Spirit, Soul and Body



Spirit, Soul and Body

Spirit, Soul and Body and how it relates to the 1st resurrection.

I’ve been reading and praying about the spirit, soul and body of man recently and I felt inspired to share it with you all. Let’s start with the scripture that mentions the triune makeup of man.

1Th 5:23

(23) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We see here in this scripture that Paul is making a declaration regarding sanctification (or setting apart for holy use or make holy) to the brethren after some general encouragements. These exhortations to us prepare us for the work of God in making us holy - completely - in our spirit, soul and body.

2Th 2:13-14

(13) But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

(14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit in us that sanctifies us (makes us holy) spirit, soul and body. And it is our soul or being – that which makes us who we are – that must come to the belief in the truth – Jesus Christ John 14:6. Now let’s go back to the beginning to talk about this part of us – the spirit in man.

We are going to try the answer the question is this spirit in man from God - an impartation of life?

Gen 2:7

(7) And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

So we see God formed man of dust then breathed into his him breath of life (neshawmaw) and the human being became a living (khahee) soul (nephesh). The life came from God breathing into us the breath of life. The word for breath in the Strongs is:

neshâmâh

nesh-aw-maw'

From H5395; a puff, that is, wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect or (concretely) an animal: - blast, (that) breath (-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.

Word for living is

chay

khah'ee

From H2421; alive; hence raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong

Word for soul is

nephesh

neh'-fesh

From H5314; properly a breathing creature, that is, animal or (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental): - any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature,

This neshawma is a divine wind, vitality, inspiration or intellect. Our body made of dust by itself is not alive it is a form. God breathed life into us. We say in our articles that God breathed air into us and we lived –an example would be CPR. You can try to give a dead person CPR and they still won’t come alive. This is an overly simplistic theological position focused on the physical. Our focus should be on the spiritual man versus the physical man. Do we see that in the beginning this impartation is not just something physical there is a spiritual impartation? Air keeps us bodily alive but it is not our life principle or vitality. Our spirit life is a divine gift of God – via Him breathing into us the breath of life (neshawma). God is spirit and we will see that life bears His spirit life.

Isa 42:5-7+

(5) Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

From this scripture we learn that at the time God gave the breath (neshawma) to the people upon the earth and a spirit (ruach) to the creatures walking the earth. We have called this neshawma in the church the “human spirit”. This breath is different from the common spirit of life of the creatures. We received this spirit ruach too as we also walk on the earth.

Now let me quote a few passages from “The Mystery of the Ages” – from the section the Mystery of Man.

“This human spirit does not impart human life. Human life is animal existence, but in the form and shape of God, and with the human spirit added to the brain.

Man was created to have a relationship with his Maker. Therefore he was made in his Maker’s form and shape, with contact and relationship made possible by the presence within him of the human spirit.”

You see our past emphasis on “form and shape of God” in terms of the physical as in God looks like us in form. But the Bible says God is spirit how can we project our physical attributes to a God of spirit and light – whom no man has seen? Instead of focusing on the physical let’s just say that God is making us in His image by first imparting into us a spirit.

Isa 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

The Most High God dwells in the high and holy place of the throne of Heaven. God also dwells in the contrite and humble spirit to revive the heart of the contrite. God dwells through His Holy Spirit in the spirit of the humble in their hearts. God’s will is to revive the hearts (souls) of the ones with contrite hearts. God revives the spirit of the humble (spirit in man) and then the soul (heart of the contrite). Through the spirit in man is made possible our reconciliation and healing in regards to contact & relationship with God. But God has to revive the spirit of man in the humble first then he can revive the rest of us soul and body. This is only possible if we are contrite and humble and remain so towards God receiving His will.

Now as to the human spirit not imparting life we will read some scriptures and discuss this further.

