The Spirit-Soul Relationship...

[Edward]

Let's discuss the relationship and function of our spirit and our soul. My basic premise is that man is a triune being similar to God in that, God is, Father-Son-Holy Spirit, and we are Body-Soul-Spirit. I'd rather not discuss whether or not we are a triune being. For this thread, it's a given that we are, and we go from there. Ok?

Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul./

Our body was formed of dust from the ground, and when God breathed into it the breath of life (Spirit), then man became a living soul (the soul came into being.)
At that time we were in the image and likeness of God.

So there we are as man. It's my belief that our soul is where our individuality, personality, mind (?), will & emotions are and is (loosely) "who we are" when we say "us, or me". Correct me if I'm wrong, . Lol.

Our spirit...belongs to God, and is the power or life force that keeps us alive. Is it conscious? Share consciousness w/the soul? Different and distinct?

Who's in charge, soul or spirit?
What happened in the fall of man that would necessitate my soul and spirit to be divided?
Hebrews 4:12

I got more, but that's enough for now.

 

[Eugene]

Who's in charge, soul or spirit?

I think God is still in charge if we allow Him to be. Could it be something akin to the husband being the leader, but the wife that determines the direction. That makes me think of a new Geico ad I like.

 

[for_his_glory]

This body/flesh dies and deteriorates as it turns back to dust while in the ground. The breath/spirit goes back to God who gave it, Ecc 12:7. The soul which makes up the conscious part of ones being is that of thought, action and emotion. The spiritual nature of man regarded as immortal and separable from the body/flesh at death and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state.

 

[Jim Parker]

Who's in charge, soul or spirit?
What happened in the fall of man that would necessitate my soul and spirit to be divided?

A part of the soul is the intellect. It is with the intellect that we evaluate our situations, discern courses of action and make decisions. One of the courses of action which is available to all of us is; (forgive me for being trite) What Would Jesus Do?
Jesus would do exactly what the Father said to do.

Man has free will to do as our loving God and Father has instructed us to do in His desire that we do what is best for us and it is our free will choice to reject His perfect will for us; pretend to be as smart as God and choose our flawed and incomplete understanding to justify our self-centered will. (Truly knowing good and evil is beyond our intellectual capacity because we never fully know the motives of other's hearts or the consequences of our actions that won't arise for centuries.)

We experience the conflict between good and evil as the war between the "lust of the flesh" (our "infant" that wants everything it sees right now) and the will of God's Spirit speaking to us through our Spirit. It is the intellect which makes the choice and the intellect needs to be trained to make the choice which the Spirit of God urges us to make.

The soul and spirit must be trained (disciplined) to conform to the will of the Father. It doesn't came "naturally" to man who has been practicing sin for years (and getting pretty good at it) before making the decision to submit to God's will. We have to retrain our will to be an enforcer of God's good will for us over the demands of the infantile demands of the flesh. We have to train ourselves to defeat the enemy of our souls by choosing to do His will. That's why Marines have boot camp; so they come home alive.

"Discipline is training that makes punishment unnecessary." Cadet handbook, the Citadel

iakov the fool '68

 

[Malachi]

My basic premise is that man is a triune being similar to God...

"Tripartite" would be more accurate and applicable to human beings. The triune Godhead is a Divine Mystery.

 

[Edward]

Do you have to do that right in my ear?

I like that one too, lol.

 

[Edward]

This body/flesh dies and deteriorates as it turns back to dust while in the ground. The breath/spirit goes back to God who gave it, Ecc 12:7. The soul which makes up the conscious part of ones being is that of thought, action and emotion. The spiritual nature of man regarded as immortal and separable from the body/flesh at death and susceptible to happiness or misery in a future state.

I think that the soul is immortal (eternal) too? We either go to be with Jesus, or eternal torment, right? This makes me think eternal. Not many people see it that way, but eternal is eternal, right?

I can't get away from Hebrews 4:12 it says the Word...divides our soul and spirit. It reads like it means, like in the now...what do you think?

 

[for_his_glory]

I think that the soul is immortal (eternal) too? We either go to be with Jesus, or eternal torment, right? This makes me think eternal. Not many people see it that way, but eternal is eternal, right?

I can't get away from Hebrews 4:12 it says the Word...divides our soul and spirit. It reads like it means, like in the now...what do you think?

Eternal is eternal whether it be with God in the New Jerusalem or the lake of fire being separated from God for eternity. Thought is just a thought until action is taken upon the thought. Our emotions can be deceiving at times and that is what we need to guard ourselves on is our emotions.

