The Biblical Anatomy of Man

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Man Was Created to be Especially Suitable for Partaking of the Divine Life of the Resurrected Christ

Concerning How Man was Created to be Especially Suited for

Partaking of the Divine Life of the Resurrected Christ!

by Arthur J. Licursi, (Updated 03.17.21)

The real man is of the soul and spirit. The body, which is naturally changed or renewed every seven years, and must ultimately decay in the grave, is regarded merely as the outward casing. The body gives man the power of dealing with his present earth surroundings. The materials of the body were appropriately taken from that earth, upon which he was destined to live.

Biblically, mankind had its beginning as seen here in this account of the creation of the first man, Adam.

Gen. 2:7 the LORD God formed man [physically] of the dust of the ground [Hebrew, dama, earth’s soil], and breathed into his nostrils the breath [Hebrew, neshamah, spirit] of life [Heb, chayah, plural, lives]; and man Became A Living Soul [Heb. nephesh, a soul, as an individual person].

Thus, man is Tripart, having a “body” and a “spirit,” thereby producing the “living soul” of man. James 2:26a For as the body without the spirit is dead.

The creation of man as “a living soul” originated by introducing “the spirit of man” in him. The “spirit of man” is listed 3^rd in God’s overarching creation. The heavens water the earth and together “the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1) were created to sustain man … who is central to God’s eternal plan and purpose.

Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, 1) which stretcheth forth the heavens, and 2) layeth the foundation of the earth, and 3) formeth the spirit of man within him.

The above verses tell us God “breathed” the “spirit of man” (Zech. 12:1 below) into Adam’s clay formed body, enlivening him wholly as a “living soul” within a physical “body.” With that one “breath” of God, Adam was enlivened in spirit and body, thereby becoming “a living soul.” Paul confirms man’s Tri-part being here.

1Thes 5:23 … the very God of peace sanctify you wholly [completely]; and I pray God your whole ‘spirit and soul and body’ …”

Job 32:8 But there is a ‘spirit in man’: and the inspiration [Spirit] of the Almighty giveth them Understanding.

The “spirit of man,” which is in man is given to each of us as ‘life on loan’ from God, to give us time on earth to hear the Gospel to be saved, & receive the Eternal Resurrection life of Christ as our new life.

Again, the “spirit in man” is central. James wrote; “the body without the spirit is dead…” (2:26). Solomon wrote of the destiny of all the dead, “the Dust [of man’s body] Return To The Earth as It Was; and The Spirit [of Man] Shall Return Unto God who Gave It.” (Eccl. 12:7). All dead believers will be resurrected in their glorified spirit-body, like Jesus’s resurrection body, and simultaneously regain their spirit and their soul.

Upon one’s expression of genuine ‘faith’ every believer is ‘saved’ from judgment and ‘set into’ Christ’s body. We then are “IN Christ.” Believers also have the deposit of Christ’s resurrected “Spirit of life” IN THEM, being ‘one spirit’ with them in their “Spirit of Man”; that is … His Spirit in union with our spirit!

1 Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all [dry] baptized [or set] into One Body [of Christ], whether we be Jews or Gentiles...”

1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is Joined unto the Lord is One spirit. [His Holy Spirit in our “spirit of man”]

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by Him [by God the Father’s doing] are ye ‘IN CHRIST JESUS’…

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this ‘mystery [the former secret plan of God] among the Gentiles; which is ‘Christ IN YOU,’ the hope of [eternal] glory:

Man’s three organs of body, spirit and soul possess three kinds of life, relating to the physical, the spiritual, and the psychological.

Now consider man’s makeup by visualizing the 4 concentric circles.

The ‘OUTERMOST’ Diagramed Circle of Fig. 1: Represents how that the believer, who upon exercising their faith to be saved, is ‘SET IN CHRIST, thereby also being “sealed with [the] Spirit” (Eph. 1:13, 4:30). Thus, Christ is our ‘Righteous Covering,’ who makes us to be ‘accepted by God as Father; thus, saving us from perdition [judgment]; securing us by our union with Christ.

1 Cor 12:13a …by one Spirit are we all baptized [placed or set] INTO [Christ’s] one body (cf. Gal. 4:4).

Col 3:3 … ye are dead, and Your Life Is HID With Christ IN God.

