Bible Question: What is the differance between soul and spirit? |
Bible Answer: Hello, That's rather a difficult question to answer. The best way I've come to understand it is in reference to the Trinity. According to Genesis 1:27, Man was created in the image of God. According to a former religion professor of mine, that image includes everything that separates Man from Beast. In a personal opinion, I think that image includes a three-fold nature, similar to that of God. The Spirit would be similar in function to the Holy Spirit. As God communes with Man through the Holy Spirit, so does man commune with God through his own Spirit. According to Jesus in John 3, Salvation is when this Spirit is made alive. The Soul would be similar in function to the Father. According to Jesus in John 8, sin is not only death, but it is also slavery. I have come to think of the Soul as being in Slavery prior to salvation. When we are saved, not only is the Spirit born, but the Soul is released from it's slavery. I believe it is the Soul that Paul is referring to when he talks about the Old Man and New Man. To finish this, I have come to view the Body as being infected. Upon salvation, the birth of the Spirit, and the release of the Soul, the Body is then cleansed. ON top of that, I view the Body in a similar way as the Son. As Jesus, being God the Son, was God's physical presence among men, so are our bodies a representation of our inner-selves. Notice that Jesus and Paul both place emphasis upon the actions of true believers. "By their fruits, you shall know them ..." Sometimes, "Soul" is used in reference to the combination of the Spirit and the Body, as in Genesis 2. However, when you study the context carefully, you find that the verse is using "soul" in reference to being alive. As if to say, to quote Dr. Frankenstein, "IT"S ALIVE!" :-) This was possibly more than what you were looking for, but I hope it answers your question. Jesus Loves You! Jesusman |