The Mystery of Man & His Search

By Arthur J Licursi

For most of mankind there is an inner sense that something is obviously missing. Deep within everybody knows it and unconsciously tries to fill the void with many things and pursuits. Yet, it’s a void that seems it can’t be filled.

There may not be anything wrong in these pursuits, but they do not satisfy the inner longing to be satisfied.

Nevertheless, an undefined inner yearning for satisfaction remains. It is like a tune that cannot be forgotten, it comes again and again – the sense that there must be something more to be found in life. Perhaps as you relax, trying to sleep, the gnawing sense returns – a sense that something must be missing.

Seeking to quench and satisfy this hunger within is the driving force within man, pushing him on from the time of his birth, usually leading him down many empty and blind alleys before he finds the truth and real satisfaction. In the course of life we may search out so many things, proving that they do not actually satisfy our deepest longing; and that’s okay since most all of us have to go wrong for quite some time before we find true satisfaction.

What is Man?

To himself man is a mystery in the universe. Of all the creatures on earth only man is so driven by something within. Animals live instinctually, but man has a deeper awareness of his emptiness and hunger that drives him on. Although we know more about man now than ever before, his DNA, RNA, the human genome, cell structure, the working of the brain and bodily organs, laws of physics. etc., most do not understand man’s innermost need.

We have more basic questions to answer…

Most philosophers, psychologists, and theologians realize that man is not so simple. He is regarded as an entity with a dual nature, having the physical and metaphysical – of biological and psychological components. This is pretty much the extent of the common understanding of the fundamental make-up of man.

Yet still in the light of this degree of understanding man remain powerless to quench his feeling or sense of inner emptiness.

For most, man remains to be a mystery.

Let’s now examine “man” further to understand his unconscious seeking.

The Physical Body Is a Dead End

Everyone is aware of his own body. It’s tangible, temporal, and lends itself to scientific investigation. If you ask a chemist, “What is man?” he might produce a analysis chart and point out to you conclusively that man is so much water, nitrogen, carbon, and various other elements. Yet he would have been referring to only the physical part of man’s being. Thus, man appears to be identical to the elements of the earth. Genesis 2:7a the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground …

Since the beginning of history, man has sought to be free from the imprisonment of his body and touch something that will satisfy his inner longing. He has tried sex, drugs, alcohol and to find new ways of pleasing his physical senses, even now with “virtual electronic world.” Yet only finds that nothing really satisfies that hunger deep within. Physical and sensual pleasure is so fleeting. Although man has managed to prolong his biological life, still every man comes to the point where he has to admit that the body is a literal dead end.

What About the Metaphysical – The Unseen Non-Physical Part of Man?

If you were to ask the psychologist about man, he might say that besides a body, you have a more inward, hidden, composition. Man has a mind - a consciousness, and a thinking organ. Man also has emotions – the faculty of an inner feeling sense, capable of loving, hating, being depressed, and elated. He might also point out that man has a will, a faculty for choosing, judging, deciding, and making decisions.

The psychologist would in this way describe man as more than a mere physical being, as a psychological being also. In short, man is a living, thinking, feeling, and willing entity. He is not mere animated dust, but a real live person; with each person having a uniquely distinctive personality. This, the psychologist would say is you. Your real self, he would explain, is your inner-self, your hidden psychological self, while your body is just the outward shell of your being. Scripture confirms this much about the soul of man. 1 Cor. 15:45s …The first man Adam was made a living soul; … Genesis 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life (spirit); and man became a living soul.

According to the meaning of the word, this psychological part is the soul of man. “Psyche” comes from the Greek transliteration, “psuche,” then translated in the Bible as “soul.” Psychology is the study of the soul. Each individual’s unique faculties of the soul, his mind, emotions, and will, comprise his inward person, his personality.

The last two centuries of human history have seen the spectacular rise of the soul’s powers. The great minds of men have contributed an abundance of thought and discovery. The great minds and wills of men have produced an abundance of decisive action in government and culture. Without doubt the soul has soared to its zenith in recent history – yet in spite of man’s great accomplishments, the sense of inner emptiness remains. This is evidenced as we note the number of unhappy people, the suicides, the addicted and the divorced.

We can conquer the moon, work with nanotechnology, and investigate the genome of man, but still, deep within every man’s self, there remains some yet uncharted territory. In all this the capacity of man’s soul is inadequate to satisfy man; his highest thoughts are soon forgotten, his deepest emotions quickly fade, his most adamant determination of will falters. Within the soul of man, the search for a key to the mystery of man ends in frustration.

In order to fathom the mystery of man, we must go beyond the physical realm, and also beyond the psychological realm, to find the missing key to man.

The Human Spirit – is the Third and Most Vital Part of Man’s Being.

Hidden and obscured, there is another organ and faculty deeper within man than his soul. It has remained a mystery throughout all the ages. It is the unknown object of every seekers search for reality and satisfaction. It is far deeper than man’s body and deeper yet than man’s mentality of understanding.

By our self we could never find it. We could meditate in our mind – but never find it. We could sit under a tree for hours in the sun or shade, ponder, clear your mind of every thought, try recollect the past, consider the future, concentrate, open up, try be enlightened, whatever… still we would not find it. That is because the key to man is deeper than our soul sense.

