What Is A Spirit?

Understanding The Difference Between Spirit And Matter

Before we can adequately address the Holy Ghost and Spirit Baptism there are several basic facts about spirits that must first be understood.

A Spirit is regarded as supernatural and is separate from matter.

Matter = material substance that occupies space, has mass, and is perceptible to the senses-(man is an example of matter)

Supernatural = of or relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe; transcends the laws of nature especially: of or relating to God, spirits, ghosts, etc.

There is no information given as to the appearance of a spirit; since by its very definition a spirit is separate from matter, it may not have a “physical” appearance.

Since it is accepted that a spirit is a supernatural being, (something not explainable by the known forces or laws of nature), then it is possible that a spirit can live inside a human being and remain separately identifiable from the human being and not required to assume the physical form of a human being.

Subsequently, since a spirit is something that is “not explainable by the known forces or laws of nature” then that implies a spirit can be anything (even appearing as or taking other forms) because it is not bound by the laws of nature.

Note: A spirit taking on another form (as someone else or something else) is never going to ever literally be the actual object it is portraying (i.e., a Rock or a person).

God is called God because he has inherent abilities that nothing or no one (humans) possesses. God appearing as a human (or dwelling within another human) is completely different than someone who is “totally human” (according to their definition and their attributes).

The Definition Of Spirit And Man Are Not Synonymous

There is only one good way I know to demonstrate this fact and that is biblical.

* To be a man means to be human; a person (someone having flesh and bone) that can die (mortal).

* To be a spirit (an angel, God, etc..) means to be something that is supernatural; an immortal substance (or entity) that does NOT have flesh and bone (not as an essential component needed for its existence), Jesus made that very clear in the writings of Luke.

(Luke 24:39) “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”

(Luke 20:36) “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”

Unlike angels, we know that God created man from dust (the ground) but that God also gave man a spirit (God’s breath of life or living soul). Man is dependent upon this (spirit/ghost) given to him by God for life. You can have all the oxygen in the world but if your spirit (ghost/soul) is removed from your body, it will cease to function (die). The word “spirit” and “ghost” are the same (ref. Greek/Hebrew Lexicon).  It should also be noted that the terminology “ghost”, “soul” and “spirit” are common terms often used in relation to man’s invisible supernatural makeup.   

(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.”

(Job 14:10) “But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?”

(Ecclesiastes 8:8) “There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: ………”

(Numbers 16:22) “And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh ………………..”

(Matthew 10:28) “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

(1 Corinthians 6:20) “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Man Is A Spirit Being – (The Dual Nature Of Man)

At first, we may not think of man as a spirit being because we are most familiar with our present appearance which we call flesh; all flesh returns back to the dust of the earth, from which it was made, upon death.

Man is considered to be flesh (of dust) but he is given spirit, which we all receive from God (Isa 42:5). Without this spirit, our existence as living flesh (life as we know it on earth-it’s functioning/breathing/living) will cease (die).

NOTE: It is the man that has the dual nature, flesh, and spirit, (Numbers 16:22, 27:16) NOT GOD – who is an invisible spirit (John 4:24, Col 1:15).

(1 Corinthians 6:20) “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

In contrast, God is not part-mortal (human flesh) and part immortal (spirit)

A spirit lives within us, even though we cannot physically see it. It is not flesh yet it is who we are. It does not control us for we have been given free will. We (our spirit) belong to God, who is the Father of all spirits of man. There is an appointed time for this spirit to depart from us (our flesh) and will return to God.

Numbers 16: 22           God of the spirits of all flesh

Numbers 27: 16           God of the spirits of all flesh.

1 Kings 17: 21             let this child’s soul come into him again.

Job 32: 8                    there is a spirit in man.

Ecclesiastes 12: 7       spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Isaiah 42: 5               he that giveth breath unto the people… and spirit to them that walk therein:

Zechariah 12:1           and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Matthew 26: 41           spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14: 38               spirit indeed is ready, but the flesh is weak.

1 Corinthians 2: 11     save the spirit of man which is in him?

1 Corinthians 6: 20     glorify God in your body, and in your spirit.

Hebrews 12: 9            subjection unto the Father of spirits.

James 2: 26              body without the spirit is dead.

(1 Corinthians 2:11-12) “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God”

When God (more accurately stated; the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit – Psalms 51:11, Ephesians 4:30, 1 Thessalonians 4:8) “enters” (acts upon or within) the flesh (the body of man); the flesh maintains its own separate and independent will (or spirit) to either obey or disobey God (whether or not to “follow God’s leading”) as our spirit (our will) has been given the freedom of choice. Our bodies are designed to be inhabited by God (Ephesians 2:22), but that is dependent on our obedience to him (Acts 5:32).

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What Is Spirit Baptism?

