The Thrice-Fold Life

"...And he did eat"





The Christian life is a thrice-fold life. We must understand that our life in Christ is 3 deep. It was the Godhead that was/is active in the salvation of sinners. The Father chose us, the Son secured us, and the Spirit draws us. God created man in His image, and therefore, man is a trinity. Granted, since the fall all are now in the image or likeness of Adam (Gen. 5:3) but man is still spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23). Man in his adamic (unsaved) state is fallen in his nature (Eph.2:1).

In this study it is the writer's hope to demonstrate the thrice-fold sin which affects man in his whole person. First the word "spirit" must be defined. To this writer "spirit" is defined as "mind". The mind is divided between intellect and affections (feelings). The word "body", of course, means our physical being.

When the literal events of Eden are considered one will find sin affecting Adam and Eve to their very core. It is clear to the focused reader that Adam chose to eat the Eve-offered fruit. He knew that death was certain upon partaking of the forbidden fruit. Adam chose to die with Eve rather than live with the Evening-walking God. This shows us the fall of Adam's affections (feelings). Is it any surprise that the "Second Adam" would state that His disciples must love Him and hate (oppose) family (Luke 14:26)? It will also be noted that Adam made an intellectual choice to partake of the fatal fruit. Adam, when offered the fruit, must have considered the warning from God. Yet, in spite of the warning he made the decision to eat and his intellect was affected. At this point their destiny was sealed; "So [God] drove out the man." Centuries later Paul would write, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Paul would further state, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned..." (Roman 5).

It is the writer's hope that in these few words it has been made clear that sin has affected man in a thrice-fold manner. Man is a sinner to his very core. Man has been infected in his intellect, in his affections, and in his body. Man loves to dwell in sinful thought. His sinful thought is a private world- a world all to himself; a world over which Satan is god (2 Cor. 4:4). Man in his feelings or affections is sinful. He loves sin. As he carries out his lusts in his sin and pleasure-loving body, he demonstrates this hidden and thoroughly infected nature.

If the above is accurate then it must follow that repentance, conversion, and holiness must be thrice-fold as well. Lord permitting, our "thrice-fold" theme will continue in future studies.