THE SOUL: What is it?

JIMINZ

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When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God,

SOUL:
G5590
ψυχή
psuchē
psoo-khay'
Breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew [H5315], [H7307] and [H2416]: - heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you.

G4151
πνεῦμα
pneuma
pnyoo'-mah
From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590.

As you can see from the Definition, the word Soul refers back to the Spirit, the Soul is not an Entity unto itself, and only exists in conjunction with a Physical Fleshly Body of Man.
 
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JIMINZ

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The soul is our spiritual nature, that part of us that is eternal. It comes into existence by a direct act of God, at the same moment our physical nature comes into existence, at the moment of conception.


Are you able to demonstrate that statement with Scripture?
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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Like I said, I got to my current understanding through language studies (and reading scholars of Hebrew language and thought, because my Greek is good but my Hebrew almost non-existent). If you're really curious it might be worth doing some reading on Hebrew understanding of the topic? Perhaps our Messianic friends might be able to give you more than I can in a quick post?
I found this site interesting concerning the soul from a Jewish/Hebrew perspective. I am only quoting part of it:

Body and Soul | My Jewish Learning

Ancient Israelite Concepts of Soul
The Bible gives few clues to the ancient Israelite idea of the soul or spirit. Three words which over time developed the meaning of “soul” are present in

: Neshamah, Nefesh, and Ruach. Tracing the evolution of these terms gives us some idea of the ancient Israelites’ beliefs regarding the soul.

In the Creation story, we read of God blowing a “breath of life” into the man of earth and dust (Genesis 2:7). The word used is a form of the Hebrew root indicating breath. Although this “neshamah” later becomes associated with the soul, the word here only describes the element that animates a body. This animating element is not, in early biblical tradition, separate from the body in life, nor does it possess any personality....................................

Ancient Jews displayed an awareness of how influential non-Jewish philosophers regarded the soul. For example, the Greek Jew Philo tried to use the three words associated with spirit–neshamah, nefesh, ruah–to support Plato’s claim that the soul has three parts. The Sages of the , however, were not as keen on many of these foreign ideas. Although the Rabbis also saw human beings as composed of body and soul, they generally rejected the Greeks’ and Gnostics’ belief that the earthly body imprisons the soul.....................
 
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redleghunter

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As you can see from the Definition, the word Soul refers back to the Spirit, the Soul is not an Entity unto itself, and only exists in conjunction with a Physical Fleshly Body of Man.
Not according to Jesus and Paul.

Matthew 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.

2 Corinthians 5 New King James Version (NKJV)

5 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So
we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Philippians 1:21-24).

Jesus even gave us a depiction as this is not a parable:

Luke 16: NKJV
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’

27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”


Paul also explained an 'inner man' or 'person':

Ephesians 3: NKJV
14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

2 Corinthians 4: NKJV
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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redleghunter

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zoidar

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My own understanding of my "soul" is that it is me, the person who will live on after my body dies.

What do you mean by "the person"? If a person has changes in personality due to example an injury in the brain. Then has the soul changed? Then what will live on? Isn't the soul more the "observer", the one that experience and controls the body?
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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In those two links what I gathered is you are saying Jesus is not really saying what He is saying?
I found these passages very similar.
Notice the 2 witnesses lay dead for more than 3 days just as Lazarus did in John 11.
And just as Lazarus is taken up to the bosom of Abraham, so the 2 witnesses are taken up to heaven without being buried. Pretty awsome.............

Lazarus and 2 witnesses of Reve 11 similarity

John 11:39 Jesus is saying "take away ye!" the stone. Is saying to Him, Martha, the sister of the one having deceased "Lord, already he stinking, for it is fourth-day
43 And these saying, to great Voice He cries-out "Lazarus, hither out!"


Luke 16:22 Yet became to be dying the poor-one, and him to be carried away by the Messengers into the Bosom of Abraham.
Died yet also the rich-one and was buried.


Reve 11:9 And are observing out of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations the body/*s of them days three and half-equal and the bodies of them not they suffer to be placed into tomb.
11 And after the three days and half-equal a breath of life out of the God entered in them and they stand upon their feet and fear great fall upon the ones observing them.
12 And they hear a great Voice out of the Heaven saying to them "ascend ye here!"
And they ascended into the heaven in the cloud....
 
