the human soul, what is it?

[Allin]

I'm with you in that all creation has life; for all the good reasons you list above. It all groans for redemption and shall be redeemed, not just us. But I still hold that the soul is created by the interaction of the flesh and the spirit. The mind, which I agree is part of the soul, is a combination of a brain of flesh and a spirit that gives it life. The same goes with every other aspect of the soul. Ezekial 18:4, Ezekiel 18:20 the soul that sins shall die? Sin is of flesh - the flesh that dies in sin takes with it it's soul. But the flesh that accepts Christ, tho it dies it's soul lives on in the new spiritual 'flesh' made perfect by Christ.

All creation has flesh and spirit and therefore has a soul. It is only the flesh that dies in sin that looses it's soul. Without body and spirit, the soul dies too.

Sometimes, Ricky, people are saying the same things in different ways. God's ways are multi-faceted; no one person has all the info. separately which is why the Body is needed. As I said above, there is one Ministry, four ministries, five ministries, eight ministries, thousands of ministries. One person may say there is only one, another person say there are only four, etc.; they are all right, but not separately. They each have a part of the truth, but the truth is made whole when every part is joined together. The soul is created however it is created (it is the personality or character of a created being), but in a human being, the soul is also separate from the spirit unlike in an animal. Everything is linked, every part of Creation, but each also is its individual just like the Godhead (the Pattern for all Creation).

The Bible defines spirit and soul often interchangeably or as the same thing; but it also distinguishes them as different from each other just as it sometimes distinguishes the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as different from each other.

(This 'also' is what we should not fail to notice: God said one thing, but I heard two things. If He said one thing but you hear two things, hold on to the two things you heard rather than focusing on the fact that He said one thing: "One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard"-- Ps. 62:11. And you know the places in especially Proverbs where it says, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to Him"-- Pro. 6; etc. So are there six things God hates or are there seven? Yes. It is both.)

The Bible also shows that the only Person that can really and truly and properly distinguish each thing from another (who can make one thing two, two things three, three things four, etc.) is God: "The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Heb. 4:12). Here it says that God's Word is so powerful and alive (the ability to move among and within and outside of things with nothing that can keep it out; it is in and around everything) that it is able to make a proper distinction between things that are very closely related-- things that we ourselves are not able to distinguish, separate, or judge:

1. "the division of soul and spirit". Here, God's Word can divide into two what we may see as one.

2. "the division... of joints and marrow". Dividing again between things closely related (the ability to separate and divide is the theme here which is why it talks about separating between the physical though talking about spiritual things).

3. "is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart". Now isn't that something. What's the difference between the thoughts of the heart and the intents of the heart? The fact there is that there is a different between them! Therefore, what that passage is saying is that God's Word (or God) can distinguish and separate where we see no distinction or separation.

God can separate into two or more the things that we see as one whole. We should let His Word continue to have precedence as we continue to learn His ways and Word.

 

[Mac4Yuma]

I do not know of any original anythings only copies of copies.
As to understanding better now it is covered in the Bible but just thinking about things who now can get God's Words to all the world... The English speaking people the ones blessed by God.

Mac.

 

[ANDYA]

I'm going to be honest, the only post I have read so is Mac's above mine. I don't know what the forum is, but I guess it's about religion and god otherwise this post wouldn't of come up on my 2 day search through lots of different search engines. My post may be a little long for some because I have many questions.

One. Can a person exist with more than one belief?. Can I believe in God and also emptiness at the same time?. Because I do.. some day's I think I have a purpose, here and waiting for a reason, something, anything.. others I think I'm empty to the pits. Nothing but an empty shell. Other's I think of ending it all, others I couldn't be happier. Depending on the day. I was reading some old lore on some theories about "Empty Shells" they call it. Someone who has no ambition, no dreams, no drive, no self existence to once self. Meaning one has no worth but the people around her/him self. Comes the contradiction of one has no soul one couldn't be missed be those people.

I have my self. Have none of the above, but two or three people around me. Who may miss me. Since I was 14-15 year's old I've had no drive, no ambition and no dream. I'm at what "some" call peace. I am content with where I am and who I am. The only pressure I have is the one or two people closest to me push me to be more, simply because she is my mother and stand in father who wishes the best for me but could never understand I am happy with nothing. I have no money, I have no belongings. I have no true human hatred for what others have.. to them if I told them how I really feel, I would be not an outcast, but strange, a disappointment, a question, as I am now. 26 years old and still being forced into a life I feel I don't need.

