In the universe there are two main realms: the physical (or material) and the spiritual. Animals belong in the physical realm. However, man is different from this and hence a unique creature. The human creature partakes of both the spiritual realm and the physical realm, since he has both a body and a soul.
Here are some of the terms used in sacred Scripture when talking about the constituent elements of man:
1) "Soul" (Hebrew: נֶפֶשׁ Greek: ψυχή). This word has a variety of different meanings. It can refer to a person's life (Exodus 21:23; Judges 16:16; Matthew 2:20) or to the thing which survives after death (Matthew 10:28)
2) "Spirit" (Hebrew: רוּחַ). The most basic meaning of this word in Scripture is "wind". It also refers at times to the inner man with his feelings and strength (e.g. Genesis 26:35).
3) "Heart" (Hebrew: לֵב or לְבַב). This word carries the idea of man's inner person, along with his moral condition before God, his emotions, and his thoughts (Proverbs 4:23; Mark 7:21).
4) "Reins" (Hebrew: כִּלְיָה). This often can mean man's moral disposition(s) - Psalm 7:9; 26:2; Jeremiah 11:20; 17:10)
Trichotomy, Dichotomy or Monism?
There are three main anthropological views within Christian theology. Michael Horton provides the following chart to illustrate these different perspectives:
Trichotomy (also known as the "tripartite" view) says that humans are composed of a body, soul, and a spirit as well.
Dichotomy says that humans are composed of a body and a soul.
Monism teaches that humans are material organisms only and they deny the existence (and thus immortality) of the soul.
Several reasons can be offered for why the dichotomist view is the one most in line with biblical teaching:
1) "Soul" and "Spirit" are used interchangeably in a number of places: Genesis 41:8; Psalm 42:6; Matthew 20:28; 27:50; Hebrews 12:23.
2) "Body" and "Soul" are spoken of as the basic and complete constitution of man: Matthew 10:28; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 3 John 2.
The Origin of the Soul
There are two main views in Christian theology as to the origin of the soul:
1) Creationism - This teaches that at the conception of each child, God creates it soul ex nihilo (similar to his creation of the universe out of nothing). This was the view of Aristotle, St. Ambrose, and Thomas Aquinas (who viewed Traducianism as a heresy). Augustine was hesitant and did not take a definite view either way on the matter of the soul's origin.
2) Traducianism - This view teaches that the soul is passed from the parents to the embryo by natural generation (also called "propagation"), rather than it being created by God. In other words, the human soul is generated by the parents just as the human body is generated. One of the first main theologians to hold to this view was Tertullian.
Personally, I think creationism is the better view based on the following texts of Scripture: Numbers 16:22; Ecclesiastes 12:7; Isaiah 57:16; Zechariah 12:1.
At the same time, I might be willing to go with Augustine in suspending my judgment based on the words of Ecclesiastes 11:5.
Athanasius also believed in the creationist view of the soul and denied traducianism:
"For God, being good and loving to mankind, and caring for the souls made by Him." (Against the Heathen, section 38)
The Faculties of the Soul
The "heart" is the command center of human activity (Proverbs 4:23).
Biblically speaking, we can divide the soul's actions into three categories:
- Mental (Psalm 77:6; Isaiah 29:24; 1 Corinthians 2:11)
-Emotional (Job 7:11; Mark 8:12; Luke 1:47)
-Volitional (Exodus 35:21; Ezra 1:5; Matthew 26:41)
How should we categorize the faculties of the human soul? There are two main views among Reformed theologians:
1) Mind (conscience being a subset of the mind), Emotions, and Will. This view was held by men such as John Flavel.
2) Understanding and Will (the emotions being a subset under the category of the "will"). Augustine, John Calvin, Edward Reynolds, Jonathan Edwards, and Herman Bavinck hold to this view to name a few examples of its proponents.
Understanding the faculties of the soul is especially important for understanding our doctrines of sin and the salvation of man.
I personally would hold to a sort of in-between view: I would say that the will and emotions are not included each other completely, but they undoubtedly influence one another. This can be seen simply from the general experience of human beings in the world today (and throughout history).
An important aspect of the faculty of the mind is man's conscience. This is one of the gifts of God that he uses to restrain most men from sin (e.g. Rom. 2:14-15).
"The conscience is man's judgment concerning himself and his deeds, to the extent he is subject to God‟s judgment." (Wilhelmus a' Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, 1:317).
There are three elements of the conscience of man: knowledge, witness, and acknowledgement.
Conscience can be seared and destroyed to the point of no return (Romans 1:24; 1 Timothy 4:2).
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