Col 2:9 For IN Him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ¹⁰and Ye [the believers] Are Complete In ‘Him’…

Being “In Christ” securely establishes every believer’s ‘positional’ status with God; in which we stand sinless before God the Father, “holy and blameless.” This is our standing by His Grace, Not of our works or ‘doing.’ Our union with Christ comes to be ours simply through believing Christ’s Cross-work ‘for us.’ This is according to the “the Mystery [Grk. musterion, meaning, ‘God’s Secret plan’]”

Eph. 1:3-5 … the God and Father … hath chosen us [to be)] IN HIM [in Christ] before the foundation of the world, (so) that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Every Christian should be enjoying the innermost assurance and confidence that they are a loved, secure, child of God.

Eph 3:12 In whom (in Christ) we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith (faithfulness) of him.

Gal 4:6 because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit [of Christ] itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

The Next Fig. 1 Diagramed Circle Inward is our ‘physical being’ (body) that Paul calls the “outward man,” which is dying and will die unless we receive His life. It contains our spirit & soul, all being “hid with Christ in God.” (cf. Col 3:3). 2 Cor. 4:16 … though our outward [body] man perish, yet the inward [soul] man is [being] renewed day by day.
The Next Fig. 1 Diagramed Circle Inward is our ‘SOUL,’ hid within our body… just as bone is hidden within the flesh body.

Paul calls our soul the “inward man” (2Cor 4:16 above). Our soul is our non-physical self, establishing our individuality. Our soul consists of our mind, emotion, and will, which make each of us unique. It is who we are as oppose to anybody else. The ‘soul’ is our subjective, individual, personal being. After regeneration by Christ’s innermost “Spirit of life,” our soul needs renewal to a new “mindset,” needing to conform to our spirit-union with Christ who dwells within our spirit (cf., Phili. 2:5, Rom 12:2).

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind [Gk. phroneo, mindset, and attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 2:13 … it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The ‘INNERMOST’ Fig. 1 Diagramed Circle is “the spirit of man,” which is our new core life. The “Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is one with our spirit.

Romans 8:9-10 (AMP) … you are living the life of the Spirit, if the [Holy] Spirit of God [really] dwells Within You [directing you]. But if anyone does not possess the [Holy] Spirit of Christ, he is none of His [he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God]. ¹⁰But if Christ Lives In You, [then although] your [natural] body is dead [dying] by reason of sin [cf. 1Cor 15:56a] and guilt, the spirit [your spirit] is Alive because of [the] righteousness [of Christ that God imputes or counts to us as our righteousness].

Prov 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle [as an oil lamp] of the LORD, searching all the inward [soul] parts…

John 7:38 (AMP Bible) He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his ‘INNERMOST being’ shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.

It’s needful for us to be “IN Christ” positionally, and then have our soul in a willing submitted union with Christ as the ‘Lord of our life.’ “Lord” is the Greek kurious, meaning, the master or governor of our life.

Objectively: We are secured Positionally “IN Christ” as “our righteousness,” saving us once for all.

1Corinthians 12:13a by one Spirit are we all baptized Into One Body [of Christ] …

Philip. 3:9 And be found IN him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Subjectively – Dispositionally, we are an individual SOUL still needing to learn to abide and Rest in our secure union with Christ IN Our spirit. This accounts for our practical daily salvation, saving us from our independent, self-reliant, fearful souls. This changes our ‘soul’s attitude.’

1 Cor 12:13b [Being baptized into one His body we also] … have been all Made To Drink Into One Spirit.

Romans 5:10b… much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [completed] by His LIFE.

John 15:4 (AMP) [Jesus said] Dwell In [in union with] ME, and I will dwell IN YOU. [LIVE IN ME, and I WILL LIVE OUT Through YOUR SOUL.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you Abide IN ME. ^5b … for Without Me Ye Can Do Nothing.

God today does not dwell in physical buildings or the religious icons made by man’s hands. Today, the believers entire being is seen by God a The Tripart “Temple of God.”

1Cor. 3:16 … ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth IN YOU?

1Cor. 6:19a …your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [Spirit] which is IN you…

Our Tri-Part Being of ‘spirit, soul, and body’ correspond to the Old Testament Temple of God.

