Nobody begins their life as a fully mature person. Biologically, everyone passes through distinct stages of development: prenatal, newborn, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and finally adulthood. Naturally occurring processes in the body and proper nourishment aid a person’s physical growth. But a human being is more than their physical body. Holy Scripture teaches that human beings are composed of a body and a soul (or body, soul, and spirit). Christ Jesus makes clear references to human nature as consisting of both body and soul (e.g. Matt. 10:28). The writings of Peter and Paul, the “Prince of the Apostles” and Apostle to the Gentiles, also make explicit the truth about this inner nature of human beings. Ignoring or failing to apply the scriptural truth that we have a body and a soul results in an incomplete understanding of human life and therefore an inability to tend to the needs for spiritual development and wholistic personal health.
In the closing of his letter to the church in the ancient city of Thessalonica, the apostle Paul wrote, “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:23, ESV).” Although there was awareness and consideration given to the spiritual realm in ages past, modern scientific models do very little to incorporate or acknowledge what is taught by Holy Scripture. All sorts of rationalization are frequently given by defenders of this new orthodoxy, where the secular view of human life reigns supreme. We must ask ourselves: how long will we be able to endure the pride, ignorance, and the spiritual neglect that is common with the rejection of biblical teaching today? To be made whole and right with the almighty God who created us in His image, we must return to the truths which are communicated in God’s Word and diligently apply them to our lives.
St. Peter writes, “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up to salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:2–3, ESV).” God has created us for life with Him, and that takes shape in our life when we come to accept God’s Word and walk in the light of its truth. In his magnificent letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul instructs and exhorts members of the young church to “grow up” to “mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:13, ESV).” Understanding what is required for spiritual growth begins with recognizing that we have been created in the image of God and been given a body and soul. What follows is tending to the needs for our development, not just in body but soul, so that by God’s grace and the help of the Holy Spirit we can become mature people of God.
