View this email in your browser

Lambert Dolphin

The True Temple Newsletter #3

Dear Friends,

[Note from Lawrence] Lambert is blessedly writing more and more these days and here is his next newsletter. Lambert says to tell you that his web site (Ldolphin.org) has a little-known audio file detailing his life story which he says is more thorough than is in written form. He has been asking for his friends to please have a listen to it and let him know what they think. The recording (ldolphin.org/audio/lambertd.mp3) is from way back in the late autumn of 1962 at Stonecroft Ministries and recounts his long journey towards knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way.

A Temporary Tent... Newsletter #3

The True Temple, Who, (or What) Is a Person?

I have been interested in the nature of man ever since I took a Freshman Psych class at San Diego State College in 1954. I was not a follower of Christ back then so I devoured Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, and other secular sources. After my conversion to Christianity I revised my world view and my views on the nature of man. The following is a summary of my current beliefs on this subject.

I believe we all have been created by God as tripartite men and women. I like the model that we are body, soul and spirit. In an ancient book in my library I found a drawing by Clarence Larkin. (1850-1924), which illustrates this view.

The Bible teaches that we (Man) are the true temple where God ultimately dwells. While he was on Mt. Sinai, Moses was shown the temple in heaven from which exact copies were to made in the Jewish Tabernacle, and the two temples in Jerusalem which followed see (templemount.org).

Hebrews gives us further details about believers as the final dwelling place for the living God. (My understanding of these matters can be researched by visiting the library of the late Ray C. Stedman at (raystedman.org). Please don’t take my word for what I am sharing. Check with Ray (RCS) and read your Bible please cover-to-cover).

The physical body is described in the Bible as an earthen vessel, a house for soul and spirit. To Christians, “...we have this treasure (Christ) in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of us.” (2 Cor 4:7) Our bodies are mortal, running on 4-dimensional time (length, width, height & time). Because of sin our bodies age, get tired, become sick, and eventually “die.” Of course our bodies, though fallen, are fearfully and wonderfully made, equipped with amazing files and systems.

The resurrection of the mortal does not mean that our present bodies are not redeemable. They are, and will be, redeemed and made new when Christ returns. The redemption of our bodies and the resurrection of the dead are important teachings in the Bible. Therefore my discussion on Man as tripartite is naive and incomplete. For the sake of my model, our mortal bodies are containers for our Soul and Spirit which are not physical places, or tangible entities. These invisible dimensions number at least ten, according to Chuck Missler. The Bible locates the invisible, unseen realities in “the heavenly place,” Hence, Ro. 6:7-12.

A digression

A favorite teaching from the Bible, I have believed for many years, is found in 2 Cor. 5:1-5. See if you agree with me. If you do, it should be a liberating secret. (See also RCS). Several words from the original Greek are of interest. Notice that our present bodies are likened to a temporary tent and our resurrection bodies are instead solid and permanent. Note the verb tense is present tense, “now.” Our present bodies (limited to only four dimensions) are dying but the dearly departed leaving earth-time experiences immortality immediately. That is, he or she time travels in an instant to join all other believers from the departure in this life into the presence of God, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...” as described in 1st Thess. 4:13-18. Not all men enjoy a personal relationship with the risen Lord Jesus. Though loved by God, some reject Jesus to their dying day. When they die they cannot join the redeemed in heaven. They will be granted their foolish heart's desires and be excluded forever from the presence of God.

Interlinear Bible Our Eternal Dwelling [2 Cor 5:1-9] (Long Passage...)