Our body is as the “Outer court” of the Tri-part Old Testament Temple;

Our soul is as the “Holy Place” of the Tri-part Old Testament Temple;

Our spirit is as the chamber called “the Holiest of All,” of the Old Testament Tri-part Temple ... as Christ’s abode.

1 Thes. 5:23 … the very God of peace sanctify you [set you apart] wholly [completely]; and I pray God your whole spirit [Gk. Zoë, is the spirit life in man] and soul [Gk. psuche, the soul life] and body [Gk. bios, man’s physical life] be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Understanding our tri-part anatomy helps us to interpret “the word of God” correctly. E.g., Knowing the three kinds of “life” from their Greek transliteration helps us to correctly decipher which “life” in our being is referred to in the two verses below.

John 12:25 [Jesus said] He that loveth his life [Gk. psuche, soul self-life] Shall Lose It; and he that hateth his life [Grk, psuche, soul self-life] in this world shall keep it unto LIFE Eternal [Gk. Zoë, the spirit LIFE of Christ]

1 Jn 5:11 …God hath given to us [the] eternal life [Gk. Zoë, the Spirit of life in Christ], and This Life is In His Son.

The Soul’s Self-life is what became corrupted in the fall of Adam, by Adam believing the Serpent’s words. This is the source of the Sin-nature that as a virus passed from Adam to all mankind. Thus, the Soul-self of man is responsible for all the evils that manifest from mankind’s universal trait of ‘self-interest’ as a ‘taker’ and ‘getter.’ The fallen nature of all humans is diametrically at odds with God’s nature as a “giver,” as seen here below.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son [at the Cross], [so]that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have [His Son’s] everlasting life.

The ‘proof verses’ noted below define the three (3) Organs of spirit, soul, and body that make up man’s being, with the sensual Faculties applying to each.

1) The Body is the Outward Man. By his 5-senses he has ‘physical world consciousness.’

Rom 8:11b …he that raised up Christ from the dead shall quicken (enliven) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth IN You. James defines death: “For as the Body Without the Spirit is Dead…” (James 2:26b)

2) The Soul is the Inward-Man – It’s the seat of man’s self-consciousness or self-awareness.

Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made… and that my soul knoweth right well.

Romans 7:22 … I delight [rejoice] in the law of God after the inward [soul] man:

2 Cor. 7:15 his inward [soul’s] affection [an ‘emotion’] is more abundant toward you…

Psalm 51:6 … and in the hidden part [my soul] thou shalt make me to know wisdom [in the soul’s mind].

Job 7:15 So that my soul chooseth [an act of the ‘will’] strangling, and death rather than my life.

Note that in Jeremiah 31:33 (below) the words “inward parts” are REQUOTED in Hebrews (below) to be the “mind & heart.” From these two verses we see the “inward parts” defined for us. Carefully compare these two verses below, noting the “inward parts” of Jer. 31:33 are ‘the mind & heart’ in Hebrews 8:10

Jeremiah 31:33 …saith the Lord [of Israel], I will put my law in their ‘Inward Parts,’ and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hebrews 8:10 this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days…; I will put my laws into their Mind, and write them in their Hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

3) The “SPIRIT OF MAN” is his innermost ‘life’ core and as the seat of man’s ‘spirit-consciousness.’

Zech. 12:1 The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the ‘spirit of man’ within him.

Daniel 7:15a I Daniel was grieved in my Spirit In The Midst [middle] of my body,

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle (lamp light) of the Lord, searching all the inward parts (see below, the soul’s ‘thoughts, intents’)

Hebrews 4:12 For ‘the word of God’ (which is Christ as ‘the living word’ indwelling us) is quick [living], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the Dividing Asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart.

Looking further at the soul of man, it has three faculties: mind, emotion, and will as seen in Scripture.

1) The Mind – Man’s Intellect is what leads his soul, as “the eyes of your understanding” (Eph. 1:18).

Psalm 13:2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul…

Psalm 139:14 …I am fearfully and wonderfully made… that my soul knoweth right well.

Proverbs 2:10 … wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Proverbs 19:2 … that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

Proverbs 24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul…

Lament. 3:20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

2) The Will - is part of the soul is for setting, deciding, choosing and refusing.

