The word Trinity is often conceptualized as God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Humans were created to also have a trinity of Spirit, Soul, and Body. In bible passage of 1 Thessalonians 5:23, the Apostle Paul addresses his readers about their Spirit, Soul, and Body. These three work together as a person lives out daily life. A problem in one of these can negatively affect the other two. Health and growth in one can also benefit the other two.
Both the Spirit and Soul are immaterial and intangible in nature, while the Body is that material and tangible part of us. In comparison to a living plant, the Spirit is the root, the Soul is the stalk, trunk, or vine, and the Body is the tangible fruit of the plant.
The Spirit is that inner, invisible, and non-physical part of us that is actually associated with a person’s relationship with God and spiritual renewal. This is the part of the person that reflects their status as the image of God, Genesis 1: 26 tells us that humans are made in the image of God. Thus, the spirit connects individuals to the divine and represents their spiritual essence. Throughout the bible, there is content about walking in the spirit, living in the spirit, etc. Even though we can’t experience our Spirit part with our senses, it is the part of us that “drives” us.
The Soul relates to a person’s emotions, thoughts, and will, embodying their essence and identity. It is also immaterial and encompasses emotions, thoughts, and identity. In actual functioning, The soul serves as a channel for human expression, while the spirit facilitates divine experiences. Although often used interchangeably, the soul and spirit convey distinct elements of a person’s immaterial nature. The Soul encompasses what many often consider the Mind, but is more than that. Andrew Wommack has some helpful teaching on Spirit, Soul, and Body (1984) in which he compares the Soul to a valve between the Spirit and the Body. Humans have control of this valve through choice of how much influence they let the Spirit part of self guide the Body part of self.
The Body is the physical part of us as well as the external living that we do with our body and five senses. It is that part of us that interacts with the tangible world around us, through what we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel via our skin versus the emotional feelings in our Soul. It is the part of us that communicates with the world around us, both giving out information through our senses and receiving information back from people and the environment through those senses also.
As we become aware of ourselves as a trinity of Spirit, Soul, and Body that awareness helps us to intentionally manage these three parts to live fully alive and abundantly.
Call to Action – Take a minute and reflect on your own sense of Spirit, Soul, and Body. How do you experience each of these working in your life”
If you require yourself to live alive more fully, contact us at either 601-745-5394 or email us at info@mylivingalive.com.
Credits – Womack, A,(1984). Spirit, soul, & body. Harrison House.
New Kings James Bible.