Page 61 - Gods Plan of the Ages

The Soul that Sins Must Die

eath stands between every man and an inheritance in Christ, even as the Jordan River
Dstood between the Israelites and their inheritance in the land of Canaan. We know that
every man experiences a physical death of his body. It is not this death that makes a
person a disciple of Christ, otherwise all men would be judged now to be Christ's disciples.
It is the death of the soul that is referred to when Christ invited men to "Come, take up your
cross, and follow Me."
Because this truth has been so little understood, being rejected by the majority of
Christians today, it needs to have much emphasis laid upon it. No man will enter into His
inheritance in Christ apart from first experiencing death to his soul life. We can either
embrace this death to the soul's rule over our lives now by yielding our lives wholly to follow
Christ wherever He directs, or we will have our soul life destroyed in the lake of fire in the
age to come. The necessity of dying to the life of the soul is revealed plainly in the following
words of Christ.

Luke 14:26-27
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate... even his own life (psuche - soul), he cannot
be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My
disciple."

The Greek word "psuche" is translated as "heart, life, mind and soul" in the KJV Bible.
It is a word used to describe that inner life that guides and animates a living being. The soul
is influenced by many external forces. Prior to being born of the Spirit, the greatest
influence upon the soul is the flesh. The flesh expresses its cravings and desires to the soul.
The soul in turn decides what response it will make to this input.
The natural man is completely dominated by his soul. He is daily choosing to fulfill
the desires and needs of the body, whether for food, sex, comfort, pleasure, ease,
excitement, peace, or a myriad of other passions. The life of Adamic man is dominated by
the soul. It is a sensual life, and one devoted to self-gratification.
The life of Christ is different. It is dominated by the Spirit. The focus of the life of
Christ is not upon self, but rather upon pleasing the Father.

John 6:38
"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent
Me."

While Christ was in the flesh He lived entirely for the will and pleasure of His Father.
He never deviated from this focus. Because Christ was born of woman, He knew the
influence of the feminine soul. Being born of the seed of the Father, He also had the
influence of the masculine Spirit. This led to conflict within Christ's being to see who would
have ascendancy. Would Yahshua walk as a pleasing Son by being directed by the Spirit in
all things, or would He capitulate to the passions and desires of the soul?
This struggle was never seen more clearly than when Christ wrestled with drinking
from that cup of suffering His Father presented to Him while in the Garden of Gethsemane.
This cup contained the suffering of the cross, and death to the flesh.

Matthew 26:38-39
Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and