Job 7:15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

Job 6:7 The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

1 Chron. 22:19s Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God…

3) The Emotion - Emotions are a function of the soul; feeling, desiring joying, grieving, loving, hating.

Desire is a function of the soul – is the burning in man driving his willful choices.

Deut. 14:26b … whatsoever thy soul desirest…

1 Samuel 20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desirest, I will even do it for thee.

Love is a function of the emotions of the soul.

Psalm 42:1 … As the hart [deer] panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

Song 1:7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth…

Hatred is a function of the soul.

2 Samuel 5:8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter, and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind, that are hated of David’s soul…

Psalm 107:18 Their soul abhorreth [hates] …

Joy is a function of the soul.

Psalm 86:4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Isaiah 61:10a I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God…

Grief is a function of the soul.

Judges 10:16 The Lord said …his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

1Sam 30:6 ...David was greatly distressed… because the soul of all the people was grieved…

There also are Three Faculties of “the spirit in man” as the organ of our spiritual life and union relationship with the Lord. The faculties of the spirit; 1) conscience, 2) intuition, and 3) communion in fellowship with the indwelling Lord.

Zechariah. 12:1 The Lord, which 1) stretcheth forth the heavens, and 2) layeth the foundation of the earth, and 3) formeth ‘the spirit of man’ within him.”

1) The “Spirit of Man” possesses a ‘Conscience’ (Gk. sundenesis, an automatic co-perception)

Rom 9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost;

1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing…

2) The ‘Spirit of Man’ has the capacities to enjoy fellowship, Communion and Intimacy … in union with God by Christ’s Spirit in man’s spirit.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit…they that worship him must worship him in spirit [in their spirit] and in truth.

1 Cor. 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is ‘one spirit’ [One with His Spirit].

Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I [Paul] serve (I minister) with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;

Romans 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter [of the religious Law].

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness [fellowships] with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Ephes. 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit [spirit]…

Luke 1:47 … my spirit hath ‘rejoiced’ in God my Saviour.

3) The Spirit’s Intuition: This is the spontaneous ‘sense knowing’ (Gk. “eido”) that is added to our “spirit of man” when we are reborn, regenerated of by the resurrected “Spirit of life in Christ.” We may then come to ‘know’ Him, experientially.

We need to understand that there are a few different definitions for the English word “know” as seen in the Greek. One in particular is the word “know” relating to the Greek word “eido,” or “oida.” This means “to see or perceive innately, automatically, by any of the ‘senses’ (Louw & Nida Greek Lexicon).

This Greek transliteration ‘eido’ is a “sense knowing,” which can apply to the innate physical or spiritual senses.

In ‘physical sense knowing’ we can see, smell, touch, hear & taste.
spiritual ‘sense knowing – we have intuitive knowledge of truth and sense of the Lord’s will, prompting us, and restraining us from within.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; [so] that we might KNOW the things that are freely given to us of God.

Acts 16:6-7 Now when they [Paul and company] had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, ⁷After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

Below are several verses using the Greek ‘eido,’ for ‘the innate sense knowing by the indwelling spirit.’

1Jn 5:20 we know [Gk. eido, intuitively] that the Son of God is come, and Hath Given Us An Understanding, [so] that we may know Him [Gk. ginosko, experientially] That Is True, and We Are In Him… in his Son Jesus Christ.

1 Cor. 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of [Gk., ek, from] God; [so] that we might know [“eido”, know intuitively] the things that are freely given to us of [from] God.

1 Cor. 2:11 For what man knoweth [“eido”, knows intuitively] the things of a man, save [except] the spirit of man …

Mark 2:8 … immediately when Jesus ‘perceived in his spirit’ …

Acts 18:5 … Paul was pressed [compelled] in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

1John 2:20 … ye have an unction [anointing] from the Holy One, and ye know [Gk. eido, intuitively] all things.

1John 2:27 the anointing which ye have received of him [Christ] abideth [dwells) IN you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things…

Rom 8:16 (AMP) The Spirit [of Christ] Himself [thus] Testifies Together With Our Own Spirit, [assuring us] that We Are Children Of God.

There is also the Greek transliteration, ‘ginosko,’ for the word “know.” It speaks of the kind of “knowing” that is ‘learned of the Spirit’ through our ‘Personal Experience’ with ‘the word of God’ or in having read of God’s word as written by another person or heard Spirit anointed words spoken by another.