Others view. I'm depressed, I'm lacking discipline to hammer the drive home to make me move. True?.. no, I've had plenty of both over the years even as an 26 year young adult. I've been on many websites to do with Voodoo, thinking I may have been cursed to drain my self from my self. I've been on websites to do with demonic possession, thinking I may be possessed with a daemon draining my energy stopping me from living life as I should. I've been to many Doctors, thinking I'm making my self go insane and maybe just blaming my self for something I'm blocking out deep down. I've been to many psychics whom tell me I'm unable to proceed. With life?. death?.. they never say..

Now. I have feelings. I'm not one of these people I've come across on my searches that claim not to feel anything. I laugh, I smile, I even "almost" shed a tear at really sad movies. I have feel sad for things such animals being harmed for no good reason. But I don't feel love, or have I not met the correct person, who knows. I've had many medium-long term relationships since I was fifteen years old, none of them meant a thing to me. I can live with a woman for 4 years, not give a turd if she walks way. Not depressing the feeling, not running from it, not hiding from it, just plain as day not care. Same with the job. Don't have money, don't care. Don't have anywhere to live, don't care, and yes I have been made homeless several times.

Now to my question. Am I really just mentally screwed here?. Am I an empty shell with no worth to be had so no point trying?, or am I just lost needing to find that something that will one day light the spark in me?. Because that's what I'm missing, it seems everyone anywhere has that little something pushing them within to do what their meant for, but me. I'm an earthbound man with no earth destiny.

If you need more examples of my life I will be here to check for replies everyday. Because I know even writing this to some may seem like I have that little something trying to get on forward. It's not. To me it's logical to move on to forums to seek advice or help since I have tried everything else.

P.S. You can call me names, you can say what you wish, I'm sure I've heard it before. Do you think you're the first person to call me crazy or stupid or worse.

 

[Allin]

One. Can a person exist with more than one belief?. Can I believe in God and also emptiness at the same time?. Because I do.. some day's I think I have a purpose, here and waiting for a reason, something, anything.. others I think I'm empty to the pits. Nothing but an empty shell. Other's I think of ending it all, others I couldn't be happier. Depending on the day. I was reading some old lore on some theories about "Empty Shells" they call it. Someone who has no ambition, no dreams, no drive, no self existence to once self. Meaning one has no worth but the people around her/him self. Comes the contradiction of one has no soul one couldn't be missed be those people.

There are other Christians struggling with those kinds of things, but I think most of them don't feel comfortable talking to their pastors or Christians they know about it. Yes, people can be Christians and also feel empty inside or have other problems. Finding out why is probably always the hard part, but that's where a local church is supposed to be helpful. Local churches, however, rarely can answer questions relating to everyday life and issues, so many Christians haven't found any answers in them. All I will tell you is to keep looking for answers, and try a church if possible. If you don't get answers from a church, keep looking.

 

[john832]

Soul: = Your Consciousness, Mind, Feelings, Morality, & Inner Being
(This is your inner self that controls both your spirit body and physical body)
(Condition: The soul lives on in the spirit world. It can only be destroyed by Jesus Christ)


Spiritual Body (or Spirit): = Your Invisible Celestial or Incorporeal Body
(Your unseen spiritual body which only appears visible in the spiritual realm)
(And is attached to the soul and can express & feel emotion as the Bible indicates)
(Condition: spirit can die, if it is replaced by a new spirit given by God thru the process of being born again and or it can be destroyed by Jesus in the 2nd death)


Physical Body: = Your Visible Flesh and Blood Body
(Your body exists within the physical realm & is attached to both the soul and spirit body)
(Condition: body can die, leaving the remaining soul and spirit body for the Judgment. A new physical body will be created for both the Righteous who will live with Christ eternally and a new body will be created for the Unrighteous whereby their body will be destroyed in the Lake of Fire.)


Your soul, spirit, and body are all distinct from one another and yet they all make up one person and can function as one.