Job 33:4

(4) The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Jas 2:26

(26) For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

In both the old and new testaments it clearly says that the breath (Neshawma) gives us life. Notice here the body is dead without the spirit just as it was laying on the ground in the case of Adam. Then God breathed the spirit into man and he became a living soul. The spirit in man is the life we have been given and the body is the temporary vessel that holds this breath of life spirit - given from God. We have said that man and animal are both nephesh or breathing creatures and this is correct. Yet we have said that man is different than animals because he has the spirit of man and this is correct. But we focused more on the dust body than the neshawma breath of life imparted from God’s mouth to us. The body is just the container for the neshawma life. We say that the spirit of man makes us different from animals but it doesn’t impart life – yet the scripture says that the body without the spirit is dead. The body does not impart life – because without the spirit it is dead. Let me just say that this scripture is deeper then we have understood. Faith is like the body or our outside manifestation – just like the body is the vessel for the spirit. I would say works here is the work of the Holy Spirit. So this scripture is saying our bodily faith without the work of the Holy Spirit in our spirit is dead or profitless. Do we hear echoes of the I Corinthians 13 here?

1Co 13:3

(3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Joh 5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

Charity here is the agape love of God and phileo love towards neighbor which is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in us. When Jesus speaks on love it’s always agape first and phileo second. In John 5 the love of God is agape love. In John 21 Jesus asks Peter twice if he loves (agapeo) him and then once if he loves (phileo) him. Agape love comes from God and is expressed as agapao and phileo love to God and neighbor.

Godly faith in our neshawma spirit is one where the Holy Spirit works - manifesting the agape and phileo love. One cannot have and express charity (agape) without the Holy Spirit. The body without the spirit is dead just like someone who does all manner of works not inspired by the Holy Spirit. Faith of the body without the work of the Holy Spirit is dead. Just because we do charity work this does not mean we will be in the Kingdom. God is love. Those who have and express God’s love return to His kingdom of love. God is spirit and love and our bodies without the spirit revived and manifest are dead – both physically and spiritually.

Let’s continue talking about what constitutes life in us: the body or the spirit in man?

Ecc 3:19-22

(19) For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.

(20) All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.

(21) Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

(22) Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

The word breath in this scripture is ruach not neshawmah. But even Solomon knew that there was a different value of the spirit of man then the spirit of the beast. We humans are alike to the beasts in that we have “one breath” – or one life on this earth. We are alive on this earth as long as we have this “one breath” in us. If we have seen people die it seems they exhale this “one breath” at their departing. It is a very interesting rhetorical question “who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?” Jesus Christ can show us in many ways of what will become of us after we die. He showed Peter and John both in special personal ways. We have to be brought to see. We do not have power in ourselves to see after us – things that will happen on earth or in eternity.

Human and animals both die and our dust bodies go into the ground. We are of dust and return to dust. Returning to the ground was part of the curse we inherited from Adam for his disobedience to God. But notice the destination again: spirit of man goes upward to heaven and the spirit of the beast goes down to the earth. The phrase “for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?” seems to indicate that Solomon was asking who would explain to a man what shall be after his life ends. He didn’t really know what happens after death – because he didn’t have anyone show him either. The author expressed doubts of his own in bringing understanding to men of the hereafter. Solomon seemed to emphasize rejoicing in his own works on the earth. Let’s read some more about the portion he is talking about on earth.

Ecc 9:5-7

(5) For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

(6) Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

(7) Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Now we can look at this saying of Solomon and come to understand his mention of “but the dead know not any thing” – in relation to the goings on under the sun. The focus of this book seems focused on the physical: eat bread with joy, drink wine and enjoy your wife. And the dead he speaks about are missing out their portion of this enjoyment. But then he is reminded that all die so all this physical enjoyment is like ashes or vanity of vanities. The dead have no more rewards of living and our memory of them is forgotten because we are so busy in our works (enjoyment of life). I would add that this is the works of the flesh - as what he bemoans are not spiritual – but carnal.

The dead know not anything about what we the living are doing (eating, drinking and enjoying). And we have forgotten their love, hatred and envy – again these are not fruits of the Holy Spirit. Their portion of enjoying life is gone from this earth. All this we can agree with except of course Solomon went over the top in his enjoying of the physical to the detriment of his spiritual sanctification. And yet he ends saying that God shall bring every work into judgment – something we can all agree with. So we should probably not use Ecclesiastes to establish any doctrines on life after death. What we can take away is: we all die like beasts our dust bodies return to dust, spirit of man goes up to God in heaven and spirit of the beast goes down, the dead are not aware of anything under the sun (on this earth) and they don’t have any more physical works (portion) of enjoyment on this earth anymore.

