The Spiritual Man

1. Man is a Tripartite Being: Spirit, Soul, Body.

The Word of God does not divide man into the two parts of soul and body. It treats man, rather, as tripartite—spirit, soul and body.

Beyond dualism. Contrary to common understanding, the Bible reveals man is composed of three distinct parts: spirit, soul, and body (1 Thess. 5:23). The body is the physical, outward part, connecting us to the material world (world-consciousness). The soul is the psychological part, encompassing mind, emotion, and will (self-consciousness). The spirit is the innermost part, designed for communion with God (God-consciousness).

Soul as the link. The soul acts as the meeting point and intermediary between the spirit and the body. It possesses free will and determines whether the spirit will rule the body or the body will influence the spirit. The spirit cannot directly act on the body; it must do so through the soul.

Temple analogy. Man can be likened to the ancient temple:

• Body: Outer Court (visible, external life)
• Soul: Holy Place (inner life, mind, emotion, will)
• Spirit: Holy of Holies (innermost, dwelling place of God)
  The intended order is spirit governing soul, and soul governing body, reflecting the Holy of Holies directing the Holy Place and Outer Court.

2. The Fall Distorted God's Original Order.

Unfortunately man has fallen; he has been defeated and has sinned; consequently, the proper order of spirit, soul and body has been confused.

Death of the spirit. Man's fall through disobedience led to spiritual death – a cessation of communion with God. While the spirit still exists, it became dead to God, losing its sensitivity and ability to connect with Him. This death began in the spirit and spread throughout the being.

Soul's usurpation. The soul, originally meant to be subject to the spirit, rebelled and became dominant. It merged closely with the body, forming what the Bible calls the "flesh." Man became a "living soul" in a distorted sense, ruled by his own intellect, emotions, and will, independent of God.

Fleshly dominion. The body, now joined with the fallen soul, became the lowest part but gained control, driven by lusts and passions. Man descended from spirit-control to soul-control, and finally to body-control (flesh). This flesh is hostile to God and cannot please Him.

3. Salvation Restores the Spirit to Life.

Regeneration means to be born of God.

New birth in the spirit. Salvation begins with regeneration, a new birth "of God" (John 1:13) and "of the Spirit" (John 3:6). This is not a physical or soulish change, but God imparting His uncreated life (zoe) into man's dead spirit. This quickens the spirit, restoring its ability to commune with God.

Indwelling Holy Spirit. At regeneration, the Holy Spirit not only gives a new spirit but also takes up permanent residence in the human spirit (Ezek. 36:26-27). This indwelling Spirit is the source of spiritual life and power, enabling the believer's spirit to regain its intended position.

Union with Christ. Through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, the believer is united with Him, becoming "one spirit with him" (1 Cor. 6:17). This union is the basis for the Holy Spirit's work, making the believer's spirit alive and capable of serving God in "newness of spirit" (Rom. 7:6).

4. The Flesh (Body + Fallen Soul) is Irredeemable.

God looks upon the flesh as utterly corrupt.

Beyond repair. The flesh, the composite of the fallen soul and body, is inherently corrupt and hostile to God. No amount of human effort, education, morality, or religious practice can change its nature. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6).

God's solution: Death. Since the flesh cannot be improved, God's way is not to reform it but to put it to death. Christ, coming "in the likeness of sinful flesh," condemned sin in the flesh through His death (Rom. 8:3). This means not only our sins were judged, but the power of sin in the flesh was also judged.

Crucified with Christ. For believers, this judgment is applied through identification: "our old self was crucified with him, so that the sinful body might be destroyed, and that we should no longer be enslaved to sin" (Rom. 6:6). The flesh, with its passions and desires, "have crucified the flesh" (Gal. 5:24).

5. Deliverance from Sin is Only the First Step.

To be freed from sin is not a difficult task when viewed in the light of the finished, perfect and complete salvation of God.

Beyond forgiveness. While forgiveness of sins and deliverance from sin's power are glorious realities achieved through Christ's cross, they represent only the initial phase of God's salvation. Many believers stop here, content with overcoming outward sins.

The problem of self. Even after being freed from sin's dominion, the believer still possesses the soul life – the natural self. This self, though not necessarily sinful in appearance, is independent of God and operates by its own strength (will, mind, emotion). It is the source of "self-righteousness" and "will-worship."

Two lives, two natures. The believer now has two lives (spirit life and soul life) and two natures (divine nature and sin nature). While the sin nature has been dealt with at the cross, the soul life (self) remains and strives against the spirit life. This conflict is deeper than the struggle against sin.

6. The Soul Life (Self) Must Be Denied by the Cross.

our old self was crucified with him

Self vs. Spirit. The soul life, being the natural self, is the greatest obstacle to living by the spirit. It operates independently of God, relying on its own strength, wisdom, and desires. This self must be denied daily, unlike sin which is overcome by reckoning on Christ's finished work.

The cross's deeper work. While Christ's cross dealt with the sin in the flesh, it also dealt with the self of the flesh. "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires" (Gal. 5:24). This includes not just sinful desires but also the self's good intentions and abilities.

Daily cross-bearing. Denying the soul life is not a one-time event but a continuous process. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). Each time we deny our natural inclinations, desires, or self-will for Christ's sake, our soul life suffers loss, allowing the spirit life to gain ground.

