Today we will continue our series and look at the soul of a person. I am deeply indebted to the teaching of Hohn Ortburg and his book Soul Keeping as well as Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
Soul is an old word. It was a way of counting lives. They still use this term at sea when a ship goes down, they talk of the souls lost. When I became a Christian we often talked about the battle for the soul, that souls were saved, that souls would live on.
We have to understand that the soul is a real part of us but also understand it is not the same a spirit; although sometimes this is used interchangeably by biblical writers. So I am going to take us on a quick synopsis of some Hebrew and Greek words to help us see the difference (don’t panic this won’t hurt us too much).
Old Testament Word for Soul:
The Hebrew "nephesh", is an important word for understanding the nature of souls in the Old Testament. It is the fundamental essence of who we are, making us ourselves, and not someone else.
The Body
Nephesh refers to the physical person:
Psalm 7:1-2: Lord my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me, 2 or they will tear me (nephesh) apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
The Mind
Another common usage of nephesh is to refer to the internal thought processes of an individual:
2 Kings 4:27: When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress (nephesh) , but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.””
So nephesh can be used to refer to an individual in either the physical or emotional sense.
Nephesh is not simply another word for emotions or a body though (see Isaiah 10:18; Micah 6:7 in KJV or NKJV).
The Spiritual
Other passages use Nephesh as a fuller spiritual context (Isaiah 55:2-3 NKJV). Isaiah speaks of the persons spiritual being as sustained by the truth and uses the word nephesh (Compare
Jeremiah 15.9; Job 27.8; Psalm 49.14-15 NKJV).
New Testament Word for Soul:
The Greek "psuche", is equivalent to the Hebrew “nephesh" in the New Testament.
The linguistic connection between these two words is locked in by the New Testament. Whenever quoting passages from the Old Testament that contain the word "nephesh", the New Testament always translates it as “psuche" (e.g. Genesis 2.7 and 1 Corinthians 15.45). The New Testament writers both understood and intended for psuche to have the same meaning as nephesh. It is where we get the word psyche.
Psuche can mean a soul, an individual, a life, or a being, in either a physical sense, emotional sense, or fully spiritual sense.
The Body
There are many instances where psuche is used in a physical :
Luke 6: 8-10: But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shrivelled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life (psuche) or to destroy it?” 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. (see also Mark 3.4, Matthew 6.25, Luke 12.22, Romans 16.4, and 1st Peter 3.20).
The Mind
Psuche can also be used in reference to ones mind or emotions:
Mark 14: 34-35: “My soul (psuche) is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” 35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.” (see also Matthew 10.18, 12.18 and Luke 12.19).
The Spiritual
There are many instances where psuche is used in a clearly spiritual context:
James 1:21: Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you (psuche). (see also Acts 2.31, James 5.20, 1st Peter 1.9, and 1st Peter 2.11).
This brief synopsis shows us that that the soul is in someway related to our minds, emotions, bodies and spiritual life.
Old Testament Word for Spirit
Ruach is the Hebrew word for spirit, literally referring to wind or a current of air. The word ruach implies something that is ethereal and diffuse, not corporal or material. In this way, ruach is used to refer to the supernatural forces and also beings that operate in the world, both internally and externally of man.
OT evidence in the Old Testament of people having a spirit or ruach (Numbers 27.16, see also Numbers 16.22).
King David describes commending his spirit into God's hand, in a redemptive sense, Psalm 31.5 (NKJV).
Daniel describes his spirit as being grieved in the midst of body, Daniel 7.15 NKJV.
The word spirit refers only to the immaterial facet of humanity. Human beings have a spirit, but we are not spirits.
In Scripture, only believers are said to be spiritually alive (1 Corinthians 2:11; Hebrews 4:12; James 2:26), while unbelievers are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1-5; Colossians 2:13).
In Paul's writing, the spiritual was pivotal to the life of the believer (1 Corinthians 2:14; 3:1; Ephesians 1:3; 5:19; Colossians 1:9; 3:16).
The spirit is the part of us which gives us the ability to have an intimate relationship with God. Whenever the word spirit is used, it refers to the non-physical part of humanity that “connects” with God, who Himself is spirit (John 4:24).
