Do I really have a soul? Some of you may be saying I can’t see it. So what does the Bible say? The answer to that question comes right in the beginning of the Bible in Genesis 2:7. This passage is about the creation of the first man: Adam. God took two things and made man: the dust of the ground and His own breath of life. God formed Adam out of the dust of the ground and He breathed his own breath into the nostrils of Adam. This is how Christians see the formation of a baby. Yes, in Psalm 139:14 it says that: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” So we learn that God formed man. Man was formed from the dust of the ground. God breathed his own breath of life into man and man became a living soul.
Man was not formed by impersonal forces neither did he just appear out of nothing. Neither did man evolve from other creatures that had come out of nothing. This gives great dignity and honor to man. Man is the product of God’s mind, His thoughts and His heart. So man’s very body, mind, and spirit, came from the heart of God, from the intelligence and power of God Himself.
Man became a living soul. Soul means an animated, breathing, conscious and living being. It does not mean the spirit of man. God had just breathed His Spirit and life into man. Once God did this, man became a living soul: an animated, breathing, conscious and living creature. He was a living soul just like all the other creatures of earth but with one and unique difference between the animals and man. Man was given the very breath of God Himself. Man did not become a living soul until God breathed His Spirit and life into man.
So what does this mean? It means that man is the only living spirit upon the earth. Man is both a spiritual and soulish or animate being.
You see plants live but they have no soul. Animals live but they are only animate or soulish creatures. They are not spiritual creatures. They do not have the breath or Spirit of God within them. Man is both animate and a spiritual creature. Man is both soul and spirit. Man is an animal, a soulish creature, but he is also a spiritual creature, a creature who worships God. Man is made both of earth and heaven.
This is the uniqueness and individuality of man. Man is the summit, the peak of God’s creation; the creature who possess both soul and spirit. Man has the choice to live for either the earth or for God. Man did not become a living soul until God breathed His Spirit and life into man. God gave us His own breath and His own Spirit and life. Because of this man can freely choose to love and worship God or not to love and worship God.
In the Old Testament the soul signifies that which is vital to humans in the broadest sense. The words used by the Greeks and Hebrews are often translated as “life.” In the New Testament the Greek word for soul also means “life.” The followers of Jesus are said to have risked their lives (their souls) for His sake (Acts 15:26).
The human soul is the part of a person that is not physical. It is the part of every human being that lasts eternally after the body experiences death. Genesis 35:18 explains the death of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, saying she named her son “as her soul was departing.” From this we know that the soul is different from the body and that it continues to live on after physical death.
You are a Soul. You have a body and when you die the body perishes at death but the soul is indestructible. In other words, personhood is not based on having a body. A soul is what is required when we die we leave behind that dead garment of a body but our soul moves on to eternity.
There is often confusion about the human spirit versus the human soul. In some places, Scripture seems to use the terms interchangeably, but there must be a subtle difference. Otherwise, how could the Word of God penetrate “even to dividing soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12)? When the Bible talks about man’s spirit, it is usually speaking of an inner force which stirs or stimulates a person in one direction or another. It is repeatedly shown as a mover, a dynamic force (Numbers 14:24). The human spirit is the innermost being of the human person, corresponding with the nature of God, which is spirit. At the time that a person accepts Christ into his or her life-a believer’s human spirit is united to Christ’s Spirit. We sometimes call that having a kindred spirit: meaning someone with the same feelings or attitudes as ourselves.
It has been said that there are only two things that last: the Word of God (Mark 13:31) and the souls of men. This is because, like God’s Word, the soul is an imperishable, enduring, eternal, everlasting, never ending, permanent, undying, entity. That thought should be both sobering and awe-inspiring. Every person you meet is an eternal soul. Every human being who has ever lived is a soul, and all of those souls are still in existence somewhere. The question is, where? The souls that reject God’s love are condemned to pay for their own sin, eternally, in hell (Romans 6:23). But the souls who acknowledge their own sinfulness and accept God’s gracious gift of forgiveness will live forever beside still waters with their Shepherd, wanting for nothing (Psalm 23:2).
The human soul is distinct from the heart (Deuteronomy 26:16; 30:6) and the spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12) and the mind (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). The human soul is created by God (Jeremiah 38:16). It can be strong or unsteady (2 Peter 2:14); it can be lost or saved (James 1:21; Ezekiel 18:4). We know that the human soul needs atonement (Leviticus 17:11) and is the part of us that is purified and protected by the truth and the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:22). Jesus is the great Shepherd of souls (1 Peter 2:25). Matthew 11:29 tells us that we can turn to Jesus Christ to find rest for our souls.
Some important information to consider. There have been many over the years who have been happy to “sell their souls,” for an earthly gain of some sort. You see that in books and stories and even in the movies and in all forms of entertainment. You only have one choice; you either give or submit your soul to Jesus Christ as your Savior the One who died for your sin on the cross OR you sell your soul to Satan. You make the choice. You see, the phrase that most Christians hear is God sent her or him to hell. Oh No YOU make that choice. God is a gentleman He will never force you to do what you do not want to do. Do you want to live eternally in Heaven or in Hell? There is no purgatory, no middle room, you make the choice while you are alive and on the earth.
But we do know that there are people who take very lightly the meaning of their souls and they are happy to sell their soul, for fame, money, sex, prestige, etc. I want to remind them that it’s limited and not a lifetime guarantee of freedom - you’re owned by the one to which you sold your soul. You must remember that Jesus loves you and died for your soul. satan really hates you and cares nothing about your soul, he cares nothing about you and does not care where you will spend eternity.
