LIFE Posts - Spiritual Order
Last week we discussed the topic of our ongoing sanctification, which is the process we start after our salvation. Ongoing sanctification progressively removes areas of sin from our lives making us more like Jesus – and is something that will continue through the rest of our time on earth. This week we look at our composition as human beings, and how this composition needs to be in proper order for our sanctification to progress.
TL;DR Overview
- Scripture and theology commonly describe humans in terms of spirit, soul, and body, but there is ongoing debate over whether soul and spirit are distinct (trichotomy/tripartite) or closely unified (dichotomy/bipartite).
- Because biblical language can use soul and spirit interchangeably and other passages distinguish them, the exact relationship is not definitively provable; humility and balance are needed when applying these models.
- A practical approach treats spirit as the God-oriented, eternal aspect; soul as the mind/will/emotions that connects and mediates between spirit and body; and body as the physical, temporary aspect with appetites that can be directed toward good or sin.
- Spiritual health involves living in proper order – our spirit submitted to the Holy Spirit, our soul submitted to the spirit, and our body directed by the soul – so ongoing sanctification can reshape desires and actions.
- After the Fall, disorder entered (spiritual separation, relational brokenness, bodily death), but through Christ the spirit is born again and made new so believers can learn to walk by the Spirit rather than the flesh, producing godly fruit.
Spiritual Order
In English translations of scripture (such as the NASB), we see references to the human spirit (1 Cor 2:11), soul (Psalm 23:3; Matthew 16:26), and body (Matthew 10:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). In these scriptures, we can see each discussed as separate elements of a person. In our further discussions, we will generally treat them as three separate items, though we do need to acknowledge the fact that there is considerable theological debate about this topic. Quoting the opening paragraphs of the article in Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered on this topic:
Trichotomy vs. Dichotomy of Man—Which View Is Correct?
The Bible teaches that humanity possesses a physical body, a soul, and a spirit. In regards to how these aspects of the human nature connect with and relate to each other, there are four primary theories. Two of the views, anthropological monism and anthropological hylomorphism, deal primarily with how the three aspects of humanity combine to form the human nature. The two other models, dichotomy (anthropological dualism) and trichotomy, deal with the distinction between the human soul and human spirit. The distinction between the material (physical) and immaterial (spiritual) aspects of the human nature is straightforward. The distinction between the two immaterial aspects of the human nature is more difficult.
While there are Bible verses which use the terms soul and spirit interchangeably (Matthew 10:28; Luke 1:46–47; Acts 2:31; 1 Corinthians 5:3; 6:20; 7:34; 2 Peter 2:11), other biblical passages do not present the soul and the spirit as precisely the same thing. There are also passages which hint at the separation between the soul and spirit (Romans 8:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12). Hebrews 4:12 states, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit …” This verse tells us two things: (1) there is a dividing point between the soul and spirit, and (2) the dividing point is only discernible to God. With all of these verses in mind, neither the dichotomous or trichotomous interpretations can be explicitly proved. Does the immaterial aspect of the human nature involve a soul and a spirit? Yes. Are the soul and spirit absolutely unified and united (dichotomy) or closely-related but separate (trichotomy)? Unclear.[1]
Two other terms used in place of trichotomy and dichotomy in the theological debates on this subject are tripartite and bipartite. Theologian Charles Sherlock’s perspective is that – in my words – we should recognize the fact that we (humanity) are complexly created by God, that both perspectives bring value to our analysis of ourselves, and we shouldn’t get myopically focused on arguing over the different camps. Sherlock elaborates:
Christians thus preach a gospel of wholeness, but this wholeness will be fully seen only in the resurrection. We see now ‘in a mirror, dimly’, not only concerning God, but concerning ourselves, since we do not yet see the image of God renewed fully: then ‘I will know [myself] fully, even as I have been fully known’ (1 Cor. 13:12). There is a proper sense in which the tripartite and bipartite models are of practical use in the time before the resurrection. When we, with our limited and distorted perspective, try to treat humans as a unified whole, we end by reducing them to one facet. In past times this saw the physical aspect eliminated in favour of the ‘soul’, whereas in our day it has become all-embracing in materialistic views of humanity. Thus behaviourists regard humans as wholly explicable in terms of stimuli and responses, Marxists in terms of economics, and so on. To the extent that such reductionism is to be countered, and the richness and mystery of human existence affirmed, some distinctions are necessary.
