Jump to content


Photo

intellectual discernment


  • Please log in to reply
3 replies to this topic

#1 Brian Rushfeldt

Brian Rushfeldt

    Advanced Member

  • Validating
  • PipPipPip
  • 30 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • I am a Layperson

  • I attend a non-Alliance church

Posted 14 September 2010 - 05:39 AM

Fellow believers,

Today reading Tozer I am greatly challenged. He said "God made man in His own image and placed within him an organ by means of which he could know spiritual things." Scipture speaks of dividing of the soul and spirit.

Is there such a thing as intellectual dicernment, or is discernment limited to our spirit?

Often my spirit does not seem to be quickened the way I wish it were. Can God speak directly to our intellect?
1Cor 2:14 ??

all comments and experiences welcomed...

#2 Dave Dagwell

Dave Dagwell

    Member

  • Members
  • PipPip
  • 27 posts
  • Location:North Carolina
  • Interests:cycling, kayking, hiking, Bible study
  • Gender:Male
  • I am a Missionary

  • I attend an Alliance church
  • North Ridge

Posted 15 September 2010 - 06:09 AM

Fellow believers,

Today reading Tozer I am greatly challenged. He said "God made man in His own image and placed within him an organ by means of which he could know spiritual things." Scipture speaks of dividing of the soul and spirit.

Is there such a thing as intellectual dicernment, or is discernment limited to our spirit?

Often my spirit does not seem to be quickened the way I wish it were. Can God speak directly to our intellect?
1Cor 2:14 ??

all comments and experiences welcomed...


Brian,
Some Scripture verses to ponder are Mark 2:8, Romans 10:16, 1Cor 2:11. There are two schools of evangelical thought regarding the body, soul and spirit. The trichoyomist believe man is made up of a body, a soul and a spirit. They site the following verses: 1 Thess 5:23; Heb 4;12; 1 Cor 4:14. The dichotomists believe man is made of a body and a soul-spirit, that both terms are used interchangeably. Hope this helps.
Dave

#3 Travis Richey

Travis Richey

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 109 posts
  • Gender:Male
  • I am a Layperson

  • I attend a non-Alliance church
  • Granbury Church of the Nazarene

Posted 20 September 2010 - 05:15 PM

Concerning trichoyomist and dichotomist, I would have to now place myself with the trichoyomist, though for many years I was a dichotomist. I came across a teaching, of which I have attached a file to this post, which for me made a lot of my questions concerning who I am, and how I relate to God and to all things spiritual, make a lot of sense. If I am three parts, spirit, soul and body, and if my soul is made up of my mind, will and emotions, then many things become clear. My soul is caught between two sets of inputs...those from my physical body, and those from my spirit through which God's Spirit interacts. So, as in Romans Ch. 7, the warfare makes sense, the battleground is my soul, and I am pulled from the physical and the spiritual.

Inasmuch as we allow God's Spirit to speak to our spirit, and learn to have our soul "hear" the spirit and have that influence our mind and our will...then yes, we can discern with our intellect, but only after we have received that knowledge from God's Spirit through our spirit. If we only "hear" with our physical ears, even though we may be hearing God's Word or a message from His ministers, we will still only be receiving intellect. But as that whioh we physically hear is taken in along with that which we spiritually hear, and we allow God's Spirit to prevail, then we have learning, understanding and discernment.

Attached Files



#4 Kate Curry

Kate Curry

    Advanced Member

  • Members
  • PipPipPip
  • 34 posts
  • Location:Tennessee
  • Interests:The Lord God Almighty. People. Also gardening, reading and beating Level 15 of Day D Time Mayhem.
  • Gender:Female
  • I am a Layperson

  • I attend a non-Alliance church
  • Second Presbyterian

Posted 28 September 2010 - 08:37 AM

Fellow believers,

Today reading Tozer I am greatly challenged. He said "God made man in His own image and placed within him an organ by means of which he could know spiritual things." Scipture speaks of dividing of the soul and spirit.

Is there such a thing as intellectual dicernment, or is discernment limited to our spirit?

Often my spirit does not seem to be quickened the way I wish it were. Can God speak directly to our intellect?
1Cor 2:14 ??

all comments and experiences welcomed...


God can do whatever He chooses to do. It seems to me that my intellect is for analyzing the facts as I know them (or think I know them :)), but spiritual discernment tells me what to do with them. At times, I have knowledge about a situation and a strong impression I must act in a certain way with regard to that knowledge. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by intellectual discernment, though. I think any human being experiences flashes of cognitive insight so that's more like the rain falling on the just and the unjust.