Jesus said: “It is the spirit that quickeneth [makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63 (KJV)

Paul wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God Unto Salvation to every one that Believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 (KJV)

Mankind had his beginning as seen here in Genesis 2:7.

Gen. 2:7 the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground (earth), and breathed into his nostrils the breath (Hebrew, neshamah, spirit) of life (Heb, chayah, plural lives); and man became a living soul [Heb. nephesh, a soul, person].

Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

The above verse tells us God “breathed” the “spirit of man” (Zech. 12:1 below) into Adam’s clay formed body, enlivening him wholly as a “living soul” within a physical “body.” With that one “breath” of God, Adam’s was enlivened in spirit, soul, and body. Paul confirms man’s tri-part being here; “… the very God of peace sanctify you wholly (completely); and I pray God your whole ‘spirit and soul and body’ …” (1Thes 5:23).

Zechariah 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

Job 32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration [Spirit] of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

The “spirit of man,” which is in man. is temporally given as ‘life on loan from God.’ James wrote; “the body without the spirit is dead…” (2:26). We see this as where Solomon wrote of the ultimate destiny of dead, “the dust [body] return to the earth as it was; and the spirit (of man) shall return unto God who gave it.” (Eccl. 12:7).

Upon one’s expression of genuine ‘faith’ every believer is set into Christ’s body [Rom. 6:3, 1Cor. 12:13), thus they are “In Christ” and they also have Christ’s own resurrected “Spirit of life” IN THEM, being ‘one with’ them in their “spirit of man.”

1 Corinthians 6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. (His Holy Spirit in our spirit)

1 Corinthians 1:30 But by Him [God the Father’s doing] are ye ‘IN Christ Jesus’…

Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery (the former secret plan of God) among the Gentiles; which is ‘Christ IN YOU,’ the hope of [eternal] glory:

Now consider man's makeup by visualizing 4 concentric circles as follow;

1. Outermost Circle: Represents Christ, in whom the believer has been set and “sealed with (the) Spirit” (Eph. 1:13, 4:30). Thus, He is our ‘righteous covering,’ saving us from judgment; securing us in our union with Him.

1 Cor 12:13a …by one Spirit are we all baptized (placed) INTO [Christ’s] one body (cf. Gal. 4:4).

Col 3:3 … ye are dead, and Your Life Is Hid With Christ In God.

Col 2:9 For IN Him [Christ] dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. ¹⁰and Ye [the believers] Are Complete in ‘Him’…

Being “In Christ” securely establishes our ‘positional’ status with God; in which we stand sinless before God the Father, “holy and blameless.” This is our standing by His grace, not of our works or ‘doing.’ Our union with Christ comes to be ours simply through believing and receiving the good news of Christ’s Cross-work ‘for us.’ This is according to the “the Mystery [Grk. musterion, meaning, ‘God’s secret plan’]”

Every Christian enjoys the innermost assurance and confidence that they are a loved, secure, child of God.

Eph 3:12 In whom (in Christ) we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith (faithfulness) of him.

Gal 4:6 because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Romans 8:16 The Spirit [of Christ] itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Next Circle Inward is our ‘physical being’ (body) that Paul calls the “outward man,” which is dying and will die unless we receive His life. It contains our spirit & soul, all being “hid with Christ in God.” (cf. Col 3:3). 2 Cor. 4:16 … though our outward (body) man perish, yet the inward (soul) man is (being) renewed day by day.
Next Diagramed Circle Inward is our ‘soul,’ hid within our body… just as bone is hidden within the flesh body.

Paul calls our soul the “inward man” (2Cor 4:16 above). Our soul is our non-physical self, establishing our individuality. Our soul consists of our mind, emotion, and will, which make each of us unique. It is who we are as oppose to anybody else. The ‘soul’ is our subjective, individual, personal being. After regeneration by Christ’s innermost “Spirit of life,” our soul needs renewal to a new “mindset,” needing to conform to our spirit-union with Christ who dwells within our spirit (cf., Phili. 2:5, Rom 12:2).

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind [Gk. phroneo, mindset, and attitude] be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 2:13 … it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The “Innermost” Circle is “the spirit of man,” which is our new core life. Christ’s Spirit of life is one with our spirit.