The tripartite view is useful in so far as it acknowledges humans as made not only with a relation to God (spirit) and matter (body) but also for social and emotional relations (soul). It has been rejected in the church because of the mediating role ascribed to spirit; the mediation Christ wrought was not between body/matter and soul/mind, but between sin and holiness. Many theologians have therefore avoided tripartite views because they can sometimes shift the seat of our plight from sin to finiteness, but their usefulness lies in the way they open out our relationships in horizontal as well as vertical dimensions. The bipartite view has use when it is necessary to stress that our earthly ties (social, emotional, psychic, etc.) must be seen in the light of God: the vertical dimension. In such circumstances it is helpful to speak of a distinction between body and soul. Whether tripartite, bipartite or integrated perspectives are employed, body, soul and spirit function as models for particular aspects of humanity as we experience it, in a finite, fallen world. They must not be seen as watertight compartments in our being, for we then slip into false asceticism or improper materialism.[2]
With the above in mind – recognizing the limitations of both models – we will look at these parts of ourselves, ultimately relying upon the Word and the Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth.
The immaterial spirit and soul
As noted in the above references, the spirit and soul are both immaterial, meaning, they are separate from our physical bodies. In the Faithlife Study Bible note on Old Testament Anthropology, Dr. Heiser writes,
“In the OT, humans are consistently portrayed as the fusion of an immaterial life force and a body of flesh. Neither part on its own constitutes a living person—only the whole. There are two main terms used to describe the immaterial part of humans: “soul” (nephesh) and “spirit” (ruach). However, the various meanings of the terms can make interpretation difficult.
The ot terms for “soul” (nephesh) and “spirit” (ruach) are consistently used to identify either the life force—the fact that the body is living—or attributes dependent on brain function, such as emotions, intelligence, and conscience. The terms are used interchangeably.[3]”
Duffield and Van Cleave write:
Scripture teaches that the immaterial life and personality of every human are derived from God’s creative breath. The life breath of every human depends upon the sustaining grace of the Creator (Job 12:10; Ps. 33:6; Isa. 42:5; Acts 17:25).
Contemporary psychology and neuroscience generally attribute human personality and intellect to the physical, chemical and electrical function of the brain. Some even avoid the term “mind,” preferring to explain human behavior solely as the functioning of the brain and nervous system. This limited “scientific” perspective does not adequately explain the origin of life, nor does it make room for a supernatural basis for human rationality.
Humans are free, creative, rational and worshiping beings who are far too complex to explain by the mere chance action of physical forces. Genesis reveals the divine origin of the inner self: “And the Lord God … breathed into his nostrils the breath of life …” (Gen. 2:7). Unlike animals, humans possess rational faculties that are able to grow and progress both individually and historically. Additionally, the emotional characteristics of a person are highly multifaceted. In fact, unlike the minds of animals, the human mind is uniquely capable of processing many emotions in a single moment. The most complex animal behavior pales in comparison to the expressions of the simplest human societies.
Scripture uses at least nine different terms to refer to the immaterial element in humans:
Life (Mark 8:35), Soul (Mark 8:36), Spirit (Ps. 31:5), Mind (Rom. 7:25), Heart (Eph. 6:6), Strength (Luke 10:27), Self (1 Cor. 4:3–4), Will (1 Cor. 7:37), Affections (Col. 3:2)
This is not to say these terms are all synonyms. Each refers to the immaterial self from a discernibly different point of view or describes a different function of the immaterial self. Even so, several of the terms could be interchangeable. For instance, the Greek word psuche translates to the English words “life” (42 times), “soul” (53 times) and “heart” (2 times).
The words most frequently used to identify the immaterial self are “soul” and “spirit.” Soul translates the Hebrew word nephesh, and the Greek word psuche. Spirit is a translation of the Hebrew ruach, and the Greek pneuma. All four of these words from the Hebrew and Greek also mean “breath” or “wind.” These terms aptly express that the immaterial part of every human derives from the “breath” of God. When Jesus described to Nicodemus the work of the Spirit of God, He said, “The wind [pneuma] blows [pnei] where it wishes …” (John 3:8). Some scholars think the clause should be translated, “The Spirit breathes where He wills.” The Greek words are capable of either translation. The book of Job attributes the creation of humans to the breath of God: “But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” (Job 32:8). A later portion of Job states, “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life” (Job 33:4).[4]
Utilizing both the bipartite and tripartite nomenclature, we can think of the spirit as the eternal part of ourselves, and the part that operates most differently from our body. Our soul, again, in this general approach, can be thought of as the “personality” part of ourselves – the mind, the will and the emotions – that bridges our body and our spirit. We know that our bodies feed into certain aspects of our thinking, desires, and emotions, so we can think of the soul as both in command over but influenced by the body.