The Needs & Desires of the Body and the Spirit:


The physical body has needs and desires; And then when a person accepts Jesus Christ as their personal Savior or becomes born again (i.e. their spirit being reborn) their spirit then has needs and desires, too.


For example:


Your physical body needs =
Water, food or meat, and sleep in order to function.


Your reborn spiritual body needs =
Word of God (water), doing the will of Christ just as Christ did the will of the Father (food or meat), and praise & worship (rest) in order to function.


Your physical body desires =
The union with a mate, happiness, usefulness with talents or work, beautiful things, relaxation, exhilaration, and a desire to be healthy.


Your reborn spiritual body desires =
Marriage to Christ, to be in the beauty or splendor of heaven, to be at peace with God, etc. The spirit also desires spiritual gifts, too.


The soul of man expresses his individuality. The body is the part of us that is world-conscious; the soul is self-conscious; and the spirit (that is born again) is God-conscious.


In other words...


There are three minds at work:


Soul = Mind that makes the ultimate decisions.
Body = Mind that can influence you into fleshy or worldly matters.
Spirit Body (Born of God) = Mind that can influence you into the things of God.


Now, just so that there is no confusion I think it is important to clarify the spirit or the spiritual body.


Spiritual bodies (that are born again of God) can...


(a) Feel emotion like your physical body can feel emotion.
Mary said she would rejoice in her spirit. This an expression of an emotion. So your spirit can feel emotionally.


(b) Have desires or a mind that focuses on the things of God
Just as your physical body has desires of the things of the flesh or of this world, your reborn spirit from God has a mind that desires those things that are spiritually good. So your reborn spirit is not an empty shell. It has needs and desires that want to please God. Also, your reborn spirit lets God know you are a member of His Kingdom (you are born again spiritually).


(c) House the Holy Spirit, Christ, and or the Father.
So just as the Holy Ghost can live within our physical bodies as a Temple (1 Corinthians 6:19), Christ is said to live within the spirit of our hearts (Ephesians 3:17). For your spiritual body has a spiritual heart and Christ can live there. Remember, the Temple had an inner court and an outer court. The outer court would be your physical body and the inner court of the temple would be your spiritual body. God can live within your reborn spiritual body. For God desires to rule from within our hearts and be joined to the body of Christ (Colossians 3:15).


(d) Have True Understanding of the The Scriptures


1 Corinthians 2:14 - "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."


In other words, the natural man is the unsaved person who rejects Jesus in this life and they do not receive the things from the Spirit of God because they are foolishness to him. The unsaved natural man who rejects Christ cannot know the things of God because they do not have a reborn spirit from God to be able to spiritually discern God's truth.


If your looking for Scripture references for the soul, spirit, and body being distinct and yet one, below you will find three really good articles that are backed up with plenty of verses.


The 1st article I would recommend talks about the difference between the...
"soul's heart" and the "spirit's heart."


Realanswers.tv


The 2nd article I would recommend is the soul and the spirit in regards to salvation. Although, I do not believe in OSAS (i.e. Once Saved Always Saved) or Eternal Security, the article still does a good job at explaining the difference between spirit salvation (Justification) and soul salvation (Sanctification).


First Fruits Ministry


The 3rd article I would recommend is a very lengthy, informative, and in-depth study on the soul, spirit, and the body, of which you can check out here...


Spirit and Soul and Body


Side Note:


I am aware that bread can be a reference to the Word of God, too. I chose Water first because we are to sanctify ourselves with the washing of the Word. And faith cometh by hearing the Word of God (i.e. being born of Water).

Nicely put, but completely unscriptural...

The soul is...

Gen 2:7 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.

The word soul here is...

H5315
נפשׁ
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, X dead (-ly), desire, X [dis-] contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortality, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it.

A breathing creature, a creature that breathes for a living.

Notice some other creatures besides man that are called souls...

Gen 1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.

The word life here is the same word translated soul. It is H5315 - nephesh and refers to creatures living in the ocean like fish, clams and sea crabs.

Gen 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

The word creature here is H5315, nephesh, a soul and it refers to every living thing in the ocean that processes oxygen to live.

Gen 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

Here the word for creature is H5315, nephesh and refers not only to cattle but also to skunks, lizards and mice.

Gen 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.

So every living creature was named by Adam. The creatures he named are all souls, H5315.

