I'm writing a book that covers this, but here's a short answer to the body, soul, spirit distinction. The body, also referred to as the flesh (Hebrew "basar" and Greek "sōma"), focuses on the physical aspect of a being, including its anatomical structure, physiological functions, and unique biological characteristics. It's the tangible and visible nature of the body, encompassing the physical expression of both humans and animals. The “spirit,” the Hebrew words “ruach” and “neshamah” as well as the Greek equivalent "pneuma," of both human and animals alike, is not an independently conscious aspect of us but what God used to bring us consciousness - God’s life-giving breath. The Hebrew word "nephesh" and the Greek equivalent "psuchē," often translated as "soul," primarily refer to the holistic nature of an individual's existence as a physical organism. The formula for a "soul" given in Genesis 2:7 rejects the idea that a soul is merely a separate substance inserted into a body but rather portrays the soul as a complete and integrated creature. Man became a living "soul."
This is a reallllly good question. I was always of the opinion (confirmed by my pastor's Biblical teachings) that we ARE spirits who have souls and dwell in a body. What I gained from that is that our souls are like the repositories of all our thoughts and decisions. It has many parts like the mind, will, ego and emotions. The spirit, it seems, is that part that connects to God, which is either off (dead in trespasses and sins) or on (ye must be born again). Again, great topic!
When I drive my stick shift truck, I have to work the clutch in order to engage the gears on my truck. I see me being the SPIRIT that works the clutch in order to engage the truck. I see me representing spirit that works the clutch my soul in order to engage the truck my body. I see the soul as a go between my spirit and my body.
I've always seen it as we having a soul, which is the very existence of what, or who we really are,...our force of existence,... and the spirit being the WAY we each other are made different,... no less unique than the finger prints we physically each possess,.. Some people are naturally jovial, some more sensitive,.. and some have a worrying spirit,...,So we try to walk with the Holy Spirit as it guides the spirit of our soul,..
Nephesh and ruach are interestingly related in their original meanings, as throat and breath. So it is with soul and spirit. The soul is the channel for the spirit, as the body is the channel for the soul.
The Bible differentiates between the spirit, soul and body. Scripture talks about two separate immaterial salvations. We are saved by grace through faith (not works) yet we must work out the salvation of our soul. Every person has a spirit whether saved or not. The difference is that an unsaved person's spirit is separated from God. Our spirit is redeemed by grace thru faith. The salvation of our soul is our responsibility. At least that is what scripture says. Our bodies are redeemed at the resurrection and we are then fully adopted.
Very good explanation. Thank you, Dr Barnett. @12:00 (EDIT:) This is not an incorrect statement but it also must be mentioned that the tradition of the Sof Passuk in the Hebrew Bible existed for centuries before the arrival of Christ. A good counterexample is Tehillim 119. "It is presently unknown how early the Hebrew verse divisions were incorporated into the books that comprise the Biblical canon. However, it is beyond dispute that for at least a thousand years the Tanakh has contained an extensive system of multiple levels of section, paragraph, and phrasal divisions that were indicated in Masoretic vocalization and cantillation markings. One of the most frequent of these was a special type of punctuation, the sof passuq, symbol for a full stop or sentence break, resembling the colon mark (:) of English and Latin orthography. With the advent of the printing press and the translation of the Bible into English, Old Testament versifications were made that correspond predominantly with the existing Hebrew full stops, with a few isolated exceptions. A product of meticulous labour and unwearying attention, the Old Testament verse divisions stand today in essentially the same places as they have been passed down since antiquity. Most attribute these to Rabbi Isaac Nathan around 1440."
I think this was very interesting. It seems to me that there are two prevailing thoughts on this subject.We can believe either but neither are wrong. Just two opinions. There are great scholars in both groups.
Spirit: awareness and contents of awareness and power of choice (will) Soul: the complete nature of a person = spirit plus memories, as expressed in some form of body
so confusing. I know I'm saved, thats as simple as it gets. I'll continue to as my Heavenly Father for understanding. this is so interesting, and yet so complicated. :( one day it'll click. when i least expected. thank you for posting this. i love learning Gods word.