I choose to continue enjoying my God given freedoms and the hope, joy, peace that Christ provides for me and I am reminded how faithful He has been to me over the years.
Man was not formed by impersonal forces neither did he just appear out of nothing. Neither did man evolve from other creatures that had come out of nothing. This gives great dignity and honor to man. Man is the product of God’s mind, His thoughts and His heart. So man’s very body, mind, and spirit, came from the heart of God, from the intelligence and power of God Himself.
Man became a living soul. Soul means an animated, breathing, conscious and living being. It does not mean the spirit of man. God had just breathed His Spirit and life into man. Once God did this, man became a living soul: an animated, breathing, conscious and living creature. He was a living soul just like all the other creatures of earth but with one and unique difference between the animals and man. Man was given the very breath of God Himself. Man did not become a living soul until God breathed His Spirit and life into man.
So what does this mean? It means that man is the only living spirit upon the earth. Man is both a spiritual and soulish or animate being.
You see plants live but they have no soul. Animals live but they are only animate or soulish creatures. They are not spiritual creatures. They do not have the breath or Spirit of God within them. Man is both animate and a spiritual creature. Man is both soul and spirit. Man is an animal, a soulish creature, but he is also a spiritual creature, a creature who worships God. Man is made both of earth and heaven.
This is the uniqueness and individuality of man. Man is the summit, the peak of God’s creation; the creature who possess both soul and spirit. Man has the choice to live for either the earth or for God. Man did not become a living soul until God breathed His Spirit and life into man. God gave us His own breath and His own Spirit and life. Because of this man can freely choose to love and worship God or not to love and worship God.
In the Old Testament the soul signifies that which is vital to humans in the broadest sense. The words used by the Greeks and Hebrews are often translated as “life.” In the New Testament the Greek word for soul also means “life.” The followers of Jesus are said to have risked their lives (their souls) for His sake (Acts 15:26).
The human soul is the part of a person that is not physical. It is the part of every human being that lasts eternally after the body experiences death. Genesis 35:18 explains the death of Rachel, Jacob’s wife, saying she named her son “as her soul was departing.” From this we know that the soul is different from the body and that it continues to live on after physical death.
You are a Soul. You have a body and when you die the body perishes at death but the soul is indestructible. In other words, personhood is not based on having a body. A soul is what is required when we die we leave behind that dead garment of a body but our soul moves on to eternity.
There is often confusion about the human spirit versus the human soul. In some places, Scripture seems to use the terms interchangeably, but there must be a subtle difference. Otherwise, how could the Word of God penetrate “even to dividing soul and spirit” (Hebrews 4:12)? When the Bible talks about man’s spirit, it is usually speaking of an inner force which stirs or stimulates a person in one direction or another. It is repeatedly shown as a mover, a dynamic force (Numbers 14:24). The human spirit is the innermost being of the human person, corresponding with the nature of God, which is spirit. At the time that a person accepts Christ into his or her life-a believer’s human spirit is united to Christ’s Spirit. We sometimes call that having a kindred spirit: meaning someone with the same feelings or attitudes as ourselves.
It has been said that there are only two things that last: the Word of God (Mark 13:31) and the souls of men. This is because, like God’s Word, the soul is an imperishable, enduring, eternal, everlasting, never ending, permanent, undying, entity. That thought should be both sobering and awe-inspiring. Every person you meet is an eternal soul. Every human being who has ever lived is a soul, and all of those souls are still in existence somewhere. The question is, where? The souls that reject God’s love are condemned to pay for their own sin, eternally, in hell (Romans 6:23). But the souls who acknowledge their own sinfulness and accept God’s gracious gift of forgiveness will live forever beside still waters with their Shepherd, wanting for nothing (Psalm 23:2).
The human soul is distinct from the heart (Deuteronomy 26:16; 30:6) and the spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12) and the mind (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). The human soul is created by God (Jeremiah 38:16). It can be strong or unsteady (2 Peter 2:14); it can be lost or saved (James 1:21; Ezekiel 18:4). We know that the human soul needs atonement (Leviticus 17:11) and is the part of us that is purified and protected by the truth and the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Peter 1:22). Jesus is the great Shepherd of souls (1 Peter 2:25). Matthew 11:29 tells us that we can turn to Jesus Christ to find rest for our souls.
Some important information to consider. There have been many over the years who have been happy to “sell their souls,” for an earthly gain of some sort. You see that in books and stories and even in the movies and in all forms of entertainment. You only have one choice; you either give or submit your soul to Jesus Christ as your Savior the One who died for your sin on the cross OR you sell your soul to Satan. You make the choice. You see, the phrase that most Christians hear is God sent her or him to hell. Oh No YOU make that choice. God is a gentleman He will never force you to do what you do not want to do. Do you want to live eternally in Heaven or in Hell? There is no purgatory, no middle room, you make the choice while you are alive and on the earth.
But we do know that there are people who take very lightly the meaning of their souls and they are happy to sell their soul, for fame, money, sex, prestige, etc. I want to remind them that it’s limited and not a lifetime guarantee of freedom - you’re owned by the one to which you sold your soul. You must remember that Jesus loves you and died for your soul. satan really hates you and cares nothing about your soul, he cares nothing about you and does not care where you will spend eternity.
I choose to continue enjoying my God given freedoms and the hope, joy, peace that Christ provides for me and I am reminded how faithful He has been to me over the years.
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