Is a soul immortal?

Gen 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
Gen 2:17 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.

God told the first human soul that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would die.

Can a soul die?

Eze 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Same thing Adam became, a living H5315, a nephesh and a soul can die.

Mat 10:28 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.

Christ said the soul can be destroyed.

Now the word for destroy does not mean to live forever in a place of torment, it is...

G622
ἀπόλλυμι
apollumi
ap-ol'-loo-mee
From G575 and the base of G3639; to destroy fully (reflexively to perish, or lose), literally or figuratively: - destroy, die, lose, mar, perish.

The end of the line.

The wages of sin is...

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What is death?

G2288
θάνατος
thanatos
than'-at-os
From G2348; (properly an adjective used as a noun) death (literally or figuratively): - X deadly, (be . . .) death.

Not life in some other place but death. When we read the entire verse we see that eternal life is something God must give us. If He must give it to us, then we do not already have it.

So where did the idea of an immortal soul come from?

Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

The first recorded lie and man has believed it ever since.

The modern Christian teaching of souls being tormented in an ever burning hell forever is derived for the most part from...

"The concept of a soul within us that cannot die first became a ‘Christian’ doctrine at the end of the second century AD. Hell had been taught in Greek philosophy long before the time of Jesus, with Plato (427-347 BC) as the important leader in this thinking.

The teaching of an everlasting place of punishment for the wicked is the natural consequence of a belief in an immortal soul. By the year AD 187, it was understood that life, once we have it, is compulsory; there is no end to it, either now or in a world to come. We have no choice as to its continuance, even if we were to commit suicide to end it."

And was popularized in a book by Dante Alighieri titled the Divine Comedy.

 

[Esanta]

The soul is the psyche itself, as a whole. The spirit is the attitude with which a person approaches the world; it's their outlook, understanding, their motive, intent. The body is the physical body as a whole; flesh, blood and bone. The man/woman is the entire being; body, soul and spirit.

 

[john832]

The soul is the psyche itself, as a whole. The spirit is the attitude with which a person approaches the world; it's their outlook, understanding, their motive, intent. The body is the physical body as a whole; flesh, blood and bone. The man/woman is the entire being; body, soul and spirit.

Got some scripture for that?

 

[Esanta]

Got some scripture for that?

It seems pretty self evident. Jesus talks about his disciples 'taking upon them' the spirit of God, thus this spirit of God is something a person can take upon them and learn. That, to me, is Jesus talking about his disciples taking on a particular viewpoint, with particular motives, intents and understanding.

Jesus talks about the soul, 'do not fear that which kills the body, but that which might kill the soul', and this, taking into account various other parts of the bible such as the mention of a person who hasn't taken on the spirit being 'dead in the flesh', to me signifies that the soul is the psyche, but more particularly, the 'living' soul is the psyche that contains the spirit of God.

And obviously the body is flesh, bone and blood, because that's just obvious. And obviously the man or woman is the whole shabang.

 

[john832]

The soul is the psyche itself, as a whole. The spirit is the attitude with which a person approaches the world; it's their outlook, understanding, their motive, intent. The body is the physical body as a whole; flesh, blood and bone. The man/woman is the entire being; body, soul and spirit.

Got some scripture for that?

It seems pretty self evident. Jesus talks about his disciples 'taking upon them' the spirit of God, thus this spirit of God is something a person can take upon them and learn. That, to me, is Jesus talking about his disciples taking on a particular viewpoint, with particular motives, intents and understanding.

Jesus talks about the soul, 'do not fear that which kills the body, but that which might kill the soul', and this, taking into account various other parts of the bible such as the mention of a person who hasn't taken on the spirit being 'dead in the flesh', to me signifies that the soul is the psyche, but more particularly, the 'living' soul is the psyche that contains the spirit of God.

And obviously the body is flesh, bone and blood, because that's just obvious. And obviously the man or woman is the whole shabang.

Didn't think so.

 

[ELECT]

Does God have a soul ?

 

[Exoaria]

Does God have a soul ?

God is 100% Spirit.