Man is Tri-part in His Make-up.

1 Thes. 5:23 …I (Paul) pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless...

Herein is the key to answering our questions.

There is so much misconception of the distinction between the soul of man and the spirit of man, in the world today, especially in the religious world. Yet, there is a very great difference in the purpose and function of the soul of man and the spirit of man.

Just as the life-giving marrow as the source of life in the physical body is twice hidden, in man’s flesh and then also within the bone; hidden within the body and the soul of man is deeper third part, it is the human spirit. The human spirit is so close to the soul, so encased by the soul, that it is often mistaken for the soul; but it is not the soul. It is the spirit of man.

Job 32:8 “But there is a spirit in man:” …

Proverbs 20:27 “The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord” …

Zech 12:1b “…the spirit of man within him…”

Hebrews 4:12 “… dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow…”

Again and again comes the inner yearning, a restlessness driven by a hunger for fulfillment. It is a desire that emanates from our unfulfilled human spirit. It is our empty spirit, as a living yet empty container, that gnaws at us, desiring to be filled.

If the human spirit is yet empty while generating this desire and hunger, what does it desire?

The human spirit was made to contain God Himself, to be filled with God. So, God placed the desire in man that his human spirit would be filled and satisfied by receiving God.

All roads to this deepest part of your being have been cut off – your soulish self-effort cannot get you there… all roads but one won’t work -- Only God Himself can get you there.

Otherwise, man is never satisfied because his deepest part still remains to be filled with God’s very life and nature. Indeed, the very purpose and function of man is …to receive, and be filled with, the very life of God Himself. It is for this purpose that man, unique among creation, was created with a human spirit organ, as the precise location and organ meant specifically to relate to and ultimately contain the very life of God who is “The Spirit.”

THUS, BY OUR SPIRIT WE ARE “GOD-CONSCIOUS.”

The mind is able to think, but only the human spirit can contact, receive, and be filled with God Himself as the fulfillment of man’s desire and search for satisfaction.

Why are we equipped with a spirit?

Every man needs to become completed in spirit by receiving Christ’s “Spirit of life.” Col. 2:9-10 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

“God is Spirit” (John 4:24). Just like the air enveloping us. He is so available and so willing to fill the void that was created in every man’s human spirit, made especially to contain Him. Christ the Lord is now the “Spirit of life” (Rom 8:2, 2Cor 3:17), and we have a human spirit. These two spirits were made to go together - in us as “one spirit.” 1 Cor. 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”

Every believer was justified by Christ shed blood at the cross on our behalf to pay our sin account due…“in full.” But to be born-anew is not the legal aspect of our salvation. To be born anew is organic…life related. It is … to receive “the Spirit of Christ” into our human spirit to give us His life as our new life. Christ’s Spirit bears the very life of the resurrected Christ as the “Seed” (Greek, sperma) of God the Father. This Seed bears the life and nature of God our Father, now to become our life and nature. Only then does God become “our father.”

John 3:6 …that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 1 Cor. 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Col. 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery (musterion, secret that only God can reveal), which is Christ in you… 1 John 4:13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

To take God’s Spirit of life into you is very easy. Through His death on the cross, Christ shed His blood and accomplished perfect redemption for us. He’s paid for our sins and our ego-centric selfishness that has separated us from God for so long. Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

So, all problems between God and us have been fully solved. All there is left to do is …receive Him.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe (trust in, cling to, and rely upon) on his name:

“The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” is right now available and ready to come into each one who would receive Him as we just open our heart to Him, just as we are, in a simple way.

By opening your heart and calling upon Him by name – “Jesus” – you will touch the Lord.

Romans 10:9-10 …if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

Immediately, the living Spirit of Christ will come into your human spirit and you will be one with Him forever – never to be separated again.

Immediately, deep within, something new will come to birth – something you have never experienced before. The peace, the joy, and the satisfaction that is of relationship with the indwelling Christ alone will grow day by day.

Your whole life will be changed … now around a new center, Christ within your spirit. At last, the search has ended - you have become a normal human – filled with God within your spirit, fulfilled as God intended. Col. 2:10 And ye are complete in him …

 

The following diagram is to demonstrate our human anatomy.

We were made having three distinct organs of our being; 1) human spirit, 2) soul, and 2) physical body. The following diagram is to demonstrate our human anatomy.

1 Thes. 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (totally, completely); and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The above diagram indicates the proper order of our being to be ruled at our core – our spirit. We, as a self-soul, are to be to be born anew, and then ruled by the Christ’s “Spirit of life,” from within our human spirit. Christ dwells within and is one with the believer’s innermost part, their human spirit.

We could say;

Spirit is to rules soul,

…and the submissive soul, in turn, is empowered to rule the physical body.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

As Christians, we are to be governed by the Spirit of the Lord (“The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus,” Rom 8:2a), who was dispensed into us at the very moment we believed to receive Him.

Christ now is specifically located within and one with every believer’s human spirit

1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

Christ desires to flow outward from His abode in our human spirit, which is located in the midst of out being (Daniel 7:5, Col 1:26-27, Rom 8:8-10).

Hence man is to be ruled and empowered from inside, at his core, where the reality of the true life of Christ resides.

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