New Testament Word for Spirit:
Pneuma is the Greek word for spirit.
The New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew word ruach, is the Greek word pneuma, (see Acts 2.17-18).
Like ruach, the word "pneuma" literally means a wind or current of air. Also like ruach, pneuma is understood in the Scripture to mean a spirit, either as a spiritual entity or a supernatural force. Several times in the New Testament, man is also described as having a fundamental and personal pneuma, or spirit.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of the destruction of a certain individual's flesh, in order to bring about the future deliverance of his spirit (1 Corinthians 5:5 NKJV). This implies that a person both has a spirit that exists apart from their flesh, and that this spirit continues on after they die, even to the Day of the Lord Jesus.
God is described as having a special relationship with our spirits:
Hebrews 12:9: Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!
It is our spirit (pneuma) that enables us to have a Godward awareness, a connection with Him.
What is the difference between the soul and spirit of a person?
It can be confusing to attempt to discern the precise differences between the two. In the Bible the spirit is spoken of and soul is spoken of. Sometimes these words are used interchangeably where the writer is probably trying to convey truths about the deepest part of a person.
We have both within us.
With the creation of humanity the soul was received from God along with Adam’s spirit.
Genesis 2:7: Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
The Hebrew phrases used here are key:
“of life”= "caiyah" = alive, a living thing, creature, and “breath” = “ruach” = wind.
Note that the Hebrew phrasing here is used in the masculine sense, and is thus plural, i.e. the "breath of lives", the same breath common to every person.
So God breathed into the nostrils of man the breath of lives, (not life but lives - plural), i.e., giving man soul life for his identity (image of God); and giving man spirit life for awakening to God.
The word “soul” can refer to both the immaterial and physical aspects of humanity. Unlike human beings having a spirit, human beings are souls.
The soul and the spirit are connected, but separable (Hebrews 4:12). The soul is the essence of humanity’s being; it is who we are. The spirit is the aspect of humanity that connects with God. It seems that only God can actually discernibly distinguish between these two parts of us which He does by His very word.
When I speak of soul today I want us to think about it in the sense of who we are as people as well as the spiritual context.
Why Does This Matter for Our Salvation?
We have often believed in the hierarchical nature of the body - mind - spirit formula. This is mostly come to us through the Platonistic view of the person, the tri-part makeup of the person.
It is more subtle than that. (For a view on the different Christian thinking on this see the blog bonus at the end of the notes). I want us to think a bit about how we are made to function, not a hierarchy of functions.
The self is not the soul. We are not meant to just be self-aware. The more self absorbed we are the less we care about the soul. What if your self is a trainwreck? The soul reminds us that we are created by God. it makes us God aware.
Your soul connects your thoughts, your sensations, your emotions, your will, and integrates them into an entire being.
There are four parts of a human being (five if you include the spirit): each part of a human being must be healthy and working as God intended it to, and that makes a healthy soul.
I will represent these as four circles. This may appear to be too “tidy” to some but you’ll get the gist as we get to the fourth circle.
The Will:
The innermost circle is the will — the capacity to choose. The will is what makes you a person and not a thing. It is important but it is also extremely limited.
Will is at worst weak, where is gives into every kind of temptation, or a best strong, but trying to use willpower alone will burn us out.
The will can be defiant, stubborn, selfish, rude, positive, motivated. It is above all ours and we are free to use it as we see fit. God made us this way. Everything in life is a matter of human will. In other words the choices that we make. We have a free will; that is we have to power of choice. Our choices make us slaves or set us free:
Joshua 24:15: But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.
The will is free to choose but the will is designed to submit to the will of God, freely, with joy.
The Mind:
The second circle is the mind, a person’s thoughts and feelings. It is where the metaphorical heart of the perons resides, where our passions are. Battles are won or lost in the mind before they are ever verbalised. The will sits within the mind.
Our minds need sanctifying and redeeming.
Romans 8:6: The mind of the sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (NIV 1984).