7. Emotion: A Powerful, Yet Unreliable Guide.

Emotion may be denominated the most formidable enemy to the life of a spiritual Christian.

Soulish vs. Spiritual Feeling. Emotion is a primary function of the soul, encompassing affection, desire, and feeling. While the spirit also has senses (intuition), soulish feelings are easily influenced by external circumstances and are highly changeable. Mistaking soulish feelings for spiritual experiences is a common pitfall.

The danger of feeling-based life. Living by emotion leads to an unstable, up-and-down Christian walk. It hinders hearing the delicate voice of the spirit's intuition, which requires emotional quietness. Emotion often drives actions based on impulse rather than spiritual principle or God's will.

God's purpose in feelings. God sometimes grants joyful feelings to draw us to Him or allows painful feelings to expose our self-love and train our will. He wants us to move from loving His joy to loving Him, and from acting by feeling to acting by will and faith.

8. The Mind: A Critical Battlefield for Truth.

The mind of man is his organ of thought.

Satan's stronghold. The mind is a primary battlefield where Satan and evil spirits operate. Before salvation, the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Cor. 4:4). After salvation, Satan seeks to deceive believers' minds with false teachings and suggestions (2 Cor. 11:3).

Ground for attack. Evil spirits gain ground in the mind through:

• An unrenewed mind (carnal thinking)
• Improper thoughts (sinful or vain ideas)
• Misunderstanding God's truth (accepting lies)
• Accepting suggestions (from evil spirits)
• A blank or passive mind (ceasing to think or letting others think for you)

Mind's role with the spirit. While the spirit receives revelation intuitively, the mind is necessary to understand and interpret it (Eph. 1:17-18). A renewed mind is essential for spiritual understanding and for bringing "every thought captive to obey Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5).

9. The Will: The Seat of Man's Sovereignty.

A Man’s Will is his organ for decision-making.

Core of self. The will is the most influential part of man, representing his true self and controlling all other organs. God created man with a free, sovereign will, and He respects this freedom even in salvation. Man's fall was a rebellion of his will; salvation is the restoration of his will to God.

Union of wills. True salvation involves not just a union of life with God (regeneration) but also a union of will. God desires our will to be perfectly joined with His, desiring what He desires and doing what He says. This union is the zenith of spiritual life.

Submitting to God's hand. Because man's will is naturally stubborn, God often uses circumstances and suffering ("His mighty hand") to break it and bring it into submission. This discipline aims to make us willing to accept His will unconditionally, even when it goes against our natural desires or brings pain.

10. Passivity is a Dangerous Ground for Evil Spirits.

The particular sin of omission which gives ground to the evil spirits is the believer’s passivity.

Inactivity as sin. Beyond committing active sins, the omission of using our God-given abilities and talents, allowing ourselves to become passive, is also a sin. This passivity, especially of the will and mind, provides ground for evil spirits to operate.

Mistaken obedience. Some believers, misunderstanding "death to self" or "obeying the Spirit," believe they should become passive, ceasing to use their will or mind, and waiting for God to move them like puppets. This is a mistaken, excessive obedience.

Satan's opportunity. God never requires passivity; He wants active cooperation. Satan, however, thrives on passivity. When a believer becomes passive, Satan seizes the opportunity to invade, control, and manipulate the person's mind, will, and even body, often through counterfeit supernatural experiences.

11. The Spirit: The Organ for Communion with God.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

Intuition, Communion, Conscience. The human spirit, quickened at regeneration, has three main functions:

• Intuition: The organ for direct sensing and knowing God's will and spiritual realities without reasoning.
• Communion: The ability to worship and fellowship with God.
• Conscience: The inner monitor that discerns right and wrong according to God's standard.

Knowing vs. Understanding. The spirit knows God's things intuitively, while the mind understands them rationally. Spiritual knowledge comes through revelation in the spirit, not through intellectual searching. The Holy Spirit teaches and guides through the spirit's intuition (the "anointing").

Spirit-controlled life. To walk by the spirit means to live according to the spirit's intuition, communion, and conscience, allowing the spirit to govern the soul and body. This requires denying the impulses of the soul and actively cooperating with the Holy Spirit who indwells the spirit.

12. The Body: A Temple for God's Spirit and Subject to Sickness.

The body is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Body's purpose. The physical body, though fallen and subject to death, is not inherently evil. It is intended to be an instrument for the Lord and a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). We are bought with a price and should glorify God in our bodies.

Lord's provision for the body. Just as Christ bore our sins, He also bore our sicknesses (Isa. 53:4-5). God's salvation includes provision for the body's healing and strength. The Holy Spirit, who raised Christ, gives life to our mortal bodies today (Rom. 8:11).

Sickness as chastisement. Sickness in believers is often God's chastisement for unconfessed sin or self-will (1 Cor. 11:30-32, James 5:16). It is a means to bring us to self-judgment and deeper submission. Healing is often conditional on confessing and forsaking sin and yielding to God's will.

Overcoming through the Spirit. We are no longer debtors to the flesh (Rom. 8:12). By the Spirit, we can put to death the deeds of the body and live. This requires presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice and claiming God's life and power for our physical needs by faith.

Last updated: May 3, 2025