Gen 3:19

(19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

This is the curse we all inherited due to Adam’s sin. Again humans and beasts are both of dust and return to it. I believe it is the impartation from God’s mouth to Adam of the neshawma that we received the unique spirit of man in us that differentiates us from beasts.

Joh 20:21-22

(21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

(22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Notice in this scripture that Jesus breathed on the disciples for them to receive the Holy Spirit. In this same way we of the Adamic creation received the spirit of man (neshawma) when God breathed it into us. This spirit enables us to commune with God. The animals had the ruach or nephesh spirit in them but there was no breath (neshawma) impartation from God in their creation. All life is from the spirit of God. One of my ducks died and I felt the difference between when it was alive and went it was dead. The dead corpse was still and the spirit of the beast had already left it. So we see that spirit is the life of even the earthly beast creation. The pagans say that god is in everything. But we know that with the exception of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirt – God the Creator made everything from His own spiritual life or Himself. Nothing created is independent from the Creator – no mini gods like the pagans believe.

Dan 7:15

(15) I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

Daniel says here that the ruach spirit of life is in the midst of my body – not just in our brains. If the spirit is the life in us like it is for animals then this life should be in every part of our body. I would also extend this to the spirit of man that it is in all of us – soul and body.

Job 33:4

(4) The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Job 34:14-15

(14) If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

(15) All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

We are made by the Holy Spirit of God and it is the breath of the Almighty that has given us life. This breath is again the word neshawma. We see here there are two things God gathers from the man that perishes – his spirit (ruach) and his (breath) neshawma. And all creatures in the creation have the ruach spirit of the beast which we also have. This ruach spirit of the beast I would say we can also call the soul or nephesh. In it is our personality, emotions and thoughts. I think we would all agree that animals have personality, emotions and thoughts. We could also say we have two spirits in us too: neshawma (spirit of man or breath of life) and ruach (nephesh) spirit of the beast. Again spirit of the beast life goes down upon death. In the new testament these spirits are combined and referred to as “my spirit”; whereas we learned from the beginning that there are two spirit life components in our creation.

Luk 23:46

(46) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Notice Jesus speaking of this presenting up of his spirit to his Father. Then he gave up the ghost or expired. Giving up the ghost (spirit) is a common expression for dying in the whole bible. The body was in the tomb three days but the spirit of Jesus was in the hands of God the Father. The body died not the spirit – this is the same for us. When we die our body will stop functioning but our spirit goes to God. Our life or spirit goes back to God who gave it.

Act 7:59-60

(59) and they were stoning Stephen, calling and saying, `Lord Jesus, receive my spirit;'

(60) and having bowed the knees, he cried with a loud voice, `Lord, mayest thou not lay to them this sin;' and this having said, he fell asleep.

In this passage Stephen commends his spirit to the Lord Jesus, forgives his oppressors, and then he fell asleep. God receives our spirit then the body falls asleep.

1Th 4:14

(14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

From this passage we know that when Jesus returns he will bring all those that are asleep in him with him. Sleeping in Jesus is not an unconscious dormancy. If Jesus brings those who rest in him they must be active because we have to go with Jesus who says come with me. Just as Peter said to Jesus bid me come and Jesus said come. I believe this what is meant by being brung with God. The spirit of man goes to God - who gave it when we die. So my understanding is that those spirits asleep in Jesus will he bring when he returns and our bodies from the graves will be resurrected to a glorified state then the spirit will be joined with those immortal bodies and we will be changed forever.

Luk 8:54-55

(54) And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise.

(55) And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat.

By the command of Jesus and the spirit coming again into the body the maid - life manifested itself again in her body. Again here is another confirmation that the body without the spirit is not alive. The spirit is the life in us. It is not just the air we need in our lungs – we need the spirit to actually awake the whole human body. The spirit enables our lungs to operate. The spirit gives our body understanding of how to live or breathe. When the spirit leaves the body – the body loses consciousness of everything. Thus the spirit in man gives it the awareness of both the physical and spiritual dimensions.