We are to protect our minds:
1 Peter 1:13: Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ (NKJV).
The idea of girding something was taken from the picture of the Romans soldier who would connect the reproductive organs within their battle dress. To gird up the loins (that which reproduces) of our minds is to protect them.
The mind is a place where things can reproduce, good and bad. It is the place that we have to feed with healthy thingsL;
Philippians 4:8:Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Christianity is not anti-intellectual, but an un-sanctified mind can be given to all kinds of thought processes that are unhelpful.
Peace is felt in the mind. Peace is ours for the taking right now and it comes through transformation:
Romans 12:1: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
The Body:
The third circle is the body. “Our bodies are like our little power packs — we couldn’t be us without them . . . But they are not the whole story. We are not just the stuff that our bodies are made of” (Dallas Willard).
Our bodies, because we are out of sync with how God created us, war against our wills.
Our bodies are where we experience physical pleasures, endorphin releases, that our brains start to crave. That’s why for some dieting is hard. Their bodies crave the sugar high that chocolate and foods bring. Others will crave sensual pleasures for the same reasons. Some get endorphin rushes from shopping. Others from sports. Others from bungee jumping. Others from committing crime.
The body fights against the will. Jesus knew this. The disciples fell asleep whilst praying:
Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
The evidence of this is that when you want to listen to a great sermon your body wants to sleep.
Your body contains within it your will and your mind, your spirit and soul. Your body is not eternal in the same way as the rest of you. It will decay and it will rot after death.
One day you will receive a resurrected body. It is because we are designed to have a body.
Resurrected bodies that are spiritual bodies that are also physical too. Jesus was able to be touched after His resurrection (John 20:17; John 20: 26-27) but His resurrected body did not seem to have the same restrictions as ours (Mark 16:12, 14; John 21:14; Acts 1:9)
Our resurrection bodies will be transformed bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-58).
The Soul:
The final circle is the soul.
In its most basic sense, the word “soul” means “life.” However, beyond this essential meaning, the Bible speaks of the soul in many contexts.
The soul, as with the spirit, is the centre of many spiritual and emotional experiences (Job 30:25; Psalm 43:5; Jeremiah 13:17 NKJV).
The soul seeks harmony.
The human soul is what integrates all of our different parts into a single person. It makes you, you.
Our soul connects our thoughts, sensations, emotions, will and integrates them into one entire being.
“A healthy soul is an integrated soul, and an unhealthy soul is a ‘disintegrated’ one” (Dallas Willard).
Integrity is such a deep soul word. Our soul integrates us into an integral being. Dis-integrated equals an unhealthy perons. Such a person begins to fragment, all their parts begin to war against each other.
James 1:8: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
You are going to say to me: Why have you quested a mind verse fro a soul verse? The actual greek here is double psuche, figuratively double minded. It means a person who is two souled, literally torn in half by their doubts (see James 1:6).
How is that person unstable in all his ways? Because the soul is the glue that hold the will, mind, and body in unity. If the souls is sick, the rest of the person wars against each part; nothing works as God created it to do.
It is the soul that first has to come to grips with sin within a person. It is the soul that must be redeemed so that the whole of a person can be stable, grow properly and develop well as an individual.
Jesus knew this:
Mark 8:36-37: For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
What does it mean to lose one’s soul? The soul is eternal! It contains the rest of us.
What Jesus is saying is a diagnostic expression. To lose my soul means I no longer have a healthy centre that organises and guides my life.
Used to think this was about going to hell, and ultimately it is, but Jesus knew that our souls is the glue that holds a person into one being.
If our integration is lost, no circumstance in life (gain the whole world) will satisfy us. It means we no longer have a healthy centre that guides our life.
You have one soul; and gaining the whole world will not help you if you lose it. Caring for your soul, allowing it to flourish in God’s presence and become a gift to the world around you, is the primary charge that faces you before eternity. Your soul will live forever — and you are the keeper of your soul.
We live in on a planet of lost souls that is in crisis.
Wrapping this up!
