Bible Question: what the difference between the soul and spirit. |
Bible Answer: The Hebrew texts refers to the soul as 'nephesh' and the spirit as 'ruach'. Nephesh literally means life and is also used when referring to animals. Ruach is used to describe the immaterial part of man and not to the physical life of the body. The Greek of the New Testament is a bit more helpful in discerning between the two. We learn that the soul and the spirit are two distinct and separate parts of man from Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul (psyche) and spirit (pneuma), and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (NKJV) Non-believers are said to be spiritually dead, but they still possess a living body and a soul. From my understanding I tend to think of it this way... I was born spiritually dead but possessed a soul within a physical body. My body is not 'me', rather my soul is the true essence of 'me'. My body is a temporary dwelling place for my soul. When I exercised my free will and accepted the gift of salvation I became a new creature with a living spirit. In an instant in time I became indwelt with the Holy Spirit and was reborn, or regenerated. As a new believer I interacted on a human to human level with my soul, and I interacted with God on a vertical level with my spirit. As the believer begins to mature the distinctions between the soul and the spirit of the believer may become intertwined, much like the roots of two plants in the same soil (body). |