Leadership Quote: Effective leaders are known by the questions they ask rather than the statements they make.
The ‘Majestic Creation’ series that I teach frequently raises questions about the topic of ‘body, soul and spirit’. These three aspects of ourselves are fact, but I’ve learned there is lots of confusion in defining and describing the relationship between them. Scriptures are not elaborate in explaining them but the impact of our ‘spirit’ on our ‘soul and body’ is important. This is especially true as we consider our right of birth as it was conceived in Jehovah’s plan, prior to creation. I sure could benefit from your thoughts. From your research, do you have insights to share?
Here are a few observation points that I’ve discovered:
- On the third day of creation God made plants, with a ‘body’.
- On the fifth and sixth days of creation God made birds, fish, animals and creepies, with a ‘body’ and a ‘soul’
- On the sixth day of creation God made man, with a ‘body’ and ‘soul’ … plus He added His Image of ‘spirit’.
To me, this illustrates the differences between the creation of living things.
Definitions: (there is lots of confusion here in describing the difference between ‘spirit’ and ‘soul’!)
Soul: the personality part of a person (deeply felt moral and emotional nature) that gives direction to the body and lives forever
Spirit: the dimension of humanity whereby relationship with God is possible; the part of a person that gives eternal purpose to the soul and body, and lives forever
- Our Body touches material things through seven senses: ‘sight’, ‘smell’, ‘hearing’, ‘taste’, ‘touch’, ‘balance’ and ‘temperature’.
- Our Soul manages our Body through: ‘imagination’, ‘conscience’, ‘memory’, ‘reason’, ‘affections’ and ‘sub-conscious’.
- Our Spirit facilitates our Soul through ‘faith,’ ‘hope,’ ‘insight’, ‘creativity’, ‘reverence,’ ‘communication’ and ‘worship’.
Creatures with their combined soul and body can survive by their wits. Those people, who are out of touch with their spirit, also survive only by their wits. But persons who are alive to their ‘spirit’ component, receive inner communications from God’s Spirit, plus impressions from their soul, through their body, of outward and material things. (There is confusion here about whether the impact of ‘unholiness / evil’ is just on ‘soul and body’ or also on ‘spirit’ too.)
Paul quotes: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love Him.” (Isaiah 64) It’s easy to stop here, content to remain in ignorance, but Paul continues: “But God reveals them to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit which is in him? Even so no man knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God.” (I Corinthians 2:9-11)
As you contemplate, may you be blessed with receiving revelation that the Spirit of God gives you, to see clearly each facet of joy that Father is offering you. John 16:12-13
The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. II Chronicles 16:9
It is impossible to live the life of a disciple without definite times of secret prayer. You will find that the place to enter in is in your business, as you walk along the streets, in the ordinary ways of life, when no one dreams you are praying, and the reward comes openly, a revival here, a blessing there. ~ O. Chambers
(Original post July 13 2015)
