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Our Human nature
"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 being" (Genesis 2:7, NKJV).
Scripture gives us a simple equation for understanding the nature of humans:
Body (dust of the ground; the earth's elements) plus
Breath of life ("spirit" of life from God) equals
A living person (a soul).
Nowhere does the Bible speak of the soul as an immortal entity capable of living apart from our body. Neither does it speak of the spirit as an entity which can exist independent of our physical nature. We are not made of independent parts temporarily connected, but of body, soul, and spirit in one indivisible whole.
SPIRIT
(Judges 15:19; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 10:21)
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word ruach occurs 377 times and is translated "wind ... .. breath," or "spirit" (Genesis 8: 1), "life principle" (Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:22), "courage" (Joshua 2:11), "vitality" or "strength" (Judges 15:19), "disposition" (Isaiah 54:6), and "moral character" (Ezekiel 11:19).
The "spirit" or "breath" of a person is identical with the "spirit" or "breath" of animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19). This "spirit" or "breath" of a person returns to God at the time of death, and the body returns to the dust where it came from (Job 34:14 Ecclesiastes 12:7). It is also translated "Spirit of God" (Isaiah 63:10).
In the New Testament the Greek word pneuma is similarly translated as "spirit" or "to breathe." It is also translated as ,"mood," "attitude," or "state of feeling" (Romans 8:15 1 Corinthians 4:21 2 Timothy 1:7 1 John 4:6). Like ruach, it is sometimes translated "Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11 1 Corinthians 2:14 Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:4 1 Peter 1:12 2 Peter 1:21).
BODY (Jeremiah 17:5; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52; Galatians 5:16-26)
In the Old Testament, the word flesh is translated from the Hebrew basar and in the New Testament from the Greek sarx. Basar and sarx describe:
(1) The body or physical parts of humans and animals (Genesis 9:4 Genesis 29:14 Luke 24:39 1 Corinthians 15:39);
(2) Living things in general (Genesis 6:13 1 Peter 1:24);
(3) material things contrasted with spiritual things (Jeremiah 17:5 Zechariah 2:13 Matthew 16:17 Mark 14:38 Luke 24:39);
(4) the carnal nature of humankind, which is contrary to spiritual things or the Holy Spirit (Romans 7:18 Romans 8:3 Galatians 5:16-21);
(5) an obedient spirit, "a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 11:19 Ezekiel 36:26); men and women's mortal nature (1 Corinthians 15:50-52).
Both the Old and New Testaments view humans holistically, not as independent parts labeled spirit, soul, and body. As the three Persons of the Godhead function as One, so our spirit, soul, and body function as one. The thinking part of humans-the mind-is usually translated from the Hebrew leb and from the Greek nous, but also from numerous other words such as ruach and pneuma.
So Paul's prayer that the God of peace would sanctify our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23) is a prayer for God to sanctify the entire person.
All human beings are born in sin. And their entire nature has been adversely affected by the virus of sin (Psalms 14:1-3 Psalms 53:1-3 Jeremiah 17:9 Romans 3:9-18).
"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 being" (Genesis 2:7, NKJV).
Scripture gives us a simple equation for understanding the nature of humans:
Body (dust of the ground; the earth's elements) plus
Breath of life ("spirit" of life from God) equals
A living person (a soul).
Nowhere does the Bible speak of the soul as an immortal entity capable of living apart from our body. Neither does it speak of the spirit as an entity which can exist independent of our physical nature. We are not made of independent parts temporarily connected, but of body, soul, and spirit in one indivisible whole.
SPIRIT
(Judges 15:19; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Luke 10:21)
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word ruach occurs 377 times and is translated "wind ... .. breath," or "spirit" (Genesis 8: 1), "life principle" (Genesis 6:17; Genesis 7:22), "courage" (Joshua 2:11), "vitality" or "strength" (Judges 15:19), "disposition" (Isaiah 54:6), and "moral character" (Ezekiel 11:19).
The "spirit" or "breath" of a person is identical with the "spirit" or "breath" of animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19). This "spirit" or "breath" of a person returns to God at the time of death, and the body returns to the dust where it came from (Job 34:14 Ecclesiastes 12:7). It is also translated "Spirit of God" (Isaiah 63:10).
In the New Testament the Greek word pneuma is similarly translated as "spirit" or "to breathe." It is also translated as ,"mood," "attitude," or "state of feeling" (Romans 8:15 1 Corinthians 4:21 2 Timothy 1:7 1 John 4:6). Like ruach, it is sometimes translated "Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 2:11 1 Corinthians 2:14 Ephesians 4:30; Hebrews 2:4 1 Peter 1:12 2 Peter 1:21).
BODY (Jeremiah 17:5; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52; Galatians 5:16-26)
In the Old Testament, the word flesh is translated from the Hebrew basar and in the New Testament from the Greek sarx. Basar and sarx describe:
(1) The body or physical parts of humans and animals (Genesis 9:4 Genesis 29:14 Luke 24:39 1 Corinthians 15:39);
(2) Living things in general (Genesis 6:13 1 Peter 1:24);
(3) material things contrasted with spiritual things (Jeremiah 17:5 Zechariah 2:13 Matthew 16:17 Mark 14:38 Luke 24:39);
(4) the carnal nature of humankind, which is contrary to spiritual things or the Holy Spirit (Romans 7:18 Romans 8:3 Galatians 5:16-21);
(5) an obedient spirit, "a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 11:19 Ezekiel 36:26); men and women's mortal nature (1 Corinthians 15:50-52).
Both the Old and New Testaments view humans holistically, not as independent parts labeled spirit, soul, and body. As the three Persons of the Godhead function as One, so our spirit, soul, and body function as one. The thinking part of humans-the mind-is usually translated from the Hebrew leb and from the Greek nous, but also from numerous other words such as ruach and pneuma.
So Paul's prayer that the God of peace would sanctify our spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23) is a prayer for God to sanctify the entire person.
All human beings are born in sin. And their entire nature has been adversely affected by the virus of sin (Psalms 14:1-3 Psalms 53:1-3 Jeremiah 17:9 Romans 3:9-18).