You have a soul, and for you to have a soul that is healed, that is healthy, that is redeemed by God, matters more than the outcome of any circumstance in your world or your life. Your eternal destiny rests on the well-being of your soul — and only God can heal the soul. (John Ortburg)
Hymn writer: Spafford lost all in the great Chicago fire and had no insurance. Shortly thereafter his young son dies of scarlet fever. He sends his wife and four daughters to England by ship, he would follow later, where they’d try to rebuild their lives. The telegram he receives from his wife tells of a huge storm at sea: “Survived alone, what shoudl I do?” He gets on the next available ship to go to her and passing the point where his four daughters drowned, writes these words:
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul - Haratio G. Spafford
When our souls is healthy no external circumstance can destroy your life. If our soul is unhealthy, no external circumstance can redeem it. Only Jesus.
Blog Bonus:
Some Christians believe we have a soul and separate spirit. Others that we have a soul/spirit that’s essentially the same thing. This difference in belief is not something that will lose our salvation if we believe one thing or the other! However, I thought it might be helpful to include here an overview of both viewpoints from Grudem’s Systematic Theology.
Grudem's Systematic Theology: Chapter 23 - The Essential Nature of Man(http://www.thegravelperspective.com/blog/2013/10/23/grudems-systematic-theology-chapter-23-the-essential-nature-of-man)
What does Scripture mean by "soul" and "spirit"? Are they the same thing?
(A) INTRODUCTION: TRICHOTOMY, DICHOTOMY, AND MONISM
Some people believe that in addition to "body" and "soul" we have a third part, a "spirit" that most directly relates to God. The view that man is made of three parts (body, soul, and spirit) is called trichotomy.
Others have said that "spirit" is not a separate part of man, but simply another term for "soul," and that both terms are used interchangeably in Scripture to talk about the immaterial part of man, the part that lives on after our bodies die. The view that man is made up of two parts (body and soul/spirit) is called dichotomy.
Outside the realm of evangelical thought we find yet another view, the idea that man cannot exist at all apart from a physical body, and therefore there can be no separate existence for any "soul" after the body dies (although this view can allow for the resurrection of the whole person at some future time). The view that man is only one element, and that his body is the person, is called monism. This view has not been accepted by evangelical theologians because scripture affirms that our souls live on after our bodies die (Genesis 35:18; Psalm 31:5; Luke 23:43,46; Acts 7:59; Philippians 1:23-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 6:9; Revelation 20:4)
Grudem supports the Dichotomy view and then examines the arguments for Trichotomy.
(B) BIBLICAL DATA
First it is important to understand that scripture emphasizes the overall unity of man as created by God. In Genesis Adam is a unified person with body and soul living and acting together. We are to grow in holiness in both body and spirit (1 Corinthians 7:34; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
1. SCRIPTURE USES "SOUL" AND "SPIRIT" INTERCHANGEABLY
Sometimes the words soul and spirit are used interchangeably.
• In John 12:7 Jesus says his soul is troubled and then in the next chapter John says Jesus was troubled in Spirit (John 13:21)
• Mary says that her soul magnifies the Lord and that her spirit rejoices in God (Luke 1:46-47)
• People who have died and gone to heaven are called spirits (Hebrews 12:33; 1 Peter 3:19) or souls (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 20:4)
2. AT DEATH, SCRIPTURE SAYS EITHER THAT THE "SOUL" DEPARTS OR THE "SPIRIT DEPARTS
Biblical authors do not seem to care whether they say that the soul departs or the spirit departs at death, for both seem to mean the same thing.
• Soul (Genesis 35:18; 1 Kings 17:21; Isaiah 53:12; Luke 12:20)
• Spirit (Psalms 31:5; Luke 23:46; Ecclesiastes 12:7; John 19:30; Acts 7:59)
Trichotomist might argue that these references are talking about different things depending on if the word spirit or soul is used because according to them both the soul and spirit do go to heaven. The problem with this argument is that no where in scripture does it say that the "soul and spirit" departed or went to heaven. It always uses one word or the other.
3. MAN IS SAID TO BE EITHER "BODY AND SOUL" OR "BODY AND SPIRIT"
Body and Soul - Jesus speaks of the whole person as body and soul and does not mention the spirit as well (Matthew 10:28)
Body and Spirit - The apostles in several places speak of the whole person as body and spirit and do not mention soul (1 Corinthians 5:5; James 2:26; 1 Corinthians 7:34; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Romans 8:10, 1 Corinthians 5:3; Colossians 2:5)
This supports the dichotomy view.