The body
Our immaterial spirit and soul are not bound to the limits of “lifespan” that physical bodies have – they are eternal. Science estimates that a human with no genetic predisposition to disease and lives with optimal dietary and environmental conditions would reach at most ~130 years of age. Worldwide the average life span is in the upper 70’s, with some regions higher and others lower. Clearly, the body has an expiration date.
In Genesis 2:7 the Bible tells us that God forms our bodies from the earth, and life breathed into them by God. This “breath of God” is viewed by theologians as the impartation of our created immaterial spirits into the material of the earth – which is what gives the elemental chemicals that form our bodies human life.
We all know what it is like when our body becomes hungry; our physical appetite is driven by our body’s need for food to convert into energy. Our bodies also have other appetites – some can be good, such as a desire to exercise, and many are bad, such as lustful desires or cravings for alcohol or drugs. Examples abound of people who are driven by their body’s desires, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.
Spiritual order
Before the fall, Adam and Eve lived in perfect relationship with God in the Garden of Eden. Their spirits, having not sinned, were in harmony with God. Their mind, will, and emotions were unified with their spirit, and their bodies not used for sin. After they sinned, they first died spiritually – separated from their perfect relationship with God. Relational (soul) issues between man and woman were introduced due to this sin (Genesis 3:16), and God told Adam that he would physically die as well, his body returning to the ground from which he was made (Genesis 3:19).
The body with sinful appetites, the soul with self-centered desires, and a spirit separated from relationship with God were the result of Adam’s choice to sin. Praise God, though, for Jesus’ sacrifice gives mankind the opportunity to come to Him for redemption. We will reiterate this over and over again – by accepting Jesus as Lord we become justified and in right standing with God. Our spirits are made new! The ongoing sanctification process is how we transform our souls (mind, will, and emotions) as we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit. When we are submitting our spirit to the Holy Spirit, our soul to the spirit, and our body to the soul, we are walking in proper spiritual order.
Problems arise when we walk outside of this proper spiritual order. In Romans 7:14 through 8:17 we see Paul discuss the reason for this; our fallen nature – the “old man” – being of the flesh wars with our spirit and desire to be right. Only by walking by the Holy Spirit will we live the life God desires for us, which is a life of ongoing, progressive sanctification. In Galatians 5:16-17 Paul tells us to walk by the Spirit, and we will not obey the appetites of the flesh. In the next set of verses, Paul contrasts living by the flesh vs. living by the Holy Spirit.
Galatians 5:16–23 (NLT) 5:16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 5:18 But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. 5:19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 5:21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 5:22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! [5]
This passage points out that to live in the way God wants us to we cannot follow the desires of our old nature – the sinful part of us that has not yet been sanctified fully. We see that the desire to do right comes from the Holy Spirit, but the old nature fights against this desire. Recognizing this truth – that there is a war going on inside of us that the Bible calls out – gives us the understanding to counter the accusation from the devil that only we struggle with temptation and no one else does. We also take comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit in us is who enables us to do right; we’re NOT able to do right on our own. Each step of acknowledging where we have failed, and asking for (and accepting) God’s forgiveness brings us one step further in our ongoing sanctification. Our daily decisions to submit to the Holy Spirit and walk by His strength makes us more like Jesus – this is living in freedom every day!
Application/Questions/Journal your thoughts
- If you consider your whole being (your spirit, soul, and body) as described in this week’s message, which part is in the “driver’s seat” of your actions? Does one part drive at times and another part drive at other times?
- We talked about appetites of the body, which very loudly lets us know when it is hungry or desires something. The same for our soul – our mind and will get very intent and focused on satisfying any identified desire. Our spirit, however, doesn’t on its own operate that way. When our spirit isn’t fed through communing with the Lord in prayer, worship, spending time in the Bible, it gets quiet. Have you ever felt spiritually starved, dry, or empty? Comparing the “feeding” of your body, soul, and spirit – how often are you feeding each?
