Body, Soul, & Spirit
According to Scripture, no human being is born with a spirit. Let me repeat that, no human being is born with spirit. They are born body and soul beings. Here’s another myth: We are all created in God’s image. Mankind is Not created in the image of God.
Let’s simplify the big picture, then get into the details according to Scriptures, not history, science or religion or man-made philosophy. Adam and Eve were originally created in the image of God with spirit and given dominion and authority over all the Earth. They were blessed in Eden, the original Garden of Paradise. Adam and Eve lost that spirit when they disobeyed God, and consequently were cast out of the Garden, cursed with labor and the loss of everlasting life. God put the responsibility on Adam, so he also lost all authority and dominion.
Many questions surround the origin of life and creation that could fill volumes. But in this introduction, we’ll be focusing on the usage of the words body, soul and spirit, then formed, made and created. We will learn that God uses words specifically and precisely, not as loosely and bandied about as man.
To create means to bring into existence that which has never existed before.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis. 1:1. Then what follows is the next 35 verses referred to as The 7 Days of Creation. But is that what really happens?
God does not use the word create. The Scriptures read: and God said, and God made, and God let, etc. There’s not much creating going on. Only in verse 21 and 27 does God use the word create again. Why? Because everything, every element that God created was “in the beginning.” When was the beginning? No one knows. But in the beginning, does not contradict anyone’s guess work. So, God created everything necessary for heaven and Earth to exist.
But something happened. Verse 2 reads And the earth was (became) without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. Genesis 1:2 The word was is in italics, meaning it was added by the translators. The word is actually “became.” The earth “became without form and void.” It was not created that way.1
So, in Genesis 1, God is putting back into order that which was already created, with the exception of two major creations. Soul life in Genesis 1:21; and when he created man in his image, which is Spirit2 in verse :27. If to create means to bring into existence that which has never existed before, then whatever life was before, it did not have soul life or spirit in living beings because it was created later in Genesis 1:21 and 27. So many rabbit holes to go down here, but let’s focus on body, soul and spirit.
Let’s study 3 more words on the same topic. Formed, made and created. Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Isaiah 43:7. Are those 3 words synonymous? Unlike man, God chooses his vocabulary very precisely. Those who study the Scriptures have come to a great appreciation of this spiritual truth.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. Psalm 138:2
His word is made up of words of spiritual significance. He put these words into the same verse to draw our attention to the origin of mankind and to each level of life in existence. Man’s body was formed of the dust of the ground (not created because all the elements already existed), and he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became (made) a living soul. Genesis 2:7.
So what was formed was his body, what was made was his soul because it had already been created in Genesis 1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moves (has life). The word for living creature is Hebrew Chay Nephesh or Nephesh Chay, meaning soul life. Same words in verse 20 for living creature- living soul. He announced what he was going to do, bring living soul life to everything that moves, then he created it in verse 21 for all living creatures. What a tremendous truth.
That’s when soul life was created. Before man and woman, that’s why he used the word I have made him, because soul life was already created before he breathed it into man’s nostrils. but he certainly had man in mind when you find out just what soul life is.
Now that leaves spirit, “for I have created him for my glory.” Yes, man was originally created in the image of God, Spirit, and he was a threefold being, Body Soul and Spirit. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. Genesis 1:27. How simple it is to understand the ‘image of God is Spirit’ and not all these crazy associations man has in his head of what part of God looks like him or vice versa. But no matter, like I said, Adam lost that spirit and men and woman to this day are born without one, we’re born body and soul beings. Now you see the need for a hero? A savior? God had a plan to get that spirit and glory and dominion back to man. And along with Jesus Christ, there was a great portion that remained a secret, a Mystery kept hid in God. That would be the Glory part. “For I have created him for my glory! “So the light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 1 Corinthians 4:4
Here’s a summation in God’s own words: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” Genesis 2:1-4.
So, from Genesis 1:2 to 2:4 there’s no argument here, it was done in seven days. just not all creation- in His own words he ended the work which he made, restored or put back together. How accurate the words are to which He attributes, we should do the same. In verse 3 and 4 he uses both created and made, including both time periods and acts of verse 1 and the following. They were both created and made. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:11. If the word created was used instead of made it would not fit. Also, in Genesis 1:28 “God blessed them and said “Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.” Indicating there was life and growth before, that was to be restored to a former condition, only this time with the addition of soul life and spirit.
So, what happened?
Adam was told of every tree of the garden he could partake of the fruit except for one, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. On that day, God said he would surely die. I’m sure Adam had no concept of death but he did realize his loss of spirit which God had created for him (upon a condition, not permanent) was an experience of death, a complete loss of direct connection with God. Eve’s fate was the same. When they both ate that fruit, it does not say or mean they chose evil over good. Nor does it say that they had not yet eaten of the tree of life, for surely by now they had. That’s3 a powerful fruit of life, for they lived almost 1,000 years after they were cut off from the garden where the tree of life existed.
