DEFINITION OF SPIRIT/SOUL AND BODY DIMENSIONS
We each have a personal spirit and it has functions and needs of its own.
The spiritual blindness of a person who does not know God, is that they don't understand that they have a spirit, which is something deeper than consciousness.
And distinct from body, heart, mind and soul.
There is a debate around the distinction of soul and spirit. 1 Thess 5:23 gives a clear distinction.
The Greek word for spirit is pneuma or breath. In OT Hebrew it is ruach .
The Greek word for soul is psyche. In Hebrew there is no distinction between soul and spirit, the two are seen as one.
Gen 2:7 the Lord God formed us from the dust of the ground and breathed into our nostrils the breath of life (ruach= spirit or breath) and we became a living being or spirit/soul.
3 steps:
- forming of the body like a potter moulding clay
- breathing in of the spirit ,so the body comes to life.
- as a result we become a soul or living being
The soul is subsequent to the human spirit being placed within.
As our spirit experiences the events of life in our body and reacts our soul is formed.
The soul is the structure of heart, mind and character and personality through which our spirit continues to encounter life and expresses responsively according to the way it has interpreted experience.
The spirit permeates every part of us, so the soul and spirit are intertwined. There are many overlaps with the body.
We are spiritual beings in a body and what touches the body touches the spirit and vice versa, but not like water filling a can. We are totally integrated and inter-related, incarnational beings.
The human being is a series of mysteries. Covered with skin we don't have a full view or understanding of the way our bodies work or the way our soul, heart ,mind and spirit works either.
But there are separate functions.
The body is a tent, or dwelling for the soul 2 Peter 1:13-14, 2 Cor 5;1 and a temple for the Holy Spirit 1 Cor 6:19-20
The functions of the body such as taste, smell, sight, hearing, physical feeling, are the ways we experience life and through which the spirit encounters life.
Talking, laughing, crying, physical affection, sexual relationships are body, soul and spirit experiences. The entire soul becomes a temple through which our spirit worships God and meets others, or a captivity.
The soul is like clothing and the spirit lives in and through it. Every part of us needs saving. 1 Cor 15: 53-4 1 Thess 5:23
THE SOUL
1. the whole of the inner person, our entire inner being, heart, mind, will, emotions and within that our spirit. If sinful structures in the mind and heart continue and the strength of the spirit is afflicted, the body will also react in affliction. Physical death may be the final result.
2. the conscious structures and functions of the soul:
i. Mind. What we think. Our intellect and ability to reason logically and understand knowledge. Thoughts and information are received from external and internal sources Matt 15:19
ii. Emotions. How we feel. Emotions are an outward expressing of strong feelings originating from deep within our inner being, eg. Love, fear, excitement, anger, joy, grief…
iii. Will. What we do. This is a deeper level within the conscious soul. Decision making activity lies within the Will. This expresses deeper, sometimes hidden, motivations in action.
THE SPIRIT
This deep inner eternal life source of our being has several functions. Everyone's spirit is 'asleep' to some degree. We don't always function in all these areas.
- 1. corporate worship John 4: 23-24
- 2. private devotions
- 3. hearing from God
- 4. inspiration and creative thinking
- 5. transcending time
- 6. communion and communicating with others
- 7. marital sexual relationships
- 8. conscience
- 9. protections from disease. Prov 17: 22, 18: 14
THE HEART
This is the deep central area of our inner life.
Functions of the heart:
- Belief , faith Rom 10:10, Heb 10: 22
- the laws of God are written on our hearts Heb 10:16
- conviction of sin Acts 2:37
- Heart knowledge Eph 3: 17-19
Hebrews 4:12. The Word of God penetrates even to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Joints…. Soul
Marrow…. Spirit
Hidden within the bones is the marrow which makes blood. Blood is the life of the body and feeds all the organs and tissues. Blood also feeds the heart and the heart pumps the blood. Out of the heart comes … Matt 15:18-19
The child in the womb has a spirit in the body .
Spiritually, a child is extremely aware.
A child responds to external stimuli, not understanding with the conscious, finite mind
But with the infinite spirit it does.
A child's spirit will sense a mother's being in the womb, it will hear and respond to music, loud noises etc.
My sense is that a child's spirit is affected by birth trauma and other things associated with pregnancy, pre natal and post natal incidents, early hospitalization, mother's illness etc.
A child takes these things deeply into the spirit part of its being and as the soul is formed through experience and nurture these things may be reinforced and set into the subconscious psyche of the child until restored and healed.
This is where we begin to build a network of survival strategies to cope with life. These may become strongholds which defend UBFs and tender parts of our life. This then sets the course for driving the emotions and behaviors which we may seem to have little control over on the surface.