To begin with, the Bible does not actually use the expression “Spirit Baptism”. This type of baptism is usually in reference to the New Testament scriptures which speak of those who were baptized “with the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16).

The Bible usually reflects this type of phenomenon as a movement of the Holy Ghost (God) acting upon or within a believer.

We first need to understand that the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Holy Ghost, are all one and the same and regardless of which description is used they are all expressions of God.

(1 Corinthians 12:3-6) “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.”

(Acts 5:3-4) “But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.”

(1 Thessalonians 4:8) “He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

(1 Corinthians 3:16) “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”

This type of baptism, Spirit baptism (which some call being baptized with the Holy Ghost or receiving the Holy Ghost), is important for it is only for those of us who believe in this phenomenon of Jesus being the risen Son of God and his promise of eternal life through him who scriptures indicate will be saved or receive this gift of God’s grace given to man (eternal life through faith by grace – Romans 10:9-10, 1Peter 1:18-21, 1John 5:10-13, Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Ephesians 2:8)

Spirit baptism (baptized with the Holy Ghost) also differs from water baptism in another way.

Whatever power (or abilities) may be given to the recipient after receiving this spiritual baptism experience, is called a spiritual “gift”. As expected, this ability is above what humans would naturally be born with. This does not however indicate that the manifestation of these gifts will all be the same, which is determined only by God as he wills.

Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Hebrews 2:4 “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

What To Expect from A Spiritual Baptism

This type of experience, regardless of what you choose to call it, “Spirit baptism”, “baptized with the Holy Ghost” or “Born Again”, are all expressions that indicate a spiritual rebirth, or a renewing of our will being submitted (dying out to self), to embrace/do the will of God. However, this does not mean that an immediate outward manifestation has to be made to experience a spiritual baptism. To the contrary, Spirit baptism, by its very nature indicates that being born again is normally reflected as something that is experienced from within or is invisible (being Spiritual as such).

(John 3:5-8) “Jesus answered, ………… 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

Jesus also confirms this to be true and identified some signs that would be made manifest after this baptism took place (it followed them) as evidence.

(Mark 16:16-18) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Take note lest you be deceived by someone asserting something that is not scripture. Jesus indicated various signs would take place, but it is also clear that Jesus does not place a time limit on the manifestation of these signs, neither do most religious doctrines make claims that every man should exhibit each of these listed attributes as MANDATORY or REQUIRED to indicate evidence of a recipient who has been baptized with the Holy Ghost.

Unless there is an outward manifestation, we cannot see a Spirit baptism taking place within man.

It is our faith in God’s grace that saves us, not necessarily any specific manifestations.

(Ephesians 2:8) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

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 Is The Soul Different From The Spirit?

The Biblical Hebrew and Greek translations of the English words, “soul” and “spirit” can have different meanings in one passage as well as the same meaning in another. Understanding that these words do have multiple meanings is very important. It is therefore imperative that the correct word choice is applied in order to eliminate any incorrect “transliteration”, which then creates serious conflicts and/or confusion.

The Soul of Man

The Bible speaks of the “soul” in many contexts. Whenever the word “soul” is used, (in reference to mankind), it can refer to the whole person, whether alive or in the afterlife.

The scriptures do not give us much information regarding the make-up of our soul-spirit-inner man and the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) does not always make a clear distinction between the soul (body) and the spirit of man, but the scriptures do tell us that a distinction or “dividing” can be made between the two (Heb. 4:12).

{There are other translated renderings of this passage. Listed below are two:

(See: Heb 4:12 AMP: “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal]  spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.”

(See: The Book Of Yahweh – Pg 945, Hebrews chap 4:12, “For the word of Yahweh; the Law and the Prophets, is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of body and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”)}

But this lack of information should not be surprising since the Bible also does not give us details regarding the “glorified bodies” that we shall receive at the time of our resurrection at the coming of Jesus.

(1 John 3:2) “…it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him…”

(Phil. 3:21) “…the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it be fashioned like unto his glorious body…”

Compare How The Word Soul Can Be Translated

Gen 2:7 KJV 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.

Gen 2:7 ESV then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

Gen 2:7 ERV Then the LORD God took dust from the ground and made a man. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose, and the man became a living thing.

Gen 2:7 CEV The LORD God took a handful of soil and made a man. God breathed life into the man, and the man started breathing.

Gen 2:7 GW Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the earth and blew the breath of life into his nostrils. The man became a living being.

Job 12:10-11 KJV In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?

Job 12:10-11 ESV In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. Does not the ear test words as the palate tastes food?

The Greek and Hebrew Usage of Soul

Act 2:27 KJV Because thou wilt not leave my soul ^(G5590) in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

NOTE: David did not speak this of himself, (neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption) (Psa 16:8-11; Act 2:27-31, 13:35-38, Luke 4:34, Mark 1:24) but of the Son of David, which was Christ (Mat 1:1, 22:42, Mark 12:35, Luke 1:32, 18:38, Rom 1:3).

