The Soul

D

Dark Virtue

New Member
Just a few questions I've been thinking about recently, I'd love your input.

What exactly IS a soul?

What is the evidence for us having a soul?

Where did your notions/ideas of the soul come from? Specific examples please.

As for me, I don't believe we have a soul, an immaterial, immortal essence. I believe that one can HAVE soul, that being "a strong positive feeling (as of intense sensitivity and emotional fervor)".
 
Hmm. Good question!

I'd assume that a soul is the same as a spirit; but let's be technical about it.

In the NIV Bible the Hebrewic (right?) and Greek terms used for the word soul was nepes` and psyche`, respectively, and both words basically follow the same meaning: "breath, life, an immaterial part of a person, the seat of emotion and desire; a creature or a person as a whole: self, body, or even corpse - spirit, animated" It even goes on to list a lot of imperfect traits of people and humanity, such as hot-headedness, weariness, guilt, and many, many other things (the list is, I'm guessing, probably over 200 words long in its total definition.)
To be picky, the Bible has 129 uses of the word 'soul', and all but about 2 of them use the exact same definition I provided above.

Kinda neat. I'd say that the human soul is unique to each individual, and is very much our personality. Personally, I see the soul and the spirit as two words for the same thing; I believe that they are at least very similar, if not the same, elements in our lives.
 
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I believe that one can HAVE soul.
Is that as in the SOOoooooooooooooouuuuLLLLLLLLlllllll Traaaaaaaaaaain? :)

Great question! I find it fascinating that it comes the week after my preacher spoke on it in church! He was basically speaking about the connection of body, soul, and Spirit. Mostly elaborating on the condition of our soul, how we should guard it, and how it has contact with/effects, both body and Spirit. Therefore, the verses he focused on concerned the various possible conditions of the soul. The end all being how that prayer and God's Word are the answer...that is why I love my preacher!

There are 432 verses that contain the word soul, and 456 spirit. I just glanced tonight and am not sure if that are directly related to your topic. I know some on the Spirit are speaking of God. There are teachings on God on the throne of our heart which is part of our soul. I have also heard Bill Gothard teaching on the soul being the seat of our emotions which brings to mind King David speaking of God possessing our reins/seat of our emotions/innermost part of man. There are several verses that speak of the soul in this manner.

But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause. Jeremiah 11:20

Honestly, I have taken the teaching at face value. I do not know how exactly they have arrived at the location of the soul. There is a wealth of information in 432 verses, I have no doubt and this topic will most likely be ended when I finishing studying those! While my knowledge is not up to par as in studying on my own, my firm belief comes from the Bible's mention of the souls existence. I look forward to gleaning information from the posts that follow!

There are several verses that state or imply that we will recognize people after death, I believe this is due to the soul and Spirit.
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Actually, my idea about the spirit and the soul is really changing. For a long time I believed that they were essentially the same thing.

I agree with DV in that everyone may not have a soul...I've met some pretty dull people in my life, lol. Or, perhaps they just have a boring soul? Who knows. Anyway, I'm now seeing the spirit as something that's either from God, or a deviation from Him, but it's not in between; it's either one or another. It's either following Him or it's disobeying Him. In fact, I just looked up the translation for spirit, and it follows the same idea as the soul definition I have in my previous post, except a key difference is where it says, "the immaterial part of hte inner person that can respond to God". By 'responding to God' I assume that means either in a positive or a negative manner, but not necessarily responding to Him in a positive way.
 
my firm belief comes from the Bible's mention of the souls existence
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But what exactly does it say? And how do you balance that with people's views of the soul today?

The word that is translated to "soul" is nephesh which is defined as:

1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion

a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man

b) living being

c) living being (with life in the blood)

d) the man himself, self, person or individual

e) seat of the appetites

f) seat of emotions and passions

g) activity of mind

1) dubious

h) activity of the will

1) dubious

i) activity of the character

1) dubious
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That doesn't seem to describe an immortal, immaterial force that survives after our physical bodies fail.
 
Dark Virtue said:
But what exactly does it say? And how do you balance that with people's views of the soul today?
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THAT is going to take some study! As far as balancing it with what others think, you know by now, if the Bible says it, that settles it for me...it matters not what others say.

That doesn't seem to describe an immortal, immaterial force that survives after our physical bodies fail.
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Doesn't it, though? Our bodies are only a shell...created from dust. The soul is who we are.
 
Marcylene said:
THAT is going to take some study! As far as balancing it with what others think, you know by now, if the Bible says it, that settles it for me...it matters not what others say.
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That's my point, the bible doesn't say half of what people believe a soul is.