Before we move on I’d like to go over the fall in Genesis. We have said that the first lie of Satan was that he said “Ye shall not surely die:” in reference to the concept of an immortal soul. Let’s read the context to clarify what is being said.

Gen 2:16-17

(16) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

(17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Now let’s go to the fall.

Gen 3:1-5

(1) Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

(2) And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

(3) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

(4) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

(5) For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Do we see here that the conversation was not about whether Eve had an immortal soul? God’s clear commandment to Adam was thou shalt not eat of it (tree of knowledge of good and evil) – for in the day that thou eatest therof thou shalt surely die. Satan’s reference to “ye shall not surely die” was in reference to the commandment to not eat of the tree. Notice that he wasn’t talking about an immortal soul here he was trying to deceive in regards to God’s command to them. He was openly trying to deceive them – his lie was that there is no consequence to disobedience to God - but rather it would be enlightening. Now the question is if they had not eaten of the forbidden fruit would they have gone on living? Satan always mixes a little truth with his lies – Adam and Eve didn’t die physically in that day of their rebellion. So what died?

“When God spoke to Adam at the first He said, “in the day that you eat of it (the fruit of the tree of good and evil) you shall die” (Gen. 2.17). Adam and Eve nevertheless continued on for hundreds of years after eating the forbidden fruit. This obviously indicates that the death God foretold was not physical. Adam’s death began in his spirit.

What really is death? According to its scientific definition, death is “the cessation of communication with environment.” Death of the spirit is the cessation of its communication with God. Death of the body is the cutting off of communication between spirit and body. So when we say the spirit is dead it does not imply there is no more spirit; we simply mean the spirit has lost its sensitivity towards God and thus is dead to Him.”

I also believe there was a spiritual death of faith & belief in God as well – this all resulted in a death or separation in our communion with our Creator. By believing the deception of Satan and disobeying God – Adam corrupted his neshawma spirit which communed with God. The neshawma in man was so corrupted that it also became an unfit dwelling place for the future giving of the Holy Spirit. It’s equivalent to the Holy of Holies in man’s temple being desecrated and replaced with a corrupt belief in self and Satan’s lies. So in the day of sin God’s presence in the neshawma was masked over by darkness and we the first Adam creation died spiritually to God. Without the manifest light of God in us we became self-determinate in knowing good and evil. Adam was living in the presence of God and he was not ashamed or fearful before the fall. But after the spiritual death now he and us became the carnal man - our awareness of God died and we became consumed with our ourselves. Our focus became self-love not love toward God. All of a sudden Adam became fearful and ashamed. We know perfect love casts out fear. We also know that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear. So do we see that the spiritual death due to disobedience resulted in a corruption of our spiritual creation and we were overcome by a spirit of fear and self-centeredness. Satan lied - what died in that day was the greatest treasure of our whole creation – the very communion with God our Father via faith, belief and manifest light in our spirit.

It was in this state that God pronounced judgment on the body of dust:

Gen 3:19

(19) In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Gen 3:22-24

(22) And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

(23) Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

(24) So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Rev 22:2

(2) In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Notice here that part of the judgment was the fate of the body of dust to return to the dust. This was not the original intent of the earthly creation. Notice the provision of God – the tree of life – was made for the earthly creation as a food that would enable a physical dust body to live forever. Adam was created with eternity in Him – the spirit does not die. And externally he was given provision for the body to live forever to go with this neshawma - spirit in man. Notice in revelations this same tree is made available again and it provides healing of the nations. On the new earth will be a terrestrial existence just like Adam was living in prior to the fall. The tree of life is not for the spirit in man (neshawma) but for the earthly body. I would like to say here that in the entire bible there is no mention of spirit death. There is mention of body death. And there is mention of body & soul destruction in hell (gehenna). Here’s a question can God annihilate His very own spirit He gave us as our seed of life?

