, “Sorrow has filled your heart” (v. 6). Sorrow also is something of emotion. So these two verses verify that the emotion also is a part in the heart.
Concerning the conscience, Hebrews 10:22 says, “Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” So we see that the conscience has much to do with the heart. If we are going to have a pure heart, we must have a conscience that is without offense. Our conscience has to be sprinkled in order to have a pure heart. Thus, without a doubt, the conscience is a part of the heart. First John 3:20 mentions that “our heart blames us.” To blame is the function of the conscience. So this verse proves that the conscience also is a part of the heart.
Scriptural ground has thus been given to prove that all the parts of the soul and the first part of the spirit—the four parts being the mind, the will, the emotion and the conscience—composed together equal the heart.