Are we spirit, or a body that has a spirit?

Some believe we are an eternal spirit that has a body.

Scripture seems to teach we are a body that has a spirit and soul.
Lose the body and we are lost.

Our whole perception of the world comes through our brains, and how
our brains function, describes us.

Doctors to perform a heart operation cooled someones body down so
their heart stopped and they could operate effectively on a dead person.
They were then heated back up and circulation reestablished. The point
was made, no memory loss or adverse things were noted. Though brain
activity ceased, memories and experiences are hard coded in the brain.

9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul
and my body with grief.
Psalm 31

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather,
be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt 10

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.
May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thess 5

7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
Gen 2

15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the
members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!
1 Cor 6

13 The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.
1 Cor 6

If one believes one is only spirit with a body, then one could have many bodies, with that
spirit, because there is no real link between the body and spirit in this idea.

But identical twins, are very similar but have separate identities, defined by their physical
existence, not their spirit. I have seen some preach about an eternal spirit like a prayer
to God for one, and then you have it, like a stamp collection, and that is meant to be the
real you, eternally.

No it doesn't.

You quoted Christ, don't fear them who can only kill the body. So how is this true if you are only a body, that happens to house a soul?

He is teaching you the opposite - that you do not cease to exist when the body is extinguished. If it were not so, then you should fear the death of your body more than anything else - - as the world does.

John 6:63
It is the Spirite that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing: the woordes that I speake vnto you, are spirite and life.

This is where the Bible should be used more for biological studyings, Heart, Soul, Mind, Spirit, Flesh, Bone, Marrow.

Or? You can go the "simpler" route. Like "Grand Funk Railroad."

"When yer good?" You'll live forever!"
"When yer bad?" "You die when ya die!"
(even blind squirrels find a nut every now and then )

Since the body is mortal and turns to dust, while the spirit is imperishable and exists eternally, it is the soul and spirit (which are always connected) which are more important to God. Thus we have the proper order in 1 Thess 5:23:

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole [1] spirit and [2] soul and [3] body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For those who are in Christ, they will also receive immortal glorified bodies at the Resurrection/Rapture of the saints.

This is being taken out of context. It is about the New Birth and the power of the Gospel.

This is an interesting point. Our souls are our essence. But it is tied to our bodies.
Having a new body is the resurrection, a transformation to an eternal body.

The idea of judging souls, suggests everyone is given a new body, except the new
body and existing soul is destroyed in Hell. But our existance is tied to a physical
existence. We are not residing in heaven, rather we exist on a new earth and God
comes and dwells with us.

28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid
of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matt 10

So God is declaring we have a very physical future, just as we have a very physical
existance today.

Jesus says our bodies and souls will be destroyed in Hell.
For this to be true we must have new bodies to be judged.
Paul said in the resurrection, the dead are raised with new bodies and the
living are transformed.

God will dwell with man on a new earth, not as spirits in a new heaven.
We do not have an existance apart from our physical ones.

We have a soul, which is our essence expressed in physical form and our
spirits that exist as our reaction to life and the things going on around us.
It knows our thoughts, our deepest aspirations and intentions.

42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;
43 it is sown in dishonor, 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
rev 21

30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.
Matt 22

So, you have just proved, by your opening paragraph that our spirits are separate from our bodies. That we live on, even though the body dies, our spirit is still awaiting the resurrection.

I just want one question answered - are you a Jehovah's Witness? This is part of their lies!

That is a reference to the ones who are not saved.

No I am not a jw.

My question is some would want to make the separation between body and soul, so I am
interested in exploring this. We are tied to our bodies, though some believe their bodies
are evil and their spirits are pure and holy.

Paul says we are Christs body, physically and spiritually.
If we were literally pure spirit, why would we need a new earth, or even be like angels.

Jesus is the word made flesh, and He rose with a physical body.
What struck me is the idea of separating our souls from our bodies, you end up with the
idea of multiple bodies that wear out etc. God can take our physical expression and express
it in new body.

9 I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.
rev 6

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Rev 20

I am not so interested in definitive answers, but rather we are tied to a physical
existance, and this existance is not separate from our physical existance.

On the other hand, we talk of demons, fallen angels who can possess people etc.
and Jesus declared we would be like angels, so maybe this is more nuanced than
I am thinking.

John 3
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water (this means flesh, aka embryonic sac) and of the Spirit (the spirit of this same man from the embryonic sac, aka "water"), he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

This is the reason we are to TEST the "spirits", in verifying they are indeed OF God!

There are many many "spirits", jez flittin' around. In us, and around us! Unseen, for the most part, save for the thought, and or thoughts they generate within a mans' minds. Women too! Satan is an "equal opportunity DESTROYER!

It's a lot like radical Islamic terrorists, to the believer, or seeker, when ya thinks about it!

You may not be at war, or even wish to engage with them? But, sure as the Pope is Catholic?

They ARE at war with YOU!! AND, YOUR FAITH!! Amongst every other fruit of the spirit as well! And heart, soul, flesh, and (especially) mind!
2 Corinthians 10
Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: Yes! One may well consider this thing called internet, as like one BEING ABSENT!
2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; TEST THE SPIRITS!
7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.
8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:
9 That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.
10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

Can ya "see" what Paul is saying here?
DON'T Be LIKE the Pharasees!
Our "war" is on the INSIDE!