Lesson 2: ► Study Guide Lesson

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

According to this scripture, man is a triune being: body, soul, and spirit. The Word of God can separate the three. However, as we have titled this lesson, we want to allow the scriptures to identify the soul.

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.

Man’s body was formed from the dust of the earth. The word dust is a Chaldean word meaning “red clay”. Thus, Adam was known as a “blood man”. The body of clay did not become a living soul until God breathed the breath of life into it. There is an erroneous doctrine that teaches God put His Spirit in Adam when He blew the breath of life into him. However, as we have read, God breathed the breath of life into man’s nostrils. “The breath of life” is the oxygen that we breathe. You will discover that this is true if you hold your breath for about five minutes. God did not put Himself in Adam, therefore, Adam was not spiritual. If God had put His Spirit in Adam, he would have been begotten of God.

OBJECTIVES

After completion of this lesson, the student will be able to:

1. Define “living soul”.
2. Explain what is meant by the breath of life.
3. Identify the components and function of the soul.
4. Discuss the difference between the two Adams according to 1 Corinthians 15:45-47.
5. Examine the effects of sin on the soul.

IDENTIFYING THE SOUL: part 2

However, the scripture declares that Jesus was the first begotten of God (Romans 8:29).

1 Corinthians 15:45-46

45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural;and afterward that which is spiritual.

In this passage of scripture, we see the difference between the two Adams. The first man was not spiritual. The second was spiritual, because spiritual means to be of the Spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit (St. John 3:6). It stands to reason; the first Adam was not of the Holy Ghost. He was a living soul, not a quickening spirit. He was not of the spirit that gives life. Simply stated, he was not the offspring of God. Nevertheless, there is a verse of scripture that speaks of Adam being a son of God (Luke 3:38).

However, this refers to him as being created by God, not as being born of God. He was a natural man, meaning he was of nature. The spiritual man came later.

I Corinthians 15:47

The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

Natural, or of nature, means to be of the earth, meaning Adam was earthy. Everything it took to create him came from the earth, even his hidden parts (the spirit of man). God took the breath of life (oxygen) and created the spiritual parts of man. Every creature breathes the breath of life.

Genesis 6:17

And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. When the breath of life is taken out of an animal, it dies. All flesh has the breath of life (air or wind), which is an earthen element. God used this element to create the soul of man. The words soul and spirit are used interchangeably in the scriptures, and their meanings are the same. Remember, only the Word of God can separate the soul and spirit. The first definition given in Strong’s Concordance for both soul and spirit is wind or air. Let’s take a closer look at the phrase “living soul”. When God created the body, it did not live until the breath of life was breathed into it. Therefore, the complete product was a living soul. Something, however, had to give life to the soul. The basic definition of living is to be alive. Adam was created a living soul, a soul that is alive. Since man is a living soul, he is a soul that can be expressed through the body. The soul expresses itself through the fleshy body. This proves that the flesh is not the reason why we sin. It is the soul that is going to hell because of sin; the body goes back to the dust. The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:20). In other words, the soul who sins will enter into eternal death, which is hell. With that being said, we can no longer blame the body for our sin.

Adam was given a body to experience the pleasures of God’s earth. He was the soul that lived in the body. Therefore, he was responsible for what he did in the body. He could not even blame the fleshy mind (brain), it was a member of the body. It is the spirit of the mind (the soul) that dictates its message to the fleshy mind.

II Corinthians 10:3-5

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ If we can bring every thought of the fleshy mind into captivity, this implies that we can control what we think. There’s a power in man that is greater than his mind. Adam and Eve had the same power. Even before salvation, we could choose not to remain in a particular train of thought. We were able to change our thought pattern about many things. We have the power to tell the brain what to think. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8).

We can dictate to the brain what it should think, even without the Holy Ghost.

Another word for soul is heart. The scriptures always speak of having a pure heart. If the heart is not pure, it will dictate impure thoughts to the mind. For the saint, if his heart is not pure, Satan can suggest something to him and he can then take that suggestion into his spirit and initiate a thought pattern. However, this is not started by the fleshy mind, it begins in the heart (soul).

St. John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. Here, Jesus is talking to the leaders of Judaism. They are of their father the devil; meaning they were begotten (born) of Satan. Because of Adam’s disobedience, the spirit of iniquity now lives in every man that has not been regenerated (refer to Ephesians 2:1-3). His soul is dark. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (St. John 3:19). When darkness entered into man, the lusts of Satan came with it. The soul then became captive. Jesus said, He came to set the captives free (St. Luke 4:18). He is the only one who can set the soul free of this captivity, because the spirit of iniquity is more powerful than man. This seed of darkness was passed down from Adam. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come (Romans 5:14). Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me (Psalm 51:5). This is why we need Jesus Christ, because it is His blood that will deliver us from this captivity. He is the only one who can remove this seed of Satan from mankind.

The components of the soul are: will, appetite, desire, imagination and emotions; all of which became darkened when the spirit of iniquity entered into the soul. Jesus refers to this spirit as the “strong man”. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house (Matthew 12:29). “Goods” refer to the components of the soul. The strong man took charge of our soul and perverted mankind. His ultimate perversion is homosexuality.

His intent is to totally reverse what God created. Romans the first chapter speaks of how Satan can progressively pervert the fleshy mind and take a person into homosexuality. When you can cause a man or woman to become transgendered, you have taken him or her to the extreme. Satan is now using the body to do what God gave it to Adam to do: express himself. In other words, Satan is using man’s body to express himself and he is using man’s body to live out his lust. However, once we are born again (regenerated), we don’t have that excuse, because the scripture declares every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed (James 1:14). Even a son of God can be taken to the extreme by wrong thinking.

► LESSON ASSIGNMENT

Below you will find questions that pertain to each of the lesson objectives. You are asked to thoroughly answer each of them in your own words.

1. What does it mean when we say, “man is a triune being”? Give one supporting scripture.
2. What is the breath of life that God blew in Adam? Give one supporting Scripture.
3. What is meant by the term “living soul”?
4. What are the components and function of the soul?
5. Give two other names for the soul.
6. How was the first Adam different from the last Adam?
7. What effect does sin have on the soul?

IDENTIFYING THE SOUL: PART TWO SELF-EVALUATION

The Self-Evaluation is designed to serve as a tool for you to examine how you are applying that which is taught in the lesson to your own individual life. Please answer honestly and thoroughly.

1. How has this lesson ministered to you?
2. What evidence do you have that says you are a son of God?
3. Are you struggling with sin in your life? If so, what effect has sin had on your soul, and how do you plan to address it. Be specific.
4. What is your responsibility in winning your soul and the souls of those in your sphere of influence?