Doesn't it, though? Our bodies are only a shell...created from dust. The soul is who we are.
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I agree, but that doesn't make a soul something tangible that resides in some part of our body. It doesn't make a soul something that exists independant of our body, something that exists after we die.

Our soul is simply a person's emotional or moral nature, not an immaterial entity or a disembodied spirit.
 
Souls Are Seperate

Question #1

DV, I do not agree. According to the Bible (which is inerrant) souls do exist after death. This is clearly stated in the book of Revelation when the souls of the martyred saints are seen before God. Also in First Kings Saul, by a diviner, calls up the soul of Samuel. Also David attests to the state of the soul after death when prophesying about the Lords ressurection in Psalm 16:10...

"For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption."

Also in Genesis 35:18, the Bible clearly states that the soul departs in death:

"And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben–Oni; but his father called him Benjamin."

So the soul is a seperate entity. It is the thing that makes humans unique from animals. God is Spirit, and he made us "in his image" (he gave us a soul, so that we are both spiritual and physical).

With this definition we can see how the soul is also the seat of passions and appitites, and also the driving force behind the will. The Old Testament points this out in various ways:

Le 26:15 "...and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant," (Soul motivates the will)

Ge 34:3 "His soul was strongly attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the young woman and spoke kindly to the young woman." (Soul behind passions)

Mt 12:18 "Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles." (Soul behind emotions)

When animals do things, it is because of instinct. When we do things it is because of many different factors, which can be summed up as our soul. Our soul is our person, our character, it is what makes us human. It is seperate from our body because our souls are not mortal like our bodies.

Question #2

Evidence includes our passions, emotions, will, conscience, knowledge, phylosophy, pretty much anything that sets us apart from animals or reflects spiritual attributes.

Question #3

This question is faulty. It assumes that men invented the Idea of a soul, not God. Souls began (I'm guessing) with the creation of Angels, or when God breathed the "breath of life" into Adam.
 
Welcome, Jericho_falls, and I would like to say that was an unbeatable first post! It is a blessing to have you here!
 
lol oops, carried away again! All things Biblically considered of the soul! All that brought me back to what I already believed. I am curious about the coorelation of soul and Spirit. If our body did not house the soul and Spirit, would we just be an invisible entity? How are the two related? I understood that we could be recognized in Heaven because of our soul. Does our soul live on as part of our Spirit? Do we only have the Holy Spirit or an evil spirit?
Another mystery of God and something to look forward to knowing without that through the glass darkly business!

Our souls begin with the very breath of God:
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. Genesis 2:7
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. I Corinthians 15:45

A soul can live:
Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. Genesis 12:13
Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. Genesis 19:20

...and therefore die:
And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. I Kings 17:21

A soul is able to bless someone:
And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die. Genesis 27:4

...or curse them:
Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul. Job 31:30

A soul can love:
And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel. Genesis 34:3

A soul can depart this earth:
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin. Geneis 35:18

A soul can be in anguish:
And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us. Genesis 42:21

A soul can become entangled with wrongdoing:
O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall. Genesis 49:6
Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: Psalms 26:9

A soul can be cut off from it's people:
Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus 12:15

A soul can sin:
If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; Leviticus 6:2
And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering. Numbers 15:27

A soul can bear iniquity:
And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity. Leviticus 7:18

Our souls need a Blood Atonement:
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Leviticus 17:11

...and therefore are unclean.
And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean. Leviticus 17:15

A soul can be cut off from the LORD:
Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. Leviticus 22:3

A soul can be rebellious, and hate:
And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: Leviticus 26:15

A soul can be dried away:
But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes. Numbers 11:6

A soul can bind itself with a bond, including that of marriage:
And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. Numbers 30:7

A soul can be afflicted:
Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. Numbers 30:13

We should protect our soul:
Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; Duteronomy 4:9

Our soul has the ability to seek after God:
But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Duteronomy 4:29

...and love Him with it's entirety:
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Duteronomy 6:5

...and serve Him completely.
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, Duteronomy 10:12

We can keep God's Word in our soul:
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. Duteronomy 11:18

A soul can lust:
Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart. Duteronomy 12:15

Our souls can bind in friendship and love:
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Duteronomy 13:16
And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. I Samuel 18:1

...most importantly with the LORD.
Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out of the middle of a sling. I Samuel 25:29

Our soul can keep God's commandments:
This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. Duteronomy 26:16

A soul has strength:
The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength. Judges 5:21

A soul grieves:
And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. Judges 10:16

A vexed soul
And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; Judges 16:16

A bitter soul:
And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. I Samuel 1:10

A soul can pour itself out:
And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. I Samuel 1:15

A soul desires:
And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. I Samuel 2:16

We should love our souls:
Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. I Samuel 18:3

A soul can be hunted and taken:
Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. I Samuel 24:11
Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Psalms 35:4