1 1492 [e]	1063 [e]	3754 [e]	1437 [e]	3588 [e]	1919 [e]	1473 [e]	3614 [e]	3588 [e]
1 oidamen	gar	hoti	ean	hē	epigeios	hēmōn	oikia	tou
1 οἴδαμεν	γὰρ	ὅτι	ἐὰν	ἡ	ἐπίγειος	ἡμῶν	οἰκία	τοῦ
1 we know	indeed	that	if	-	earthly	of our	house	the
1 V-RIA-1P	Conj	Conj	Conj	Art-NFS	Adj-NFS	PPro-G1P	N-NFS	Art-GNS

4636 [e]	2647 [e]	3619 [e]	1537 [e]	2316 [e]	2192 [e]	3614 [e]	886 [e]
skēnous	katalythē	oikodomēn	ek	Theou	echomen	oikian	acheiropoiēton
σκήνους	καταλυθῇ ,	οἰκοδομὴν	ἐκ	Θεοῦ	ἔχομεν ,	οἰκίαν	ἀχειροποίητον ,
tent	should be destroyed	a building	from	God	we have	a house	not made with hands
N-GNS	V-ASP-3S	N-AFS	Prep	N-GMS	V-PIA-1P	N-AFS	Adj-AFS

166 [e]	1722 [e]	3588 [e]	3772 [e]	2 2532 [e]	1063 [e]	1722 [e]	3778 [e]	4727 [e]
aiōnion	en	tois	ouranois	2 kai	gar	en	toutō	stenazomen
αἰώνιον	ἐν	τοῖς	οὐρανοῖς .	2 καὶ	γὰρ ,	ἐν	τούτῳ	στενάζομεν ,
eternal	in	the	heavens	2 and	indeed	in	this	we groan
Adj-AFS	Prep	Art-DMP	N-DMP	2 Conj	Conj	Prep	DPro-DNS	V-PIA-1P

3588 [e]	3613 [e]	1473 [e]	3588 [e]	1537 [e]	3772 [e]	1902 [e]	1971 [e]
to	oikētērion	hēmōn	to	ex	ouranou	ependysasthai	epipothountes
τὸ	οἰκητήριον	ἡμῶν ,	τὸ	ἐξ	οὐρανοῦ	ἐπενδύσασθαι	ἐπιποθοῦντες
the	dwelling	of us	which [is]	from	heaven	to be clothed with	longing
Art-ANS	N-ANS	PPro-G1P	Art-ANS	Prep	N-GMS	V-ANM	V-PPA-NMP

3 1487 [e]	1065 [e]	2532 [e]	1746 [e]	3756 [e]	1131 [e]	2147 [e]	4 2532 [e]
3 ei	ge	kai	endysamenoi	ou	gymnoi	heurethēsometha	4 kai
3 εἴ	γε	καὶ	ἐνδυσάμενοι ,	οὐ	γυμνοὶ	εὑρεθησόμεθα .	4 καὶ
3 if	indeed	also	having been clothed	not	naked	we will be found	4 and
3 Conj	Prtcl	Conj	V-APM-NMP	Adv	Adj-NMP	V-FIP-1P	4 Conj

1063 [e]	3588 [e]	1510 [e]	1722 [e]	3588 [e]	4636 [e]	4727 [e]	916 [e]
gar	hoi	ontes	en	tō	skēnei	stenazomen	baroumenoi
γὰρ ,	οἱ	ὄντες	ἐν	τῷ	σκήνει ,	στενάζομεν ,	βαρούμενοι ;
indeed	-	being	in	the	tent	we groan	being burdened
Conj	Art-NMP	V-PPA-NMP	Prep	Art-DNS	N-DNS	V-PIA-1P	V-PPM/P-NMP

1909 [e]	3739 [e]	3756 [e]	2309 [e]	1562 [e]	235 [e]	1902 [e]	2443 [e]
eph’	hō	ou	thelomen	ekdysasthai	all’	ependysasthai	hina
ἐφ’	ᾧ	οὐ	θέλομεν	ἐκδύσασθαι ,	ἀλλ’	ἐπενδύσασθαι ,	ἵνα
because	that	not	we do wish	to be unclothed	but	to be clothed	that
Prep	RelPro-DNS	Adv	V-PIA-1P	V-ANM	Conj	V-ANM	Conj

2666 [e]	3588 [e]	2349 [e]	5259 [e]	3588 [e]	2222 [e]	5 3588 [e]	1161 [e]
katapothē	to	thnēton	hypo	tēs	zōēs	5 ho	de
καταποθῇ	τὸ	θνητὸν	ὑπὸ	τῆς	ζωῆς .	5 ὁ	δὲ
might be swallowed up	the	mortal	by	-	life	5 the [One]	moreover
V-ASP-3S	Art-NNS	Adj-NNS	Prep	Art-GFS	N-GFS	5 Art-NMS	Conj

