Sermon Central
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Body, Soul And Spirit
Contributed by Rodelio Mallari on Nov 20, 2010 (message contributor)
Summary: Man has three layers in his composition. He has a BODY, a SOUL, and a SPIRIT. We shall see that these three are distinct and separate.
Intro: Man has three layers in his composition (Gen. 1:26-27). He has a BODY, a SOUL, and a SPIRIT. We shall see that these three are distinct and separate. Much like our Trinitarian God, the Father is typified by our soul; the Son is typified by our body; and the Holy Spirit is typified by our spirit. Illust. – Man is just like a basketball and also the Tabernacle in composition. Each of these two things have three components in them.
I. THE BODY is the flesh, blood, and bones which gives man “world-consciousness” (Gen. 3:19).
A. The body of man has 5 senses: sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. The 6th sense is not always common!
B. Dust has been analyzed to have at least 96 elements which are also found in man. Amazing proof of creation!
C. After Adam sinned, the body became a dying body and was appointed unto death (Rom. 5:12; Heb. 9:27).
II. THE SOUL is a different “body” shaped like the flesh which gives man “self-consciousness.”
A. The soul is above the body of man but beneath his spirit. It stands for the personal, individual life.
B. The soul is midway between the human body and spirit but it is NOT a mixture of the two.
C. The Bible speaks of a human soul as being weary & sorrowful soul (Jer. 31:25), thirsty soul (Psa. 42:2), grieved soul (Job 30:25), loving soul (Song 1:7).
D. It is for the SOUL of man that Christ died for to redeem him from hell (Jas. 1:21; Psa. 49:8 cf. Isa. 53:10).
E. The soul joins two worlds, the physical and spiritual. When a man is saved, his soul keeps the body (lowest) in subjection to the spirit (highest) (I Cor. 9:27).
III. THE SPIRIT is like the wind and gives man “God-consciousness.” (Ezek. 37:5, 14)
A. The human spirit is the breath of life which God breathed from himself (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4).
B. God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and the spirit of man is that part that closely resemble God himself. That is why the worship of God is a spiritual matter and never fleshly.
C. The spirit of man enables direct communication with God. The Holy Spirit gives us assurance of salvation through our human spirits (Rom. 8:16).
D. An unsaved man has a dead spirit and needs to be born of the Spirit of life in his spirit (Eph. 2:1; John 3:5-8).
E. Every man has a spirit in him (I Cor. 2:11). There are 4 spirits= spirit of man, spirit of the beast (Eccl. 3:21), the Spirit of God, and spirit of the devil (unclean spirit).
IV. What Happens To Man At Death? (Job 14:10)
A. The BODY corrupts and returns to dust (Gen. 3:19). It SLEEPS till resurrection (John 11:11-13; Dan. 12:2).
B. The SPIRIT leaves the body (Jas. 2:26) and returns in heaven to God who gave it (Eccl. 3:21; 12:7).
C. The SOUL also leaves the body and is ever alive and either goes to Heaven or Hell immediately after death (Gen. 35:18; Mark 8:36; Luke 12:20; 16:19-23).
D. At death an unsaved man’s spirit, soul and body go to 3 different places proving that he is a tripartite being.
V. THE DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS IS THE MOST PERFECT ILLUSTRATION OF WHERE A PERSON GOES AT DEATH. Notice –
A. Christ’s BODY (John 19:38-42).
B. Christ’s SPIRIT (Luke 23:46).
C. Christ’s SOUL (Matt. 12:40; Acts 2:27, 31)
Conclusion: Praise God that we have eternal assurance of salvation for our souls and that our loved ones who have died or slept in the Lord are now “absent from the body and... present with the Lord” (II Cor 5:6-8). That is why we can say with the Apostle Paul, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Do you have 100% assurance of salvation? Friend, if you were to die tonight, do you know for sure that your soul is saved from the punishment of hell?