A soul can be redeemed of the LORD!
And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, II Samuel 4:9
The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. Psalms 34:22
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. Psalms 49:15

A soul can be distressed:
And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, I Kings 1:29

A soul can be bitter & weary:
Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul; Job 3:20
My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul. Job 10:1

A soul makes choices:
The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat. Job 6:7

Our souls are in God's hand:
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. Job 12:10

A soul can mourn:
But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn. Job 14:22

A soul can cry out:
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them. Job 24:12

A soul can flee to God:
In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? Psalms 11:1

...or be taken away by God:
For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Job 27:8

A soul can seem helpless:
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

A soul can be torn:
Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver. Psalms 7:2

...and persecuted:
Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah. Psalms 7:5

Our soul counsels us:
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? Psalms 13:2

...and we can speak to it:
O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; Psalm 16:2

Our soul can be put into hell:
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalms 16:10

God's Word can convert our soul:
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7

We do not have power over it's existence:
All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul. Psalms 22:9

God restores our soul:
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:3

Our soul has the ability to be vain:
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. Psalms 24:4

Our soul can/should be lifted up to the LORD:
Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. Psalms 25:1

A man who fears the LORD:
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. Psalm 25:13

The LORD can keep our soul:
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Psalms 25:20

The LORD will protect our soul:
O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. Psalms 30:3

...rescued from the intended destruction of others:
Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. Psalms 35:17

...and He knows it:
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities; Psalms 31:7

Our soul can quietly wait expectantly to hear from God:
Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. Psalms 33:20
Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. Psalms 62:1
The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. Lamentations 3:25

My soul should brag on God..His goodness...His provision...His Sacrifice...His Gift of Salvation:
My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. Psalms 34:2

The LORD speaks to the soul:
Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Psalms 35:3

Our soul shall be joyful in the LORD:
And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. Psalm 35:9

A soul is humbled and chastened through fasting:
But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. Psalms 35:13
When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. Psalms 69:10

A soul can be destroyed:
Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Psalms 40:14

Our soul gets sick when we sin:
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee. Psalms 41:14

Our soul craves God:
As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. Psalms 42:1

...it thirsts and longs for Him:
My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Psalms 42:2
For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalms 107:9

When our soul is cast down hope in God and praise will help:
Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalms 43:5

We can uphold the souls of others:
Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul. Psalms 54:4

The soul wants to trust in God:
Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. Psalms 57:1

A soul can be satisfied:
My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips: Psalm 63:5

The LORD works in our soul:
Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul. Psalms 66:16

Crying effects our soul:
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. Psalms 69:1

God's comforts delight our soul:
In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. Psalms 94:19

Our soul was meant to bless the LORD:
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Psalms 103:1
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Psalms 103:2
Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Psalms 104:1

The soul faints without Jesus' Salvation:
CAPH. My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Psalms 119:81

A soul can lie and be deceitful:
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. Psalms 120:2

Our soul acknowledges the goodness of God:
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalms 139:14

We can destroy our own soul:
But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul. Proverbs 6:32

Pleasant words are sweet to the soul:
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24

Our soul can be empathetic:
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. Proverbs 19:18
 
Warning: very long...

I haven't been on in a very long time, and in perusing the forums, I came accross this one. DV, for what it's worth, here is an article I wrote regarding the soul and spirit. Take it for what it's worth. I am not an expert, I'm merely a follower like you seeking answers. :)

I'm posting the article in it entirety, apologies for its length.

Soul and Spirit – What’s the Difference?

They both start with ‘S’… but do the similarities stop there? Or are they really one and the same? Are the soul and spirit simply terms for the same thing but under different circumstances? There is a reason why we have these two enigmatic elements that comprise our being. But first, let’s lay some groundwork. Context is everything.

We were created in the image of God.
Genesis 1:26 - And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… here He is distinctly referring to Himself in the plural form more than once.

Part of the mystery of God is that he is one, and yet triumvirate; 3 distinct persons, yet in one unique Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Why would God say, “Let us make man in our image? If it was simply “the Father” that was creating man, the Bible could have easily stated, “God created man in His image”. Or if he was fashioned after another one of the trinity, simply mentioned which one it was; “I will make man in my image” or even better, “the image of the Son” since He knew that it was Jesus that would one day become God in the flesh, dwelling among men. However, God in His infinite wisdom, said ‘our image’, thus signifying to some degree that all three persons of God had some role to play, or some significance to be reflected by and in the creation of man. Further still, that it in some manner this was a very practical and real way for us as humans to be able to identify with a triune God.

