Many do not know that there is a difference between soul and spirit, and they use these words as if they were interchangeable, but they are not. The Bible tells us that man was created in the image of God, and since God is three in one (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit), it makes sense that man is also three in one.
Every person is a spirit with a soul living in a body. Paul told the congregation in Thessalonica, "Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
It is easy to understand that our bodies are just the vessels or containers where our souls and spirits live, but differentiating between our souls and spirits is more challenging. Our souls are composed of our will, emotions, and minds (memory, imagination, and intellect). Just like our bodies have a way of expressing themselves through our vocal cords, our souls express themselves through our personalities.
Our spirits are composed of our conscience, fellowship, and intuition. The spirit is the part of man that was disconnected from God (died) when Adam and Eve sinned. Our conscience helps us discern right from wrong (Romans 9:1 and Romans 8:16). The fellowship allows us to communicate with God (John 4:24 and Romans 1:9), and our intuition is the voice of our spirit. Our intuition is our spirit's vocal cords or the part of our spirits we hear (1 Corinthians 2:11).
When the spirit of a man is disconnected from God, it is ruled by his soul, and even if it wants to do what is right, the emotions drive him toward the desires of his flesh (sinful nature). Once we come to Christ, if we let it, our spirits can rule our souls and bodies, and we no longer are bound to our sinful nature. We are also able to fellowship with God, and we hear our spirits. To live away from God is to live fragmented lives. That is why no one can have peace without God. Come to Christ!
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