Soul Vs. Spirit What’s The Difference? 5 Fascinating Facts

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ They Are Different

The physical body is composed of three different, but distinct parts, as described in 1 Thessalonians 5:23. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (KJV)

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Of these three parts mentioned in this verse, spirit, soul, and body, the most familiar is the physical body, since we exist in a physical world. The body is our physical dwelling that houses both our soul and spirit. Our body, our physical being, interacts mainly with the physical world through our five senses ─ smell, taste, touch, hearing, and vision.

But God’s Word distinctly says there is a difference between the soul and the spirit.

In the Old Testament, the righteous man Job also distinguished between his own spirit and soul, when he said in Job 7:11, “Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.” (KJV)

Also, Hebrews 4:12 states that the Word of God, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, can and does make a division between soul and spirit. So, God, the Creator, made a difference between these two invisible parts.

The soul and the spirit compose the non-physical part of our being and perform different functions in human experience because they each are different things and are different in substance.

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ The Function of the Soul

Many times, in the Bible, the word “soul” may refer to an individual. The first mention of the soul, regarding an individual, is at the creation of man 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 Hebrew word of soul is nephesh, which means a breathing creature both of man and animals.

The New Testament also gives us a definition of the word “soul” in Matthew 16:26. 

“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (KJV)

In the Gospel of Luke, this verse is written differently. “For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:25 (KJV)

Comparing these two verses gives the definition of the word “soul.” The human soul is “himself,” the very essence of a person, the “real you.” The soul of man includes appetites, seat of emotions, and desires.

This is used in Matthew 10:28. “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (KJV)

The Greek word used in this verse is psuche, which means “breath.” The soul is the immortal part of a body since it cannot die. Nevertheless, the soul can experience eternal death in hell.

Death is when the soul leaves the earthly, physical body. This is proven in the death of Rachel when she died while giving birth to her second son, Benjamin, and is recorded in Genesis 35:18. “And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.” (KJV)

At death the soul departs, so there must be a destination for the soul. Jesus gives us the answer in mentioning two specific places in Luke chapter 16, and of two dead, but very much alive souls ─ those of Lazarus and the rich man.

More detail is given of the rich man’s soul than that of Lazarus’. The rich man found himself ─ his soul ─ the real “him,” in the torments of hell.

In this account, the rich man’s soul, and by extrapolation, every soul, can see, speak, suffer pain, remember, reason, and desire physical comfort. In contrast, the soul of Lazarus was in “Abraham’s bosom,” another name for Paradise, the very epitome of comfort and joy. 

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ The Spirit of Life

The human spirit is a similar, but a separate entity, than that of the soul. The Hebrew word is ruwach, which means “wind, breath, life.” It is the gift of life from God.

The word “spirit” in not mentioned 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)

When God breathed the breath of life into the first man, He gave Adam the spirit of life. Because the spirit of life from God is in every human, every human is also a spiritual being.

In the New Testament, James makes the fact clear that the spirit of life from God is necessary for physical life, according to James 2:26. “For as the body without the spirit is dead” (KJV)

The first mention of a man’s spirit referring to life energy, or life force from God, is found in Genesis 41:8. “And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled” (KJV). Pharaoh’s spirit, his life, was troubled.

Other Bible examples using the word “spirit” when referring to physical life show how times of intense difficulty affect the spirit of life. These times are:  

“The spirit of Jacob their father revived.” Genesis 45:27 (KJV). Jacob had been depressed for years, mourning the supposed death of his beloved son, Joseph. During these years of grief, his life energy was sapped.

“When he [Samson] had drunk, his spirit came again.” Judges 15:19 (KJV). Samson was physically weak; his energy, his life, was dimmed. Had he not had liquid nourishment, he would have died. His life force would have been extinguished.

“And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit.” 1 Samuel 1:15 (KJV). Hannah, grieving her infertility, was depressed, and her life, her energy, was dimmed even though she was alive and functioning.

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ The Spirit of Life and The Holy Spirit

Pharaoh recognized Joseph as “A man in whom the Spirit of God is.” Genesis 41:38 (KJV) 

While Joseph had the spirit of life, in this verse the word spirit is capitalized, showing that Joseph also had God’s Spirit, the Holy Spirit, upon him when he spoke with Pharaoh.

This is like Daniel, of whom it was said, “An excellent spirit was in him.” Daniel 6:3 (KJV).

Not only did Daniel have an excellent and healthy mental and physical life energy, but his spirit of life was enhanced by God’s Holy Spirit as well.

When Elisha requested of his friend and mentor, Elijah, he was given “a double portion of Elijah’s spirit” in 2 Kings 2:9 (KJV). 

