Hebrews 4:1-16

The Dividing of Soul and Spirit

I. The Main Dividing Factor

A. The Word of God - Heb. 4:12

1. God's speaking and revelation concerning His rest - Heb. 4:1-2, 7

a) God's rest in creation - Heb. 4:3-4

b) Christ's rest in His finished work - Heb. 1:3

c) Israel's rest in the good land - Heb. 4:2-3, 6, 8; Deut. 12:9
(cf. Psa. 95:7-11)

(1) The building of God's house - 1 Kings 8:15-21, 54-56;

1 Chron. 22:9-10; 28:8; Psa. 132:5-14

d) The believer's rest in Christ - Matt. 11:28-29

e) The remaining sabbath rest of God's purpose - Heb. 4:8-9

(1) The rest of revelation - Heb. 4:9-11

(a) Concerning the church life - Eph. 3:9-11

(b) Concerning the kingdom - Rev. 20:1-6

2. Man's response to God's speaking - Heb. 4:2-3

a) Hearing - Heb. 4:1-2; Gal. 3:2, 5

b) Mingling faith with hearing - Heb. 4:4; Rom. 10:8-13

c) Divided and discerned by the Word - Heb. 4:12

d) Exposed by the Word/God - Heb. 4:12-13

3. Being supplied to respond - Heb. 4:14-16

a) In the One who has gone before in victory - Heb. 4:14

b) In the One who presently can sympathize with our problems - Heb. 4:15

c) Coming forward to the throne of grace - Heb. 4:16

II. Other Dividing Factors

A. Praying in the Holy Spirit - Jude 19-20

B. Being filled in spirit - Eph. 5:17-19 and 6:6

C. Enjoyment in the Word - Col. 3:16, 23; James 1:21

D. Exercising faith - Heb. 10:38-39

E. Obedience to the truth - 1 Pet. 1:22-23

F. The Lord's discipline - Heb. 12:3-11

G. Trials - 1 Pet. 1:6-9; Luke 21:19

H. Disharmony in relationships - Phil. 1:27; 2:1-2; 4:1-4

I. The contrast between a soulish and spiritual man - 1 Cor. 2:14-16

III. Identifying the Soul-life

A. Anxiety - Matt. 6:21-25

B. Emotionally tired and burdened down - Matt. 11:28-30

C. Self-preservation - Matt. 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24

D. Engulfed with sorrow - Matt. 26:38

E. Material security and pleasure-seeking - Luke 12:15-22

F. Inordinate relationships - Luke 14:26

G. Attachment to things - Luke 17:31-33

H. Being troubled - John 12:24-27

I. Bothered and upset - Acts 15:24

J. Inwardly coping - 1 Pet. 2:11

K. Being inwardly tormented - 2 Pet. 2:8

IV. Identifying the Human Spirit

A. Willingness in spirit - Matt. 26:41

B. Knowing things in our spirit - Mark 2:8

C. Groaning in spirit - Mark 8:12; Rom. 8:23; 2 Cor. 5:4-5

D. Exulting in spirit - Luke 1:46-47; Acts 2:26

E. Deeply moved in spirit - John 11:33

F. Troubled in spirit - John 13:21

G. Provoked in spirit - Acts 17:16

H. Purposing in spirit - Acts 19:21

I. Serving God in our spirit - Rom. 1:9; Rom. 7:6; Phil. 3:3

J. Newness of spirit - Rom. 7:6

K. Walking according to spirit - Rom. 8:4

L. Having our being according to spirit - Rom. 8:5

M. The nature of our disposition and being in spirit - Rom. 8:6

N. The spirit being life - Rom. 8:10

O. A spirit of sonship and the mingled Spirit - Rom. 8:15 and Gal. 4:6

P. The witness of the Holy Spirit with our spirit - Rom. 8:16

Q. Burning in spirit and serving - Rom. 12:11