Scripture of the week
Romans 12:2 (NLT) 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [6]
Psalm 139:13–16 (NLT) 139:13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 139:14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 139:15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 139:16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. [7]
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NLT) 6:19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 6:20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. [8]
John 14:15–17 (NLT) 14:15 “If you love me, obey my commandments. 14:16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 14:17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. [9]
Weekly prayer
Dear Jesus,
I praise You for loving me through everything, even my faults and failures. Thank You that Your Word describes me as fearfully and wonderfully made! Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that lives in my body, giving me fullness of new life in You. Holy Spirit I give You full permission and access to every area of my life, show me what You wish for me to submit to You today to be sanctified, transformed, and made new in You for Your glory. I thank You for the life You have given me! Amen.
Freedom Facet
We are created in God’s image, and as believers in Christ, are on the path of ongoing sanctification. The parts that make us – our spirit, soul, and body – each have a created intention and make us who we are. Living in spiritual order, with our spirit submitted to the Holy Spirit, our soul yielding to the direction of the spirit, and our body directed by the soul is how we continually grow in ongoing sanctification. The challenge is this requires our daily submission to the Lord. In order for our spirit to be in the driver’s seat of our lives, we must feed it. If we neglect our spirit by feeding our soul or body with the things of the fallen world, we will inevitably become out of spiritual order. Praise God for His redemptive plan, and for His Grace and Mercy which calls us to repent when we’re out of order and enables us to receive forgiveness and ability to move forward.
Jesus's Freedom is for those who call Him Lord - those who believe in Him. If you’ve not yet accepted Christ Jesus as Your Lord, and would like to, say the following prayer aloud.
Lord Jesus, I confess and realize that I am a sinner, and without You, I am lost and separated from God. Thank You for going to the cross and dying for my sins – I ask for Your forgiveness for my sins, and I thank you and receive the forgiveness of my sins Your Word says is now mine! Holy Spirit, I thank You that You now reside within me. I lay down my will for Yours and ask for Your daily guidance and direction to make me more and more like You. Amen!
The Bible tells us that if we confess Jesus as Lord with our mouth and believe in our hearts that God resurrected Jesus from the dead, we are saved for eternity. If you’ve just accepted Jesus as Lord, know that heaven is celebrating right now (Luke 15:10)! Rejoice because you are a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and now have begun the process of sanctification becoming like Him. Keep coming back, as we explore Freedom facets and what our Identity in Christ truly is. Share this joyous news with a brother or sister in Christ and get connected in your local church! LIFE is yours!
Small Group Invitations - Week of May 10, 2026
Below are invitations to just a couple of Men's Small Groups that are happening this week, both a part of Celebration Church, Georgetown, Texas. If these don't work for you, or if you're not a Celebration Church, TX attendee - regardless of the church you attend - being a part of small group is immensely important! If you're not involved in one, I pray that you find one that works for your schedule and you get plugged in. Being connected in the local church will bless you immeasurably!
Tuesday Morning Men's Fellowship Group: 6am - 7am at Rudy's BBQ in Round Rock, Texas. Join us for a time of fellowship where we'll discuss the message from the Pastors on Sunday, the newsletter contents, or whatever is going on in the lives of the brothers meeting.
Friday Morning Celebration Men: We're in between on-campus semesters, so we'll be meeting at Rudy's BBQ in Round Rock, Texas from 6:30am - 8:am. We conclude at 8am so people can get to work.
[1] Got Questions Ministries. 2002–2013. Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[2] Sherlock, Charles. 1996. The Doctrine of Humanity. Edited by Gerald Bray. Contours of Christian Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
[3] Barry, John D., Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, Michael S. Heiser, Miles Custis, Elliot Ritzema, Matthew M. Whitehead, Michael R. Grigoni, and David Bomar. 2012, 2016. Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Duffield, Guy P., and Nathaniel M. Van Cleave. 2016. Foundations of Pentecostal Theology. Revised & Updated. Vol. 1. Los Angeles, CA: Foursquare Media.
[5] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[6] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[7] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[8] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[9] Tyndale House Publishers. 2015. Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.