Prov 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle [as an oil lamp] of the LORD, searching all the inward [soul] parts…

It’s needful for us to be “in Christ” both positionally, and our soul to be dispositionally in a submitted union with Christ as “Lord” of our life (Gk. kurious, meaning master, governor).

Objectively: Our secured Positionally “In Christ” as “our righteousness,” saving us once for all.

1Corinthians 12:13a by one Spirit are we all baptized Into One Body [of Christ] …

Subjectively – Dispositionally, we are an individual soul needs to learn to abide and rest in our secure union with Christ IN Our spirit. This accounts for our practical daily salvation, saving us from our independent, self-reliant, but fearful, soul. This changes our ‘soul’s attitude.’

1 Cor 12:13b (Being baptized into one His body we also) … have been all Made To Drink Into One Spirit.

Romans 5:10b (NASB)…much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved [completed] by His LIFE.

John 15:4 (AMP) ⁴(Jesus said) Dwell In (union with) Me, and I will dwell In You. [LIVE IN ME, AND I WILL LIVE IN YOU.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you Abide In Me. ^5b … for without me ye can do nothing.

Today, God does not dwell in physical buildings or icons. For man’s entire being is seen by God as the 3-part “Temple of God.”

1Cor. 3:16 … ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth IN YOU?

1Cor. 6:19a …your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is IN you…

Our body is as the Outer court of the Tri-part Old Testament Temple;

Our soul is as the Holy Place of the Tri-part Old Testament Temple;

Our spirit is as “the Holiest of All,” of the Old Testament Tri-part Temple ... as Christ’s abode.

1 Thes. 5:23 … the very God of peace sanctify you (set you apart) wholly (completely); and I pray God your whole spirit [Gk. Zoë, is the spirit life in man] and soul [Gk. psuche, the soul life] and body [Gk. bios, man’s physical life] be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Understanding our tri-part anatomy helps us to interpret “the word of God” correctly. E.g., Knowing the three kinds of “life” from the Greek helps us to correctly decipher which “life” is being referred in the two verses below.

1 John 5:11 …God hath given to us [the] eternal life (Gk. Zoë, the Spirit of life of Christ), and this life is in his Son.

The Soul’s Self-life is what became corrupted in the fall of Adam, by Adam believing the Serpent’s words. This is the source of the Sin-nature that as a virus passed from Adam to all mankind. Thus, the Soul-self of man is responsible for all the evils that manifest from mankind’s universal trait of ‘self-interest’ as a ‘taker’ and ‘getter.’ The fallen nature of all humans is diametrically at odds with God’s nature as a “giver,” as seen here below.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he GAVE his only begotten Son [at the Cross], [so]that whosoever BELIEVETH in him should not perish, but have [His Son’s] everlasting life.

The ‘proof verses’ noted below define the three (3) Organs of spirit, soul, and body that make up man’s being, with the sensual Faculties applying to each.

1) The Body is the Outward Man. By his 5-senses he has ‘physical world consciousness.’

2) The Soul is the Inward-Man – It’s the seat of man’s self-consciousness or self-awareness.

Psalm 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made… and that my soul knoweth right well.

Romans 7:22 … I delight [rejoice] in the law of God after the inward [soul] man:

2 Cor. 7:15 his inward [soul’s] affection [an ‘emotion’] is more abundant toward you…

Psalm 51:6 … and in the hidden part [my soul] thou shalt make me to know wisdom [in the soul’s mind].

Job 7:15 So that my soul chooseth [an act of the ‘will’] strangling, and death rather than my life.

Jeremiah 31:33 …saith the Lord (of Israel), I will put my law in their ‘Inward Parts,’ and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

3) The “spirit of man” is his innermost ‘life’ core and as the seat of man’s ‘spirit-consciousness.’

Daniel 7:15a I Daniel was grieved in my Spirit In The Midst [middle] of my body,

Proverbs 20:27 The spirit of man is the candle (lamp light) of the Lord, searching all the inward parts (see below, the soul’s ‘thoughts, intents’)

Looking further at the soul of man, it’s three faculties of the soul’s mind, emotion, and will are confirmed by Scripture.

1) The Mind – Man’s Intellect is what leads his soul, as “the eyes of your understanding” (Eph. 1:18).