If I were to be granted just one desire for the rest of my life, I would want to be fully engaged in consistent service to God.
There is nothing I despise more about my life than my own hypocritical dualism. One moment, I will maintain a strong conviction, only to change as the face of the clock changes.
18 September 2007
05 September 2007
Spirit and Soul
A while back, I reasoned that a division exists between the soul and the spirit. It is difficult to suppose that there is a division within something that cannot be seen or measured. To this day, I stand by my conclusion.
It began with a look at how the Bible classifies what makes up the components a man. Most are familiar with what is explained as the three-part division of mankind: mind, body and soul. I wanted to see what the Bible said to that effect. James 2:26 says that the body without the spirit is dead. Knowing that the words spirit and soul are often used interchangeably, I could identify at least two of the elements in the three-part division and could confidently state that both are necessary for life. But what of the mind? Here is where I began to get distracted and forget about the triple division of man.
I began to wonder why two different words were used to identify the same thing. As a partial answer to that question, I turned to Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." There is a difference. According to that verse, the word of God can discern the difference between the soul and spirit, just as it can discern the difference between joints and marrow. Now, I had two different divisions of two different parts identified by Scripture. By now, the whole mind, body, soul thing had completely been lost in fascination with the difference between soul and spirit.
The words used for soul and spirit (psuke and pneuma, respectively), often are used interchangeably. If the verse in Hebrews was correct, the word of God can divide the two. Now, looking at the New Testament only, I searched to see further distinctions. Paul's first letter to the believers at Corinth gave me more insight. Paul writes in 2:14, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." The word "psuke" is translated as "natural." It is contrasted against the word "pneuma," translated as "spirit." Looking at the verse, Paul is contrasting a natural man and the Spirit of God. The insight I gleaned was big. The soul is common, natural. We all have one. The spirit, according to this passage is not common, nor is it natural. It is only from God, and not everyone has it.
Trying to understand this, I thought about the difference through my "theological lenses." The Bible says that we are born spiritually dead. It is a difficult thing to understand that each one of us is born dead. So difficult, that I have to confess that I do not comprehend it. If the passage in Corinthians is correct, then it is common for us to have a soul. Because we are spiritually dead, our soul is corrupted. Remembering the passage in Hebrews, an implication can be made that the soul and spirit were made to be together. But if one is dead, what of the other? Maybe our souls have to pull double duty just to keep life alive. Certainly, that is not the ideal. Looking at the passage in James, we have to conclude that something keeps us living. There are billions of people on this planet who would be classified as "living." Yet, most aren't truly living. This is evident by the self-centeredness and corruption found in each person. Provided all the above is true, we are getting through this life with a soul only. This kind of living puts WAY too much emphasis on the soul, giving way to self-centeredness. Perhaps this is what God meant when He told Adam that he would die if he ate of the forbidden fruit.
If the spirit is dead, how do we make it alive again? Unfortunately, we can't. Despite many failed attempts, man has NEVER been able to completely create life. We can, however, work our souls up so much that it appears that our spirit is alive and we are whole. Simply put, it is a deception. A deception each one of us makes and continues in our pursuit of completion (perfection). Only a life giving spirit can supply that which we lack. We are so dependent. I read that the first Adam gave death. Indeed, we have little for which we can thank our ancestor. However, I am personally grateful that a second Adam came! This Man became the life giving spirit that we all need so desperately. It is with him, this cycle of deception and death is broken.
If only everyone knew...
It began with a look at how the Bible classifies what makes up the components a man. Most are familiar with what is explained as the three-part division of mankind: mind, body and soul. I wanted to see what the Bible said to that effect. James 2:26 says that the body without the spirit is dead. Knowing that the words spirit and soul are often used interchangeably, I could identify at least two of the elements in the three-part division and could confidently state that both are necessary for life. But what of the mind? Here is where I began to get distracted and forget about the triple division of man.
I began to wonder why two different words were used to identify the same thing. As a partial answer to that question, I turned to Hebrews 4:12, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." There is a difference. According to that verse, the word of God can discern the difference between the soul and spirit, just as it can discern the difference between joints and marrow. Now, I had two different divisions of two different parts identified by Scripture. By now, the whole mind, body, soul thing had completely been lost in fascination with the difference between soul and spirit.
The words used for soul and spirit (psuke and pneuma, respectively), often are used interchangeably. If the verse in Hebrews was correct, the word of God can divide the two. Now, looking at the New Testament only, I searched to see further distinctions. Paul's first letter to the believers at Corinth gave me more insight. Paul writes in 2:14, "But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised." The word "psuke" is translated as "natural." It is contrasted against the word "pneuma," translated as "spirit." Looking at the verse, Paul is contrasting a natural man and the Spirit of God. The insight I gleaned was big. The soul is common, natural. We all have one. The spirit, according to this passage is not common, nor is it natural. It is only from God, and not everyone has it.
Trying to understand this, I thought about the difference through my "theological lenses." The Bible says that we are born spiritually dead. It is a difficult thing to understand that each one of us is born dead. So difficult, that I have to confess that I do not comprehend it. If the passage in Corinthians is correct, then it is common for us to have a soul. Because we are spiritually dead, our soul is corrupted. Remembering the passage in Hebrews, an implication can be made that the soul and spirit were made to be together. But if one is dead, what of the other? Maybe our souls have to pull double duty just to keep life alive. Certainly, that is not the ideal. Looking at the passage in James, we have to conclude that something keeps us living. There are billions of people on this planet who would be classified as "living." Yet, most aren't truly living. This is evident by the self-centeredness and corruption found in each person. Provided all the above is true, we are getting through this life with a soul only. This kind of living puts WAY too much emphasis on the soul, giving way to self-centeredness. Perhaps this is what God meant when He told Adam that he would die if he ate of the forbidden fruit.
If the spirit is dead, how do we make it alive again? Unfortunately, we can't. Despite many failed attempts, man has NEVER been able to completely create life. We can, however, work our souls up so much that it appears that our spirit is alive and we are whole. Simply put, it is a deception. A deception each one of us makes and continues in our pursuit of completion (perfection). Only a life giving spirit can supply that which we lack. We are so dependent. I read that the first Adam gave death. Indeed, we have little for which we can thank our ancestor. However, I am personally grateful that a second Adam came! This Man became the life giving spirit that we all need so desperately. It is with him, this cycle of deception and death is broken.
If only everyone knew...
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