So, if we were made in God’s image, and He has three parts, wouldn't that also imply that there are three parts to us as humans also? I would tend to think so. And those three parts making up one person…you and I! The Bible is quite clear on which parts make up a human being, and set him apart from all the rest of the created things; Body, Soul and Spirit. Numerous scriptures can be found distinctly referencing the soul and spirit as distinct parts of man, even in the same verse. Humans only, have this unique characteristic.

However, many places in scripture refer to the soul and spirit almost interchangeably, or so it would seem. So what is the real difference?
Starting with the original meanings, we have the following:

The Soul
The original Hebrew word for soul is Nephesh – when you think about it, almost every definition that you can find in Strongs for this word still applies to our human characteristics, or three categories – our reasoning, our will or our emotional state/feelings.

The Greek word for soul is the word Psuche, – which is where we get the word psyche and refers our reasoning, our will, emotions, desires and feelings we experience. We know from scripture that references to the soul is typically related to the ‘feeling or sensing’ aspects of life; the soul loves, aches, rejoices, mourns, yearns, thinks, longs for things, gets angry, sad etc. Generally, the soul is that part of us that makes us a unique person with all the characteristics typically associated with…you guessed it, personality.

The Spirit
The Hebrew word for spirit is "Ruwach"(Noun) which means wind or breath. The Greek word for spirit is "Pneuma" (Noun), which is where we derive the word Pneumatic (powered by air…come to think of it…so are we.)

What happened when the Spirit fell on the gathering in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost? A sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind was experienced. Coincidence? I don't think so. Interpretively, this quite literally would be the “breath of God.”

We all know that, without breath, we cease to live. How fitting that man’s life was first started by God breathing the breath of life into Adams nostrils. It’s only then that he became a living soul. We all start our life outside the womb by that first breath [of life]; and from then on, the last breath we take is when we die. It is the very spirit of God that enables us to live. A catalyst to life itself.

Strong’s defines the word Pneuma this way:
- the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one.
- the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc.
- the vital principal by which the body is animated.

Defined this way, it would seem our spirit is the source or essence which influences, fills and governs our mind, will and emotions (our soul), and a vital main part which makes us live.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground [our body], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [Spirit]; and man became a living soul [a sentient being with a free will, capable of choosing right and wrong]. (Genesis 2:7)

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

Through this verse we see that that our spirit, soul and body have the ability to be preserved blameless – implying at the same time that they may also NOT be preserved blameless. So here we can glean that both a soul and a spirit can have adverse consequences.

I would surmise that the soul of a man is that part of us which relates to our physical existence; how we deal with the world around us, and what makes us unique and special - Our psyche, emotional state and personality. Our spirit is our ‘interface to God’ so to speak. That part which, while we were all born into sin, is separated from God at birth because of the fall and sin entering the world, but at the same time has the ability to be reconciled again to God, enabling us to get back into communion with God. Metaphorically, maybe something like the ‘supernatural wind’ in the sail of our existence. :D

Just my thoughts…

[7F]tHeEniGma
 
Do you believe that the soul is a supernatural entity?

By supernatural I mean of, or relating to, existence outside the natural world.

If it's supernatural, then how can we ever truly know it exists? Or do we simply chalk this up to faith as well?
 
Have you ever had someone die that you were very close to? A kindred Spirit? I think it is then most obvious that the body you liked to hug, and touch, was only a shell of who that person was. It housed the person...the soul. That is what I have always believed. The verses I gave were from the 432 about the soul. To the best of my ability, they are an inclusive sum, and gave the essence of each of the verses. I think it adequately describes that our soul is who we are. When the Bible tells us that God breathed into Adam's nostrils and he became a living soul, I find it fascinating. It is the first mention of the soul...it's beginning. In addition, when God tells us that we were created in His image, I believe that it is our souls that He is speaking of. Love, Laughter, Longing...all emotion and feeling...all from God!
Do we take it by faith? I have pondered that long and hard this evening. No, in the sense that we can actually understand the soul when we realize our loved one is no longer in that shell of dust. Yes, in the sense that we can't actually see it...but once grasped, it doesn't take very much faith to believe. Our understanding is darkened before me meet Christ, and I think the reason being is simply because we are not able to have the Spiritual senses that we will have once we have departed this mortal body.
 
a Good book is by watchman Nee called the Spiritual Man. It explaines the difference and interactions of the Spirit( From GOD) the Soul ( Which came to existance from the Comabination of God's spirit interacting with the Flesh) And Flesh( Which God man from Clay) The Spiritand the Soul are not the same.

I am at work I want to expound later. But get the book!
 
Question 1
KJV gen2:7
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.

Question 2
What is the evidence for us having a soul?
The bible


Question 3 Where did your notions/ideas of the soul come from? Specific examples please The bible again The bible is pretty specific But here you are DV (God bless YA!)


I would stress reading this book The Spiritual man
 
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