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JIMINZ

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2 Corinthians 5

This verse speaks of the Physical BODY.
The Body is the outside Physical shell and not the Soul of man.


These verses speak of the Flesh, which is in this case the Physical Body

The Flesh is Body, unless understood to be speaking of the flesh where sin resides.
Not the Soul of man.


These verses speak of the inner and outer man.
Sounds as though Paul is speaking of the Inner man as the New Creation in Christ, and the Outer man as the Old man which has died with his passions and lusts.

Again not the Soul of man.

It is understood, the Physical Body, Flesh of man are one in the same thing, unless understood to be the Flesh of sin, the Spirit is what resides within man what animates the Body, Flesh of man.

These three
Body
Flesh
Spirit

Are all separate entities unto themselves, there can be a Spirit without a Physical Body, there can be a Physical Body (Flesh) without a Spirit, although that Physical Body would not be alive, the Spirit is the Animating force which makes, keeps the Body alive.

This combining of the Body and Spirit, is what is known as the SOUL, the Intellect, Understanding etc. it is who and what we are.

The Soul is not a separate entity unto itself, it does not exist by itself in the same way we understand the Body, Flesh and Spirit do.
 
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LittleLambofJesus

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This passage is intriguing. It doesn't say his life is required, but his soul.
Luke 16 follows a few chapters later, which is

Luke 12:
20 But God said to him: "Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee:
then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?
21 This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God."


Lazarus and the Rich Man - Here a little, there a little - Commentary

LUKE 16:
19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day."
25"But Abraham said, 'Son! remember that in thy lifetime thou received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things;
but now he is comforted and thou art tormented."

Abraham clearly identifies the rich man as his descendant by calling him "son." He tells him that things have changed. When the Jews were God's chosen people, they enjoyed the spiritual blessings associated with that status. But now, Abraham says, Lazarus is enjoying those blessings while the rich man is grieving and in sorrow. "Tormented" here is another form of odunao, the same Greek verb found above in verse 24.
 
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JIMINZ

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This passage is intriguing. It doesn't say his life is required, but his soul.
Luke 16 follows a few chapters later, which is

Luke 12:
20 But God said to him: "Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee:
then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?
21 This is how it will be for anyone who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God."


Lazarus and the Rich Man - Here a little, there a little - Commentary

LUKE 16:
19 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day."
25"But Abraham said, 'Son! remember that in thy lifetime thou received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things;
but now he is comforted and thou art tormented."

Abraham clearly identifies the rich man as his descendant by calling him "son." He tells him that things have changed. When the Jews were God's chosen people, they enjoyed the spiritual blessings associated with that status. But now, Abraham says, Lazarus is enjoying those blessings while the rich man is grieving and in sorrow. "Tormented" here is another form of odunao, the same Greek verb found above in verse 24.


The story about the Rich man and Lazarus is only that, a story, a way of telling the Jews, about Himself and His Resurrection

Luke 16:31
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

In essence, the story is a Prophecy, which would be fulfilled very shortly.
 
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AnticipateHisComing

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Where does it come from, When does a person receive it, Is it a separate entity?
Soul is an English word. It has more than one meaning. The three main definitions used in the Bible are:

1) a living being

2) the essence, animating or cognitive part of a living being

3) the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, regarded as immortal

Everyone is quoting this verse and that verse to prove one meaning or another.
Learn that it means more than one thing.

It would have been much clearer if language had unique words for every thing. But, it is not so.

I would say that the first colloquial definition of the word is the immortal spirit part of humans.
 
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AnticipateHisComing

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Where does it come from, When does a person receive it, Is it a separate entity?
As the OP asks without definition,

THE SOUL: What is it?

I assume the OP asks the colloquial definition; a spiritual immortal part of a human.
 
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BobRyan

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SOUL:
G5590
ψυχή
psuchē
psoo-khay'
Breath, that is, (by implication) spirit, abstractly or concretely (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from G4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from G2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Hebrew [H5315], [H7307] and [H2416]: - heart (+ -ily), life, mind, soul, + us, + you.

G4151
πνεῦμα
pneuma
pnyoo'-mah
From G4154; a current of air, that is, breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively a spirit, that is, (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, daemon, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy spirit: - ghost, life, spirit (-ual, -ually), mind. Compare G5590.