If you read Gn 12:5; 2:7 (1973 King James edition) 12:13; 17:14; you will see that the Lord God referred to our fleshly bodies as a Soul. We are Soul and Spirit, a spiritual being inside of a Soul. But the Romans made us 3 things, "soul, spirit and body?" Look at Leviticus 3:1 and it says if a soul sineth," Lv 5:2, "If a soul toucheth an unclean thing." Lv 4, 15, "if a soul swear, if a soul commit a trespass?" Or Lv 17:12, "No soul of of you shall eat blood?" And Lv 22:11, "If a priest buy any soul..." Or Psalms 7:2, "Lest he tear my soul like a lion?" So soul was just an old word for "body" but the Romans have made it something else? We are a spiritual being born into these bodies that are called "Souls" by God. We are "two" not 3?
@@StevenDAugerSr The Universe is Triune and holographic (as above so below). Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Body and Soul are polarities of Spirit. There is an infinite number of finite beings and a finite number of the infinite being. Body and Soul are two sides of the same coin, the third face is Spirit. We have eternal life when we become one with Spirit, as it alone is infinite and immortal. The body and soul are linked -- when one dies so does the other. They each exist on opposite sides of the atomic event horizon -- they are chiral symmetries. In the quotes you gave they refer to others as "soul" because they are spiritual groups and people who want to emphasise spiritual nature. By saying 'body' the instinctive assumption is one of mundane carnality. It is a behavioural linguistics trick. But, you could be right. I do not arrogantly suppose I am necessarily correct. Peace, love & harmony.
@@9unner22 I ARROGANTLY KNOW I AM RIGHT because of the evidence I provided? You on the otherhand are delusional. I present facts, you present creative thinking.
@@StevenDAugerSr Matthew 10:28. It does not get any clearer or more authoritative than that. I read the verses you pointed to and my point about linguistics stands. 'Soul' can also be used to refer to individuals, and in the religious context of the book it makes sense to say such. You deceived me with you feigned humility cloaked sarcasm. Now I see your true colours. You are a bleating wooly goat, you cannot climb the mountain because you cannot see through the codling that covers your eyes. You must feed at the feet of Shepard's for sustenance, reliant on their senses and might for protection. What good are you, beyond fattening the wolf and clothing the young ? It is better that you quiet your mouth lest the big bad wolf hear takes you into the night.
I believe in the Earthly body, the spiritual body and the soul. Man and the angels have this power. The Angels have a soul that is possessed by their spiritual body. They can also come down to us in an earthly body at will. The difference in Angels is there consciousness level is much higher than humans. Adam did not know that he was naked because he was showing himself with his spiritual body. He also saw the Angels and God because of this. His privets was not showing because he was looking through his third eye or spiritual eye. When Adam and Eve sinned, their spiritual eye was closed and only the earthly eyes were open giving them a very narrow view around them. Our soul must have a body to transport in. An earthly body or a spiritual body. At death, our earthly body will return to ashes while our spiritual body will come up carrying our soul. Our third eye will be opened to allow us to see within the spiritual world around us. We will see Jesus and all the Angels around him. Without this third eye being open we will only see the earth as it is now. This is not scripture but what I believe. Their are people that claim to be able to open their third eye through extreme and long meditation. The Buddha is an example of this. You can also find examples in the bible of people opening their third eye temporarily by God through the apostles.
Isn't it reflective of how we talk about body and soul and know what they are but not so much our spirit? The same as we talk about Father and Son and know who they are but the Holy Spirit is somewhat mysterious. Most don't pray to the Holy Spirit, we pray to Jesus or to the Father. People have argued whether the Holy Spirit is a person of the trinity the same as people argue that our soul and spirit are the same. We are created in the image of God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit = God. Body, soul and spirit = man. We are triune, the same as our Father. I look at it as the body being our physical interface with the physical realm that God has created for us to exist in. Our soul is our will, emotions and character that God has made as a unique individual creation. A being. Our spirit is our connection our interface to the spiritual realm. When man rebelled against God our spirit interface was cut off from God. We are dead to him. To be reconciled to God that interface needs to be grafted back in with the Holy Spirit of God, bearing witness. Grafted back onto the vine and the life giving spirit of Jesus Christ. If we are not grafted back onto the vine when our body dies there is nothing left for the soul to interface with. No physical realm, no spiritual realm access. We are left in a dark abyss of suffering and gnashing of teeth, trapped with nothing. How terrible is that? Talk about sensory deprivation. Any thoughts anyone?