Not leave my soul in hell. In hades, the unseen abode of the dead or the state of the dead. The meaning is that he would not remain under the power of death.

The original passage (Psa 16:8-11) was written in Hebrew, from which Acts 2:27 references. The original intended meaning of this word, translated here as “soul” ^(H5315), נפשׁ nephesh, should be understood and APPLIED. It can mean “body”, “mind”, “or life”, it could also denote “me” or “myself.” Instances where it is used for the individual himself, meaning “me” or “myself”, may be seen in such passages as Psa 11:1 (Psa 11:1 GW); Psa 35:7 (Psa 35:7 GW); Job 9:21 (Job 9:21 GW).

There is no clear instance in which it is applied to the soul in its separate state or disjoined from the body. In this place, it must be explained in part by the meaning of the word “hell”. If hell ^(G86), as used here, means “grave”, then this word probably means; “thou wilt not leave me in the grave”. The word “leave”, as used here, means “Thou wilt not resign me to, or wilt not give me over to it, to be held under its power.”

This word (hell) however would better express the state of the wicked dead than the righteous. It conveyed the idea of darkness, gloom, and wandering, the idea of a sad and unfixed abode, unlike heaven. Hence, the word sometimes expresses the idea of a place of punishment: Psa 9:17, “The wicked shall be turned into hell,” etc.; (Pro 15:11; Pro 23:14; Pro 27:20; Job 26:6). While, therefore, the word does not mean properly a grave or a sepulcher, it does often mean “the state of the dead,” without designating whether in happiness or woe, but implying the continued existence of the soul. In this sense, it is often used in the Old Testament, where the Hebrew word is “Sheol” (H7585), and the Greek “Hades” ^(G86) means grave: (Gen 37:35, “…For I will go down into the grave, unto my son, mourning.” I will go down to the dead, to death, to my son, still there existing; Gen 42:38; Gen 44:29, “He shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave”; Num 16:30, Num 16:33; 1Ki 2:6, 1Ki 2:9; etc., etc.).

Note: The “pit”, as referenced in the Book of Numbers “And they go down quick into the pit – שאלה “, is speaking of the gainsaying of Korah. Proud and ambitious men projecting their own advancement by thrusting themselves into a place to which God has not appointed them, hurry on to a shameful fall. Sheol, signifies here a chasm or pit of the earth, and not the place called hell; for it would be absurd to suppose that their houses had gone to hell; and it would be wicked to imagine that their little innocent children had gone thither, though God was pleased to destroy their lives with those of their iniquitous fathers.

This particular expression, in the Book of Acts, refers to the deceased Messiah. Thou wilt not leave him among the dead; thou wilt raise him up. It is from this passage, perhaps, aided by two others (Rom 10:7, and 1Pe 3:19), that may have invented strange opinions about his going among lost spirits. The doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church has been that he went to purgatory, to deliver the spirits confined there. (Purgatory is not Biblical)

Note: 

(1)        Nothing is affirmed here about the destination of the “human soul of Christ” after his death. That he went to the region of the dead is implied, but nothing further.

(2)        It may be remarked that the Scriptures affirm nothing about the state of his soul in that time which intervened between his death and resurrection. The only information which occurs on the subject is such as to leave us to suppose that he was in a state of happiness. To the dying thief, he said, “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” When Jesus died, he said, “It is finished”; and he doubtless meant that his sufferings and toils for man’s redemption were at an end.

* [We will discuss (Hell & The Lake of Fire) further in another section but for now we want to finish distinguishing the differences between the human soul (body) and human spirit]

The Greek and Hebrew Usage of Spirit

The “spirit” (in Greek or Hebrew) of man is probably best understood as being “that which provides life” or “breath” to mankind (See also: What Is a Spirit?). It is that “thing or essence” which gives mankind life. Of course, all life is of (from) God, but this “breath of life” (man’s spirit) does, however, return to God; when it does “physical death” has occurred (Ecclesiastes 12:7; James 2:26); this is actually the first death! This is made more apparent when speaking of the first resurrection; “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Rev 20: 5-6)

Note: It is advised that the reader allow flexibility in your understanding of the words (spirit and soul) when addressing this aspect of mankind. Holding the understanding that no man can honestly, with 100% accuracy, distinguish the differences between these two features of man. (Some say the soul is the intellect, and emotions, or that it is immortal however the Bible does not make any of these claims directly, and even to the contrary in some cases (Matthew 10:28).  As noted earlier, these two words can and are used interchangeably at times. 

The Book Of Yahweh:

28 And do not fear those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the spirit; but rather, fear
Him Who is able to destroy both spirit and body in Gehenna.