Mat 10:28

(28) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Notice this hell or gehenna has a more destructive affect on the soul and body then mere killing. We should all have a proper fear and reverence of the true and righteous judgments of God. Now that we know that the spirit is in every part of our body giving life and is more than “tape recorder” of our existence - let’s compare our makeup with that of the angelic realm.

We will discuss the question what is the difference between man and the angels.

Psa 33:6

(6) By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

From this scripture we see that the same spirit (ruach) of life that created us living souls also created the angelic host of heaven. Both angels and man were created by the breath of life that proceeded from the breath of the mouth of God. So what was imparted to angel and man was the same in terms of the spirit. Both realms have free moral agency to follow God or to rebel like Satan. It seems like the difference is that the angels already are living the result of their judgment. God set before them life and death and two thirds of the angels chose life with God. The other third chose spiritual death in rebelling with Satan. It’s interesting that the judgment of the angels perhaps revolved around us - the Adamic creation. The question God might have commanded the angelic creation including Lucifer to bow down, serve and minister to the Adamic creation. The decision Lucifer made also resulted in his judgment. In God’s creation we the created are all interconnected. One fall Lucifer and Adam can beget others. One death and resurrection to life in Jesus Christ can beget more life and reconciliation.

Eze 1:20-21

(20) Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

(21) When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

Here is a second witness of what God has done in giving the living creatures in heaven the same spirit of the living creature that we the human creation have. The word living in the phrase “living creature” is the same word as “living soul” in Genesis 2:7. This word for living is chay (Khayee) in the Strong’s. It means alive with free will. So we and the angels are both made alive by the breath of life of God. From what we read already God breathed life into angels and humans with His very mouth imparting a spirit or seed into us. So again we ask what is the difference between us humans and the angels?

1Co 15:38-50

(38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

(39) All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.

(40) There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

(41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

(42) So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

(43) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

(44) It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

(45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

(46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

(47) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

(48) As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

(49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

(50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

God gives to his seed its own body type. Each of the creation realms have their own sort of bodies. We see this in the difference between mammals, birds and fishes. Also our bodies are vastly different from the animals. And yet the seed of the human creation was sown in corruption due to sin. We know this because our physical bodies become more and more corrupt until death which is the ultimate corrupted state. Now notice the part where we are sown in a natural body subject to corruption. We will be raised into a spiritual body at the first resurrection. There is a natural body what we have and there is a spiritual body that the angels have. Notice the difference is the body not the seed. The seed I believe is the seed of spiritual life from God.

We are currently earthy our future is to become heavenly – as we will bear the image of the heavenly – that is the Lord from heaven. Flesh and blood or the corruption after the fall is not fit for the kingdom of incorruption. Flesh and blood is still under the from dust to dust curse. So flesh and blood must put on incorruption to be a part of a kingdom where there is no corruption. There is no curse in God’s kingdom. I would say here for the inheritors of the new earth - that living off the tree of life is not living under the curse. So we see that as a living soul or natural man we look forward to a change where we will become a quickening spirit or spiritual just like our Lord Jesus is now. He was made just like us a spirit, living soul and natural body and afterward was made a quickening spirit in a heavenly body.

Our natural bodies are corruptible, weak and dishonourable and we look forward to the day that our spirits are raised up in a glorious, powerful spiritual body. This is the state of the angelic creation now – their breath of life spirit is in a spiritual body. Our breath of life spirit is in a natural body. Do we see that the seed is the same between humans and angels it’s the covering or body that is different? But of course when the resurrection happens then the human overcomers will be the manifest sons of God which dwells in a higher heavenly realm then the angels.

Eze 28:17

(17) Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Notice the fate of the anointed cherub here he will be cast down to the ground or earth. It sounds like he will be cast down and become earthy. By contrast the bride of Jesus – which has borne the image of the earthy – they will bear the image of the heavenly. It’s the body that shows the glory. Right now we don’t bear that much glory in this earthly body but when the resurrection happens then we will bear the glory that God planned for us to live with Him in. The inheritors of the kingdom will bear the image and glory of the heavenly.

Now let’s spend some time explaining the understanding that comes from the spirit in man.

