Using the NIV, here is an explanation of how a person is composed of a Body, a Soul, and a Spirit.
Think of a human being like a House.
- The Body is the structure (wood, bricks, paint).
- The Soul is the life happening inside (the people, the conversation, the atmosphere).
- The Spirit is the electricity/power that connects the house to the grid (God).
The 3 Parts of You (The Blueprint)
The Bible clearly shows we are a “trinity” of sorts—three parts making up one person. The clearest verse for this is 1 Thessalonians 5:23:
“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1. The Body (The Exterior)
This is your “Earth suit.” It interacts with the physical world through the five senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing).
- 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.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:1: “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”
- (The Bible calls the body a “tent”—it’s just a temporary place where the real “you” lives).
2. The Soul (The Interior Life)
This is your personality. It includes your mind (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and will (decisions). It is the part of you that makes you, you.
- Psalm 13:2: “How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?”
- (This shows the soul struggles with thinking and feeling).
- Matthew 26:38: Jesus said, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”
3. The Spirit (The Power Source)
This is the deepest part of you. It is designed to “plug in” to God. Without God, the spirit is “dead” (disconnected), but when you become a Christian, the Holy Spirit plugs you back in.
- Proverbs 20:27: “The human spirit is the lamp of the Lord that sheds light on one’s inmost being.”
- Romans 8:16: “The Spirit (God’s Spirit) himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
The Soul vs the Spirit
- Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Explanation of the Metaphor
- ”Joints and Marrow”: In the physical body, joints (where bones connect) and marrow (the substance deep inside the bone) are intimately linked. You cannot cleanly “divide” the marrow from the bone or the joint without destroying the structure. They are biologically intertwined.
- ”Soul and Spirit”: Similarly, the “soul” (your mind, emotions, and personality) and the “spirit” (the part of you that connects to God) are so tightly woven together that human beings often cannot tell them apart. We often mistake emotional experiences (soul) for spiritual ones (spirit).
- The Meaning: The metaphor means that only the Word of God is sharp enough to cut through that confusion. It penetrates deep enough to show you what is merely you (your feelings, thoughts, ego) and what is truly from God (spiritual conviction). It exposes your true motives.