Points To Remember

In the beginning, God created a body (from the dust of the Earth) for man and put within him “Life” (the spirit of man/breath – ^H7307). This life given to man (his spirit – ^G4151), which may come as a surprise to many, was not “Eternal Life” – This is why man is called “mortal” (Rom 8:11; 1Co 15:53-54; 2Co 4:11) and therefore able to experience death, even from the beginning of his creation (See: What is Death?).

We also know that the dead can come back to life (as God so wills) and did (See: What People Were Raised From The Dead In The Bible?) but, other than Jesus, none are not described as having obtained “Eternal life.” (Rev 1:18) (See: What Happens When We Die?)

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The Creation Of The Human Soul

Genesis 2:7

There has been much debate over Genesis 2:7 and God’s Creation Of The Human Soul. The one I find most interesting is this theory of Traducianism. The word of God however is very clear on this matter, so let’s review and compare.

Traducianism 

Traducianism is the theory (a manmade theory) that the soul is generated by the physical parents.  It is said that:

(1) Man has been given the ability to create life (a living soul) because the Bible reflects that Adam begat a son (he had an offspring) made in his own likeness and image (Genesis 5:3) and the Bible does not reflect God repeating the same steps (breathing into the nostrils) as he did with Adam.

(2) Some argue that a living soul begins when the human embryo first begins development prior to birth.

The Bible does not support either position.

The First argument:

#(1) the first argument ignores several facts – Man (as mentioned in Gen 2:7) means “mankind”

> Although the contents of Genesis 5:3 are stated correctly, it clearly does not state Adam (a “man”) created another “living soul”. Although man typically plays a significant role in bringing forth a “new” life (another human) into the world, it is ALWAYS God who actually makes it happen, if it is to occur at all.

Note: Man is not needed, nor is he capable of creating souls; FYI – Adam, Eve, and Jesus were all living souls created by God (who caused their existence to take place, and each is considered to be human – or mankind: See What Is A Genuine Human? ).

> Man (mankind) is also considered to be made in the “image” of God (Gen 1:27, 1Cor 11:7), as was Jesus (Col 1:15)

> Man (mankind) is also considered to be made in the “likeness” of God (Gen 5:1) and we are the “offspring” (Acts 17:29) and/or ” “Sons and Children of God“.

The Second argument also lacks merit:

> In Genesis 2:7, we read God breathed the breath of life into Adam, causing Adam to become a “living” soul.  

According to the Bible, which is silent about pre-birth matters, it is at this point that man (mankind) is considered to be a living soul ^H5315 (to be “alive”, or “living”, obviously implies that the individual is breathing, or has at some point taken its “first” breath)^{<1>It is worth noting that the Bible never refers to an un-birthed child or embryo, while inside the mother, as a living soul. Although the child is alive, it is not “breathing.” Your unborn baby does not breathe through its mouth and nose while it is in the womb. Birth is the occasion when babies breathe for the first time. Until it exits from the womb, the baby develops in an environment filled with amniotic fluid. Unlike your lungs, which expand and contract during breathing, an unborn baby’s lungs are undeveloped, un-inflated, and filled with amniotic fluid. Instead, the developing fetus receives all of the benefits of breathing, including oxygen, with help from the mother. At this stage of development, it is the mother who is doing the “breathing” for the child. Normal breathing, inhaling and exhaling, use of the lungs to move oxygenated air to the blood vessels for transport to the bloodstream. The same systems remove carbon dioxide from the bloodstream and deliver nutrients to the body. Your baby’s circulatory system is still developing while it is in the womb, so the umbilical cord and placenta, which connects baby and mother, do the work normally performed by the lungs.}.  

The Bible says that it is God who gives every man “breath” and “spirit” (Isaiah 42:5)

Scripture clearly differentiates the separation of the body (flesh) from the soul (spirit) (Mat 10:28; Acts 2:27, 31) ^{<2>It is also worth noting that in the KJV translation of the scriptures words “spirit” and “soul” are words that can be, and are, at times used interchangeably.}:

The origin of the body; The Bible says the body returns to the earth as it was (Ecc 3:20, 12:7; Job 34:15; Ps 146:4; Da 12:2).

The origin of the soul; The Bible says the soul/spirit comes from and returns unto God who gave it.” (1Kings 17:21-22; Isaiah 42:5; Zechariah 12:1; Hebrews 12:9).

Note: We may not be able to “visibly” see when man’s spirit actually enters his body of flesh but the word of God gives us the standard by which God determines life as becoming a “living soul”. You can have all of the oxygen in the world encapsulating your body, but if God does not provide (or removes) your spirit, your flesh (your body) is not “living”. Breathing reflects something that is said to be “living” and the Bible refers to a living soul as someone who has breath (Genesis 2:7; Job 12:10, 33:4, Ps 104:29; Is 42:5, Eze 37:5-6). In Genesis, we discover that it is also the starting point by which a living soul is potentially held accountable for its action (Genesis 2:16-17).

