MAN AS BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT.
According to Scripture man is triune in nature, a trinity; he is body, soul, and spirit. Since the three terms are used together in Scripture, they cannot be reduced to two terms, as the proponents of dualism contend. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul said, "I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." This verse shows all three terms used separately; therefore, they cannot be the same. In Hebrews 4:12 Paul said, "The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit." Luke 1:46-47 and Isaiah 26:9 also distinguish between soul and spirit.

Everyone knows what the body of flesh is, but what is the soul? What is the spirit? First, the soul is seen in Scripture to be the seat of the emotions, appetites, desires, and affections, such as love, hate, and joy. See 1 Kings 11:37; Deuteronomy 6:5 and 12:20.

Secondly, in Scripture the soul is the person himself. Sometimes it is translated as "his life." "And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the county from the face of his brother Jacob" (Genesis 36:6). The term translated "persons" is the Hebrew term "nephesh," which is translated as "soul" in other passages, such as Genesis 46:18; 12:13; Psalm 23:3. "These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls" (Genesis 46:18). In the Old Testament the term "nephesh" is often translated as "me" or "myself" or "the person himself."

What is the relationship between the soul and spirit? The spirit is the life principle which comes from God (Zechariah 12:1). Man is not spirit, but he has spirit from God. Man is soul according to Genesis 2:7. "God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Only God is Spirit and is contrasted in Isaiah 31:1-3 with animals, which are flesh.

Animals have souls but they are not spiritual; only man has a spiritual soul because of the inbreathing of God's image. God breathed His spiritual image into man whom He had created from the dust, and man became a living soul. Thus, this simple equation: body + spirit = soul. A man's body plus his spirit, which comes from God, makes him a living soul or person. So man is not spirit, although he does have a spiritual nature.

At His resurrection Jesus received a new, glorified body, which will be His for eternity. He vividly contrasted the nature of this glorified body with that of a spirit in Luke 24:36-43 when He appeared to His disciples, who, in their surprise, thought a spirit had come into their midst. The Lord calmed their fear with His words of comfort and offered to let them touch Him—to feel for themselves that He was flesh and bone, and not a spirit. He did not say flesh and blood, because flesh and blood shall not enter the Kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul said that in the resurrection Christians will have a spiritual body of flesh and bones, but it will be spiritual material.

Man's nature is not spirit; even Jesus Himself in the flesh said He is not spirit. He was spirit before the incarnation, but now He is glorified man in a glorified body. In 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 Paul said, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; It is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." In Hebrews 1:7 Paul said the angels are spirits. God created man a little lower than the angels (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:7,9), implying that man is not spirit. Because man's nature is spiritual, made in the image of God, he has the capacity to worship and fellowship with God once he is regenerated. Man may worship in spirit (John 4:23) as a Spirit-filled Christian, but this is not speaking of his nature. Edited. Shared.

God willing, more will be posted soon. All glory to Jesus alone.