4. THE "SOUL" CAN SIN OR THE "SPIRIT" CAN SIN
Those who hold to Trichotomy will agree that the soul can sin because they believe the soul includes the intellect, emotions and will. (1 Peter 1:22; Revelation 18:14)
The trichotomist generally thinks of the spirit as purer than the soul and free from sin and responsive to the Holy Spirit. Scripture does not support this as it speaks of the spirit's ability to sin just as it does for the soul (2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 Corinthians 7:34; Deuteronomy 2:30; Psalm 78:8; Proverbs 16:18; Ecclesiastes 7:8; Isaiah 29:24; Daniel 5:20; Proverbs 16:2; Psalm 32:2; Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 16:32)
5. EVERYTHING THAT THE SOUL IS SAID TO DO, THE SPIRIT IS ALSO SAID TO DO, AND EVERYTHING THAT THE SPIRIT IS SAID TO DO THE SOUL IS ALSO SAID TO DO
• Trichotomist say that the soul includes our emotions, but scripture says that the spirit can also experience emotion (Acts 17:16; John 13:21; Proverbs 17:22)
• Trichotomist say that the soul includes out intellect, but scripture says that the spirit can also know, perceive and think. (Mark 2:8; Romans 8:16; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Isaiah 29:24)
• Trichotomist say that our spirit is the element of us that relates most directly to God in worship and in prayer, but scripture says the soul also relates in this way (Psalm 25:1; Psalm 62:1; Psalm 103:1; Psalm 146:1; Luke 1:46; 1 Samuel 1:15; Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30; Psalm 42:1-2,5; Psalm 35:9; Isaiah 61:10; Psalm 119:20,167)
• These passages seem to support that the soul and the spirit are the same thing.
• It would also be wrong to conclude that it is only the spirit or soul that is worshiping God because scripture says that our bodies are involved with worship as well (Mark 12:30; Psalm 63:1; Psalm 84:2; Psalm 47:1; Psalm 28:2; Psalm 63:4; Psalm 134:2; Psalm 143:6; 1 Timothy 2:8; Psalm 150:3-5)
(C) Arguments for Trichotomy
Several verses are used to support Trichotomy
1. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23 They argue that this verse speaks of three parts to man
Response - It is likely that Paul is simply piling up synonyms for emphasis as it is done in other places in scripture. Taking their logic for using this verse as support, we would have to list the heart and mind as separate parts of man from Matthew 22:37 and add our strength as well from Mark 12:30, which doesn't list spirit at all.
2. HEBREWS 4:12 If the sword of Scripture divides soul and spirit, then are these two separate parts of man?
Response - The author is likely using a number of terms (soul, spirit, joints, marrow, thoughts, intentions of the heart) that speak of the deep inward parts of our being that are not hidden from the penetrating power of the Word of God. (similar as item 1)
3. 1 CORINTHIANS 2:14-3:4 The idea that these verses describe unspiritual christians who follow the desires of their souls and more mature christians who follow the desires of their spirits suggests that the soul and spirit are different elements of our nature.
Response - This passage is speaking of the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing truth to believers so "spiritual" would more likely mean "influenced by the Holy Spirit". In context it is talking about the influence of the Holy Spirit, not different parts of man.
4. 1 CORINTHIANS 14:14 Argument that if Paul is saying that if he prays in a tongue, his spirit prays but his mind is unfruitful supports the idea that our mind and our thinking are tied to our souls and not our spirit.
Response - The point of this verse is that there is a non-physical element to our existence that can at times function apart from our conscious awareness. The trichotomist argument above only exists if you make the assumption that the spirit and soul are separate elements of our nature, which scripture does not support. In other words, Paul could have just as easily used the word "soul" here.
5. THE ARGUMENT FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Many trichotomists say that they have a spiritual perception, a spiritual awareness of God's presence which affects them in a way that they know to be different from their ordinary thinking processes and different from their emotional experiences.