 

[Powemm]

Im simply answering the original question.. and only answering it through my understanding as God has shown me in my relationship with Him...
my soul is like a room... ive walked through it with Him... at first it was like an empty tomb... dark, no light, the walls had spongy mold on its walls . There was an old wooden table in the center of it with one chair... it was dusty and unoccupied. Nothing else was in this room... when I invited jesus in it was horrifying when i turned around and discovered this room was actually my soul..
Jesus came in anyway and walked around with me in it. We looked at the walls , his Hand in mine and then he sat in the chair at the table.... I didnt know it then but now know, it is the throne room of gods temple inside my body... looking back God himself sat with me in this room ... he didnt blast any lights on, demand everything be polished, or even judge me in the way or manner it was in... he simply sat there as I cried at his feet.... smiling at me the whole time.. (my soul) was restored by God himself.. at first he turned a soft gentle light on... just sat there until I returned again and again to visit him in this room... each time I went the door was always open.. I could stay as long as I wanted to talk with him there... each time I went something different appeared... the windows in this room are open..fresh air , lights, beautiful decor and even pictures hang there... it is gods room.. all the moldn is gone in this place called the soul... he sits as ruler in it... we have a very good good god! All I can say is its fun cleaning up his style... their is no weeping or sorrow here in this place.. all sufficiency of what we need is here ... the soul is the throne room of god in each of us... it keeps getting better and bigger every time I return to it... he shows you things in a very simplistic manner crystal clear the way he wants you to know it and understand it... he is not difficult or makes things into riddles or confusing... his voice is small but thunderous at the same time... and when he speaks there is no other voice like his... its the best place ive ever been.. with the most spectacular sites ive ever seen... He is Holy! In right standing before us.n. He is the one who sits upon the throne of my soul

 

[ELECT]

God is 100% Spirit.

God is a Spirit with a Spirit and He has a soul because He has a heart

Therefore God is a Spirit with a personal Spirit and soul and has a spiritual body

 

[Nick1939]

Seeing Adam did not have a soul without his body prior to his creation, this passage is just stressing the fact that he is human and not an angel or spirit.

You all are in a state of confusion with some truths and some errors . try this scriptures to connect the dots ,Gen 2:7 Adam
was a SOUL prior to Gods breath put in him,he now became a LIVING SOUL with the breath of life. Gen 3:19 for dust thou are
and to dust you shall RETURN. ps 146:4 Eccl 12:7 1st Cor 15:45-48. this is undisputable evidence that can not be contradicted
by any other interpretation ,now try to rightly dividing the word of truth 2 Tim 2:15 God bless .......

 

[Sec]

In order to understand this thread, you must go to page 1 and read my first post.

<><===><>
Gary Sechler
[FONT=&quot]With knowledge on loan from God[/FONT]

 

[john832]

In order to understand this thread, you must go to page 1 and read my first post.

<><===><>
Gary Sechler
With knowledge on loan from God

Yep and that is not scriptural.

 

[Atwood]

Man is tripartite; body, soul and spirit. His body comes from his parents, his spirit comes from God, and his soul, i.e., himself, is the result of this union of body and spirit, a new individual without experience of any kind, but good because made by God Himself. Man is a soul, he possesses a spirit and a body, the former whereby he can contact the spirit world, and the latter with which to enter and appreciate the material world. The soul, if it loses its body, is dead to this world; if it loses its spirit, it is dead to God and the Heavenly world. If it loses both, it is dead to both worlds, conscious only of the isolation and hopeless darkness of death. Gen 2v7—margin "lives," Num 16v22, Isaiah 57v16, Eccl 12v7, 1Thess 5v23, Matt 11v11, Heb 4v12, John 3v6, 1Cor 2v10-16, Job 10v21-22, Heb 2v15, Luke 12v5

Yahweh Shalom

You make assertions, but I don't believe that your verses prove them. Certainly Hebrews 4 does not, nor does 1 Thes 5. Ecclesiastes appears to be a man reasoning under the sun, saying that "All is vanity." But all is not in fact vanity. God is not vanity! Salvation is not vanity. Thus I would not proof text from Ecclesiastes. Job is a book of debates. So one needs also to be careful in proof texting from Job (certainly don't quote Eliphaz, Zophar, or Bildad to prove anything).

 

[Mac4Yuma]

As I explained, you are reading the understanding of the translator, not the author, the translator had NO clue what the spirit was, and the author did not understand it, because nobody could until today.

