Difference Between Spirit in Man and Soul
We are living souls
1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, “THE FIRST MAN ADAM BECAME A LIVING BEING.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:45 AndG2532 soG3779 it is written,G1125 TheG3588 firstG4413 manG444 AdamG76 was madeG1096 a(G1519) livingG2198 soul;G5590 theG3588 lastG2078 AdamG76 was made a quickeningG2227 spirit.G4151
This is the resurrection from the dead chapter
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Revelation 8:9 AndG2532 theG3588 third partG5154 of theG3588 creaturesG2938 whichG3588 were inG1722 theG3588 sea,G2281 andG2532 hadG2192 life,G5590 died;G599 andG2532 theG3588 third partG5154 of theG3588 shipsG4143 were destroyed.G1311
Neither is Immortal
Genesis 2:7 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 being.
KJV: Genesis 2:7 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.
Newspapers have often reported during times of war the number of souls that were lost that day.
The Soul that Sins Dies
This may be the most significant scripture on the subject and is worth memorizing.
Ezekiel 18:4 “Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.
The soul is physical and subject to sinning. All have lived have sinned and the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23; 6:23).
Ecclesiastes 9:4 But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.
Ecclesiastes 9:6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.
The Spirit is Given by God
Isaiah 42:5 Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
There is a difference between the breath (same word as in Genesis 2:7 above.) of life and spirit.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
The spirit in man is given to us by God
Spirit in Man is Non-physical
The spirit in man records all the human characteristics, personal experiences, memories, personality, attributes, thoughts, imaginations, feelings, emotions, attitudes
Imparts Intelligence
Psalms 77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.
It is this spirit in man that enables to ponder and think on things
Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of a man is the lamp of the LORD [understanding], Searching all the inner depths of his heart. [This to contemplate; ask and answer the deeper questions of life]
The understanding that we have is well beyond the animal kingdom and is not to be compared with the incredible gift that mankind has been given.
1 Corinthians 2:10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
We see the comparison and contrast between the two spirits: one on the physical plane, the other on spiritual; one for physical understanding and the other for spiritual.
Spirits Work Together
KJV Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The holy spirit works with the spirit in man (here they are the two witnesses that we are indeed children of God)
God Uses it to Move Us
Haggai 1:14 So the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God,
God works with the people in the world as well as His people and He uses the spirit in man to motivate them.
Formed in Us
Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD against Israel. Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:
By comparison it is an awesome act of God to form it within us.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
John 3:8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Analogy of spirit of God at begettal. We are begotten children of God when we receive the holy spirit after baptism at the laying on of hands. In the same way, we receive the spirit of man at conception.
It Goes Back to God
Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
It has to come to us in order to go back … to God. Also if it goes back to death, the implication is that it arrived at the beginning of life.
It is like a recording of who and what we were. To be given back in some form at an individual’s resurrection, making them who they were once again –otherwise, what’s the point in learning all that have learned and built the character we did.
Luke 8:49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the Teacher.”
Luke 8:50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.”
Luke 8:51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
Luke 8:52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
Luke 8:53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
Luke 8:54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.”
Luke 8:55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.
Her spirit came back to her as she was resurrected from the dead. It was her own spirit, not someone else’s that she received.
When do we get the Spirit in Man?
Let’s answer it more by way of analogy
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.
Matthew 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”
We are begotten children of God at the time of the inception of the Holy Spirit. This is when we become sons of God. It is logical to conclude by these scriptures then that we receive the spirit in man at the beginning of our life…which is at conception.
Conclusion
Knowing now how we are fearfully and wonderfully made by the hand of God, we can go on to greater understanding.