BY Dr.M.P. Dalseno

The Bible describes the composition, or makeup, of man as consisting of three parts: Body, Soul and Spirit. Various scriptures allude to this, such as 1 Thess 5:23 which says, “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The BODY consists of the physical senses (sight, touch, taste, hearing and smell) that give him a world-consciousness. Through them, he can relate to his surrounding environment. Man also has a SOUL, to which many theologians ascribe the mind, the will and the emotions. They give him a self-consciousness, and through these man is endowed with numerous mental capacities like language, reason, and feelings. The third part of man is the SPIRIT, that gives him a God-consciousness. Without this capacity, man would simply lack the wherewithal to relate and communicate with God. The triune makeup dates back to the very beginning when the Lord breathed (“spirit” in Hebrew) life into Adam (his body, and crafted from the ground), and man became a “living soul” (Gen.2.7).

Many of us fuss over the “material” nature, the body, and endow it beautifully and bountifully. But, usually, not nearly as much attention is bestowed upon the “immaterial” natures, the soul and the spirit. These immaterial natures cannot be separated as they are inextricably linked together. As demonstrated in the Bible, the spirit of man is strongly connected to his soul, or, as Schofield puts it, “What gains the mastery of his spirit becomes an attribute of his character.” Hence, if man allows the pride of life to dominate him, man is said to have a “haughty spirit” (Prov.16.18). If he allows corruption and compromise to infiltrate his life, man is said to have a “perverse spirit” (Is.19.14). The list continues with: a “provoked spirit” (Ps.106.33); a “hasty spirit” (Prov.14.29); a “troubled spirit” (Gn.41.8); the “spirit of bondage” (Ro.8.15); and the “spirit of jealousy” (Nu.5.14).

On the contrary, man is advised to put on a “contrite and humble spirit” (Is.57.15, Matt.5.3), to “take heed of his spirit” (Mal.2.15), and to “rule his spirit” (Prov.16.32). It all commences with repentance, through which man can make himself a “new spirit” (Eze.18.31). In such a way, our “immaterial” natures will not sadly lag behind the “material” in our God-given triune makeup.