 

[Eugene]

I think that the soul is immortal (eternal) too? We either go to be with Jesus, or eternal torment, right? This makes me think eternal. Not many people see it that way, but eternal is eternal, right?

Dear Brother Edward, nothing in the word of God leads me to think that the gift of God is eternal punishment; it is life.
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Even a sin unto death only shortens our earthly longevity such as it did with Moses in Deut 32:50-51 . . die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
51 Because ye trespassed against me

Loss of reward? Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

 

[Edward]

Dear Brother Edward, nothing in the word of God leads me to think that the gift of God is eternal punishment; it is life.
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Even a sin unto death only shortens our earthly longevity such as it did with Moses in Deut 32:50-51 . . die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people:
51 Because ye trespassed against me

Loss of reward? Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Oh I'm sorry, I was unclear. I meant the condemned people. I think it does speak of eternal torment and so forth, and that's people's souls too. So the souls (all of them, saved or not) are immortal. It's just no life to speak of being separated from God.

 

[Edward]

Eternal is eternal whether it be with God in the New Jerusalem or the lake of fire being separated from God for eternity. Thought is just a thought until action is taken upon the thought. Our emotions can be deceiving at times and that is what we need to guard ourselves on is our emotions.

Yes, because the emotions are in the soul (carnal). We have what, 2, perhaps 3 voices in our head? (Carnal man i.e.soul, our spirit (linked to God)...and...(maybe maybe not, the enemy.
I've heard it preached that we have 3 voices and the enemy is one, but I'm not so sure lately that the enemy can actually get in our head and plant thoughts or read thoughts. I think maybe it's our own wicked and deceitful heart...??
Jeremiah 17:9

 

[for_his_glory]

Yes, because the emotions are in the soul (carnal). We have what, 2, perhaps 3 voices in our head? (Carnal man i.e.soul, our spirit (linked to God)...and...(maybe maybe not, the enemy.
I've heard it preached that we have 3 voices and the enemy is one, but I'm not so sure lately that the enemy can actually get in our head and plant thoughts or read thoughts. I think maybe it's our own wicked and deceitful heart...??
Jeremiah 17:9

Our mind can be Satan's playground if it is not guarded as the flesh is weak, but the Spirit is strong.

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Col 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

 

[RevSRE]

Let's discuss the relationship and function of our spirit and our soul. My basic premise is that man is a triune being similar to God in that, God is, Father-Son-Holy Spirit, and we are Body-Soul-Spirit.

There are few places in the Bible where words are so mixed on meaning and definitions and usage. Over many years the words are used to reflect many different ideas and theologies. The meaning and usage get all mixed up, we need to know what the words mean.
In the Old Testament Deu 6:4 there is a prayer called the Shem:
Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD:
And you shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and (the word for heart the action of will, the inner man.)
with all your soul, and ( the word for Soul is “ Breath of life” and the instinct to preserve it.)
with all your might. ( the word for Might is exceedingly, all ability, Manhood in a time when being a real man was very important,
the mind and reason and the seat of emotion)
Jesus interpreted this Might as MIND.
Mat_22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Mar_12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

Based on the content of this famous prayer, many have used these ideas to express the way a person’s mind works, the way we relate to God by His command.

Mind, Thinking, The ability to reason, know, and understand; Feeling, emotion, hope, despair, love, hate.
Heart, Acting, The Free Will of man to act on reason and understanding,
tempered by emotion, even at times controlled by emotion.
Soul Animal Life, Breath of Life and the instinct to preserve it.
Man is free to act within his own Choice to serve God or not.
The image of God in man is self-aware Choice. Only Man, in all creation, has the Glory of God in the ability Think, Feel, Act; that is with awareness of results, make a choice.
Man was created in the image of God’s Glory with the ability to and right to Choose to Fellowship with God or not.

 

[for_his_glory]

There are few places in the Bible where words are so mixed on meaning and definitions and usage. Over many years the words are used to reflect many different ideas and theologies. The meaning and usage get all mixed up, we need to know what the words mean.
In the Old Testament Deu 6:4 there is a prayer called the Shem:
Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD:
And you shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and (the word for heart the action of will, the inner man.)
with all your soul, and ( the word for Soul is “ Breath of life” and the instinct to preserve it.)
with all your might. ( the word for Might is exceedingly, all ability, Manhood in a time when being a real man was very important,
the mind and reason and the seat of emotion)
Jesus interpreted this Might as MIND.
Mat_22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Mar_12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

Based on the content of this famous prayer, many have used these ideas to express the way a person’s mind works, the way we relate to God by His command.