Job 32:8-9

(8) But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

(9) Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

1Co 2:11

(11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

Wisdom and understanding is from God and we received this capacity to understand via the breath of the Mighty One in the spirit of man. The word inspiration is neshawma again. The intellect and mind of the soul don’t exist without the spirit of man. This is the difference mentioned before between us and the animals. We have the capacity to understand wisdom because God gave us the neshawma breath. We know the things of man via this spirit and likewise we can’t know anything of God unless it’s by the Holy Spirit.

Pro 20:27

(27) The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Here the word spirit is the neshawma again – showing that this spirit in us is the one that searches out all our deepest parts, desires or motivations. By this spirit we search out the emotions or our soul – like a candle we would use to search out a hidden area. With our spirit we can search out our motivations and intents. We see here that the spirit is the deeper understanding in us – it is a God given candle to our souls.

Regarding the spirit I would like to read an excerpt here from The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee:

According to the teaching of the Bible and the experience of believers, the human spirit can be said to comprise three parts; or, to put it another way, one can say it has three main functions. These are conscience, intuition and communion. The conscience is the discerning organ which distinguishes right and wrong; not, however, through the influence of knowledge stored in the mind but rather by a spontaneous direct judgment. Often reasoning will justify things which our conscience judges. The work of the conscience is independent and direct; it does not bend to outside opinions. If man should do wrong it will raise its voice of accusation. Intuition is the sensing organ of the human spirit. It is so diametrically different from physical sense and soulical sense that it is called intuition. Intuition involves a direct sensing independent of any outside influence. That knowledge which comes to us without any help from the mind, emotion or volition comes intuitively. We really “know” through our intuition; our mind merely helps us to “understand.” The revelations of God and all the movements of the Holy Spirit are known to the believer through his intuition. A believer must therefore heed these two elements: the voice of conscience and the teaching of intuition. Communion is worshiping God. The organs of the soul are incompetent to worship God. God is not apprehended by our thoughts, feelings or intentions, for He can only be known directly in our spirits. Our worship of God and God’s communications with us are directly in the spirit. They take place in “the inner man,” not in the soul or outward man.

I also believe that faith and belief reside in the spirit in man (neshawma). We had belief and faith in God prior to the fall. But after the fall these qualities of faith and belief in God died because we fell into darkness. Now the corrupted spirit (newshawma) awaits the spiritual action of being born again with a new belief and faith in God via the conviction of the Holy Spirit in us to reveal Jesus Christ to us. Once the newshawma is born again it can be made into the new creation that was the purpose of God in the first place – to make us into His image. God’s image is His Son Jesus Christ and we will be like His Son. We will be called the sons of God. So often our theology has focused on the human physical aspects of our creation and projected them back onto God in terms of this creation into His image. So we have said that God has two eyes and a human form due to this mindset. However the bible says God is a spirit (John 4:24). And we must be formed spiritually into His image this is the fullness of what God is creating. Of course our example for this is Jesus Christ.

We can come to know God once our spirit (neshawma) is regenerated. The spirit in man prior to corruption was able to walk and commune with God in the garden of eden. Adam had conscience, intuition and communion with God. The seed that was the foundation for these attributes was the belief and faith in God our creator. Adam’s spirit communed with God but after the fall this neshawma had been corrupted. Our seed of belief & faith in God was snatched from our hearts by Satan’s deceit. As stated earlier our spiritual awareness of God was dead. Thus we lack the intuition, communion, and walk with God unless our neshawma in us is reborn and sanctified into Adam’s pre-fall state. Jesus – the second Adam – exemplified how this is lived.

2Co 4:6-7

(6) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

(7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

When we turn to God via the work of the Holy Spirit then He commands light to shine out of our darkened hearts. He shines his light (Holy Spirit) in our hearts and then we are given the knowledge of the glory of God via the Spirit’s regeneration of the belief and faith in God. Once our spirit is reborn now intuition, conscience and communion are directed to God again. And now we see what part he is speaking about it’s this neshawma in us that has to be born again or regenerated in us by the Holy Spirit. Once the neshawma in us is reborn it again has capacity again to be the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit does not dwell in our minds as that part of us is still corrupt – if we want to be honest about ourselves. The Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts once the neshawma light is reignited and shining again.

