Soul or Spirit?
One belief by which contemporary deliverance workers justify their erroneous position of Christian demon possession is that of the Tradician theory of the distinction between soul and spirit. In other words, they believe in a strict dichotomy of man’s immaterial constitution to the extent that soul and spirit are mutually exclusive of each other. This way “demons may possess either the soul or body” of a Christian but never the spirit as the latter belongs to the Lord. Many great theologians have held that man is a trichotomous (three-part) being – a position to which I ascribe as well, but as it relates to levels of consciousness within the immaterial. The logical place to investigate matters concerning man’s make up is Biblical anthropology.
The term “anthropology” comes from two Greek words, namely, anthropos meaning “man” and logos meaning “word,” matter, or thing. This branch of theology is concerned with the study of humankind, or anthropology, in relation to the divine. When one hears the term “anthropology”, what normally comes to mind is the discipline of study that falls under human philosophy. This secular approach to the science of man is said to be extra-Biblical in that it is void of Scriptural revelation. This discipline is borne of man and reflects his philosophy of human life. Intra-Biblical anthropology penetrates the realms of things that are moral and spiritual in nature and into those things that are eternal.
The creation of man is found in two narratives in the book of Genesis - the former is general and the latter is of a specific nature. These two narratives must be taken together to complete the record. The first account the man and woman are alike – both are a direct creation of God. The second account reveals specifics or details to the origin of man, such as Adam having been first brought into being and was formed out of the dust of the ground. There are no contradictions between these two narratives in that one narrative tells of the formation of man’s physical part from existing material and the other account telling of the divine life of man’s immaterial part. Man’s creative position is distinguished from all other creation in that he is created in the image of God.
Man is created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). The immaterial part of man is neither divinely created nor constituted from existing materials. The immaterial part of man originated not as a creation but rather as a transmission.[i] Man became a living soul as a result of the divine in-breathing - the breath of lives. Man’s twofold nature is determined in the very way in which he was created. The Biblical account reads, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils [i.e., face] the breath of lives [lit. plural]; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7).[ii] The material part of man was formed in its entirety from the dust of the ground.[iii]
The breath from God wasn’t merely that which gave animation to the body but rather that which also imparted a rational soul and/or spirit. It is here that man received a part of the divine - a life not subject to death. Combined of man is that which is material - a body - and that which is immaterial - a soul and/or spirit - man is connected to both the physical and spiritual realms.
The immaterial part of man is descriptive of that endless being with which God endowed man: Matt.25:46. “Unending existence is an inseparable part of man’s heritage as a creature made after the image and likeness of God. He is indestructible. He cannot be annihilated.” [iv] According to Reformed theologians, man’s likeness to God includes his intellectual and moral nature in that “God is a Spirit, the human soul is a spirit. The essential attributes of a spirit is reason, conscience and will.”[v] Apparently, spirit is linked to mind.
Theologians have ceaselessly poured over the distinction between soul and spirit. Is man a dichotomous (two-part) being, or is he a trichotomous (three-part) being? That is, does he consist of body and soul, or does he possess body, soul and spirit? The Biblical term spirit is used to indicate the immaterial part of man (cf. I Cor. 5:3; 6:20; 7:34; James 2:26). The same can be said for the use of soul ( cf. Matt. 10:28; Acts 2:31; I Pet 2:11).
The Tradician theory of the distinction between soul and spirit finds support in Hebrews 4:12. The Word is said to peirce “even to the diving of the soul and spirit of both joints and marrow” This threefold classification is seen by the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians 4:23. seems to be held by the Apostle Paul I Thess. 4:23. Alford says:
“The logos pierces the dividing, not of the psuche from the pneuma, but of the psuche itself and of the pneuma itself; the former being the lower portion of man’s invisible part, which he has in common with the brutes...the latter the higher portion, receptive of the Spirit of God...both which are pierced and divided by the sword of the Spirit, the word of God....and on the other hand, harmoi and mueloi could not be thus said to be separated having never been in contact with one another.”[vi]
Alfred also writes: “As for the distinction between soul and spirit, it should be noted that the Holy Spirit works in and through the human spirit, but this is not said with respect to the human soul. Romans 8:16 reads, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit.” [vii] Unger lends support to Alfred’s position saying that “the two terms are often used interchangeably…however, soul and spirit as synonymous terms are not always employed interchangeably. When no technical distinctions are set forth, the Bible is dichotomous, but otherwise it is trichotomous.”[viii]
Arguments supporting dichotomy include the fact the terms soul and spirit are used interchangeably, and because of the very nature of the universe, which only recognizes material and nonmaterial. It bears repeating that combined of man is that which is material - a body - and that which is immaterial - a soul and/or spirit - man is connected to both the physical and spiritual realms. Wuest writes:
“‘Piercing’ is the translation of diikneomai which means ‘to go through.’ Neither the words ‘the dividing asunder of soul from spirit’ nor ‘the dividing asunder of joints from marrow’ implies division. The case in Greek is the genitive of description, defining the action in the verb in this case. It is a going through the soul, a going through the spirit. Joints and marrow are not in contact with one another, and cannot therefore be said to be divided asunder. The preposition prefixed to the verb is dia which eans ‘through,’ in the sense of ‘the sword pierced through the heart.’ The dividing asunder here is not that of one thing from another, but of one thing in itself by the action of something separating its constituent elements from one another by piercing it.”[ix]
To be sure, Vincent says, “The form of the expression is poetical, and signifies that the word penetrates to the inmost recesses of our spiritual being as a swords cuts through the joints and marrow of the body. The separation is not of one part from another, but operates in each department of the spiritual nature.”[x]
To reconcile these two views, I suggest that the immaterial part of man is one nature although comprised of two parts. Dr. Willmington writes that “the Hebrew world nephesh is translated by the word ‘soul’ 428 times in the Old Testament. But on two occasions it is rendered ‘beast’ and in nine other passages we find the word ‘creature’ being used” (cf: Lev. 24:18; Gen. 2:7 and Gen. 2:19).[xi] The Bible pictures animals having souls and is void of any references regarding possession of a spirit. Man must have something higher (spirit) as he is different from animals. Logically speaking, “Trichotomy is the best theory to explain the three levels of consciousness in all men, that of self-consciousness (through the soul), world-consciousness (through) the body), and God-consciousness (through the spirit).[xii] It would seem, then, to the soul belongs man’s imagination, memory, understanding; to the spirit, his powers of reason, conscience, and free will the latter of which is linked to mind. The immaterial part of man is one nature although comprised of two parts in terms of consciousness levels.[xiii]
In closing, there are no individual components that that make up man’s immaterial being, In order to more narrowly define soul/spirit, I suggest that these two terms are descriptive of levels of consciousness with the former at the lower level and the latter as the higher level. In addition, other parts of the soul/spirit, e.g. mind, heart, will, ect. are descriptive terms of function within man's immaterial nature.