Mind, Thinking, The ability to reason, know, and understand; Feeling, emotion, hope, despair, love, hate.
Heart, Acting, The Free Will of man to act on reason and understanding,
tempered by emotion, even at times controlled by emotion.
Soul Animal Life, Breath of Life and the instinct to preserve it.
Man is free to act within his own Choice to serve God or not.
The image of God in man is self-aware Choice. Only Man, in all creation, has the Glory of God in the ability Think, Feel, Act; that is with awareness of results, make a choice.
Man was created in the image of God’s Glory with the ability to and right to Choose to Fellowship with God or not.

Best explanation I have ever read and thank you for sharing such wisdom and knowledge as you have made this so simple that a child could understand this.

 

[Edward]

There are few places in the Bible where words are so mixed on meaning and definitions and usage. Over many years the words are used to reflect many different ideas and theologies. The meaning and usage get all mixed up, we need to know what the words mean.
In the Old Testament Deu 6:4 there is a prayer called the Shem:
Hear, O Israel:
The LORD our God is one LORD:
And you shall love the LORD your God
with all your heart, and (the word for heart the action of will, the inner man.)
with all your soul, and ( the word for Soul is “ Breath of life” and the instinct to preserve it.)
with all your might. ( the word for Might is exceedingly, all ability, Manhood in a time when being a real man was very important,
the mind and reason and the seat of emotion)
Jesus interpreted this Might as MIND.
Mat_22:37 Jesus said unto him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Mar_12:30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

Based on the content of this famous prayer, many have used these ideas to express the way a person’s mind works, the way we relate to God by His command.

Mind, Thinking, The ability to reason, know, and understand; Feeling, emotion, hope, despair, love, hate.
Heart, Acting, The Free Will of man to act on reason and understanding,
tempered by emotion, even at times controlled by emotion.
Soul Animal Life, Breath of Life and the instinct to preserve it.
Man is free to act within his own Choice to serve God or not.
The image of God in man is self-aware Choice. Only Man, in all creation, has the Glory of God in the ability Think, Feel, Act; that is with awareness of results, make a choice.
Man was created in the image of God’s Glory with the ability to and right to Choose to Fellowship with God or not.

Good post, Brother. Only one thing though...your very last paragraph. You speak of free-will yes? I'm pretty sure that Angels do have free will also. Evidenced by the fact that Satan took 1/3 of the Angels with him on his way out of heaven. They had to be able to choose to go against God.

 

[RevSRE]

Good post, Brother. Only one thing though...your very last paragraph. You speak of free-will yes? I'm pretty sure that Angels do have free will also. Evidenced by the fact that Satan took 1/3 of the Angels with him on his way out of heaven. They had to be able to choose to go against God.

I agree. I do not think God has any creatures that are forced to do what He wants them to do. All have Free Will.
And yes, This gets me in all kinds of hot water with people that hold other Dogmas. I do not argue the point, The simple FACT is all have free will.

 

[mutzrein]

Scripture says that the Spirit gives birth to spirit. ie the Spirit of God gives birth to the spirit of man.
If this is so, then surely it is only those who are born of the Spirit who are 'triune' beings.

 

[JohnDB]

You are a soul.
You have a body.

Your will and emotions meet (or actions and emotions meet) at your heart....

Spirit is similar to attributes. The essence of a person. (Biblical speak here). Spirit can be negative too like a spirit of drunkenness or jealousy. It's used to describe the demeanor of a person.

You are a soul which has a spirit.

The soul is the sum total of all your parts. Of course your mind and cognitive abilities go into that.
Even animals have a Nepesh or soul.

 

[Edward]

You are a soul.
You have a body.

Your will and emotions meet (or actions and emotions meet) at your heart....

Spirit is similar to attributes. The essence of a person. (Biblical speak here). Spirit can be negative too like a spirit of drunkenness or jealousy. It's used to describe the demeanor of a person.

You are a soul which has a spirit.

The soul is the sum total of all your parts. Of course your mind and cognitive abilities go into that.
Even animals have a Nepesh or soul.

So, shouldn't we try to cultivate our spirit?
We're told all throughout scripture, to live for the Spirit.

 

[mutzrein]

So, shouldn't we try to cultivate our spirit?
We're told all throughout scripture, to live for the Spirit.

I'd be interested to see where all these scriptures are ..