Our Body, Soul and Spirit –1st November 2015

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth...” (John 4:24).

The soul and the spirit are the two primary immaterial aspects that Scripture ascribes to humanity. It can be confusing to attempt to discern the precise differences between the two. The word “spirit” refers only to the immaterial facet of humanity. Human beings have a spirit, but we are not spirits. But we must know that God is a spirit. “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11). However, in Scripture, only believers are said to be spiritually alive: Therefore we need to understand that there is a soul and the spirit which we can learn in Hebrews 4: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”. (Hebrews 4:12). We also can learn in James 2 that our spirit is what keeps our body alive: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (James 2:26).

In the bible we can learn that unbelievers are spiritually dead due to the ways of the world and one’s sin. “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient (Ephesians 2:1-2). We can also learn in Colossians 2:13 that when we are spiritually dead due to our sin, only that God can forgive our sins and give us life! “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins“. In Paul's writing, the spiritual aspect was pivotal to the life of the believer. It is our spirit that can accept and believe what God promises through His spirit or one will not even understand these key aspects. “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

We can learn when Paul says that as Christians we should pray that all whom we know may receive knowledge of God’s will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives. “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Colossians 1:9). Paul also teaches in Colossians 3:16 “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts”. By reading these teachings we can understand that the spirit is the element in humanity which gives us the ability to have an intimate relationship with God. Whenever the word “spirit” is used, it refers to the immaterial part of humanity that “connects” with God, who Himself is spirit: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24).

The word “soul” can refer to both the immaterial and material aspects of humanity. Unlike human beings having a spirit, human beings are souls. In its most basic sense, the word “soul” means “life.” However, beyond this essential meaning, the Bible speaks of the soul in many contexts. One of these is

humanity’s eagerness to sin. Humanity is naturally evil, and our souls are tainted as a result. The life principle of the soul is removed at the time of physical death. We can get some understanding when we read Genesis 35:18 “As she breathed her last—for she was dying—she named her son Ben-Oni. But his father named him Benjamin”. The soul, as with the spirit, is the center of many spiritual and emotional experiences which can be read in Job 30:25; ”Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has not my soul grieved for the poor?

While the two words are often used interchangeably, the primary distinction between soul and spirit in man is that the soul is the animate life, or the seat of the senses, desires, affections, appetites, and the life which we have in common with other animals. The spirit is that part of us that connects, or even refuses to connect, to God. Our spirits relate to His Spirit, either accepting or resisting His promptings and conviction. If we accept Gods promptings it thereby proves that we belong to Him which we can learn in Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children”. In the alternative if we are resisting Him, we are thereby proving that we do not have spiritual life: “You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! (Acts 7:51).

The soul and the spirit are connected, but separable as we can learn in Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”. Therefore we can surmise that the soul is the essence of humanity’s being; it is who we are. The spirit is the aspect of humanity that connects with God.

“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship inthe Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24).

Our Soul and Spirit