Wholly—and Holy—God’s (Greg Goes Wild or Greg’s Diatribe or A Kind of Soul Dialogue)

Sometimes in our family, we practice a soapbox moment, where we simply stand and

proclaim our views… as if people really cared. So I’ll start with a question on the soul from my imaginary friend, which is softball pitch for me to diatribe.

Imaginary friend: We’ve been talking for a while, and I’ve been wondering if there’s some payoff from all this discussion of the soul. Greg, what’s your point?

GSC: Integration. That’s my point. Bringing all of our soul to all of God. 

To be one, wholly—and holy—God’s. 

That is the point of talking about the soul.

Is it ok if I preach it? I’m convinced there’s just one you, and there’s simply one me that God created. We can talk about “body” and “soul” and “spirit” and “mind.” But God doesn’t want us separated. God wants us to be one person who relates to our one Lord. 

Now various sciences tell us that parts of the human brain developed in different ways, and so it’s natural (in that sense) to feel dis-unified. But spiritual life is the practice and power that brings us together and in some ways works to reverse what’s natural.

I mean, disunity is at least one huge component of sin. Isn’t that what Paul lamented in Romans 7—“I don’t understand my own actions”—that there were at least two selves fighting against each other? Sometimes it feels like a barroom brawl inside of my noggin!

And this seems to me to be one key element of monotheism—our belief in one God. We don’t go from deity to deity, like ancient pagans did—a god for our work guild, another god for love, another for the political life, and yet another for the home. And son on… As Christians, we know one God who loves, creates, and redeems all of us.

At our best then, our souls aren’t separate parts of us, warring against everything else—against our flesh, or whatever else.

Instead, being fully alive is bringing all of us to all of God. If anything, the soul ought to describe that unity. To be one, wholly—and holy—God’s. That is the point of talking about the soul.

How’s that for a soapbox moment?