DR. JAMES FOWLER: Superficial Believism (Part 4)

To properly understand the work of Jesus within the Christian, as He functions conjunctively as Lord and Savior, requires differentiation of spirit and soul of our spiritual/psychological condition.

Dr. Fowler is a dear friend serving on our Board of Directors. He has written over 30 books on the believer’s union with Christ. I have been blessed with some of the Lord’s finest theological mentors of our age, but none quite like Jim. You will enjoy his profound entries on our IM Writer’s Forum. Welcome Jim!

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Differentiating Spirit and Soul

To properly understand the work of Jesus within the Christian, as He functions conjunctively as Lord and Savior, requires a differentiation of spirit and soul – of our spiritual condition and psychological behavior.

What a disservice theology has done for centuries by attempting to amalgamate spirit and soul as synonymous terms, even to the extent of regarding their differentiation as heretical.

The biblical evidence sufficiently differentiates these differing functionalities of our humanity. Writing to the Thessalonians, Paul indicated that to be “sanctified entirely,” our “spirit and soul and body must be preserved complete” (I Thess. 5:23). The writer to the Hebrews notes, “The word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit . . . and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb.4:12).