The 'whole' man...

...whole can refer to as complete, it appears in this case, whole is applied to as to the 'entire man', Spirit, Soul, and Body..

Jesus, our pattern, was 'whole' in being 'one' with the Father... the 'perfect' man, in the 'body' that was preparefor Him.

John stated that those 'not born of the will of the flesh, but of God' as having power to become the sons of God.
Solomon had art galore, but we recall him as a man whose heart was turned from God by his 'appreciation' for women.

The disciples admired the temple in its glory, Jesus referred to its being destroyed, today it is a footnote in history.
The Apostle Paul stated we are buried with Christ, not hypothetically, or positionally, but in God's perception literally. Self preservation, self motivation, self-pleasing, self rule are are aspects of a man unacquainted with the 'Lord' Jesus Christ. This presented issues to the early church, and to every believer since the resurrection.

Today, there are teachings that we are under 'grace' and no one can be expected to be perfect. This appeals to the entire man'. This in essence is saying that God requested the impossible of 99 year old Abram, and the holiness God requires is impossible. Let God be true, let everyman be a liar. 

'In Christ' is a reference the Apostle Paul used over 160 times, in Romans 8 he explains, 'you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if Christ abides in you'. The separation of natural, spiritual is made in this chapter by walking in the spirit, the Holy Spirit just as Jesus offered Himself up by the 'spirit of Holiness'... Along this line, Jesus stated if you abide in me, i will abide in you. It is on 'us' to bring every thought into obedience and abide in Him.. 

In another place, God gives the Holy Spirit to those that obey Him.. and another, we cannot call Jesus Lord, BUT by the Holy Spirit.

Discipleship has been replaced with the 'i am ok, you are okay' mentality of going along to get along'.. 

One last note, without faith, it is impossible to please God, and the Father was always with Jesus, as Jesus did only those things that pleased Him.

The 'whole' man, is one who has the fire of the Holy Spirit on the living sacrifice, God's word a light to his feet, again, fire on the oil in the lamp, (not just knowledge Jesus called that darkness), Lastly, Gods word is the authority. 

Intellect, creativeness, art, that is based in reasoning, not scripture, is indeed suspect. 

God bless..

Rich