Soul v. Spirit Question

[Rolfe]

Question. Would someone explain (Biblically) the difference between man's soul and spirit?

Thanks and cheers.

Ed. To add. Simple would be helpful.

 

[TCassidy]

I believe the soul is comprised of the will, intellect, and emotions. It is a function of the physical.

I believe the spirit is that which God breathed into Adam's nostrils that cause him, and by descent us, to be self-conscience living persons. It is independent of the physical.

 

[Pastor_Bob]

I have heard it put like this:

Body - physical
Soul - social
Spirit - spiritual

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom [mental] and stature [physical], and in favour with God [spiritual] and man [social].

 

[HankD]

Similar:

Body : Material awareness
Soul : Self awareness
Spirit : God awareness.

 

[Rolfe]

Thanks, all.

 

[Darrell C]

Question. Would someone explain (Biblically) the difference between man's soul and spirit?

Thanks and cheers.

Ed. To add. Simple would be helpful.

While not a popular view, I take the position that the term "soul" is used to speak collectively of the person in it's first application, but can simply refer to the person, despite their having passed away (died), such as in seeing "souls" in Heaven, where we still see that it is persons referred to.

God created man with a body and a spirit, hence he became (not...he received) a living soul.

This view clarifies some of the errors cults have promoted, such as soul sleep and annihilation.

A couple passages to consider this would be...


Genesis 12:5
King James Version (KJV)

5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.


Genesis 46:15
King James Version (KJV)

15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.


Acts 7:14
King James Version (KJV)

14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.


Acts 27:37
King James Version (KJV)

37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and sixteen souls.


1 Peter 3:20
King James Version (KJV)

20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.


A good passage to see why this understanding would make a difference is Ezekiel 18, where, if you believe "soul" refers to an immaterial aspect of man, you might be persuaded that the context is eternal. But, if you understand that God is speaking about the persons, not an immaterial aspect of their person, you will see that like most the Old Testament the context is physical, and in view is physical death for not obeying the Law (which was in fact the penalty men could receive under Law).

Because if you conclude God is stating that men will receive eternal death for disobedience to Law, you must equally conclude that men receive eternal life through obedience to the Law, and that is not the case. Men an obtain eternal life only by being in Him Who is Eternal, that is Christ. Only He can bestow eternal life, and that is the precise reason He said He came for:


John 17
King James Version (KJV)

17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.



God bless.