Question: 

– If God creates a new soul for every human being, how is the soul then infected with sin? First, there is an attribute that every man has, it is called “CHOICE” (or “Freewill”). Because of this man has “The ABILITY to SIN” ^<3>The ABILITY to SIN is called “SINFUL NATURE”, it is the nature that “allows” man to disobey the will of God but he is not “infected with” SIN (Guilty of Sin) until he commits an “ACT” of sin. Sin requires some type of action against the will of God (Disobedience).

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Does Gender Have A Place In The Spirit World?

The answer to this question can be found in the word of God.

Jesus’ reply to the Sadducees on the question of whose wife a woman would be at the resurrection if she had seven husbands in her lifetime:

Luke 20:34-36 states:

³⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

³⁵But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

³⁶For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

Galatians 3:28 states: “…there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

All Spirits Are Of God

It is generally acknowledged that different types of spirits exist. There are good spirits and evil spirits. There is usually no argument as to who created the good spirits (God) but there is usually some disagreement as to who actually created the evil spirits. Many refuse to accept the scripture and the belief that God, being good, would create evil.

The scriptures state that all things which are both visible and invisible (which would include spirits) were created by God (Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 12:9, 2 Corinthians 5:18, Isaiah 45:7)

(Colossians 1:16) “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

(Hebrews 12:9) “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”

(Isaiah 45:7) “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.”

Why God Created Evil

Knowing our bodies are designed to be inhabited by God through his Spirit (Ephesians 2:22) if we are obedient to him (Acts 5:32), it is not so hard to accept or understand that man must have a spiritual make-up that had options.

Once you recognize that in order for man to have “free will” man had to have “a choice” or “other options” besides good you then can begin to understand God’s purpose. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. It is apparent that God did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their “programming.” It would also appear that God allowed for the “possibility” of evil so that we could genuinely have free will and choose whether we wanted to serve Him or not.

Look at the example of Job in Job Chapters 1-2. Satan wanted to destroy Job, and God allowed Satan to do everything but kill Job. God allowed this to happen to prove to Satan that Job was righteous because he loved God, not because God had blessed him so richly.

God is sovereign and ultimately in control of everything that happens. Satan cannot do anything unless he has God’s “permission.”

The first biblical indication that evil was created by God as an “optional” choice for man is found in (Genesis 2:9) when God made every tree to grow, including the tree of knowledge of Good and Evil. Although man was forbidden, man nonetheless had access (free will) in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:16, 17).

(Genesis 2:9) “And out of the 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.”

(Genesis 2:16, 17) “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Secondly, we must realize that God is not limited and can use any type of spirit (good or evil) he chooses to serve his purpose. This is made evident in various scriptures throughout, where God sent forth various spirits (including evil spirits) to affect men in a specific manner as he deemed necessary.

(Colossians 1:16) “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

(Hebrews 12:9) “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?”

(Judges 9:23) “Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:”

(1 Samuel 16:14) “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”

(1 Samuel 16:15) “And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.”

(1 Kings 22:23) “Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil concerning thee.”

(Isaiah 19:14) “The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit.”

Finally, the time came when God, by his grace and mercy, sent forth a redeemer (Jesus) who would redeem man from his sins and the penalty of death which was imposed upon mankind as punishment caused by Adam’s disobedience to God, eating the forbidden fruit of the Garden of Eden. When Jesus’ work on earth was finished and the time came for him to ascend up to his father, Jesus promised men that he would not leave them (his disciples) comfortless (without hope or power).

This is the point where the promise of the Holy Ghost becomes relevant to us today and the need to understand the significance of this type of spiritual baptism (baptized with the Holy Ghost) as is mentioned in the Bible.

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Angels and Devils:

(Their Attributes, Characteristics, and Features)

Angels are referred to at least 116 times in the Old Testament (KJV) and 175 times in the New Testament (KJV). The Devil is referred to 55 times (devils 61); in total 116 times throughout the scriptures.

Angels are spiritual beings who act as messengers of God and were created by God to serve Him. In this section, I address angels as the good, the bad, and the ugly. The good angels are the holy ones, the bad angels are the evil ones, which the Bible calls devils, and the ugly angels are devils disguising themselves as good angels.

The good angels have remained obedient to God and carry out His will, while others, fallen angels, disobeyed, fell from their holy position, and now stand in active opposition to the work and plan of God.

This study of Angels stands to remind us that we are not alone. While invisible to the naked eye, angelic spirits are real beings. Angels have the ability to transverse (cross over) from one dimension into another dimension (between heaven and earth) in order to carry out God’s assignments (Genesis 22:11-12; Matthew 1:20, 2:13; Acts 27:23). We may not be aware of it, but they encamp around us and rescue us (Psalm 34:7, 91:11).

