Body, Soul and Spirit
ICS Daily Devotions

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV) 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.

We need to understand the make-up of man for us to fully understand and grasp certain truths of the Bible. It will also help us to know how faith in God works, how to live a victorious Christian life that overcomes sin, and how to be led by the Holy Spirit. All of us are a three-part being comprising of body, soul and spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:1,6 (NKJV) For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Physical body: We have a physical body that enables us to exist and function on earth. We can breathe, see, smell, feel, and hear through the five senses. The Apostle Paul refers to this body as a tent, a temporary home while we are on earth. The body is perishable, temporal and mortal. The Old Testament records the deterioration of the body and how the life span of man had been decreasing ever since sin entered the world after the fall of man.

Soul: The soul comprises of the will, emotions and intellect. The soul helps us to be in touch with ourselves and to develop inter-personal relationships.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Spirit Man: The new creation is found in the spirit man. It is where God removes the sin nature and gives us His nature. The spirit man helps us to connect with God in the spiritual realm. This is the part of man that is meditating and practising the Word. The Holy Spirit lives and communicates through the spirit of man.

We all have a lifespan, and when we die, our physical body will decay and remain on earth, but our spirit will depart to be in the presence of God, so our spirit is the part of man that will live for eternity. Sadly, many of us have neglected developing this part of man where faith is developed, through which we are led by the Holy Spirit and where the gifts of the Holy Spirit operates. Thus, we need to understand our spirit man to be effective in living out our new life in Christ, and sensitive to how the Holy Spirit is leading or prompting us.

As believers, it doesn’t matter whether our earthly bodies are cremated or buried because what matters most is the seal of the Holy Spirit in our hearts or spirit man. We as born-again believers have the imputed righteousness and are sealed with the Holy Spirit for salvation. We are seen as righteous in Christ!

Sermon Series: The Make-up of Man