Just as man was created in the Image of G*d, human beings are also made up of a Threefold Nature, however our own “Trichotomy” has been confused due to the fallen state of mankind. We often hear the phrase, “Body, Mind and Soul” which is a twisted lie of the truth - as I intend to show how scripture teaches we are made up of “Body, Soul and Spirit” and why I believe that this is a difficult concept for mankind to grasp.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” - Genesis 1:27
This isn’t something that I have given much thought about until recently as I’ve been contemplating on what Christian Theologians refer to as the “Tripartite” nature of man (or Trichotomy). I was completely unaware that this Tripartite (or Trichotomy) is challenged with a Bipartite (or Dichotomy) nature of man. Evidently this is something that divides theologians as the “bipartite” view makes no distinction between the soul and spirit. Obviously, I’m no scholar and have no formal education in any of this - I’m just another sinner saved by The Grace of Our LORD Jesus Christ. I just do my best to serve Him with excellence the best I can, working out my own salvation with fear and trembling.
Before we go any further, I will point out the most obvious verse that establishes this Trichotomy of man which is made up of Body, Soul and Spirit.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole SPIRIT and SOUL and BODY be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:23
Although Paul made it very clear in the verse above, it doesn't surprise me that scholars are divided on this subject, as it is obvious to me that The Adversary has confused man about the distinction between the soul and spirit. It is The Word that divides the two, so that we can best understand the true nature that has been restored to the one who is born again through The Blood of Yeshua.
As it is written:
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12
That is a powerful message right there, as without The Word of G*d, we would never be able to begin to comprehend the difference between the Soul and Spirit. Simple logic must prove that if The Word divides the spirit and soul in two, then at some point those two had to have been merged into one.
"And Y’Hovah Elohim formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." - Genesis 2:7
וייצר יהוה אלהים את־האדם עפר מן־האדמה ויפח באפיו נשמת חיים ויהי האדם לנפש חיה
The Hebrew word that is translated here as “Breath” is Nishmat - and the root word (or Shoresh) of that word is Nefesh ( נפש ) - which is one of the Hebrew words translated as “Soul”.
Much like how our own words are brought forth into this reality through the release of our breath - The Word of Our Creator brought it all into being. The Word of Our Creator is Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ.
Yeshua is The Breath of Life!
Behold - How beautiful it to see how Abba encoded this Awesome Truth numerically in His Word!
Nishmat Chiam ( נשמת חיים ) - Breath of Life
Mispar Shemi / Milui (Full Name) - Expanded Numeric Value = 1480 (37 x 40)
Christos ( Χριστός ) - Christ (Messiah)
Numeric Value = 1480 (37 x 40)
Just in case you are unclear of exactly who this Christos (or Messiah) is, we find the following encoded in the same chapter, just three verses before this one.
“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens” - Genesis 2:4
אלה תולדות השמים והארץ בהבראם ביום עשות יהוה אלהים ארץ ושמים
Asote Y’Hovah Elohim ( עשות יהוה אלהים ) -
“That THE LORD GOD Made”
Numeric Value = 888 (37 x 24)
Jesus ( Ιησούς )
Numeric Value = 888 (37 x 24)
Before Salvation (literally ישוע Yeshua) the soul was stuck to the body, and after Salvation, the soul begins to follow the spirit. The spirit is known to be the new man or new nature. At the same time, it is trying not to follow the old man or old nature, or our physical body.
The Gift of Salvation begins the rebirth of our New Nature. The LORD begins to write His Law upon our hearts. The process of sanctification begins, but we still have free will - so our soul can either follow the spirit and do what’s right or follow the body and do what’s wrong. The further we travel in our own spiritual growth, when we follow our flesh; we know that we are doing wrong. We begin to feel a stronger conviction to follow Our Shepherd, as we are now His Sheep and we hear His Voice - which brings me to the one of my favorite and most comforting promises in the entire Holy Bible:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one." - John 10:27-30
As always, I urge you to do your own research about all of this, don’t take my word for anything. I highly recommend reading “The Invisible War: The Panorama of the Continuing Conflict Between Good and Evil” by Donald Grey Barnhouse. It’s a great book on spiritual warfare that goes much deeper into this subject and why it is important that we know these things.
In his book, Barnhouse provides a good analogy to better understand all this. If you can imagine that man, the way that he was initially created, was built like a three-storied house. The top two stories of that house are the spirit and soul. When man chose his own way and disobeyed G*d, our three-storied house collapsed and the top floor fell into the second - the soul and spirit became inseparable. Thus, when Adam sinned, the spirit of man fell down into his soul.
Since we now how been given the ability to distinguish the truth of this matter, through our Faith in Yeshua, we should all strive for our soul to cling to this new spirit that enables us to ascend to The Most High. Just as gravity pulls things downward, our flesh will bring down our soul, thus keeping us in the bondage of this world.
חסד ושלום עליכם והרבה אהבה וברכות
May Grace and Peace Be Upon You and Much Love and Blessings!
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