Friday | 08 August 2025
The Lord God created the first man, and every person thereafter, as triune in being – that is, with a body, soul and spirit. The Scriptures highlight that for a person to be blameless, they must receive the Lord’s sanctifying work in their body, soul and spirit. 1Th 5:23.
The physical body is referred to in the Scriptures as ‘the outward man’. 2Co 4:16. The spirit and soul of a person are the indivisible, yet distinguishable, aspects of the inward man. We note that the apostle Paul explained that the word of God exposes the distinction between soul and spirit, even though they cannot be separated. Heb 4:12. The Scriptures describe ‘the heart’ as being the meeting point of a person’s body, soul and spirit. Their heart is the very centre of their person and expression. Pro 4:23. Much of philosophy and many alternative gospels consider man as having only the dual elements of soul and body, without any understanding of a person’s spirit, which must be born again. 1Pe 1:23.
Our spirit is our identity. It is who we are. The faculties of a person’s spirit include their intuition and their conscience, as well as their capacity for worship, for fellowship and for meeting. Intuition is the faculty of our spirit by which we obtain knowledge that is not gained through cognitive reasoning but, rather, comes by illumination as we receive the word of God. The apostle Paul described intuition as ‘the eyes of our understanding’. Eph 1:18. Our conscience is the faculty through which we know ourselves. Paul stated, ‘For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?’ 1Co 2:11.
Significantly, the state of a person’s conscience depends on whether their spirit has been illuminated to know God. Heb 10:22. Heb 13:18. In the New Covenant, we each become a temple for the Holy Spirit when He comes into our spirit. The Holy Spirit worships the Father and the Son at the altar of our conscience, enabling us to participate in Their fellowship of worship! Rom 9:1.
Further Study:
1 Corinthians 2
References:
1Th 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.
2Co 4:16
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.
Heb 4:12
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, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Pro 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.
1Pe 1:23
Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.
Eph 1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.
1 Co 2:11
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Heb 10:22
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 13:18
Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honourably.
Rom 9:1
I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.