And so did their progeny, this purity of life was passed on to their soul life through seed – soul life is in the seed.4 And the soul life is in the blood. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: Leviticus 17;11. That’s Nephesh Chay. The soul is not some ethereal separate being, it’s what makes you you, what gives you animation, it’s the SELF; it’s in our DNA. In its purity near the creation it was innocent, full of love, compassion, peace, desire, and a need for God. And the fruit from the tree of life kept the body healthy, youthful and sexual. It was the perfect companion for God’s spirit, but Adam lost it. This is why, every human since has been born just body and soul, Adam forfeited the spirit.
The missing part of man that was in the image of God. Look at these verses: Thou shalt love the lord thy God with all thy heart and soul and with all thy might (physical); I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul; And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. Do you see any mention of spirit here? No. Man is no longer born with spirit.5 However, look how beautiful the soul is, it is in the ‘likeness’ of God.
This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: Genesis 5:1-3.
God created His spirit in His image but he made man and woman’s soul in His likeness! Then Adam begat a son in his own likeness. And after “his image.” Well, now what was the image of man? His soul, his seed, which was made in the likeness of God. Even as wonderful and glorious is the spirit, so too is our soul in the likeness of God himself. What a wonderful truth and explains how man can still have a good nature deep inside and tap into that original God given reservoir. How innocent a baby is when we gaze into the eyes. And how dark and corrupt it can become from the sin nature in the blood and the evil influence of the world. We’ll go into the depth of the purpose and significance of the soul in Chapter 3: The Seed and Sonship. And Chapter 13: Methods of Application.
One more truth on the soul before we move on to the need for spirit. The soul is NOT immortal. For my soul is full of troubles: and my life (soul life) draws nigh unto the grave. Psalm 88:3 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Matt 16:26. 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. Matt 10:28.
You cannot destroy spirit, but you can destroy a soul unto perishment.
That’s why the need to receive the spirit. Sorry New Agers or those who think your loved one’s soul is in heaven now. When the soul takes its last breath, it dies. No man has ascended unto heaven, declares the word in John 3:13. The dead are awaiting the resurrection and the rapture. Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered. Jeremiah 11:19. Be thankful we’re in the land of the living. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.Romans 6:5. I told you seed was woven everywhere in the Scriptures. Those are two cases of seed being involved with death.
Now you can also see that man has confused spirit with soul and vice -versa. They’re not the same. They are light years apart. One is eternal, one is not.
Man is born with soul, he must be born a second time to be born of the spirit. The eternal life spirit. That which is born of flesh is flesh and that which is born of spirit is spirit. There have been instances before the new birth and spirit became available, that certain people and prophets, had spirit upon them. But remember, the Kingdom of God came on Pentecost, opening the spiritual kingdom to man. Now the spirit would be “in you” instead of with you; as in being a part of you. John 14:7. Now completing and making whole (Sozo- which means whole in the Greek but is translated saved; other places it says made whole which is more accurate) the New Man which is body, soul and spirit. The spirit, which cannot be destroyed. Nor can your soul be destroyed once you’ve become a spiritual being. You are now One with God and partakers of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4. This is why we needed a hero. Someone to rescue us and get back our spirit, or eternal life, and our future dominion and power. God promised us a Messiah, one who would be the seed, a coming seed not of known life, but God’s seed of spirit life, who is Christ, the coming seed. Genesis 3:15.
[1]This is the most widely accepted translation now. The period between verse 1 and 2 could be ions of time and harmonizes with Science and the age of the Universe and Earth. It also fits with Scripture and science concerning some cataclysmic events such as an Ice Age and also the Fall of Lucifer and a third of his angels “laying waste to God’s creation.” Also, it fits with God’s checks and balances principle. Isaiah 45: 18 reads; For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.He created not in vain is the same words tohu vabahuin Hebrew from Genesis 1:2. Emphatically, God did not create it without form and void, it became that way. “Creationists” do not understand the word create, that is why they still refer to the first chapter of Genesis as The 7 Days of Creation and it happened 6,000 years ago. I explain this in detail in The Science of Genesis. Here’s also one of many examples that harmonize science with the Scriptures: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/is-the-bible-true/earths-age-does-the-bible-indicate-a-time-interval-between-the-first-and-second-verses-of-genesis
[3]And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:Genesis 3:22. Most people think this as “after one time,” however the Hebrew word liveis chayay: a verb; to remain alive, to sustain life, to continue to be alive, to preserve. In order for them to keep their soul life alive forever they would’ve had to continue to eat from the fruit of the tree of life to sustain soul life (Nephesh Chay). Perhaps only every few hundred years. Even having eaten from it before they were banned from the garden, the powerful fruit kept them alive almost a thousand years, and this purity was passed on to their progeny (seed, soul life) which gave them long life also. In Revelation, the people of body and soul will also have access to the tree of life in order to sustain their everlasting life when Paradise, Eden is restored. See Chapter 5: The Greater Glory.
[5] Sometimes the term “spirit of man” is used. It’s a figure of speech or another term for soul, as opposed to the spirit of God. Also, John the Baptist was born with spirit upon him, but not in him. Jesus received the spirit upon his water baptism and is said it was in all its fullness. Other prophets and anointed one’s like David had His spirit upon them. It was not permanent and upon a condition. King David pleaded “Do not take thy spirit from me.” King Saul lost his.