Soul & Spirit - Same or Different?

Sons to Glory! · 04-30-2020, 08:16 PM

The last couple days on the index page of this forum, a couple authors (Gordon Furguson is one) have been highlighted who have written things about Watchman Nee and Witness Lee's teachings. I've read just a little of the things linked to, and one main subject seems to be the authors' disagreement with the teaching of man being a tripartite being - spirit, soul and body. From what I've read, the augment is made that this view is not supported in the word, and therefore lends itself to an overly mystical approach in Christians. The authors appear to support the idea that man is in fact dichotomous - soul and spirit are synonymous with each other in the Bible.

Personally, I believe man has been made with three main parts, as is said in 1st Thessalonians 5:3, "your whole spirit and soul and body . . ." (the Greek has the article "and" between each). Admittedly I first heard this teaching in the LC, when I arrived in 1974. Everything I read in scripture seems to support this. But I'm curious, do others see man's makeup the same way, or is this another LC Kool-Aid drink I've swallowed and need to reconsider?

04-30-2020, 08:16 PM	#1
Sons to Glory! Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 2,617	Soul & Spirit - Same or Different? The last couple days on the index page of this forum, a couple authors (Gordon Furguson is one) have been highlighted who have written things about Watchman Nee and Witness Lee's teachings. I've read just a little of the things linked to, and one main subject seems to be the authors' disagreement with the teaching of man being a tripartite being - spirit, soul and body. From what I've read, the augment is made that this view is not supported in the word, and therefore lends itself to an overly mystical approach in Christians. The authors appear to support the idea that man is in fact dichotomous - soul and spirit are synonymous with each other in the Bible. Personally, I believe man has been made with three main parts, as is said in 1st Thessalonians 5:3, "your whole spirit and soul and body . . ." (the Greek has the article "and" between each). Admittedly I first heard this teaching in the LC, when I arrived in 1974. Everything I read in scripture seems to support this. But I'm curious, do others see man's makeup the same way, or is this another LC Kool-Aid drink I've swallowed and need to reconsider? __________________ LC Berkeley 70s; LC Columbus OH 80s; An Ekklesia in Scottsdale 98-now Praise the Lord - HE'S GOT THIS!