Read the whole series here, or by clicking on the Release of the Spirit link at the bottom of this post. In Chapter Seven, Watchman Nee returns to the topic of dividing the spirit and soul, the inner and outer person. We referred to this in Chapter Two. This entails God breaking the outer person (the soul) and dividing it from the spirit.
Nee explained in chapter six how God uses discipline to break the outer person. All those things we are so quick to blame on other people or on bad luck are really the hand of God working in our lives to break the outer person. In this chapter, he teaches about how revelation (God’s Word) divides the soul and the spirit.
For this dividing process, Nee goes back to Hebrews 4:12,13 – For the word of the Lord is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV) The writer begins by telling us two things about God’s Word: 1) For the word of the Lord is living… It is living in that it is not meant to be just information stored away for later retrieval. It is not dead print, but alive by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. 2) and active. The Word is active in that it goes to work on a person in such a way as to produce results. (68) The sharpest double-edged sword, though it may penetrate to divide joints and marrow, is not sharp enough to divide soul and spirit. For that we need God’s Word or revelation.
This piercing by God’s light reveals to us that the work we convinced ourselves was for God’s glory was really for our own glory. Instead of preaching the Gospel for the love of the lost, we preached out of our love for the acclaim of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of being motivated by love for God, we have actually been motivated by love for self. (70f.) It does this by revealing the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
But what is revelation? Nee asks. Revelation enables us to see what God sees. (72) What is disguised to us is not hidden from God. What is hazy to us, is crystal clear to God.
So by the Holy Spirit’s discipline the outer person is broken, but it is divided from the inner person by the light of God’s revelation. In this way we are 1) broken to release the spirit, and 2) purified for God’s use.
Now that Nee has explained more fully the workings behind which the soul and spirit are divided, can you relate what God’s light has revealed to you in this purification process?
Nee explained in chapter six how God uses discipline to break the outer person. All those things we are so quick to blame on other people or on bad luck are really the hand of God working in our lives to break the outer person. In this chapter, he teaches about how revelation (God’s Word) divides the soul and the spirit.
For this dividing process, Nee goes back to Hebrews 4:12,13 – For the word of the Lord is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (NIV) The writer begins by telling us two things about God’s Word: 1) For the word of the Lord is living… It is living in that it is not meant to be just information stored away for later retrieval. It is not dead print, but alive by the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. 2) and active. The Word is active in that it goes to work on a person in such a way as to produce results. (68) The sharpest double-edged sword, though it may penetrate to divide joints and marrow, is not sharp enough to divide soul and spirit. For that we need God’s Word or revelation.
This piercing by God’s light reveals to us that the work we convinced ourselves was for God’s glory was really for our own glory. Instead of preaching the Gospel for the love of the lost, we preached out of our love for the acclaim of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of being motivated by love for God, we have actually been motivated by love for self. (70f.) It does this by revealing the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
But what is revelation? Nee asks. Revelation enables us to see what God sees. (72) What is disguised to us is not hidden from God. What is hazy to us, is crystal clear to God.
So by the Holy Spirit’s discipline the outer person is broken, but it is divided from the inner person by the light of God’s revelation. In this way we are 1) broken to release the spirit, and 2) purified for God’s use.
Now that Nee has explained more fully the workings behind which the soul and spirit are divided, can you relate what God’s light has revealed to you in this purification process?
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