Genesis 2:7 KJV
7 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 soul.
Job 12:10 KJV
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
OK, this lesson isn’t really about soul music. That was simply a ploy to get your attention.
But it is about the soul, intertwined with one small tidbit about music.
Did you know that soul music has its roots in African American gospel music? It did.
So much for the music part, now let’s look at the spiritual component of our being. And it truly is music to the Christian's ear.
OUR SOUL
The soul is defined by Webster as the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal that is regarded as immortal.
There are two primary views on what constitutes humankind.
One view is that there are three distinct components that make up humankind. They are body, soul AND spirit. This view is called trichotomy, which views the body, soul and spirit as individual and separate components of humankind.
The other view is called dichotomy, which is the most held view by theologians.
When scholars look at the Hebrew and Greek words that are translated as “soul” and “spirit” they find that they are basically synonymous and used interchangeably.
An example of this interchangeable usage is found in God’s Word where it references death. It says the "soul" departs the body in some scriptures and the "spirit" departs the body in others. Again, the words are used interchangeably.
Another example is where mankind is described as "body and soul" in certain scriptures, versus "body and spirit" in others. Again, the Hebrew and Greek words were used interchangeably.
SOUL and SPIRIT ARE ONE
We hold the view that the soul and the spirt are one and the same. We will refer to the soul hereafter as the soul/spirit which is part of our human makeup.
Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit is from God and indwells everyone that believes in Jesus Christ.
To put it simply, God created humankind as part earth and part spiritual world.
From the dust of the earth, he created mankind and then breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, with man becoming a living soul. Thus, we are part physical (earth) and part spiritual (soul/spirit from God).
When we accept Christ as our Savior and reconciled with God, His Word tells us that His Spirt, the Holy Spirit, then indwells us.
At this point our physical body and soul/spirit are joined by the Holy Spirit, who lives within us.
This Holy Spirit is our guide and comforter, sent from God as Jesus promised. The Spirit is therefore what separates believers from unbelievers in our view.
Romans 8:16 KJV
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
UPON DEATH OF THE BELIEVER'S BODY, THE SOUL IS TRANSPORTED TO GOD
We believe that when the physical body dies, the soul of the believer is immediately transported into the presence of God.
Here are several scriptures that give us that assurance.
Luke 16:22 KJV
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Psalm 31:5 KJV
5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.
Acts 7:59 KJV
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
2 Corinthians 5:6 KJV
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Philippians 1:23-24 KJV
23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
PART EARTH and PART SPIRIT, IN GOD'S IMAGE
Genesis 1:26 KJV
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
God said in Genesis, “Let us make man in our own image.” Not just from the elements of the earth, but with a reasoning mind and a spiritual component.
Jesus tells us that God is a spirit who must be worshipped in spirit and truth. Thus, we are part soul/spirit in order to commune with God.
John 4:24 KJV
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
And He wanted us to be made in His image.
Therefore, we were created part earth/elements of earth and part spiritual, in the image of God.
As you finish the lesson, take time to meditate on the fact that God literally breathed Himself into humankind.
Adam did not become a living soul until that breath.
It is through our soul/spirit that He breathed into us that we are able to relate to God, to communicate with God, to be drawn to God and to be reconciled with God.
We hope that as you consider your soul/spirit, that you are a child of God, with the assurance that when God calls you home, your soul/spirit is ready to be transported to be with God in your eternal heavenly home.
RVH