(Angels-The Good)

For example:

• An angel provided water for Hagar and her son in the desert (Genesis 16:7-11, 21:17).
• Angels rescued Lot and his family from wicked Sodom (Genesis 19:1).
• An angel went before Abraham’s servant in finding a wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:40).
• Angels appeared in Jacob’s dream of a ladder reaching to heaven (Genesis 28:12).
• The Angel of God guided the nation of Israel (Exodus 14:19, 23:20).
• An angel instructed Manoah and his wife on rearing their son, Samson (Judges 13:3-21).
• An angel brought food and water to Elijah and encouraged him (I Kings 19:5-7; II Kings 1:3,15).
• Isaiah saw angels when he encountered God (Isaiah 6:2-6).
• Just one angel killed 185,000 men of the Assyrian army in a single night (Isaiah 37:36).
• God’s angel shut the mouths of lions to protect Daniel (Daniel 6:22).
• Joseph received guidance and warnings from an angel in his dreams (Matthew 1:20, 24, 2:13, 19).
• An angel appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other women at the tomb (Matthew 28:2, 5).
• The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias about the birth of his son John (Luke 1:11-19).
• Gabriel also appeared to Mary about the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).
• Angels proclaimed Christ’s birth to the shepherds (Luke 2:9-15).
• Angels stirred the waters at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:4).
• An angel released the apostles from prison (Acts 5: 19).
• An angel directed Philip to the path of the Ethiopian eunuch so he could lead him to Christ (Acts 8:26).
• Cornelius received a warning from an angel (Acts 10:3, 7, 22).
• In response to prayer, an angel rescued Peter from prison (Acts 12:4-11)
• An angel assured Paul that no lives would be lost in the shipwreck (Acts 27:23) .
• The Old Testament Law was given to men by angels (Galatians 3:19).
• An angel was involved in bringing a revelatory vision to John (Revelation 1:1, 22:8-9).

This should remind us that we are always under surveillance “because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Angels are not embodied

As residents of heaven, angels do not possess human bodies. Rather, they are “ministering spirits” (Hebrews 1:14) with supernatural strength that is superior to that of humans (2 Peter 2:11; Revelation 10:1, 18:1).

Some are said to have wings (Isaiah 6:2; Ezekiel 1:5-11; 10:5-2; Zechariah 5:9; Revelation 4:8) and can fly swiftly (Daniel 9:21). (See also the golden cherubim in Exodus 25:20; 37:9)

Within the created order, these spiritual creatures were fashioned above humans (Psalm 8:3-5).

Angels are not visible

Under normal circumstances, angels are invisible to the naked eye. However, these invisible and immortal creatures have unique abilities. There are numerous examples in the Bible in which angels temporarily took on a human form or appearance. In some cases, their form and divine apparel reveal a radiant, heavenly brilliance (Judges 13:6; Ezekiel 1: 13; Daniel 10:5-6; Matthew 28:2-4; Acts 10:30). At other times, an angel’s presence was not even noticed initially (Numbers 22:21-3,1).

Sometimes angels are indistinguishable from humans and have been mistaken for them (Hebrews 13:2). They are sometimes even described as men. Jacob was said to have wrestled with “a man” (Genesis 32:24), although this being was later identified as an “angel” (Hosea 12:4). Initially, Abraham’s three visitors were characterized as “men” (Genesis 18:2, 16). Later, however, two of them were referred to as “angels” (Genesis 19:1), even though the residents of Sodom, including Lot, at least initially thought these visitors were men (Genesis 19:4-5,8, 10). Some say the third “man” was a theophany (—an appearance of God in a tangible human form) or the temporary manifestation of God since He was called “the LORD” (Genesis 18:1,13,17,33). Keep in mind however no man has ever seen God literally, there is a truthful and more harmonious understanding of passages that speak in reference to the presence of God. (Ref: If No Man Has Seen God, Do The Scriptures Contradict?)

Angels do not marry.

Since they are not mortal and do not reproduce, angels do not engage in marital relationships. This is a significant argument against the idea of some who have claimed that “the sons of God” who “took them wives” and “bore children” before the Flood were actually angels (Genesis 6:1-4).

However, an even stronger argument against this erroneous idea exists in the verse of Scripture that reveals God’s anger was not directed against angels, but against men for God said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Genesis 6:3). Further, the Flood did not target and judge angels, but mankind. Apparently, the “sons of God” mentioned referred to the righteous seed, and the “daughters of men” referred to the unrighteous descendants of Cain.

When the Sadducees, who denied the existence of angels (Acts 23:8), inquired of Jesus concerning the marital status of a deceased woman who had been successively married to seven brothers, each of whom died in turn, Jesus replied that those who are resurrected remain unmarried just “as the angels of God in heaven” (Matthew 22:23-30). In this world people customarily marry (Luke 20:34); angels and resurrected saints never do (Luke 20:35-36).

