Explanation: We are Spirit, Soul and Body: What exactly is what?
You’ve probably heard it before: we, you and I are made up of body, soul and spirit. Do you remember where you heard this? Perhaps it was in church, at a philosophy class or in a spiritual setting. Wherever you’ve heard this, have you ever asked yourself where this came from? Can you explain it yourself without too many complex and abstract words? That’s not easy. We are going to help you, or at least make an effort to help you. You will get an explanation and appealing examples. After reading, can you explain how you yourself see mind, soul and body.
Where do you start?
As a Christian, a logical starting point is God’s word: the Bible. Here begins our search for answers to the deeper meaning of the three unity within us; body, soul and spirit. Already in the first chapter you encounter what God tells us about how we are created. Genesis 1:26 says we are created in God’s image and likeness. So we are made in the image of God. In 1 Thessalonians 5:23, we find that we possess a “trinity” within ourselves: body, soul and spirit. According to the Bible, these three parts make up man and are all important. They are described in different ways and contexts in the Bible. In summary, the Bible offers the following explanation:
- Body: Our physical self, which is important and precious and important to take good care of.
- Spirit: The part of us that can talk to God and listen to Him.
- Soul: Our inner life with thoughts and feelings, and the part of us that searches for meaning.
Okay, so that’s the summary according to chatgpt. But how do you explain this yourself? That starts with understanding this matter yourself.
Body: Your dwelling here in the world and temple of God on earth
The body is tangible and visible and connects us to the world around us through our senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Your body was created from an egg and seed and grew in your mother’s belly. Explaining your body is perhaps the easiest of the three. Just pinch yourself and you are immediately aware of what your body is. Everyone will agree on that.
From Paul we learn in the Bible that our body is like a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20): “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you and whom you have received from God? You do not belong to yourself, for God has bought you and paid the price. “So honor God with your body.” Your body is seen as dwelling place, place of honor of the Spirit of God here in this world. So that is the Biblical view of what your body is.
Q: How would you describe what your body is in relation to God?
Soul: Emotions, Thoughts and Will
The soul is generally described as our personality or, in other words, our inner life. It includes your emotions, thoughts and will. You probably know what emotions are. You sometimes read that we experience 20-30 per day. Your will can be described as your desire, which can also be described as your needs. Can you imagine anything about that?
It is difficult to find scientific evidence for the existence of the soul. Evidence is often based on beliefs, spiritual experiences or philosophical reasoning. René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher in the 16th century, famously claimed that the soul is distinct from the body and survives beyond physical existence, summed up in his famous phrase “Cogito, ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am).
Again in the beginning of the Bible, the soul is quickly mentioned. Genesis 2:7 describes that God formed man from dust of the earth and breathed life into him through his nostrils so that he became a living soul. The body with soul came to life through the breath (spirit) of God.
It’s already getting quite abstract and complex hey! We can simplify it a bit by going back to your emotions and desires that you experience daily.
Q: What emotions and desires did you experience today? How can you link that to the description of the soul?
Spirit: The Divine Spark Within
And now does come the most spiritual, the spirit. As Christians, we see that your spirit is your connection to God or more precisely the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God) connects with our spirit. From a scientific perspective, the mind is seen as a product of our brain and nervous system. From a philosophical point of view, the mind is referred to as consciousness. I can imagine that you yourself have to think for a while about how you yourself give words to the spirit.
Perhaps you are not so familiar with the Holy Spirit yourself. In the Bible, you will find stories of the Holy Spirit that I am sure you are familiar with. Think of Biblical stories like Samson’s. Here it is described that the Spirit of God came upon Samson and he was able to do heroic deeds. Mary also became pregnant with the Holy Spirit.
So the power of the Holy Spirit is awesome. This should be obvious. This is evident from Genesis 2 where you read that God breathed breath into man and thus gave us His Spirit. So there is clearly a connection between His Spirit and your spirit. It says, ” Genesis 2:7-9 When the body and spirit came together, man became a living soul. So the mind has everyone.
Questions: Do you personally know stories or have experiences with God’s Spirit? Think of the Spirit of God pointing you to choices, telling you what others need or giving you answers to small and big life questions. Another example is a spiritual experience in church when you are touched by something or you experience the Holy Spirit.
Read Genesis 2:7-9 for yourself. God breathed His Spirit into man and thus gave us His Spirit. How does this Spirit that God breathed in relate to the Holy Spirit? Plenty to talk about.
Talking about the spirit is something you can often do best even with non-Christian friends. The mind is seen as the connection to the higher, the divine. You also see this in other religions, spiritual traditions or current common forms of divination (think Wicca and Tarrot card laying). It can really make for good conversation when you have a conversation with a spiritual person about Spirit and how each one experiences it. And yes, that is certainly not easy.
Examples
After reading all this, it can still be very abstract. Therefore, I’ll give a few examples to help you make it a little more concrete.
The smartphone:
The physical device is like your body, something you can hold and touch. The software and apps that run on it are your soul. The electrical charge that powers your phone can be thought of as your mind. Just as your smartphone needs all these parts to work, your body, soul and mind all work together to make you who you are.
The car:
Think of your car: the physical car that you can see and touch is like your body. The engine and fuel that drive the car represent your mind, which provides the energy needed to move and function. Meanwhile, the driver behind the wheel, controlling and guiding the car, is like your soul, the essence of your personality and consciousness. Together, the body, mind and spirit form the complete experience of driving, just as they form the essence of who you are as a person.
The television:
Think of a television set: the physical television set is like your body, the visible object. The settings and channels are like your soul. The electricity that powers the television represents your mind, which provides the energy needed to function and display images. Together, the body, mind and soul work harmoniously together to bring entertainment and information, just as they are the essence of who you are as a person.
Talking through?
Do you want to continue talking? These questions will help you start the conversation.
- Do you believe that we humans are spirit, soul and body?
- How would you describe your soul?
- When you die, what happens to your mind and soul do you think?
Also, read Ecclesiastes 12:7. - Have you ever had a spiritual experience? How would you describe these and where in the trinity did you experience them (spirit, soul and body)
Want to know more about this topic?
Then watch the video (in English) by Daniel Martiz of DLM Christian Lifestyle
Podcast by David de Vos on Spirit, Soul and Body:
This blog is meant to help you understand what mind, soul and body is so you can explain it to those around you. What are you missing? What is still unclear? Let us know. You can also comment below this post.
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