But how do they explain Hebrews 4 and 1 Thessalonians? Bone and narrow and dividing soul and spirit? They all seem to gloss over this. Do anyone in dichotomy explain this well? Pls reply. I’m wrestling with this
How about this?? Your soul encompasses your spirit. But your spirit is what actually drives your body. So your spirit is this body soul connection. Which is kind of what makes you you. Just like all humans have a body though they are different. All humans have a soul and it is their spirit which is different. At least that's what I'm thinking as I get familiar with this doctrine
Its so much more simple than this. Body + Breath = Soul. Gen.2:7 You are a soul made of dust, animated by the breath of life/spirit. You are not a spiritual being you are dust Ps.103:14...."dualism" from the greek apologists coming into the Church really messed this one up.
Read the Hebrew buddy. What the Bible actually says is where the issue gets way more interesting. To start, Genesis 2:7 says man became a breathing creature not living soul. The word for breathing creature is Nephesh and is used in genesis for all the other animals God created too. It is sometimes translated to soul when talking about people's lives but also can mean mind and life and breath and lots of things in specific cases for the sake of convenience. The other word is Ruwach which means wind or exhalation or even breath but is used for Spirit, usually God's Spirit but also unclean spirits and also man's breath of life that returns to God when their dust returns to the ground.. still not sure if we really have a spirit of our own or if its gone because the fall of man and the spirit we have is only the Holy spirit for believers but that's another study I'm still working on.. But I see this issue as Body=dust, flesh, corruption, death. Soul/Nephesh = mind, personality, decision making morally responsible conscious and knowledgeable part. And Spirit/Ruwach = the Holy spirit within believers and the divine connection between us and Jesus and through Him the Father. Knowing that, Isaiah 42:1 might really blow your mind. It basically says God has soul and spirit too, and we know Jesus is the word of God so there's the trinity in the old testament right there. If man is Soul, Body, Spirit and God is Father(Soul), Son(Body), Spirit(Holy Spirit).. then its almost like we were made in God's image, pretty awesome stuff I think.
What do you mean there are covenant and dipensationalist Christians that are not saved? If they accepted Jesus Christ as God and Saviour aren't they saved by the Holy Spirit of promise? If that is the case where is the assurance of salvation? Please explain, God Bless!
That's not what he said, exactly. He was commenting that there are people who are in either group that, some have accepted Christ, and some have not. Not specifically the people he called by name. Best guess, 65-75% of those attending church that claim to be a Christian have never humbled their heart and ask Christ into their life. So many churches are becoming Sunday concerts, prosperity speeches, and nothing of what Christ spoke of more than anything else: you must be born again or go to hell. He is referring to those that Jesus spoke of, many will come in that day crying Lord Lord, did we not do this and that work for You, and He will say depart from me you worked of iniquity for I never knew you. Matthew 7:23 Luke 13:27
Good teaching. My only question is about the spirit being unclean. If it returns to God when a person dies how can God receive his unclean spirit back? I believe it must go somewhere because God is eternal so that would make the spirit of life he breathes into humans eternal. How would God receive back something unclean?
Concerning 1Peter 1:22, ...We should not just presume that Peter was refering to a disembodied, non fleshly, indwelling spiritual manifestation when he used the word "souls" in this verse. There is no reason NOT to believe that he was in fact refering to the "fleshly physical body" here, ...in fact, by refering to "obediance" it is only the willful fleshly pysical body which needs to be purified, and bought under obedience. If we are living in Christ, the Holy Spirit is living in us, and does not need to be purified, as it is given to us from God. While for some, it may be easy to become a little confused about this verse "by itself," there is but little doubt when read in context, that the word "souls" in this verse, means fleshly carnal mindedness of the body. At 16:05 you say ...and I quote "so you see why there's this whole controversy" ...no sorry, I don't see that at all. You then read out that ...obedience to the Spirit leads to purification of the "soul" ...which IS "the body/flesh.! The problem here is not that there are two different words, with two different meanings, it's that there is God's truth, and man's "interpretation" of God's truth. Sad that may people can't just read what's there, and trust God.
