The Composition of Man: Spirit, Soul and Body

Although we have already posted on this subject, here following is my edited version of Markel Moen's writing on this subject (from his book, "Heaven and Hell"):

To understand "hell" and the teachings o fJesus concerning it, we must first understand the composition of man. So long as we do not understand such words as "soul" and "spirit", it is utterly impossible for us to understand the Truths as revealed by God, nor yet to grasp - even in a measure - the grand purpose of "hell."

It is the common error within Christendom to think of Soul and Spirit as synonymous terms. In this one terrific error rests man's failure to understand "hell" and God's eonian plan for man. [Editor's note: "eon" is the Greek word which means a time of unknown duration which has been mistranslated by proponents of "eternal torment" as "eternal."]

The Spirit-tutored apostle Paul wrote: "And I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and body be preserved blameless ----." - 1 Thes 4:23. Here we behold a THREEfold man: (1) body, (2) soul and (3) spirit. The same Truth is taught back through the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament.

Even in the account of Adam's creation, we find the BODY formed from the elements of EARTH, into the nostrils of which God BREATHED or EXPIRED (from within Himself) the breath of liveS and man became (or "generated") "a living SOUL." (Genesis 2:7). Who has ever heard, or read of God being a "soul", or yet a wind-bag? Repeatedly does Scripture speak of God as being SPIRIT, or A SPIRIT. Hence is He termed the "Father of spirits" (Heb. 12:9).This the apostle based on Zech. 12:1 which declares that God "formed the SPIRIT of man within him."

Since we have His own revealed word that God is A SPIRIT, not a soul nor yet a wind-bag, then He had nothing but pure undefiled SPIRIT to exude into the head of Adam as the breath or distilation of LIFE, which in turn animated the body and generated therein "a living SOUL."

Clearly has He told us that all beget their won kind. God was no exception. Since He is SPIRIT, and SPIRIT is LIFE, then He had but LIFE-SPIRIT to impart into the body of flesh known as Adam. That SPIRIT did not become alive for it WAS LIFE; and that begotten spirit or portion of God-LIFE animated the physical body of Adam AND generated within him "a living SOUL."

The SPIRIT within Adam was a deathless as God Himself! IT had never been "created." But to the created and fashioned compositon known as Adam, God spoke saying: "In the day thou eatest therof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE."

In the day of his disobedience, Adam became spiritually defiled and therefore separated from intimate communion with God. Yet, Adam did not physically die until ... 930 years later. Now, THAT is interesting because we are told in Psalm 90:4 that A THOUSAND YEARS are but as ONE DAY with God. A rational parent would say what he means ... in a way which would be understood by his child. Adam, as the child of God, would be familiar with the language which God used to communicate to him. Adam would understand that, were he to eat of the forbidden tree, HIS BODY would die. And, true enough, Adam's physical body died within one "day" with God, as he died in 930 years after his disobedience. And since his "soul" (as distinct from spirit) was a part of the created Adam, that too came under the selfsame sentence unto death.

Much later as the descendants of Adam had become more concious of their "souls", God enlared on His declaration unto Adam: "THE SOUL that sins, it shall die," - Ezekiel 18:4, 20.

As we carefully study the substance of the chapter we find that God decreed LIFE unto those who would abide in righteousness, yet "the SOUL that sins it shall die." Yet none of the righteous ever LIVED indefinitely in the physical body. Wherefore we are forced to conclude that God meant precisely what He said that the "SOUL" of the sinner would DIE, but that the SOUL of the righteous would LIVE.

Precisely the same Truth had God revealed through Moses, and for which objective the entire system of elaborate sacrificial rites was established. In Leviticus 17:11 we read:

"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 makes an atonement for the soul."

That this was the common Jewish concept in the days of the Lord Jesus is clearly perceived from the conversation He had with the lawyer. Said the lawyer: "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And the Lord answered: "What is written in the Law? HOW readest thou?" ---- Thereby clearly implying that LIFE beyond the present world was something to be had or entered into though a cerain WAY OF LIFE; and that the selfsame way of life was clearly taught in the Mosaic Law. (See Luke 10:25-26.) In verses 27-28 the thought is further strengthened and affirmed to be a positive Truth and reality by the Lord Jesus.

To betyter understand the inter-relationship between spirit, soul and body, let us consider spirit in its basically analogous element of FIRE. ("God is a consuming FIRE.") Fire is heat and light ("God is LIFE and LIGHT"). Yet a latent fire, or an uncontrolled fire is worthless (to man); it must be harnessed: it must be given an "engine" or a VEHICLE for expression. Harnessed in a directed throu such an "engine," fire may give off heat, light, energy, turning the vast wheels of industry.

Similarly with the beotten, naked spirit-FLAMES: children of the Spirit-Father: they need "engines", or VEHICLES through which to express their dormant potentials of the God-LIFE. To facilitate this, GOD WROUGHT HIS MASTERPIECE: the human body. Here was an "engine" so marvelously fashioned that it could be used by the indwelling spirit in ten thousand ways and more! Yet it enshrined one weakness: the susceptibility to disobedience unto the Divine Parent. Thus when the Law unto Life became broken through disobedience, the life-symphony of the body was also broken, leading to its speedy "death." Thus would the spirit again be precipitated back into its original NAKED estate unless it could be provided with a doby surviving the physical death.

This God achieved, and we are told about in in Gen. 2:7, where the God-spirit exuded into Adam, GENERATING in him " a living SOUL."

[These excerpts are to be continued, hopefully, at a near-future date here on this blog.]