Man is a tripartite being (three parts), spirit, soul and body. This is revealed to us in God's Word, the Bible. When God created animals, birds, fishes and creeping things, He said, on the fifth day of creation, "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven." (Gen. 1:2020And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. (Genesis 1:20)). Then on the sixth day, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind." Gen. 1:2424And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. (Genesis 1:24).
When it came to the creation of man we read in Gen. 1:2626And 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. (Genesis 1:26), "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." We then read in Gen. 2:77And 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. (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."
We can say then that all the lower creation have a body and a life given of God, but with mankind there was a special act of God when He breathed into man's nostrils the breath (or "spirit") of life, placing him in a relationship with his Creator, ("for we are His offspring." Acts 17:2525Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:25)), and giving a command from Him as to man's position and responsibility. This is what distinguishes mankind from the lower creation. In a word we may say, the lower creation has a body and a life given of God, but mankind has spirit, soul, and body. The "spirit" is the intelligent God-conscious part of his being, the "soul" is the seat of his appetites and desires, and the "body" is the physical. Mankind is placed in headship over the creation, and is responsible to his Creator. An animal is guided by God-given instincts, while man was to be guided by instructions from his Creator. This is why we speak of man as a tripartite being, (spirit, soul and body), and responsible to his Creator as such. When an animal, bird, fish or insect dies that is the end of its existence. It is not responsible to God for its conduct, it dies and that is the end, but the Bible makes it very clear that man must answer to God, "Every one of us shall give account of himself to God." Rom. 14:1212So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12). Death is not the end for man or woman, but they must meet God as living souls, either as their Savior or as their Judge. If one has received Christ as Savior, he or she is forgiven and justified before God through the finished work of Christ on the cross. If not, it is a solemn thing to die in one's sins and meet God as a Judge. Every human being has a soul that will live on forever, either in eternal joy or in eternal punishment, as we read in Matt. 25:4646And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:46), "These shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal."
If the one who reads these lines is a child of God by faith in Christ Jesus, then you have the privilege of living to please Him, your Savior and Lord. The Bible says, "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Cor. 6:2020For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20).
The apostle's prayer, as quoted at the beginning of this paper, was his desire for those who were children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and he desired that every part of their being, spirit, soul, and body, would be devoted to the Lord, and that they would live to please Him.
I would like to say a little about the order given here, "spirit, soul, and body" and that all our decisions in life should be made in that order. Too often, even as believers, we put our "bodies" first, and go places and use our bodies as we wish, without considering whether our decision is pleasing to the Lord. Would it not be, better, and pleasing to the Lord, to ask first, "Is it the Lord's will that I make this plan to do this or that?" It is putting our "spirit" first, when we intelligently seek the Lord's mind in accordance with His Word, saying as Paul did when he was saved, "What shall I do, Lord?" Acts 22:1010And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. (Acts 22:10).
Next comes the "soul," the appetites and desires. Having prayed and sought the Lord's will for our path, our souls are thankful, peaceful, and happy in choosing what is pleasing to Him. "Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk: for I lift up my soul unto Thee." Psa. 143:88Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. (Psalm 143:8).
Then comes the "body". When we have sought the Lord's mind and will in the light of His Word (a "reasonable" or intelligent service, Rom. 12:11I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. (Romans 12:1)), and our "souls" are willing and happy in the path of obedience, pleasing the Lord, we present our "bodies" a living sacrifice to do His will.
This was the prayer of the apostle in 1 Thess. 5:2323And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23) for the Thessalonian believers, and though we are living over 1900 years later, it should be the desire of every believer, even today, in all our decisions in life. In choosing our friends, the kind of employment we take up for our livelihood, the company of Christians with whom we gather in Christian fellowship, the life partner we choose as wife or husband, indeed in everything in life, may we say, first of all, is this the Lord's will for me and in accordance with His Word (the spirit)? I will enjoy that path because it is pleasing to Him (the soul), and that is the path my body takes because I want to glorify Him in my body. (1 Cor. 6:2020For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. (1 Corinthians 6:20)). "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." Prov. 3:66In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. (Proverbs 3:6).
Do Thou the very God of peace,
Us wholly sanctify,
And grant us such a rich increase
Of power from on high,
That spirit, soul, and body may,
Preserved free from stain,
Be blameless until that great day;
Lord Jesus Christ, Amen! L.F.
G.H.H.
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