Our stance here at VBDRS regarding the impossibility of Christian demon possession remains firm. Our article entitled “Demon Possession and the Christian” is a comprehensive theological treatment of the topic of Christian demon possession from which we present the following portion:
Peculiar to this age is the believer’s translation into the Kingdom of God. Beyond all human understanding is the scope and extent of the believer’s position in Christ. One’s position begins with the change of his estate. The Apostle Paul writes, "Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son" (Col. 1:13). Chafer eloquently states: "He is transferred from the fallen headship of the first Adam into the exalted and infinite Headship of the Last Adam." No longer is his citizenship is of this world but rather that of heaven. The believer is a new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17) in which his union with Christ - new class of humanity - is factored in. This reality escapes our capacity of rational understanding and demonstration. Therefore it is an object of our faith based on the word of God which, through St. Paul's teaching, enables us to penetrate the mystery which transcends all limitations imposed by space and time. And so it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit" (1 Cor 15:45). "And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall bear the image of the heavenly" (I Cor 15:49).
Humanity, or more appropriately new humanity, having been baptized by the Spirit is identified in Christ in absolute union, serving as a foundation upon which all that Christ is may be imputed to the one who is in Him. The New Creation results from this union accomplished by the baptism of the Spirit (II Cor. 5:17-18; Gal. 3.27-28; Gal. 6:15; Eph. 2:10; 2:15; and, 4:21-24). Christ reconciles the believer to God, his new estate is wrought by God, His workmanship and a new man in "complete unity composed of Christ and the Church." Our union in Christ speaks of several different relationships between the regenerate and Christ. There are aspects of our union that testify "that we are in Christ, Christ is in us, we are like Christ, and we are with Christ." The phrase, in Christ, has many extensive implications and is emphasized throughout the New Testament.
In the Gospel of John, Christ spoke of the type relationship in which He lives in us. Jesus said, "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5). This indwelling is what distinguishes a true Christian from those who merely profess Christ (Rom. 8:10; II Cor. 13:5; Rev. 3:20). Not only does truth reveal that Christ lives within the believer, He gives the believer power to live the Christian life. The indwelling of Christ is real and forgetting about this indwelling would be neglecting the great source of spiritual strength residing within us (I John 4:4). This indwelling prohibits the intrusion and trespassing of a lessor spirit.
A Servant of Jesus,
Robert E. Best
[i] Lewis S. Chafer, Systematic Theology, II.160.
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] The testimony of science reiterates the Biblical disclosure that the human body is “of the dearth, earthy” (I Cor. 15:47-49), and the spirit of man, like a “treasure,” is contained in “earthen vessels” (II Cor. 4:7). There are sixteen elements of the soil represented in the human body: calcium, carbon, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium, and sulphur.
[iv] Bancroft, Elemental Theology, (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervon, 1977), Pg. 23
[v] Hodge, Systematic Theology, (Peabody: Henderickson, 2003), Vol. II, Pgs. 96-97
[vi] Alford, The Greek NT, (Boston: Lee & Shepard, 1872), Vol. III, Pg. 275
[vii] Ibid., Pg. 181
[viii] Unger’s Bible Dictionary, 1043.
[ix] Kenneth Wuest, Wuest’s Word Studies From the Greek New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1953), vol. ii, 89 [reprint].
[x] Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in The New Testament
[xi] Harold L. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 1984), 671.
[xii] Ibid. See also Josephus, Antiquities of the Jew,bk.1, 1.2.33. Josephus supposed man to be compounded of spirit, soul, and body.
[xiii] See Philip Schaff, Latin Christianity: Its Founder, Tertullian, I. Apologetic; II. Anti-Marcion; III. Ethical, vol. 3 of The Writings of the Fathers Down to A.D. 325 Ante-Nicene Fathers [Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Co, n.d.], 190-91. Tertullian asserts with Plato the simple nature of the soul in saying that the soul is uniform and uncompounded in respect to its substance. In distinguishing between soul and spirit, he says that spirit is a term expressive of an operation of the soul, not of its nature. In acknowledging the soul to be an indivisible simple substance, Tertullian ascribed to the spirit’s “breath” because to breathe is ascribed to another substance because of its operation; because it respires and not because it is spirit in any special sense. This is predicated upon God having breathed on man’s face the breath of life, and therefore, man becomes a living soul, by means of which he was to both live and breathe (cf: Adv. Hermog, xxxii; also Irenaeus, v.12, 17). Similarly, uncompounded and indivisible into parts. See . Translated by S.D.F. Salmond. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 6. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886.)