Angels do not die

With rare exceptions such as Enoch (Genesis 5:24), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), and saints carried up in the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:17), everyone will die (Hebrews 9:27). Angels, however, are immortal. They are eternal spiritual beings immune from suffering death (Luke 20:36; Hebrews 2:9, 15-16).

Angels Were Originally Tested

In the Garden, the serpent tempted Adam and Eve, and they succumbed to the temptation. Consequently, they were punished and ejected from the beautiful garden (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6, 16-24).

The angels also experienced testing or temptation. In Revelation’s dramatic account of the rebellion of Satan along with his angels, a heavenly war ensued and God expelled the forces of evil (Revelation 12:7-9). The Scriptures note that “a great red dragon” used his tail to draw “the third part of the stars of heaven” (Revelation 12:3-4).

This symbolic reference may in fact indicate that one-third of the angels sided with Satan. According to Jude, the angels who fell “kept not their first estate [or ‘their proper domain,’ NKJV], but left their own habitation” (Jude 6).

The vast majority of the angels remained committed to serving God. These are the wonderful, holy, and immortal creatures that we frequently meet in the pages of Scripture that are on our side and seek our best welfare. They are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1:14).

Heaven, the Headquarters of Angels

Angels may temporarily cross over into Earth’s space-time reality, but their eternal home is heaven. There are vast numbers of angels who live, worship, and receive commands from God. According to Hebrews 12:22, the heavenly Jerusalem is populated by “an innumerable company of angels.” According to Revelation 5: 11-12, “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands” of angels gather around the throne worshiping the Lamb. In his comments on this passage in the NIV Application Commentary on Revelation, Craig Keener notes that ten thousand is the largest number in the Greek language, so the number stated here (“ten thousand times ten thousand”) indicates a vast quantity of angels that is beyond calculation.

Angels directly encounter the immediate presence of God, something humans in their current state cannot do physically (Matthew 18:10; John 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12). However, someday redeemed humans shall also enjoy this blessed experience (Job 19:26; Matthew 5:8; Revelation 22:4).

Angels And Their Worship Of God

Angels are completely subject to Jesus and “all the angels of God worship Him” (Hebrews 1:6). In fact, ever since Jesus ascended into heaven and sat on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers became subject to Him (I Peter 3:22).

Angels were designed to worship God and are our fellow servants (Revelation 7:11, 19:10, 22:8-9).

The Bible however makes clear that not all angles chose to worship and serve God. Many fell into rebellion, and these fallen angels continually work to promote sin and to counteract the saving influence of the gospel. These messengers of Satan attempt to hamper God’s plan, and they are enemies of truth.

Angels render service to Christians and do God’s bidding

Angels are under the authority of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:22). They serve as His attendants and messengers, delivering divine judgments and decrees as well as protecting God’s saints from harm. Cherubims were dispatched, for example, to guard the entrance of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24), and an angel was prepared to slay the wayward prophet Balaam (Numbers 22:21-35).

Prompted by Daniel’s supplications, the angel Gabriel arrived to bring Daniel “skill and understanding” (Daniel 9:20-23). The same angel, Gabriel, later appeared to Zacharias, stating: “I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings” (Luke 1:19). He announced that Zacharias would be temporarily struck with muteness because of his unbelief (Luke 1:20).

On another occasion, a different angel named Michael appeared to Daniel in a vision (Daniel 10:4-13). After explaining that he had been held up by the prince of Persia (Daniel 10:13), he revealed to Daniel the destiny of God’s people (Daniel 10:14). At other times, angels function as heavenly “tour guides,” leading prophets through visionary experiences and showing them the meaning of mysterious things (Zechariah 1:9-19; 2:3; Revelation 1:1; 10:8-11:1; 17:1; 21:9).

Hagar experienced two angelic visitations. The first announced Ishmael’s forthcoming birth, and the second brought comfort while Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness (Genesis 21:14-19). Angels visited Sodom before Lot’s rescue and the city’s destruction (Genesis 19:1), and an angel spoke to Abraham when he was about to sacrifice Isaac (Genesis 22:9-18). Angels appeared to Jacob in Bethel on his way to Padanaram (Genesis 28:12), in a dream while in the region of Padanaram (Genesis 31:11), and upon his return to his homeland in a place Jacob called Mahanaim (Genesis 32:1-2).

Angelic activity increased dramatically during the time preceding the birth of the Messiah (Matthew 1:20, 24; Luke 1:26-38) and His predecessor, John the Baptist (Luke 1:11-19). Angels also appeared during Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:9-15), infancy (Matthew 2:13, 19), temptation (Matthew 4:11; Mark 1:13), prayer at Gethsemane (Luke 22:43), resurrection (Matthew 28:2, 5; Luke 24:23; John 20:12), and ascension (Acts 1:10-11).