As you can see from the Definition, the word Soul refers back to the Spirit, the Soul is not an Entity unto itself, and only exists in conjunction with a Physical Fleshly Body of Man.

The soul is always "the person".

But the "person" has a body and that body can die - return to dust while in fact the soul survives -

But the soul that does not have a body is in a dormant state as 1 Thess 4 points out. It can only "act" or have consciousness - when it has a body.

A person who gets their legs blown off in war is not 'half a person" they are a whole person but they have a body that is missing legs.

For the record - not text claims that you have an "immortal soul" -- that is man-made-tradition.

What you have is a soul that survives the first death in a dormant state - just as 1 Thess 4 points out.
 
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ac28

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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."

There's your definition. Kill the body or take away the breath and you have a dead soul. Man IS a soul. Man does not have a soul. In most cases, where the word soul appears, it can be replaced with life or person or creature, as when when the word for an animal is soul, like in Gen 1:21

Plato rears his ugly head again.
 
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BobRyan

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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."

There's your definition. Kill the body or take away the breath and you have a dead soul. Man IS a soul. Man does not have a soul. In most cases, where the word soul appears, it can be replaced with life or person or creature, as when when the word for an animal is soul, like in Gen 1:21

Plato rears his ugly head again.

If that were true then Matthew 10:28 could not exist

Matthew 10:28
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.

What is more if your statement were true - there could be no "soul sleep" during death because to cease to exist is not "sleep". In fact all that nothingness in space -- is not "asleep" ... rather it is 'nothing'

by contrast - your body sleeps every night - but as for the dead -- Paul says the dead WHO are "asleep".. (Who--- the person... he speaks of the person that sleeps not the "it" the body that sleeps)

1 Thess 4
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
 
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hedrick

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Good background material here:

Bible Questions and Answers, Part 6

You may have to read a few paragraphs before getting to the meat of the matter of soul/spirit. I think John MacArthur does a good job of explaining the various Christian views. Key in on the discussion where he addresses dichotomist vs. trichotomists.
No, he explains 2 of the views. He sees the soul as in effect a separate part. Many of the posters here don't see it as quite so separate.
 
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redleghunter

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No, he explains 2 of the views. He sees the soul as in effect a separate part. Many of the posters here don't see it as quite so separate.
He explained three views. He addressed the soul sleep view as well.
 
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ac28

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The soul is always "the person".

But the "person" has a body and that body can die - return to dust while in fact the soul survives -

But the soul that does not have a body is in a dormant state as 1 Thess 4 points out. It can only "act" or have consciousness - when it has a body.

A person who gets their legs blown off in war is not 'half a person" they are a whole person but they have a body that is missing legs.

For the record - not text claims that you have an "immortal soul" -- that is man-made-tradition.

What you have is a soul that survives the first death in a dormant state - just as 1 Thess 4 points out.

If that were true then Matthew 10:28 could not exist

Matthew 10:28
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.

What is more if your statement were true - there could be no "soul sleep" during death because to cease to exist is not "sleep". In fact all that nothingness in space -- is not "asleep" ... rather it is 'nothing'

by contrast - your body sleeps every night - but as for the dead -- Paul says the dead WHO are "asleep".. (Who--- the person... he speaks of the person that sleeps not the "it" the body that sleeps)

1 Thess 4
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

If that were true then Matthew 10:28 could not exist

Matthew 10:28
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.

What is more if your statement were true - there could be no "soul sleep" during death because to cease to exist is not "sleep". In fact all that nothingness in space -- is not "asleep" ... rather it is 'nothing'

by contrast - your body sleeps every night - but as for the dead -- Paul says the dead WHO are "asleep".. (Who--- the person... he speaks of the person that sleeps not the "it" the body that sleeps)

1 Thess 4
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
If that were true then Matthew 10:28 could not exist

Matthew 10:28
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.

What is more if your statement were true - there could be no "soul sleep" during death because to cease to exist is not "sleep". In fact all that nothingness in space -- is not "asleep" ... rather it is 'nothing'

by contrast - your body sleeps every night - but as for the dead -- Paul says the dead WHO are "asleep".. (Who--- the person... he speaks of the person that sleeps not the "it" the body that sleeps)

1 Thess 4
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Matthew 10:28

And fear not them (people) which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (you):

but rather fear him (God) which is able to destroy both soul and body (both your body and you) in hell (the grave).
 
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