Many try to interpret the spirit as the soul and that it survives death. However, the two words ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ cannot be used interchangeably, nor does either refer to something that is immortal. This “spirit†is not conscious or immortal, but the life spark that keeps us alive. It is the Hebrew, “ruach†, which is translated into English as ‘breath’, ‘life force’ and ‘wind’.
The Bible says that all creatures have the breath of life. The essence of life that God gave at creation is in us. Look at what happens when man dies.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it – Ecclesiastes 12:7
But man dieth, and wasteth away. Yea, man giveth up the ghost (spirit) and where is he? – Job 14:10
Notice the same reference to be used for Christ dying on the cross and Stephen being stoned.
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the ghost – Luke 23:46
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit – Acts 7:59
What is this spirit or ‘ghost’ and is it immortal? Notice the next verse in Acts 7
And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep – vs 60
Also notice the remaining verses of Job 14 when he says ‘man gives up the ghost’.
So man lieth down and riseth not till the heavens be no more. They shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep – Job 14:12
To Job, giving up the ghost meant that you died and as Solomon said, “the thoughts perishâ€Â. If you look in other translations for when it says Jesus ‘gave up the ghost’ it says, “And Jesus breathed his last.†We know that Christ did not go to heaven in any form but like he promised, was raised from the grave. He told Mary, "Touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my Father." His giving up the ghost was Him breathing His last. This is taken straight from the OT and is not meant to mean something that survives death. This spirit is nothing more than the breath of life given by God at creation.
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils – Job 27:3
Hebrew parallelism in this verse (where the same thought is expressed and reiterated another way) shows that this breath of life is the spirit God gave us. As a matter of fact, death is creation in reverse. God makes a body, breaths the spark of life into him and man becomes a living soul. Then at death, the body returns to earth, the life spark back to God who gave it and the soul perishes. Just as man was unconscious until God breathed life into him, so when that spark leaves, he becomes unconscious again.
The problem with the traditional Christian view of man’s nature is that the words ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are used interchangeably to talk about the same thing: that man has an essence that survives death. However, the ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are not the same thing, neither is either immortal. Rather, the Bible teaches that both are an essential component of man. When one ceases to exist, so does the rest. Think of it as a light bulb.
Lightbulb (body)+electric spark (spirit) = light (soul)
When I shut off the light, that spark is gone, the light dies and an empty bulb-shell remains. The spark is not existing somewhere else. At the resurrection, this breath of life is breathed in to man again but man is raised immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51-56)
The Bible says that all creatures have the breath of life. The essence of life that God gave at creation is in us. Look at what happens when man dies.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it – Ecclesiastes 12:7
But man dieth, and wasteth away. Yea, man giveth up the ghost (spirit) and where is he? – Job 14:10
Notice the same reference to be used for Christ dying on the cross and Stephen being stoned.
And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having said thus, he gave up the ghost – Luke 23:46
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus receive my spirit – Acts 7:59
What is this spirit or ‘ghost’ and is it immortal? Notice the next verse in Acts 7
And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this he fell asleep – vs 60
Also notice the remaining verses of Job 14 when he says ‘man gives up the ghost’.
So man lieth down and riseth not till the heavens be no more. They shall not awake nor be raised out of their sleep – Job 14:12
To Job, giving up the ghost meant that you died and as Solomon said, “the thoughts perishâ€Â. If you look in other translations for when it says Jesus ‘gave up the ghost’ it says, “And Jesus breathed his last.†We know that Christ did not go to heaven in any form but like he promised, was raised from the grave. He told Mary, "Touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my Father." His giving up the ghost was Him breathing His last. This is taken straight from the OT and is not meant to mean something that survives death. This spirit is nothing more than the breath of life given by God at creation.
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils – Job 27:3
Hebrew parallelism in this verse (where the same thought is expressed and reiterated another way) shows that this breath of life is the spirit God gave us. As a matter of fact, death is creation in reverse. God makes a body, breaths the spark of life into him and man becomes a living soul. Then at death, the body returns to earth, the life spark back to God who gave it and the soul perishes. Just as man was unconscious until God breathed life into him, so when that spark leaves, he becomes unconscious again.
The problem with the traditional Christian view of man’s nature is that the words ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are used interchangeably to talk about the same thing: that man has an essence that survives death. However, the ‘soul’ and ‘spirit’ are not the same thing, neither is either immortal. Rather, the Bible teaches that both are an essential component of man. When one ceases to exist, so does the rest. Think of it as a light bulb.
Lightbulb (body)+electric spark (spirit) = light (soul)
When I shut off the light, that spark is gone, the light dies and an empty bulb-shell remains. The spark is not existing somewhere else. At the resurrection, this breath of life is breathed in to man again but man is raised immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51-56)
