What is the difference between my spirit and my soul?

Quick Answer: What is the difference between my spirit and my soul? Two different Greek words are used in Scripture to describe the spirit and the soul. The spirit (Gk. pneuma) speaks of the innermost part of the person, the part that is one with the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:17) and new at salvation (Ezekiel 36:26-27). In contrast, the soul (Gk. psuché) is the psychology (mind, will, and emotions) of a person.

Diving Deeper: 1 Thessalonians 5:23 states that humans are composed of body, soul, and spirit.

The body is the physical “shell” of the person. It’s how we relate to the physical world. Over time, our physical body grows older and decays, and in Heaven, we’re given new, glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21).

The soul (Gk. psuché) is the psychology of a person. It’s the seat of our mind, will, and emotions. The soul is like a mirror which can reflect the Spirit of God or the power of sin in any moment, depending on our decisions. No matter what we reflect in our soul in any moment, our spiritual nature remains the same. (In other words, we are in the Spirit, whether we walk by the flesh or by the Spirit at any given time.)

God is at work in our souls in terms of the renewing of our minds, so our souls are involved in a process (learning and growing). Still, our souls are not getting more righteous over time. Like the spirit, the believer’s soul is heaven-ready in any moment if the Lord returns. No last-minute “soul polish” is needed!

The spirit (Gk. pneuma) is the innermost part of a person. It is the spirit that is made new at the moment of salvation (Ezekiel 36:26-27). It is the human spirit that has been crucified, buried, and raised with Christ (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12). As believers, it is our new human spirit that gives us our spiritual nature, no matter what choices we make in our soul or body.

In conclusion, it is important to not have a “theology of the soul.” In other words, we must not base our understanding of truth on the wild fluctuations of our emotions. The experience of our souls is not a reliable determiner of truth. We must look deeper to our human spirit to know who we truly are in Christ (John 4:24). Then, we allow our soul and our body to reflect our true spiritual nature and identity.

Let’s Make it a Conversation!
1. Why is it important to understand the difference between spirit and soul?
2. React to this statement: Even though your soul is learning and growing, it’s heaven-ready.
3. Did you understand the idea of having a “theology of the soul” (emotion-based) instead of looking deeper? Explain the difference in your own words.