2716 [e]	1473 [e]	1519 [e]	846 [e]	3778 [e]	2316 [e]	3588 [e]	1325 [e]	1473 [e]
katergasamenos	hēmas	eis	auto	touto	Theos	ho	dous	hēmin
κατεργασάμενος	ἡμᾶς	εἰς	αὐτὸ	τοῦτο ,	Θεός ,	ὁ	δοὺς	ἡμῖν
having prepared	us	for	this very	this [purpose]	[is] God	-	having given	to us
V-APM-NMS	PPro-A1P	Prep	PPro-AN3S	DPro-ANS	N-NMS	Art-NMS	V-APA-NMS	PPro-D1P

3588 [e]	728 [e]	3588 [e]	4151 [e]	6 2292 [e]	3767 [e]	3842 [e]	2532 [e]
ton	arrabōna	tou	Pneumatos	6 Tharrountes	oun	pantote	kai
τὸν	ἀρραβῶνα	τοῦ	Πνεύματος	6 Θαρροῦντες	οὖν	πάντοτε ,	καὶ
the	pledge	of the	Spirit	6 Being confident	therefore	always	and
Art-AMS	N-AMS	Art-GNS	N-GNS	6 V-PPA-NMP	Conj	Adv	Conj

1492 [e]	3754 [e]	1736 [e]	1722 [e]	3588 [e]	4983 [e]	1553 [e]	575 [e]
eidotes	hoti	endēmountes	en	tō	sōmati	ekdēmoumen	apo
εἰδότες	ὅτι ,	ἐνδημοῦντες	ἐν	τῷ	σώματι ,	ἐκδημοῦμεν	ἀπὸ
knowing	that	being at home	in	the	body	we are absent	from
V-RPA-NMP	Conj	V-PPA-NMP	Prep	Art-DNS	N-DNS	V-PIA-1P	Prep

3588 [e]	2962 [e]	7 1223 [e]	4102 [e]	1063 [e]	4043 [e]	3756 [e]	1223 [e]
tou	Kyriou	7 dia	pisteōs	gar	peripatoumen	ou	dia
τοῦ	Κυρίου --	7 διὰ	πίστεως	γὰρ	περιπατοῦμεν ,	οὐ	διὰ
the	Lord	7 by	faith	indeed	we walk	not	by
Art-GMS	N-GMS	7 Prep	N-GFS	Conj	V-PIA-1P	Adv	Prep

1491 [e]	8 2292 [e]	1161 [e]	2532 [e]	2106 [e]	3123 [e]	1553 [e]	1537 [e]
eidous	8 tharroumen	de	kai	eudokoumen	mallon	ekdēmēsai	ek
εἴδους .	8 θαρροῦμεν	δὲ ,	καὶ	εὐδοκοῦμεν ,	μᾶλλον	ἐκδημῆσαι	ἐκ
sight	8 we are confident	moreover	and	are pleased	rather	to be absent	out of
N-GNS	8 V-PIA-1P	Conj	Conj	V-PIA-1P	Adv	V-ANA	Prep

3588 [e]	4983 [e]	2532 [e]	1736 [e]	4314 [e]	3588 [e]	2962 [e]	9 1352 [e]
tou	sōmatos	kai	endēmēsai	pros	ton	Kyrion	9 dio
τοῦ	σώματος ,	καὶ	ἐνδημῆσαι	πρὸς	τὸν	Κύριον .	9 διὸ
the	body	and	to be at home	with	the	Lord	9 Therefore
Art-GNS	N-GNS	Conj	V-ANA	Prep	Art-AMS	N-AMS	9 Conj

2532 [e]	5389 [e]	1535 [e]	1736 [e]	1535 [e]	1553 [e]	2101 [e]	846 [e]
kai	philotimoumetha	eite	endēmountes	eite	ekdēmountes	euarestoi	autō
καὶ	φιλοτιμούμεθα ,	εἴτε	ἐνδημοῦντες	εἴτε	ἐκδημοῦντες ,	εὐάρεστοι	αὐτῷ
also	we are ambitious	whether	being at home	or	being away	well-pleasing	to him
Conj	V-PIM/P-1P	Conj	V-PPA-NMP	Conj	V-PPA-NMP	Adj-NMP	PPro-DM3S

