The spirit and soul of a man
In a conversation with someone recently, he brought up a topic concerning the “spirit of man.” What is the spirit of man?
Proverbs 20:27 "The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly."
This verse equates the spirit of man to the “candle of the LORD.” What does a candle do? It gives out light in darkness, right? Compare this to the golden candlestick in Exodus 25:31-40.
Exodus 25:37 "And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it."
What are the “seven lamps” in the golden candlestick? Apostle John tells us in:
Revelation 4:5 "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."
There are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne of God, which are the seven Spirits of God. The Bible further tells us in these two verses:
Psalms 104:4 "Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:"
Hebrews 1:7 "And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire."
Fire is equated to spirits in these two verses of scripture. That explains why John calls the seven Spirits of God, fire. In like manner, the spirit of man is also fire. Paul tells us:
1 Corinthians 2:11 "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
The spirit of man is in a man. This is witnessed by:
Zechariah 12:1 "The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him."
Not only is the spirit of man found in a man, it also has a form according to this verse. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 2:11 that only the spirit of man knows the things of a man.
1 Corinthians 2:10-11 "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
Paul further explains in the above scripture that God revealeth the deep things of God by his Spirit. God’s Spirit is fire, and fire produces light, and it is by light that we see. It is by the Spirit of God (fire) that a born again believer sees and understands the things of the Spirit of God. Likewise, it is by the spirit of man (candle) that a natural man sees and understands the things of a man.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
A natural man is blind to the things of the Spirit of God because the Spirit of God (fire) could not reveal it unto him for his unbelief. That’s why to a natural man, the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness. He sees it with his natural eyes, but could not discern it by the spirit of man within him. Conversely, a born again believer whose eyes God has opened is capable of receiving the things of the Spirit of God which the Holy Ghost teacheth:
1 Corinthians 2:12-13 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."
The seven Spirits of God are seven lamps of fire to him, revealing to him the deep things of God, by which he is also capable of comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Paul tells us in verse 13 that the things of the Spirit of God are “not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth.” That goes to show that the “things of a man” (1 Corinthians 2:11) are in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, and not in the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth.
Moreover, the spirit of man in a natural man is not capable of revealing the things of God, and so a natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God. For this reason, he must be born again.
John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
Except a man be born again, he does not have the Spirit of God in him to illuminate the things of the Spirit of God unto him, so that he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is also to say that God will open a person’s eyes at the same time he is born again: he received a set of new eyes so that he can can be guided by the Spirit of God through the deep and secret things that God has revealed unto him.
Matthew 15:14 "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
The spirit of man in him by which he understands the things of a man is not capable of showing him the kingdom of God, and without sight, he is as a blind man navigating in the spiritual realm. Jesus tells us:
Luke 11:34 "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness."
The “light of the body” is a reference to the spirit which is that body. Jesus calls it the eye. There are bodies that are full of light, and bodies that are full of darkness. The difference is in the spirit which is illuminating in that body. If it is the Spirit of God illuminating in that body, it will be full of light. Conversely, if it is the spirit of man illuminating in that body, it will be full of darkness. Jesus continues:
Luke 11:35 "Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness."
This is Jesus calling the “light” by the spirit of man, “darkness.”
Luke 11:36 "If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light."
Again, this is Jesus making reference to the word “candle,” which in Proverbs 20:27, is the “spirit of man.” It is by the light of the candle that darkness is dispelled. It is by the Spirit of God that darkness is dispelled. It is by the Spirit of truth that truth comes to light, and it is by the word of truth that lies are exposed and dispelled. When the body is full of the light of God, it gives out the light of God to the world. That’s why born again believers are called “light of the world.”
1 Thessalonians 5:5 "Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness."
The presence of the Spirit of God in a born again believer is always accompanied by a love of the word of truth which he believes and upholds with all his heart, and with all his soul and with all his might. Because his body is full of light, he shines brightly as a light of the world, like a city that is set on a hill which cannot be hid.
Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
1 John 4:6 "We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."
Born again believers are called “children of light” because of the light which is in them, while natural men are called children of darkness because of the darkness which is in them. One group has the Spirit of truth leading them in “the way of life,” (Proverbs 6:23). The other group has the spirit of error leading them in “the way of death” (Jeremiah 21:8) through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Proverbs 6:23 "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:"
The 66 books of the Holy Bible is the word of truth, and the Spirit of truth is only found in the word of truth.
Job 15:13 "That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?"
Proverbs 1:23 "Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you."
John 6:63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
The Spirit of truth will only speak the truth from the word of truth, while the spirit of error will utter error and deceit from the words of man. One is contrary to the other as much as light is contrary to darkness. The spirit of man in a natural man is like a candle that “illuminates” from the philosophy and vain deceits of men, while the Spirit of God in a born again believer is like a candle that illuminates from the 66 books of the Holy Bible.
Job 18:5-6 "Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. 6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him."
Job 21:17 "How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger."
Proverbs 24:20 "For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the candle of the wicked shall be put out."
These verses are the Bible calling the spirit of man “light of the wicked.” The spirit of man in the wicked shall be put out even as his “candle” shall be put out with him. When the spirit of a man is put out as a candle, that would also be the end of his life on earth.
Ecclesiastes 3:20-21 "All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"
Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
All are of dust, and all shall return to dust again, as the man gave up his ghost. The word “ghost” is another word for spirit. Think about the Holy Spirit, who is also called the “Holy Ghost.” Think about the term “gave up the ghost” which was used when a person died. When a person breathed his last breath, his body returns to the dust, while his spirit returns to God who gave it.
Genesis 2:7 "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
John 6:63 "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."
The Bible tells us in these two verses that God formed the body of Adam out of the dust of the ground, and breathed his spirit into his nostrils the “breath of life,” and Adam became a living soul. Without the breath of life (spirit), Adam was only a lifeless body. It is the spirit that imparts life into the flesh through the soul.
Ecclesiastes 8:8 "There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it."
James 4:14 “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”
A man is comprised of a spirit, a soul and a physical body. At physical death, he gave up the ghost and his body returns to dust, because no man hath power over his own spirit to retain it in his physical body. James tells us that our life simply “vanisheth away” as a vapour at death. The mortal body will corrupt and die, while the soul will either end up in heaven for some, or hell for others. Jesus tells us:
Mark 9:44 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Mark 9:46 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
Mark 9:48 "Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."
A man is a tripartite consisting of the spirit, the soul and the body. God created man in his image, and God himself is also a tripartite consisting of the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and "these three are one" (1 John 5:7). However, it is not the spirit of a man that ends up in hell, rather, the soul is that part of him that continues to live after the body returns to dust. Afterall, God made man a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7).
Job 17:14 "I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister."
Psalms 34:2 "My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."
Notice the gender of the soul in Psalms 34:2? The soul is of a female gender, just like the worm in Job 17:14. In fact, it is the soul is that Jesus came to save.
Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
Matthew 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
Luke 12:20 "But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"
Acts 2:27 "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."
Except a person be born again, his soul is that part of him that is going into hell after his physical body returns to the dust. Job tells us in these verses:
Job 33:27-28 "He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light."
The worm is the soul of a man, and it "dieth not" according to the Bible. But in hell, the fire is not quenched, and so the soul continues to be tormented in fire. Isaiah tells us:
Isaiah 66:24 "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."
The context of this verse is when death and hell were already thrown into the lake of fire at the second death, but notice: the souls of transgressors that were already in hell continues to be burned in the future lake of fire, where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.