The second Adam - Jesus Christ demonstrates to us what the divine will of God was for the neshawma spirit of man in us. Notice that God commands the light (Holy Spirit) first to shine in the darkness of the neshawma (spirit), then it shines in our hearts or soul and finally we gain the knowledge of God in our minds. Of course we must turn to the light and be in agreement with all the work of God in us in order for it to come forth. This is the new covenant - from the resurrected inner man to the outer man. Old covenant just addressed the outer man because the inner man was not yet born again via the Holy Spirit – it was still dead and in the darkness.

Rom 7:6-7

(6) But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

(7) What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Now we can serve God in the newness of the spirit that He commanded to shine forth out of spiritual darkness. When the spirit is reborn it is new to us this communion of God with us via the Holy Spirit. Again we serve God via the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives and not in the old letter. Of course we don’t discard the letter as it has a place in revealing sin – but the Holy Spirit in us is incomparably superior in doing the will of God – then the law and the flesh.

2Co 4:16

(16) For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

This inner man is the renewed inward man work of the Holy Spirit in our neshawma spirit. The Christian life is the perishing of the outward man (flesh) and the raising up or renewing of the inner man via the Holy Spirit in our spirit. And ultimately this sanctification will affect spirit, soul and body preserving all blameless unto the return of our Lord.

Rom 8:1-2

(1) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

(2) For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

When we are led and live by the Holy Spirit in our spirits then we are blameless because we follow the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. The law of sin and death was made to address the flesh (soul/body) until the law of the Holy Spirit would come and address our spirit first and then ultimately our whole person – spirit, soul and body. We see that when we are wholly sanctified by the Holy Spirit we live out the will of God.

Now let’s talk a little about the soul element of our being. When God placed the spirit of man in us we became a living soul. This soul is our individual personality. There are no two souls that are the same. The soul also is the middle ground between spirit and the body. The soul is the medium through which the spirit addresses the body. Also the other way around the body addresses the spirit through the soul. It is the seat of our emotions, intellect and our free will.

“It is through the corporal body that man comes into contact with the material world. Hence we may label the body as that part which gives us world-consciousness. The soul comprises the intellect which aids us in the present state of existence and the emotions which proceed from the senses. Since the soul belongs to man’s own self and reveals his personality, it is termed the part of self-consciousness. The spirit is that part by which we commune with God and by which alone we are able to apprehend and worship Him. Because it tells us of our relationship with God, the spirit is called the element of God-consciousness. God dwells in the spirit, self dwells in the soul, while senses dwell in the body.”

“Actually the soul is the pivot of the entire being, because man’s volition belongs to it. It is only when the soul is willing to assume a humble position that the spirit can ever manage the whole man. If the soul rebels against taking such a position the spirit will be powerless to rule. This explains the meaning of the free will of man. Man is not an automaton that turns according to God’s will. Rather, man has full sovereign power to decide for himself. He possesses the organ of his own volition and can choose either to follow God’s will or to resist Him and follow Satan’s will instead. God desires that the spirit, being the noblest part of man, should control the whole being. Yet, the will—the crucial part of individuality—belongs to the soul. It is the will which determines whether the spirit, the body, or even itself is to rule. In view of the fact that the soul possesses such power and is the organ of man’s individuality, the Bible calls man “a living soul.” The Spiritual Man

So when God refers to us as souls it carries with it the individual personality developed in us by our decisions to the experiences in our lives. Of course the biggest decision in our lives is whether we turn to God in repentance and the extent of our surrender to Him.

I would like to just finish by saying our creation of spirit, soul and body reflects God’s will for us. His will is that we as living souls would submit to the born again spirit of man in us through believing and receiving Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection for us. This neshawma once born again is the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. Within our temple the Holy Holies manifests the will and wisdom of God to all our members. Thus we are quickened by God while we yet live in these corruptible bodies. If we are led of the Holy Spirit in our spirits we are the sons of God on this earth today - awaiting our glorified bodies that will match with this sanctified spirit/soul.

1Th 5:23

(23) And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let this scripture have new meaning and Godly outcomes for our lives.

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