Angels were frequently involved during the ministry of the early church (Acts 5:19; 8:26; 10:3; 12:7-11, 23; 27:23-24). In addition, angels will play a major role in Christ’s second coming and the final judgment (Matthew 13:41,49-50; 16:27; 24:31; 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Revelation 18:21; 19:17; 20:1).

The Devil & The Demonic World

The Devil (The Bad & The Ugly)

As noted earlier, not all angels serve God; some are fallen angels and we cannot trust them.

Many believe the figure we call the devil; known elsewhere as Satan (I Chronicles 21:1; Job 1:6-12; Psalm 109:6; Mark 1:13), which means adversary (Strong’s Concordance), was first known as “Lucifer, son of the morning” (Isaiah 14:12). Lucifer means “light-bearer” and indicated the “shining one” or “morning star” (Strong’s Concordance). Though the passage in Isaiah originally referred to the pompous King of Babylon, by extension it depicted the devil himself.

Lucifer became lifted up with pride, saying in his heart, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13-14). Despite his arrogant claims to exalt himself over God, he was to be brought down very low (Isaiah 14:15).

Since the devil, which means “slanderer” or “false accuser” (Strong’s Concordance), was unsuccessful in his rebellion against God directly, he turned the main weapon in his arsenal (slander) against God’s people.

The law strictly forbade the practice of making false claims against another (Exodus 20:16; 23:1). “The accuser of our brethren” (Revelation 12:10) works overtime in the enterprise of character assassination, knowing that he does not have much time left (Revelation 12:12). He falsely accused Job of following God only because God protected him (Job 1:9-11; 2:4-5). While the devil and his followers may constantly accuse God’s people (2 Samuel 19:27; Acts 6:11-14; Romans 3:8; 2 Timothy 3:3; I Peter 3:16), God’s angels refuse to return accusations (2 Peter 2:11; Jude 9), and God prohibits His people from doing so (Psalm 101:5; Proverbs 10:18; Luke 3:14).

As the instigator and principal leader of a spiritual rebellion (“I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven,” Luke 10:18), the devil serves as the commander in chief of the forces of evil.

The devil has been sinning “from the beginning” (1 John 3:8). He is against righteousness and promotes hatred (1 John 3:10, 12). He and his followers commit various sins, including lust, murder, lying (John 8:44), and betrayal (John 13:2).

The devil is a liar. Being the father of lies, he diametrically opposes telling the truth. He chose not to remain in truth “because there is no truth in him” (John 8:44). Unfortunately, some have chosen to follow his “seducing spirits,” which teach “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Throughout history, the devil and his agents have attempted to kill or oppress anyone who would work to further God’s purposes, including Abel (Genesis 4:8), Moses (Exodus 1:16, 22; 2:15), John the Baptist (Mark 6:24), Jesus (Luke 22:2; John 5:18; 7:1), Paul (Acts 14:19; 21:31; 23:15; 25:3), and Antipas (Revelation 2:13).

The World Of Devils

Devils (commonly referred to as Demons) are fallen evil spirits or angels who chose to follow the devil in his rebellion. Some may even preach a false gospel (Galatians 1:8), though outwardly they can seem like angels “of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14).

According to Jude 1:6, “for they kept not their first “estate” (— Vulgate translates, “their own principality,”) “but left their own habitation” (- left — on their own accord; their own — Greek, “their proper”; habitation — heaven, all bright and glorious, as opposed to the “darkness” to which they now are doomed.) Their ambitious designs seem (habitation, domain, position).

Together with Satan, they comprise the hidden spiritual forces with which we must constantly contend: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12).

Note: Those angels leaving their own habitation are named as the sin, not the punishment, which implies descent from the region of heaven to that of earth.

Not only do God’s angels and fallen angels (angels and devils) oppose each other (Daniel 10:13; Revelation 12:7), but some angels fight for us and some against us; consequently, we are engaged in a great spiritual conflict (Ephesians 6:12) and our main task is to refuse to yield any spiritual ground to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). We are to resist him (Ephesians 6:11; James 4:7).

Demons Are Permanently Set – There Is No Turning Back

Ultimately, demons are opposed to God and all He stands for. When the angels who fell chose to rally themselves with Satan, they eternally sealed their fate. There is no evidence in Scripture that demons ever will have an opportunity to be saved; rather, they will all face judgment and punishment (2 Peter 2:4). Demons have selected their course of action and for them, there is no turning back.

Since the devil cannot directly injure God, he targets people. He is our “adversary,” who like “a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

The Book of James exhorts us to submit ourselves to God but to “resist the devil” (James 4:7). (See also I Peter 5:8-9.)

His demons oppress and even possess people, in some cases harming them physically as well as emotionally and spiritually (Matthew 17:15; Mark 9:22; Luke 9:39, 42). Thankfully, however, Jesus came to free and heal “all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38).

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