We are spirits?

Popular theology, based on the scriptures below, teaches that a human being is a spirit that possesses a soul that lives in a body. They say, "God is a Spirit and the father of spirits; therefore, as children of God we are spirits." It should be noted that this false belief has its roots in Gnosticism: "A human being is in reality an eternal spirit (or part of the eternal spirit) that somehow has been imprisoned in a body."¹⁶⁴

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (Genesis 1:26-27)

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? (Hebrews 12:9)

It is written, however, "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth" (1 Corinthians 15:45-47). Thus, it would seem to be more accurate to say that we are a soul with a spirit in a body: "what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Mark 8:37)? "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" (Matthew 10:28). We know that angels are spirits (Hebrews 1:7) and are immortal; therefore, if we too are spirits then why does Jesus say the following: "But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection" (Luke 20:35-36)? So technically, we are not fully the children of God—the Father of spirits—until we are resurrected with our new incorruptible bodies. Yet, even then, we will be able to live in the physical world because, unlike angels, we will receive a new body in the resurrection: "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" (1 Corinthians 15:44) that "hath not flesh and bones" (Luke 24:39). This new spiritual body has flesh and bones; however, our blood has been replaced with the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 15:50; 1 John 5:7-8; Ezekiel 36:27). Moreover, the breath of life breathed into our bodies was not a person-specific spirit rather a "generic" spirit of man (Genesis 2:7). Just like the Spirit of God represents God in us, the spirit of man represents mankind (human beings) in us; it is the thing that makes us all the same. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him" (1 Corinthians 2:11)? "But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding" (Job 32:8). The soul houses our identity (mind, emotions and will) and our body houses our physical uniqueness—our interface to the physical world. Spirit, soul and body all fused together to make us what and who we are. Therefore, it is also incorrect to say that we are a soul with a spirit in a body. We are not just a spirit or a soul; rather, we are all three: "I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:23). "As I live, saith the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 18:3), "the God of the spirits of all flesh" (Numbers 27:16) and "the God of all flesh" (Jeremiah 32:27), "behold, all souls are mine" (Ezekiel 18:4). To separate spirit, soul, and body one from the other is to separate one of the Trinity and claim that that one is the true God. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one" (1 John 5:7-8). We are spirit, soul, and body—a triune being—made in the image of the Godhead.

An image is a tangible or visible representation of something. The key word being "representation." An image then is not the thing itself but something that has a semblance to the thing. Said another way, an image is a reproduction or imitation of the form of a person; especially, an imitation in solid form. Jesus said "Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's" (Luke 20:24). Is Caesar's image an exact copy of Caesar? No. No more so than an image in a photograph. It is only a physical representation. Therefore, if we are the image of the triune God, and God is a Spirit, we then, represent him in physical form: body, soul, and spirit. Scripture clearly shows that Christ is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:14-15); therefore, God created man in Christ or, rather, like Christ: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Colossians 2:9). Christ is the firstborn, the first to be spirit and flesh. Stated another way, Christ is the firstborn Son of God and Son of Man simultaneously. We then upon sanctification (Christ manifest in us) become like Christ: Son of Man and Son of God.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49)

This is further expressed in Romans 8 where we are told to choose between following the flesh or the spirit. We are spiritual if we choose to follow after the spirit. So why, if we are a spirit, are we following after something that we are? Clearly the part of us that is being told to choose is our soul; the soul must choose between being led by the Spirit of God or being led by the spirit of the world.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-5)

Scripture tells us that we are the temple of God: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1 Corinthians 3:16)? The Old Covenant temple had three parts: court (Exodus 27:9), sanctuary and Holiest of all. Our bodies represent the court, our soul the sanctuary, and our spirit the Holiest of all (where the Spirit of God dwells).

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the showbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people (Hebrews 9:2-7)

Ultimately, it is our soul that Jesus came to save and convert, and to give us a new spirit and a new body: "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls" (1 Peter 2:25). "When a man is born again, there is not the same robustness in his thinking or reasoning for a time as formerly. We have to make an expression of the new life, to form the mind of Christ. '[In your patience possess ye your souls (Luke 21:19)].' Many of us prefer to stay at the threshold of the Christian life instead of going on to construct a soul in accordance with the new life God has put within."¹⁶⁵ As the first step of God's marvelous salvation, he regenerates man's spirit. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 36:26-27). We need Christ to grow and expand continually from our spirit into our soul, a process the Bible calls transformation. Following the lifelong process of transformation in our soul, God will culminate His salvation process by transfiguring our mortal body. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

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