ASC105@psuvm.psu.edu (11/30/90)
There seems to be confusion among many people, including pastors, about
the distinction between the soul and spirit of a human. There is no trouble
when people compare the differences between the spirit and body, but the
soul and spirit are usually confused to be as the same. They are not.
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged
sword, piercing even to the DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND SPIRIT"-Hebrews 4:12
Definitely the soul and spirit are not the same, since they can be
distinguished and divided.
James 1:21 says "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able
to save your souls." Now, this was written to saved (born-again) believers,
but yet the verse says that their souls can be saved. Renewing the soul with
the word of God will save it. What is the soul? It is the mind. This is where
a person's intellect and emotions are. This part of man is NOT reborn when
a person becomes a Christian. It has to be renewed with the Word of God.
Otherwise, if the soul is not renewed with the bible, it will not agree with
what the born-again spirit already knows.
Feelings are in the soul. This is UNRELIABLE when used as guidance for
the life of a Christian. The soul can believe one thing in one minute and
can believe in something completely opposite in another minute. That's why
some Christians "miss the mark" and make a bad decision.
Where does God's Holy Spirit dwell? Not in the soul! But, in the spirit
of a born-again Christian.
Guidance from your OWN spirit has several forms. One of them is your
CONSCIENCE. The Holy Spirit does not condemn you if you are a Christian
and sin. It is your spirit that does this (1 John 3:20-21). Many Christians
KNOW when they have sinned, because their conscience tells them. However, when
a Christian refuses to correct himself after his own spirit tells him (through
his conscience) that he has sinned then he is exactly like the born-again
believers mentioned 1 Timothy 4:2 --"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron."
However, don't ever tell a non-Christian to listen to his own spirit, because
it is degenerate and insensitive to the ways of God. It MUST be REBORN first.
In Jesus's Name
Allen S. Cheung
(Jesus Rules!)