Heart, mind, soul, flesh

Man is spirit, soul and body.

The spirit of man is referred to as the heart in some scripture.

The soul is the emotion, mind and will.

The body is the "house" we live in while on the planet.

Most time when the "flesh" is referred to, it is speaking of the input gained from the five physical senses and/or it effect on us.

I'm more interested in the soul/spirit distinction. What is the difference? No one really seems to know. In the OT it is always the soul that goes down to Sheol, never the spirit. The spirit goes up to heaven (Eccl 12:7).

The Hebrew word ruach is translated as spirit over 200 times (varying slight by translation). The only other word translated as spirit is neshama, in Job 26:4 and Proverbs 20:27. Interestingly neshama is also translated as "souls" on two occassions, Joshua 11:11 and Isaiah 57:17.

Some people think that spirit and soul are interchangable, but that is clearly contradicted by Hebrews 4:12. But they are similar in that both ruach (spirit) and nephesh (soul) translated in a variety of ways. While it varies somewhat from translation to translation, the word ruach is translated as spirit over 200 times in the 389 usages.

Ruach is also translated as, air (used 2 times), anger (1 time), blast (2), breath (31), breathless (1), cool (1), courage (1), despondancy (1), exposed (1), grief (1), heart (1), inspired (1), mind (3), motives (1), points (1), quick-tempered (1), side (4), sides (2), strength (1), temper (2), thoughts (1), trustworthy (1), wind (96), winds (8), windy (2), wrath (1).

Simliarly nesham (soul) is also translated a variety of different way depending on the context: any (3), appetite (2), beast (2), body (4), breath (1), creature (9), dead (5), dead body (4), desire (4), fish (1), ghost (2), heart (15), hearty (1), herself (2), himself (8), life (117), lust (2), man (3), mind (15), mortally (1), myself (1), one (1), own (1), person (29), pleasure (3), soul (475), thing (2), themselves (3), thyself (1), will (4), would have it (1), and yourselves (6).

Soul - pretty much synonymous with the mind. You could call it an inner component of the mind or 'inner thoughts'. It is like a relative to the spirit
Mind - surface thoughts, stuff that are essentially useless or irrelevant in our relationship with God
Flesh - obviously, this is disposition
Breath - most people assume this is synonymous with spirit but I beg to differ. This would be mere life force from God (Job 34:14-15, notice it's called His spirit)
Spirit - It is always disposed to following God but it is powerless until the soul and flesh are tamed.

Man is saved once the flesh, soul, and mind are submitted to the spirit.

Spirit verses:

Job 32:7-9 “I said [thought] days [age] should speak,
And many [increased] years should teach wisdom.
“But it is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
“The abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice.

Here, 'a spirit' is distinguished from 'His spirit'. If they were the same, wouldn't that mean everyone would be enabled to know God?

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.

Matthew 26:41, Mark 14:38 Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Romans 7:22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in my members [of my body], waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner in the law of sin which is in my members.

Galatians 5:16-18 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against [sets its desire against] the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.

John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Romans 8:14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Galatians 5:24 Now those who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Romans 6:4 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

Gen. 4:7 sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

One important question: how could Cain master his passions and desires if he did not have the provisions? If he did not have the grace?

The answer is that there is a spirit in man and it is distinct from the Holy Spirit, and from the breath of life and is devoted to God. Right from the start.

Psalm 51:6-7
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being,
And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Job 32:7-9
“I said [thought] days [age] should speak,
And many [increased] years should teach wisdom.
“But it is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
“The abundant in years may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice.

Psalm 51:10-12
Create for me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And sustain me with a willing spirit.

Job 7:17
“What is man that You magnify him,
And that You set Your heart on [are concerned about] him,
That You examine him every morning
And try him every moment?


Psalm 102:19-20
For He looked down from His holy height;
From heaven the Lord gazed toward [upon] the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To set free the sons of death [those who were doomed to death],

1 Peter 2:8
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Romans 8:20-21
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Acts 17:26-27
and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him...

Isaiah 53:6
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To encounter [fall on] Him [the Servant].

Isaiah 63:17
Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways And harden our heart from fearing You?

Romans 8:19
For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.

The Lord has regard for man's spirit, but especially for the believer's spirit.

Yes, Yahweh does regard our spirits. fascinatedwithGod, I'm very interested in the spirit, too. (In scripture small letter s in spirit refers to human spirits while capitalized Spirit is referring to Yahweh).

After a long period of time of reading, searching, I'm beginning to learn how to get my mind to follow my spirit --As believers, our spirits believe The Word (John 6:63) so it's definitely a way to get our spirits as the priority over our souls and bodies.

Scripture says what we're to think about such as Phil 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Psa 1:2 "But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law does he meditate day and night." (Some may feel better to think of a substitute for the word law). "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col 3:16

Our thoughts come from 3 sources - our own thinking, Yahweh gives us thoughts (such as John 14:26) plus the enemy as he did it with Eve (2 Corinthians 11:3). We're to take every thought captive (II Cor 10:5) and renew our minds with His Word (Rom 12:2). This doesn't necessarily mean that we don't know His Word but we let the enemy give us a thought and we stay with it or our own incorrect thinking which creates doubt, worry, stress, incorrect behavior, etc. Stuff that's opposite to Scripture.

Also, learning that when that first thought comes that needs to be eliminated, immediately replace it with Scripture such as I am forgiven because of Yeshua's sacrifice (John 3:16). "I have strength to overcome all things in the One who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13) and the Comforter, the Spirit of Trust, testifies of Him (John 15:26).

I see our hearts as a part of our spirits because of Scriptures such as Rom 2:29 "But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Psa 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

This is only as far as I've gotten with this study -

Conscious part of the spirit?? "I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost," Rom 9:1 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. (Col 3:15).

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