Little Red Book Ministry

it were. But, if it is in fact not true or right, we know this in our heart of hearts. Thus, a person’s heart tells him (or her) that it is all right to cheat on his spouse for many good reasons. But at some level beyond his heart, he knows that he is ultimately in the wrong. The seat of this understanding is in the mind.

The mind is the part of man that is renewed in the process of regeneration of the spirit which brings salvation (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23). In the process of regeneration, our spirit is forever joined to the spirit of God and therefore to the spirits of all other saved people. We become, in essence, one spirit.

“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17).

1 Corinthians 3:16; 12:13; Ephesians 2:22; 4:3–4

However, there is something within us that can impede this unity. “Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bondof peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

This thing that makes us have to endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit is the possibility of a change of mind. The will changes the mind which in turn affects the unity of the Spirit. The will can not directly change the unity of the spirit, but rather must go through the medium of the mind. Thus, the mind operates the spirit.

“And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27).

For this reason we are exhorted over and over to preserve the unity of the spirit by controlling our mind, or more correctly, by wilfully giving control of our mind over to the Holy Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 1:10; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 4:23; Philippians 1:27; 2:2, 5; 1 Peter 3:8

F. The spirit in death
1. The spirit of the lost person goes back to God
Ecclesiastes 3:21; 12:7; Job 34:14–15

2. The spirit of the saved person integrates with the Spirit of God forever from the moment of salvation

John 17:20–21; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:17; Ephesians 2:22