Hebrews 4:12 says, For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
So wouldn't this mean we are made up of soul and spirit? Soul in this scripture is psuche (5590) and spirit is pneuma (4151). They are distinct from one another.
Wouldn't the conclusion be that we are made up of a soul, a spirit, and a body. Only God's word can separate the soul and spirit.
Soul (5590) is the breath of life. the seat of feelings, desires, affections, aversion. basically the mind and heart
Spirit (4151) being the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul.
Have you studied this? What do you think?
Seems to me most of our problems come from the soul. With God's spirit in us then we can govern our own soul.
2006-12-27 08:40:03 · 13 answers · asked by Jasmine 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Thanks all...This is what I've been taught growing up but also what I've learned thru personal research. I've wondered what others think or if they've researched that scripture. I love hearing from others.
And Watchman Nee is incredible. His books are meat and not milk for sure!
2006-12-27 08:56:08 · update #1
Thanks PalmBay!
Yeah, that scripture is a personal fav! My best friend just died of cancer and boy did we stand in the evil day. Having done all to stand and die IN the faith is so powerful!
2006-12-27 08:59:25 · update #2
I have studied these in regards to the Seats of Temptation
When we are tempted we can only be tempted in one of three areas:
BODY
SOUL
SPIRIT
In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the apostle Paul says, “May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The first seat of Temptation – BODY
The first part of your nature that is tempted is the body. The body is the most obvious because you can see it. The body is just a space suit that we wear so that we can live on planet Earth. The Bible calls the body our earthly house. We live in a body. Your bodily appetites can be a seat of temptation.
The second seat of Temptation – SOUL
Inside your body is a soul. The Greek word for “soul” is psuche. When the word is Anglicized, we get psychic, psychiatry, and psychology. Your soul is the psychological part of you – your mind, your emotion, and your will. You soul is what makes you the wonderful person you are. It’s your sense of humor, your intellect, your tastes, your idiosyncrasies. Another world for soul is ego or self. The soul or ego is another seat of temptation.
The third seat of Temptation – SPIRIT
The soul and spirit are not the same thing, but the Bible distinguishes between them. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12 as you said. There is a difference. The spirit is much like the soul in that it is invisible. Spirit and soul are indivisible, but they are not identical. The spirit in man is what makes man different from all of the other creatures. None of the other creatures have a spirit. Only man has a spirit because we are made in the image of God, and God is spirit. The spirit is the part of your nature that can know God, fellowship with God, commune with God.
UNDERSTANDING BODY, SOUL, AND SPIRIT
- With my body I have physical life, and I know the world beneath me. When my body is right, I’m healthy.
- With my soul I have psychological life, and I know the world around me and within me. When my soul is right, I’m happy.
- With my spirit I have spiritual life, and I know the world above me. When my spirit is right, I am holy.
There is more that I have studied according to this but to much to post here.
Good thought provoking question though.
God bless…
2006-12-27 08:59:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
psuche or soul refers to the whole body, the flesh, the person themself and pneuma or spirit is the force that keeps the body alive. The spirit can be compared to the electricity that makes a toaster work, unplug the electricity from the toaster and it no longer works but a the same time the electricity doesn't take on the form of the toaster. The spirit when it leaves the body is nothing more than the force that animates the body, it is not a personality or anything like the person it animated, and when it leaves the body, the body dies, or the soul dies, Ezekiel 18:4.
2006-12-27 16:59:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
What a fantastic question! I love that piece of scripture and it fills me with wonder, but I have never taken a great deal of time to study it. I think it's very deep indeed.
As I understand it, we are comprised of three parts; Body, Soul and Spirit, so you have it right there.
I don't know if you can come to the conclusion that you come to in this statement...
"Wouldn't the conclusion be that we are made up of a soul, a spirit, and a body. Only God's word can separate the soul and spirit."
This piece of scripture doesn't say that only Gods word can do this. It says that Gods word can do this. The word "Only" makes a difference. Notice that it also says "Joints and Marrow", so the Word Of God (Jesus) can produce a physical effect on us as well.
This warrants further study I think. There is a piece of scripture that I think of when reading this one, and that is Ephesians 6...
13. Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
14. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15. and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16. withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
I pray that God rewards your study.
2006-12-27 16:54:14 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
There is no such thing as a soul that separates the body and goes somewhere. The bible says in Eze. 18:4: "Look! All the souls—to me they belong. As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die".
Also, Eclesiastes 9:5 says: "For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten"
There is still more: What happens with us?
Psalms 37:11: "But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. 37:29 - "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it. "
What happens to our dead ones? John 5:28: Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.
2006-12-27 17:10:26 · answer #4 · answered by pachequito 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To my understanding this form of expression is poetical, and signifies that the word penetrates to the inmost recesses of our spiritual being as a surgeon cuts through the joints and marrow of the body.
Man is not a spirit, he has a spirit. I believe the soul (psyche in the Greek) is the makeup of a person. You are different from every other person. The thing that makes you different is the soul. The soul is how you relate to others and how you understand yourself. The spirit (pneuma in the Greek) is how you relate to God. When you are reborn, you are born of spirit (John 3:5-6). The spirit is part of the soul, much like the mind is part of the soul. It is the soul, though, that comprises who you are.
2006-12-27 16:54:15 · answer #5 · answered by thundercatt9 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Thanks for your question. I think it is difficult to understand the difference between the soul & spirit.
When we purposely rebel against God, there is a spiritual death and blindness (spiritually handicaped). Jesus said we must be born again (spiritually reborn) to see the Kingdom of God.
The soul is our thinking & decisions. Our Spirit is the heart association. Love of God in our heart. Body is our physical flesh.
When we are born again, we are whole again.
I believe this is how we are in Gods image. God the Father, Word & Holy Spirit. Man the body, soul & spirit.
It is hard for me to separate the soul & spirit. The spirit is renewed in Christ and assures faith and right decisions. So I can understand how that fills & governs the soul. I also think conscience is the soul helps decision. Unless that it is the conscience that dies spiritually in rebellion and that is the spiritual blindness. Because the conscience governs the soul decisions also.
I guess it would take more study for me to understand it.
2006-12-27 17:17:27 · answer #6 · answered by t_a_m_i_l 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have a "Strong's Concordance." That's good. A quick answer: Gods Word separates so sharply it can cut apart what nothing else can. The soul and Spirit. It can save to the uttermost, or condemn forever. And not even our thoughts are not hidden from Him. Your assessment of the verse is also a quick answer and accurate.
2006-12-27 16:48:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes. I am taught this saying, and help teach it in Children's Ministry at church : We ARE a spirit, we HAVE a soul, we LIVE in a body. I have studied quite a bit on this...waayyy to much to write down in this box, but basically I agree with you. I think a lot of our problems come from our "heart" Not our blood pump, but our soul. God sees into our hearts. God changes our hearts. God speaks to our hearts.
2006-12-27 16:46:20 · answer #8 · answered by PennyPickles17 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in us when we become children of God.
2006-12-27 16:43:29 · answer #9 · answered by Geoff C 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Go get a copy of 'The Spiritual Man' by Watchman Nee - if you haven't already.
2006-12-27 16:43:18 · answer #10 · answered by NONAME 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