1510 [e]

einai

εἶναι .

to be

V-PNA

Interlinear Bible © 2011 - 2013 by Biblos.com in cooperation with Helps Ministries

Section Headings Courtesy INT Bible
© 2012, Used by Permission Bible Hub

End of digression

The Soul in Larkin’s diagram interfaces with the body and the external world on the one hand and the Spirit on the inside. The boundary between Soul and Spirit is generally thought as somewhat diffuse. The Soul is usually modeled as “Mind, Emotions, and Will.” The Spirit of a person is thought to dwell in the “Heart” and “Mind” but these entities cannot be localized in our physical brain or our heart muscle. The role of our emotions, our self-image, our personal history our genetic and cultural valises, and such, are probably recorded in data files resident in the body and the soul. From the Bible we can be assured that God has a long memory and does not forget anything we say or do. This, “How shall we escape if we neglect such great salvation...” (Heb. 2:3) He does promise us, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Heb. 8:12)

“Soulish” or “Carnal” Christians (old terminology) are said to have excluded Jesus Christ from the control room of the Spirit, allowing Him to influence them only from the Soul. Many professing Christians have not yet surrendered to Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. This step makes all the difference in the world! If Jesus is not my Lord then my final authority is some other god, not Jesus. In terms of man as tripartite, my spirit attempts to live my life from the soul rather than from the innermost chamber, the Holy of holies of my body. My surrender to the Lordship of Christ, allows God the Holy Spirit to rule over all areas of my life. God has my permission to sanctify me. This is step two in His work of making me holy (whole).

The three stages of Christian life are often categorized as Justification, Sanctification and Glorification. (See Ro. 8:30) Those persons who do not yet know Jesus in a personal way are described as “dead in trespasses and sins.” But giving Jesus permission to take residence in our Spirit changes everything! “...and you God made alive when you were dead in trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among whom we all once lived...” (Eph. 2:1-10) The benefit of the tripartite model of Man (in my opinion) is that I can check the state of the Most Holy Place where my spirit lives in union with the Spirit of the Living God. (1 Cor. 6:17)

One final word, the Bible speaks of “man” in the generic sense. Most of the time this term applies to both men and women. Ray Stedman taught that men and women were identical in spirit but different in soul and body. God addresses all of us as living spirits. His speaks to Spirit to spirit.

References:
Ray Stedman, “Authentic Christianity.”
Ray Stedman, “Reason to Rejoice” (Romans)

Lambert MP3, Stonecroft Ministries - 1962

UPDATE ON LAMBERT by Lawrence (innervoyages@hotmail.com):

Very Great News! Lambert continues to improve physically, emotionally, and spiritually after coming home from the hospital in mid-August. He is very grateful for the prayers of his many friends. In fact, he had said he would surely have died last June, had it not been for the prayers of his many wonderful friends.

Lambert has been contacted by very many of you and appreciates hearing from everyone very much! If you haven't reached out to him yet please write to him this month a lambert@ldolphin.org. He also says for me to tell you that his income has been 1/4 to 1/3 normal and he is still paying hospital bills and catching up.

"I am way short on income at this time. I am very grateful for support funds in any amount. Your cash contributions may be sent to me through my PayPal Account http://www.ldolphin.org/donations.html. However, I am not able to provide a tax-deductible receipt if using PayPal. For a tax deductible receipt, donations must be made by check."

Mail a check, payable to Blue Letter Bible, to:

Blue Letter Bible
Attn: Lambert Dolphin Ministries
29 Rancho Circle
Lake Forest, CA 92630-8324

Please FORWARD this email on to anyone else who would like to hear news from Lambert!

Lambert lost his email list and we are working to recover it (Enter Names Here)

If you have a mailing list of his friends would you please share it with him or be willing to forward his newsletter to your email list?