Body Soul & Spirit I’m going to explain your soul and your spirit & body , once you understand how God made you things become more clear, Ok so when you are born you have a body -soul - spirit , yet your spirit is dead . So as you live your life all you have to work with is your body and soul, let me explain because this gets very deep keep reading.... BODY-Now your body is your outer most man it your senses taste, feel ,smell, desire ,touch, hear. We are a physical beings ect.. we all know this.. SOUL - now your soul is your psyche it is your identity your will your intellect your passion your feelings your Conscience ect.. SPIRIT-your spirit is totally different from your soul it is your inner man ,it is were peace and joy dwells it is your Ora , your spirit broadcasts you out into the world around you, Your spirit broadcasts all of your Body soul energy waves it is Gods gift and his way of communicating with you and the only way you can communicating with him is in spirit. We are made in his image body soul & spirit, Now your question would be I thought you said our spirit is dead it is when you are born but when you are born again when you believe in Jesus Christ as your savior God gives you his Holy Spirit and he gives you a new heart for him that is when your spirit comes alive the Holy Spirit dwells in your spirit and this is were we get our greater understanding of God and his written word ,you can now understand God because he gives you understand through his Holy Spirit . God gave you a spirit to seek after him that is why millions of people are so empty inside and are seeking after something but never find it .. you cannot find anywhere else in the world only in God .
I thought his reaching was off as well, clearly the Bible state, spirit, soul and body. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Our bodies are made from the dust so that we have a connection with the earth, which is our home. Our spirit is our individuality, who we are. And our soul is the breath of God (that gives life to our spirit) so that we have a connection with God.... my 2 cents :)
Adding my take Biblically: Man was created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 2:26-27) Being dichotomous in nature, an animal would have no sense of right or wrong as man has (Genesis 3:22), thus no conscience. The Lord gave man total “dominion” over all animal life (Genesis 1:26-28) Though God loves his animal creation seen by Him speaking through a donkey to God's prophet Balaam ( Numbers 22:21-39) So, animals do not have the 'soul' or a soul in context to 'man', the individual man even as (mankind) he or she does have a God given 'soul' alone! Therefore that is where body, spirit and 'soul' plays the part that 'man' has those '3', but an animal only has '2', the body and spirit as it is 'living' also.
Body and soul into hell, this body is not immortal and cannot be cast into hell: you referred to the material and none material body being cast into hell, Luke 10?
Man as illustrated in a circle is inverted . It should look as Spirit ( the outer core ) , Soul ( the middle core ) , and the Body ( the center core ) . WHY ? Because JESUS said to Nicodemus ; ...which is born of Water is Flesh and which is born of the Spirit is Spirit . Marvel not that I say unto you ....... everyone of us born into this World Breaks the water in our mother’s womb and became man & woman . But until we Break our own Spirit that CONFINES our Body & Soul in Birth , the SECOND BIRTH cannot take place . Which the Bible calls SPIRITUAL BIRTH !!!..... in order to be Born Again , we must Breakout or Break off our Own spirit that confined us from birth and let the Spirit of God enter in and fill our spirit . FILLING of the SPIRIT this is it !
There's no controversy the Bible is clear and distinctive about body soul and spirit. This is the worst teaching I've ever heard you do. Hebrews speaks of the dividing between spirit and soul; Genesis says God breathed and man because living soul. 1 Thessalonians talks about the body soul and spirit; Ecclesiastes say that the spirit returns to God, the distinction is all throughout the scriptures. The soul is harder to distinguish between it appears to be interchanged with our lives not our spirit. I'm reminded of Rachel as she died in child birth and her soul/life departed her: if I'm off here prove me by the Word of God. I will research my comments and edit as needed. Book of James the body without the spirit is dead, ........ It is evermore clearer the term soul/souls is mentioned well over 500 times in the Bible.
