Let me begin by quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:23, “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (NKJV). Here we learn that God created us (human beings) as “tri-part beings” made up of Spirit, Soul, and Body. Yet in some verses the word “soul” is used to describe the “whole person.” For example, in Acts 2:41 we read, “that day about three thousand SOULS were added to them.” This is speaking of PERSONS that were saved and added to the church, as we see in verse 47, “And the Lord ADDED TO THE CHURCH DAILY THOSE WHO WERE BEING SAVED.” We see this same meaning of SOUL at the beginning of man’s creation in Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a LIVING SOUL” (KJV). The NASB and the NKJV versions say, “LIVING BEING” and this again has the thought of man’s “whole person.” If you are somewhat confused as to the difference between the “Spirit and the Soul,” don’t feel bad, for we learn in Hebrews 4:12 that it is hard to distinguish between them. That verse reads, “For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the DIVISION OF SOUL AND SPIRIT.” These TWO PARTS of man have this in common; they are both the “invisible, immaterial parts of man,” unlike the BODY which is the physical part of man.  In short, I believe the SPIRIT gives us “God-consciousness” for “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) and the SOUL is the “Seat of man’s AFFECTIONS, the EMOTIONAL part of man” (see Matthew 26:38 and John 12:27).

In Deuteronomy the word “life” is literally the word “soul.” It reminds us of what we just saw in Genesis 2:7, “man became a LIVING SOUL.” Adam’s BODY was formed out of the dust but then God “breathed into his nostrils the breath of LIFE.” This means He gave Adam a SOUL. In Deuteronomy we were told “do not eat the blood, for the blood is the LIFE (SOUL).” What does that mean? Leviticus 17:11a will help us here, “For the LIFE of the FLESH is in the BLOOD.” We know that if we lose too much blood, our BODY (Flesh) will DIE. This is why we are commanded not to eat the BLOOD of an animal, for in doing so they will die. Leviticus 17:14 goes on to say, “For it is the LIFE OF ALL FLESH. Its blood sustains its LIFE. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, ‘You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood.’”

But is that all that happens when one dies? No, for we learn in James 2:26 that “the body without the spirit is DEAD.” No matter how one dies, (through loss of blood or by any other means), the SPIRIT departs the BODY and so does the SOUL. These two immaterial parts of man are immortal and will exist forever. When Jesus gave His life for sinners on the cross, we read in Luke 23:46, “And when Jesus cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ Having said this, He breathed His last” At that very moment His BODY DIED but His SPIRIT went to be with His Father in heaven. DEATH literally means “separation” and physical death occurs when the “soul and spirit are separated from the body.” I will close by quoting Acts 7:59-60 which illustrates this truth. “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” Stephen’s BODY was being stoned to death. He asked Jesus to receive his SPIRIT and as his SPIRIT departed, he “fell asleep” (the word SLEEP speaks of the DEATH of his body).  (DO)  (695.5)