Bible Question:
what is the difference between soul and spirit? |
Bible Answer: Dear Clausius, unfortunately the Bible does not make a crystal clear distinction between the soul and spirit. And it never defines them as such. I personally believe that there is a distinction because of 1 Thess 5:23 and Heb 4:12. But in many places in scripture they are used interchangeably. So, Clausius, the best (and most fun) thing to do is a word study throughout the Bible of the words 'soul' and 'spirit' and, relying always upon the Holy Spirit to lead you into truth, draw your own conclusions from your study. The tripartite view of man makes some things a little easier to understand but that, in itself, does not mean it is true. Here is my view (it is ONLY a view, an opinion): The spirit is the essence, the true identity, the nature (if you will) of the human being. It is the seat of life and death. It is the part of man that relates to the eternal and, most importantly, to God. The soul is mainly the mind, will, and emotions - what some would call the personality. The spirit can influence and control the soul. The soul can influence and control the body (most of the time, we hope). I believe that humans are primarily spirit beings (created to be eternal) who have souls (personalities), that inhabit bodies (by God's design). God did not create us to be purely spirit like He is. There are places in the OT where God mentions His soul. (Interesting) I don't know if this helps or not. Like I said, the best thing to do is to first study the scriptures, then, when you at least know what the scriptures say, consult commentaries, other Christians, study Bibles, etc. BTW, welcome to the forum! Have fun! In Christ, Bill Mc |