Response - We do have this as seen in scripture such as 1 Corinthians 14:14 above. But this is not an argument that the spirit and soul are separate parts of our nature. As we have already seen, the terms soul and spirit can be used and are used interchangeably in scripture to describe this.
6. OUR SPIRIT IS WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM ANIMALS
Some trichotomists argue that both humans and animals have souls, but maintain that it is the presence of a spirit that makes us different from animals.
Response - The Hebrew word for "soul" is sometimes used of animals (Genesis 1:21, Genesis 9:4) but used in this context it means "life", not a soul like man has. We are the only element of creation made in the image of God, and as such God gave us bodily and spiritual abilities that separate us from animals. Once again this is not an argument that there are separate parts in soul and spirit.
7. OUR SPIRIT IS WHAT COMES ALIVE AT REGENERATION
Trichotomists argue that when we become Christians our spirits come alive (Romans 8:10)
Response - This cannot be true because the Bible speaks of unbelievers having a spirit that is alive, but in rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 2:30; Daniel 5:20; Psalm 78:8) Paul is not implying that our spirit was dead in a literal sense, but in the sense that he uses in Ephesians 2:1 when he says we were dead in our trespasses and sin.
8. CONCLUSION
• Although the arguments for trichotomy do have some force, none of them provides conclusive evidence that would overcome the wide testimony of Scripture showing that the terms soul and spirit are frequently interchangeable and are in many cases synonymous.
• Some trichotomists today have a tendency to adopt a related error that also was found in Greek philosophy- the idea that the material world, including our bodies, is essentially evil and something to be escaped from.
• Trichotomy can have an anti-intellectual tendency that would concentrate too heavily on the spiritual side to the point of looking at vigorous academic study as un-spiritual - a view that contradicts scripture.
• Dichotomy better upholds the overall unity of man and reminds us that Christian growth must include all aspects of our lives.
(E) Scripture Does Speak of an Immaterial Part of Man That Can Exist Without His Body
A number of non- Christian philosophers have vigorously challenged the idea that man has any immaterial part at all such as a soul or spirit. But the Bible clearly testifies to the existence of this immaterial aspect of our beings.
• We have a soul that can function somewhat independently of our ordinary thought process (1 Corinthians 14:14; Romans 8:16)
• When our physical bodies die, it goes on consciously acting and relating to God apart from our physical bodies (Luke 23:43; Acts 7:59; Philippians 1:23-24; 2 Corinthians 5:8)
• The souls of those who had been slain for the word of God are in heaven and are able to cry out to God to bring justice on the earth (Revelation 6:9-10; Revelation 20:4)
(F) WHERE DO OUR SOULS COME FROM?
What is the origin of our individual souls? Two views have been common in the history of the church.
• Creationism is the view that God creates a new soul for each person and sends it to that person's body sometime between conception and birth.
• Traducianism is the view that the soul as well as the body of a child are inherited from the baby's mother and father at the time of conception.
While scripture does not tell us explicitly how this occurs, it does lend more support to the Creationism view.
Support for Traducianism:
• God created man in his own image and this includes a likeness to God in the ability to create other human beings like ourselves (Genesis 1:27)
• Scripture sometimes can speak of descendants being somehow present in the body of someone in the previous generation such as in Hebrews 7:10; although this should probably be thought of in the figurative sense and not literally.
• Traducianism could explain how the sins of parents can be passed on to the children without making God directly responsible.
Support for Creationism:
• Sons are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward (Psalm 127:3). This indicates the entire person of the child, including the soul, is a gift from God.
• David says that God knitted him together in his mother's womb (Psalm 139:13)
• Isaiah says God gives breath and spirit (Isaiah 42:5)
• Zechariah says God forms the spirit of man within him (Zechariah 12:1)
• God is the father of spirits (Hebrews 12:9)
All this being said we must keep in mind that God does work through secondary causes. Example being in this case that a child is not born without the physical union of man and woman. It could be possible that God involves the human mother and father to some degree in the process of the creation of a soul as well as the body. It is something we cannot know for certain, but scripture does seem to lean toward creationism.
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