Welcome back to Altar’d Reality! Today, Jen, Lauren, and Tassy are diving into a question that every Christian has wrestled with: If we are new creations in Christ, why do we still struggle so much with our "old self"? We explore the biblical design of our body, soul, and spirit to understand how salvation actually works and how to retrain our minds to align with God’s truth.

In this episode, we cover:

• The Struggle is Real: We look at Paul’s honest confession in Romans—doing the evil he doesn’t want and failing to do the good he desires. We discuss why loving Jesus doesn't magically make our impatience or anxiety disappear overnight.
• What Actually Changed at Salvation?: We break down the "three tenses" of being saved: you have been saved from sin's penalty, you are being saved (transformed/renewed), and you will be saved when Jesus returns. At salvation, your spirit is made alive, but your personality and body remain the same.

The Three-Part Design:

• The Body: Our physical connection to the world, experienced through the senses. It is not something to be "escaped" but is a good temple that will one day be resurrected as a glorified body.
• The Soul: Our inner life, consisting of personality, emotions, and mind. We discuss how the soul can feel exhausted even when the body is rested, and why we need David-style "soul pep talks".
• The Spirit: The "lamp of the Lord" uniquely designed to commune with God.
• The House Metaphor: Jen shares a powerful illustration to distinguish the three: The Body is the structure people see; the Soul is everything inside (furniture, memories, personality); and the Spirit is the room where you commune with God.
• Retraining the Mind: We discuss Romans 12 and the necessity of "discipling" our thinking. Jen shares a favorite quote: "Read the Bible until it starts talking back to you".
• Conviction vs. Condemnation: We talk about how to distinguish God’s voice from the enemy’s. The Holy Spirit points to the sin or action to bring correction, while the enemy points to you to bring shame.
• Guarding the Portals: We discuss the importance of being mindful of what our spirits are sensitive to, including music, media, and "echo chambers".

Our Challenge to You

This week, practice adjusting your posture toward God. If you feel stuck or numb, don't overcomplicate it. Go outside, look at creation, and start giving thanks for the simple things like the trees or the sky. Let your spirit wake up your soul through gratitude.

Resources & Links

• Josh Howerton on the Shawn Ryan Podcast.
• Jordan Peterson: Control Your Emotions video on YouTube
• Scripture References: Romans 7 and 12, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 42:5, Job 38, and Galatians 5.
• Logos Bible Software: An incredible study tool with AI features to help you dig deeper. Use our link to sign up for Logos. You get a 30 day free trial and $10 off your purchase. If you sign, up we get a credit to our account so we can purchase more resources.

Grab your favorite cool beverage and join us as we remind ourselves that, in the end, it is Jesus over everything, always!