Man does not have a spirit, there is only one spirit, the Holy spirit, man is composed of body and soul, period !!

<><===><>
Gary Sechler
With knowledge on loan from God

you did a very good job explaining on the first part but on the last part you said man is just like animals just body and the life in the body that is called the soul. you are saying man and animals are all the same yet the Bible does not support that nor does it even hint such a thing.
The Bible says when a person dies the body and the soul are dead and no more plus it also says something returns to God and when animals die nothing returns to God. After Jesus returns and a dead person comes to life again how does that body get back the info that it had before it died.
Jesus died and He came back to life and He got back all of His life info and He was and is the example of what is to come. The question I ask you is how do you think the info of a person is going to be put back into the body and were does this info come from and how does it all happen?

I read in the Bible that humans are born with God's "Spirit" installed in them and then when they die that 'Spirit" returns to God for safe keeping and later it is put back into the body it came from. I am nor speaking about God's Holy Spirit that makes a person a Christian that Spirit can come and go from a person.
I am not very good with the English words so I will make sure the reader understand how I see one of the Spirits. A husband is one and a wife is one and the love is one and that makes three items that are one yet three separate items they are two persons and one love for them and others if they are Christians with God's love.

Mac.

 

[Sec]

you did a very good job explaining on the first part but on the last part you said man is just like animals just body and the life in the body that is called the soul. you are saying man and animals are all the same yet the Bible does not support that nor does it even hint such a thing.
The Bible says when a person dies the body and the soul are dead and no more plus it also says something returns to God and when animals die nothing returns to God. After Jesus returns and a dead person comes to life again how does that body get back the info that it had before it died.
Jesus died and He came back to life and He got back all of His life info and He was and is the example of what is to come. The question I ask you is how do you think the info of a person is going to be put back into the body and were does this info come from and how does it all happen?

I read in the Bible that humans are born with God's "Spirit" installed in them and then when they die that 'Spirit" returns to God for safe keeping and later it is put back into the body it came from. I am nor speaking about God's Holy Spirit that makes a person a Christian that Spirit can come and go from a person.
I am not very good with the English words so I will make sure the reader understand how I see one of the Spirits. A husband is one and a wife is one and the love is one and that makes three items that are one yet three separate items they are two persons and one love for them and others if they are Christians with God's love.

Mac.

Mac if you will red my post today on Revelation or the one on Revelation 5 you will find that you are totally and completely wrong.
You statement about the "spirit" is referring to our "soul" the translators of 500 years ago were too unlearned to know the difference between the soul and a spirit. A file can be downloaded and transmitted over the internet, yet, that "file" is not the internet, in parable, our soul is the "file" the Holy Spirit is the "internet." There is only one "Spirit" and that is the Holy Spirit!! We only have souls, not spirits, unless we're drinking them !

Love, is a word for a mental connection between two people, love is shown through caring, touch, thinking of the other person first, and striving to do things together in order to share the other person's life, but it is not a thing, it is not a parable for a spirit.

<><===><>
Gary Sechler
With knowledge on loan from God

 

[oldernotwiser]

the Christian faith is functionally illiterate when it comes to knowledge of what exactly the human soul is. Until tonight. If you read this, whether you accept this as true or not, you will at least have a footing to build your knowledge of the human soul upon.
It is actually simple. The human soul is your mind. Not your brain, that is the hardware, your mind, is the software that runs the brain, stores all your files (memories) and runs your body.
When you die, God, through the Holy Spirit, uploads your mind, which is composed of your consciousness, and all your memories, and saves it for the resurrection.
There are a million theological questions that are easily answered once this concept is accepted as true, but you have to wrap your mind around the fact that eternal life is a fact of life, and God is in complete control of it, forever! You will always be you.

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Gary Sechler
with knowledge on loan from God

i guess i could agree (or at least not wildly disagree) with that but why does it matter. the nature of the soul is something that we accept with the certainty that we will know soon enough the full truth. words like "soul" or "trinity" are really just attempts to define things that are beyond human definition. i guess my attitude is just to ignore most of that sort of thing and try to walk as if jesus was here in shenzhen and i was following him through the streets. ill wait for those other things to be explained when i can sit with the apostle paul.