{"id":5703,"date":"2014-10-16T00:19:40","date_gmt":"2014-10-16T00:19:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.firstofallpray.com\/?p=5703"},"modified":"2014-11-04T04:53:38","modified_gmt":"2014-11-04T04:53:38","slug":"james-121-part-1-spirit-soul-and-body","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.firstofallpray.com\/?p=5703","title":{"rendered":"James 1:21 Part 1\u2014Spirit, soul, and body"},"content":{"rendered":"

Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.<\/em> James 1:21<\/p>\n

The first time I heard a teaching related to this verse I thought I was hearing false doctrine because I didn\u2019t understand that I was a three-part being.<\/p>\n

A preacher I had grown to trust said something like this: \u201cAs a Christian, your soul is not automatically saved. Your soul is only saved through reception and application of the Word of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

He\u2019s wrong, God! I\u2019m saved\u2014what does he mean my soul\u2019s not saved? <\/em>But due to my respect for him and everything else I\u2019d heard him say, I decided to put his teaching about this verse on the shelf until God made it clear to me one way or the other. That\u2019s what you need to do with teachings you aren\u2019t sure about\u2014put them on the shelf and let the Holy Spirit sort them out for you later through the Word.<\/p>\n

Over time\u2014not immediately, mind you\u2014I started realizing that, similar to God being a triune being, humans had three parts as well. Two Scriptures brought this understanding home to me.<\/p>\n

The first verse that caught my eye was 1 Thessalonians 5:23. \u201cNow may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body<\/strong> be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ<\/em>\u201d (emphasis added).<\/p>\n

\u2026 spirit and soul and body\u2026 <\/em>When I read this, I realized that I was not just a soul (or a spirit) and a body. Before that, I had used the terms \u201csoul\u201d and \u201cspirit\u201d interchangeably and thought they were synonymous, much like the words \u201cgroundhog\u201d and \u201cwoodchuck\u201d. But here, at least, the Bible put soul and spirit into two separate categories. Hmmm<\/em>, I thought, if my soul and spirit aren\u2019t the same thing,<\/em> then could it be that the preacher was right and my soul might not be saved yet?<\/em> To tell the truth, that thought bothered me, but it got me thinking\u2014I am spirit, soul, and body, not just soul and body!<\/em><\/p>\n

The second verse that made it even clearer to me about the distinction between soul and spirit was Hebrews 4:12. \u201cFor the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit<\/strong>, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart<\/em>\u201d (emphasis added). My soul and spirit were indeed two different entities, and they could be separated by the Word of God.<\/p>\n

The Greek word for “spirit” is pneuma<\/em> (which is also used in the term \u201cHoly Spirit\u201d). On the other hand, the word for \u201csoul\u201d is psyche<\/em> and is the base from which the English words \u201cpsychology\u201d and \u201cpsychiatry\u201d are derived. Both parts\u2014soul and spirit\u2014are unseen; both dwell within the body; both are said to be involved with the inner workings of a man. <\/em>According to one source, pneuma<\/em> (spirit) means \u201cthe rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides\u201d (see http:\/\/www.blueletterbible.org\/lang\/Lexicon\/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G4151&t=KJV <\/a>), and psyche <\/em>(soul) means \u201cthe seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)\u201d (see http:\/\/www.blueletterbible.org\/lang\/Lexicon\/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G5590&t=KJV<\/a> ). As you can see, these two\u2014spirit and soul\u2014are closely related; however, it is my contention that it is your spirit who receives Christ; it is your spirit that is born of God; and it is your spirit that becomes a new creation. Your soul, \u201cthe seat of your feelings, desires, affections and aversions\u201d is also eternal; James says that it is by receiving the Word implanted that you\u2014a Christian who is already saved\u2014are able to save your soul.<\/p>\n

My original problem with this verse was this: Why does a Christian<\/strong> need to save his soul?<\/em> When I started viewing James 1:21 in light of the three-part nature of man, it began to make more sense to me. This is how I view the nature of man now:<\/p>\n