Subject: Body/soul/spirit? |
Bible Note: This is a good question. Though there is not a scripture as such that says that Adam's spirit died, by the process of elimination, we can achieve some sense of what happened. It really goes back to what we believe about man's make up. Let's look at a couple of possible scenarios: 1) Man is two parts : body and soul/spirit (same thing). Now we know that Adam did not physically die the day he sinned. He lived to about 900 years as I recall. So, if one holds to a two-part man understanding, the soul/spirit would have been the only thing left to die that very day. Most biblical references to the soul show it to be the seat of intellect, emotions, and will. If this is the part of him that died, it becomes a little hard to swallow because he still had intellect, emotions, and will after the fall (as did his children). Obviously, his body did start to 'die', age and grow old. But Gen 2:17 says that 'something' in Adam died that day. In fact, whatever this 'something' is, from God's viewpoint it was Adam's identity. 'You will die', God says, not 'part of you will die.' 2) Man is two parts: body and soul/spirit (same thing). But God, at creation, imparted the Holy Spirit to Adam making him, at that point, tripartate. Then God withdrew the Holy Spirit when Adam sinned because God cannot inhabit a sinful vessel. This view has it's problems because, again, God said, "You (not God or His Spirit) will die." 3) Man is tripartate: body, soul, and spirit (his own). When Adam sinned his spirit died, leaving him still with a functional (though fallen) soul and body. In this view, some say that Adam's spirit literally died, and some believe that it was still alive (to sin) but dead to God. Adam's spirit could no longer function as designed. 4) Man is tripartate in nature but is designed to have his spirit inhabited by God's Spirit. This is the view that I personally lean to although I am open to hearing other views. This view is very similar to number 3 except that it hold's that God designed man not to be autonimous but dependent upon God's Spirit (spiritual life) in Him. When Adam sinned, God's Spirit departed from Adam and, as in view 3, Adam's human spirit died to God. God, at new birth of His creation, recreates the human spirit (alive to God) and joins it to His divine Spirit once again. So that the end result is that man is once again spiritually alive and God is in His creation as designed. Admittedly, the scriptures do not prove this. I am not 100 percent sure that this is a correct understanding. What I am sure of is that our spirits (1 per person, please) have been recreated and joined to Christ's Spirit. All that being said, if someone would like to 'gently' correct me or enlighten my understanding, I am open to it. I would like to settle this issue in my mind and, unfortunately, most of the people at my church are not interested in such 'deep':) things. Nevertheless, I know who I am in Christ and, thank God, I am no longer in Adam. As always, in Christ, Bill Mc |