Spirit and Soul
I. Man is composed of three elements: body, soul, and spirit - I Thess 5:23
A. The body is easy to define.
1. It has a physical dimension to it - Job 19:25-27
2. We understand that it is a container for something else that lives on after our physical bodies die - 2 Peter 1:13-14
B. However, the others — the soul and spirit is harder to grasp - Heb 4:12
II. Spirit
A. The word “spirit” in both the Hebrew (ruwach and neshamah) and the Greek (pneuma) literally means “wind.”
1. By analogy, it refers to the spirit. You cannot see the wind, but you can feel its effects. Similarly, you cannot see a spirit, but we see the effects.
2. In the Scriptures, the word “spirit” is used in a variety of ways. Its exact meaning in any particular context depends on how it is used.
B. The Holy Spirit
1. When the word “spirit” is combined with the word “holy,” we know that “spirit” refers to one part of the Godhead - Acts 5:3-4
2. Every reference to the Holy Spirit does not contain the word “holy.” - John 14:16-17,26
a. In this passage, we know what spirit is being referred to because the context defines the word
b. In other passages, the reference is harder to determine. Translators will capitalize the word “spirit” when they believe it refers to the Holy Spirit, but we must remember that translators are uninspired men and could be wrong.
(1) Just because the word “Spirit” is capitalized, do not assume it must be referring to the Holy Spirit
(2) See Rom. 8:15,26-27 for a passage where people are uncertain.
3. The Holy Spirit’s name is appropriate. Unlike God the Father and God the Son, we don’t see direct interaction with God the Spirit, but we do see the effects of His work everywhere.
a. He inspired the Old Testament prophets - II Pet 1:20-21
b. Similarly, he taught and reminded the New Testament apostles - John 14:26
c. We see this promise fulfilled in Acts 2:4
d. The signs and wonders done through the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed the message delivered - Mark 16:20, I Cor. 12:1-11
e. These miraculous signs ended when the need to confirm the Word ended - I Cor. 13:8-13
C. Because of the direct work of the Holy Spirit in the bring of our Scriptures, the word “spirit” is also used to refer work or the gift of the Holy Spirit
1. I Cor 14:30-33
a. We know “spirits” here does not refer to the Holy Spirit, who as God is not subject to any man.
b. Also the word “spirits” is plural, but there is only one Spirit - Eph 4:4
2. We can see the spirits of prophets in action - Rev 22:6
3. The purpose of this gift was to build up the church - I Cor. 14:4
a. Prophets were not grabbed by the Holy Spirit and thrown out of control in public assemblies as Pentecostals claim. Prophets were to exert control over their gift
b. Similarly, Christians were told to test the spirits to see if they were from God - I John 4:1-3
c. This testing is by comparing what was taught - I Cor 12:3
4. Likewise, false teachings is also referred to as spirits - I Tim 4:1
D. This leads us to another set of spirits - Spirits of demons and angels
1. Demons, or sometimes called unclean spirits
a. Caused physical and mental infirmities
(1) Mt 12:22 - blindness, loss of speech
(2) Mk 9:17-22 - deafness, loss of speech, convulsions
(3) Mk 5:1-5 - insanity
b. One woman prophesied by a demon - Acts 16:16
c. Demons are from Satan and Jesus demonstrated His power over them - Mt 12:22-29.
d. Zech 13:1-2 - Demons and prophets would both be removed.
2. Angels — literally means “messanger”
a. They are called ministering spirits - Heb 1:13-14
b. They live in heaven - Matt 24:36
c. They will come with Jesus at His return - II Thess 1:7
d. They carry the spirits of the righteous to their reward - Luke 16:22
e. They are not always recognized - Judges 13:16, Heb 13:2
f. By when they are recognized, they caused the beholder to tremble in fear - Luke 2:9
g. They are active in fulfilling God’s desires - Acts 12:6-10
h. They are not omniscient - I Pet 1:12
i. We will be similar to angels in the resurrection - Matt 22:30
j. They are not always righteous - II Pet 2:4, Jude 6
E. The spirit of man
1. Man was made in the image of God - Gen 1:26-27
a. God is Spirit - John 4:24
b. God forms the spirit in man - Zech 12:1
2. It is the source of human thought
a. A man’s spirit knows his own thoughts - I Cor 2:11
b. Prov 20:27 - A man’s spirit searches the depth of his heart
3. It decides
a. Ex. 25:21 - spirits made willing
b. Acts 19:21 - Paul purposed in the spirit
c. Ps 78:8 - Spirits not steadfast with God
d. John 4:23-24 - Must worship in spirit and in truth
e. Rom 1:9 - Paul served God in his spirit
4. It feels emotions
a. Gen 41:8 - his spirit was troubled
b. I Sam 1:15 - his spirit was sorrowful
c. Mark 8:11-12 - He sighed deeply in His spirit
5. It lives on after death
a. Eccl 12:7 - The spirit returns to God
b. Luke 23:46 - Jesus gave up His spirit to God
c. Acts 7:59 - Stephen gave up his spirit to Jesus
III. We will continue this lesson tonight
A. We ask now what does your spirit decide? Will you serve the God who made you, who formed your spirit?
See "Soul and Spirit" Part 2 for the continuation.