What's the difference between a soul and a spirit?

Question

If you can, use Bible verses to back up your answer. Thanks!

Answer 1

In Genesis chapter 2 God tells how he created man from the dirt he formed him and then breathed in a spirit and the two became a living soul. This shows the image of God from Genesis 1 where God said let us create man in our image. The image of the trinity is Father,Son and Holy Spirit and man created in that image is body and spirit make a living soul.

Answer 2

Use of the terms "soul" and "spirit" in the Bible is very complex. Often in the New Testament, they are used synonymously to refer to the immaterial part of man; at other times, they are used with fine distinctions. In those cases, the term "soul" seems to refer to man's more basic psychological functions as he interacts with the world, while "spirit" seems to focus on man's relationship with God. In the Old Testament, "soul" is sometimes used to refer to man in his totality.

Theologians struggle with the question of whether man is made up of two parts, namely body and soul/spirit, or three parts, namely body, soul and spirit. The latter position has been popularized through the teaching of many Christian psychologists and teachers, since it furnishes such a handy way to distinguish between man's material nature, his psychological structure, and his spiritual relationship to God.

Illustrations from the Bible would be as follows: In Genesis 2:7 the Hebrew word for soul is used in reference to man in his totality as created by God. A situation in the new Testament where soul and spirit appear to be used synonymously is Luke 1:46-47. An instance where soul and spirit (used as adjectives) seem to be in contrast, soul referring to man's lower psychological functions and spirit to man's higher spiritual function, is 1 Corinthians 2:14-3:4.

Answer 3

The soul Psm.7:2; is the whole person.

Adam and Eve were created souls, we are born souls, we are to be resurrected souls. 1Cor.15:22-28,51-53; As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The spirit of God is the life of each soul Num.16:22; Isa.42:5; James 2:26; Eccl.3:19-21; 12:7; Psm.104:29,30; Eze.18:4; 37:12-14; Luke 8:50,52,54,55 [ Her spirit came again ];

Answer 4

You don't have soul, you are a soul, and souls die Gen 2:7
Eccl 9:5,10 Ezk 18:4
Spirit = Life Force= Common sense tells us that the force of life comes from God and is the same in man or animal and God chooses to give it. (Ecclesiastes 3:18-22) 18 I, even I, have said in my heart with regard to the sons of mankind that the [true] God is going to select them, that they may see that they themselves are beasts. 19 For there is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity. 20 All are going to one place. They have all come to be from the dust, and they are all returning to the dust. 21 Who is there knowing the spirit of the sons of mankind, whether it is ascending upward; and the spirit of the beast, whether it is descending downward to the earth? 22 And I have seen that there is nothing better than that the man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; because who will bring him in to look on what is going to be after him?

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Answer 5

A soul is for the living; a spirit is what we leave after death.

Answer 6

Soul, is life. Spirit is living. Noun vs. Verb.

Answer 7

Humans have eternal souls.

Animals, plants, etc. have non-eternal spirits.