Elisha, whether he knew it or not, was requesting a double portion of God’s Spirit, Who was working in his mentor. God graciously granted his request immediately and openly, according to 2 Kings 2:15. “And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha.” (KJV)

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ The Holy Spirit

In the New Testament, the spirit of life and the Holy Spirit are further explained. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” Romans 8:16 (KJV)

This verse explains the two spirits. The spirit of life, our life energy, our life from God, our God consciousness, is, upon the moment of salvation when we become a new creature in Christ, “connected” to both our soul and the Holy Spirit. Our spirit of life, which we have from God, joyfully accepts the Holy Spirit since, in a sense, they are from the same source ─ God Himself.

In at Apostle Paul’s writings about the soul and the spirit, he made this interesting observation in 1 Corinthians 15:45. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” (KJV)

The word “quicken” means to make alive. “The last Adam” is a reference to Jesus Christ. He was God in the flesh, but He is also a life-giving Spirit and has the power to give life to all those who choose to accept Him as their savior.

Twice in the Bible the exact phrase “spirit of life” is mentioned. The first time Paul mentions this is in Romans 8:2. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (KJV)

The Apostle John, recorded his heavenly and prophetic vision, mentions the Spirit of life when he saw the two dead witnesses come back to life in Revelation 11:11. “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet” (KJV)

Since the word “Spirit” is capitalized in this verse, this is referring to the Holy Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit gives physical life, as well as spiritual and eternal life. In Hebrews 9:14, the Holy Spirit is referred to as “the eternal Spirit.”

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ What Happens to the Spirit at Death?

Just because all living things have the spirit of God does not mean that at death all are welcomed into heaven. God also gave man a free will to either accept His salvation or not. The Holy Spirit is sealed within the soul of every believer, and when a Christian dies their soul is absent from their dead body, but is very much alive with God, according to 2 Corinthians 5:8. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (KJV)

At the death of a believer, their physical body is dead, but their soul is alive with God. The spirit of life, the Holy Spirit, Who at the moment of salvation was sealed to their soul, returns to God with the believer’s soul. This “sealing” is referred to in Ephesians 1:13. “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise” (KJV)

The Holy Spirit binds together the soul and the spirit of life while He lives in the heart of believers. Then, when the spirit of life returns to God, the soul also, with the Holy Spirit, goes also.

There was no sealing of the Holy Spirit before the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ since no one could enter heaven before He offered His blood on the altar of heaven. Therefore, in Old Testament times, the soul of a believer went to Paradise while the spirit of life returned to God.

The death of an unbeliever is rather different. When their body dies, the spirit of life that God gave them, their life energy, or life force, returns back to God, Who gave it to them. Their soul, which is not sealed to their spirit with God’s Holy Spirit, departs into hell.

Soul Vs. Spirit ─ Unclean Spirits or Familiar Spirits

God’s Word refers to unclean spirits, or “devils,” in the New Testament. The most recorded miracle of Jesus Christ while He was on Earth was the casting out of these unclean supernatural beings. The word “spirits” in this context is a reference to spiritual beings, fallen angels, who, many times, seek to inhabit human bodies. These evil entities are also called “demons,” or “demonic spirits.”

In the Old Testament, there are references to familiar spirits, which is another way to describe evil spiritual entities. A Bible glimpse into this spiritual realm is recorded in 2 Chronicles 18:21. “And he [an unclean spirit] said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets” (KJV) 

The next verse, 2 Chronicles 18:22, shows that God also is in control of these evil spirits, and uses them to accomplish His purposes. “Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of these thy prophets.” (KJV)

The soul and the spirit are different parts of a whole person, hard to separate and explain, especially in the physical dimension we inhabit. In eternity we will understand this far better, and see that the difference between them is as great as the difference is between the physical and the spiritual.

Soul Vs. Spirit – Review Study Questions

1. Which Bible verse mentions the body, soul and spirit? 1 Thessalonians 5:23
2. The body holds what spiritual components? The body houses the soul and the spirit.
3. What did God breath into man in Genesis 2:7? He breathed His spirit into man, the spirit of life.
4. What is the soul? The soul is the seat of emotions, appetites and desires. The soul is the real “you” (“himself”) according to Luke 9:25.
5. What is the definition of death? Death is when the soul leaves the body.
6. What is man’s spirit? Man’s spirit is his “life force”, his “life energy” from God.
7. What does the word “quicken” mean? Quicken means “to make alive”.
8. What kind of life does God give? God gives both physical life and spiritual life.
9. What is another term for unclean spirits? Unclean spirits are also called devils, demons or demonic spirits.

A related article is Did Jesus Go to Hell? While Jesus’ body was in the grave, where did His soul go? What did He do?

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