There seems to be considerable confusion about the composition of humanity and its connection to Christ’s redemptive work. Whether through dualism, a purely physical interpretation, or other theological systems, the triune nature of man is often misunderstood or overlooked. This misunderstanding is not limited to fringe belief systems but is found even within various Christian groups, which can obscure the deeper truth presented in Scripture.
The Triune Nature of Humanity
Scripture makes it clear that man is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Just as God exists as a Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—so too is humanity composed of three parts: spirit, soul, and body. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 speaks directly to this, stating, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Soul as the Interaction of Spirit and Body
One aspect often overlooked in understanding the triune nature of man is how the soul comes into being. Scripture presents humanity as being composed of spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23), but it’s helpful to understand how these elements interact.
The spirit, given by God, is the life force that animates us. Genesis 2:7 says, “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” (KJV). This breath of life (spirit) interacting with the physical body produces the soul—the seat of our individuality, mind, will, and emotions.
In this view, the soul is not a separate or isolated entity but is the result of the spirit interacting with the body. The soul governs our thoughts, desires, and decisions and forms the bridge between our spiritual nature and our physical existence. This understanding deepens our appreciation of the complexity of human nature, showing how intimately connected the spirit, soul, and body are. Each part plays a vital role in how we interact with both the divine and the physical world.
To better grasp this interaction, consider the analogy of ink. A jar filled with water stands alone as a body of water, which can represent the body. When dye is introduced, it has its own unique property, representing the spirit. The interaction of the water and dye produces ink, which can represent the soul. While the dye and water are distinct in their original states, they now exist as a unified product—ink. Although this analogy is imperfect (since the parts of ink can no longer be easily separated), it still helps illustrate how the soul is not an isolated entity but the result of the spirit interacting with the body. Without knowing the process, one might mistakenly view ink as a singular entity, rather than the result of combined parts. This reflects the confusion many have when trying to understand the soul as part of the triune nature of man.
The spirit is the deepest part of a person, designed for communion with God. It is through the spirit that we connect with the divine and experience the fullness of spiritual life. The soul, comprising our mind, will, and emotions, is the seat of our individuality and self-awareness. Our thoughts, decisions, and emotional responses all emerge from the soul. Finally, the body is the outer vessel that allows us to engage with the physical world. It enables our senses and interactions with the environment but is also subject to the fallen nature of sin.
When Scripture says, “The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak” (Mark 14:38, KJV), it captures the tension between the spirit’s desire for obedience to God and the weaknesses of the body. The soul, caught in the middle, often struggles to submit fully to the spirit’s prompting, reflecting the internal battle between the redeemed spirit and the fallen, sinful nature of the body. This tension between the body, soul, and spirit represents the daily conflict believers face in seeking to follow God’s will.
The Scriptures are very precise when it comes to spiritual matters. In Luke 1:46-47, when Mary spoke with her cousin Elizabeth, she made a distinction between her spirit and soul, saying, “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour” (KJV). At first glance, these two statements may seem synonymous, but they are not. The former reflects the outward emotion of the soul, while the latter speaks to the deeper realm of the spirit, where Mary’s faith and trust in God’s work were fully realized. This distinction reveals the duality in her expression, acknowledging both her human response and her spirit’s communion with God.
The Temple as a Reflection of Humanity
The very structure of the Temple, which was designed by God and built by man, mirrors the triune nature of humanity. The Temple had three sections:
- The Outer Court, accessible to all, represents the body, which is visible and interacts with the physical world.
- The Holy Place, where only the priests could minister, symbolizes the soul, with its internal workings of thoughts, emotions, and decisions.
- The Holy of Holies, where God’s presence resided, reflects the spirit, the innermost part of man that communes directly with God. Only the High Priest could enter this sacred space once a year, illustrating how our spirit is the place where the deepest connection with God occurs.
This connection between the Temple and the human body is made even clearer by Jesus Himself. When the Pharisees asked Him for a sign to prove His authority as the Messiah, Jesus responded by likening His body to the Temple. The Jews misunderstood Him, thinking He was referring to the physical structure, but Jesus was speaking of His own body as a living Temple. As it says in John 2:18-20 (KJV): “Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?”
This misunderstanding persisted even at His trial, when false witnesses accused Him of claiming He could destroy the physical Temple of God and rebuild it in three days (Matthew 26:61 KJV). In reality, Jesus was referring to the temple of His body, comprised of spirit, soul, and body, just as the Jewish Temple was comprised of three distinct sections.
When Jesus died, the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Temple was torn in two, symbolizing that through His sacrifice, direct access to God was made available to all who believe (Matthew 27:51, KJV). This tearing of the veil is crucial to understanding Christ’s work, not only in restoring our relationship with God but also in affirming the holistic nature of humanity as body, soul, and spirit. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus sanctifies and redeems the entire person—spirit, soul, and body—the complete temple of humanity.
The Apostle Paul further explained this to the Corinthian church, emphasizing that the believer’s body is now the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. He wrote, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16, KJV). Paul elaborated even more in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (KJV): “Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Here, Paul makes it clear that believers are to honor God in both their body and spirit, and by implication, the soul serves as the intermediary between the two, much like the Holy Place of the Temple stands between the Outer Court and the Holy of Holies. While the world can see the external actions of the body (the Outer Court), the deeper communion between our spirit and God (the Holy of Holies) remains hidden from view.
Jesus as the Second Adam
To fully grasp the significance of Christ’s redemptive work, it’s imperative to understand His role as the Second Adam. Just as Adam, the head of mankind, plunged humanity into sin through disobedience, so too did Jesus, the Second Adam, provide the only path to redemption. Romans 5:12-19 explains that through one man, sin entered the world, and death through sin, but through the righteousness of one man, Jesus Christ, many are made righteous.
Jesus’ humanity was essential for this redemptive act. Unlike Adam, Jesus was not born of the seed of man—thus, He was not tainted by original sin—but He was fully human, born of a woman (Galatians 4:4, KJV). This is crucial because only a fully human life, lived without sin, could serve as the atonement for mankind’s sin. Jesus, being fully man, yet without sin, could take upon Himself the penalty of sin that Adam introduced and, in doing so, satisfy the justice of God.
What many people fail to understand is that only God can forgive sins, but God is both perfect and just. According to Scripture, mankind is a slave to sin. I don’t need to convince anyone that humanity has a natural propensity to sin—it’s something we can all observe. God had to save mankind from eternal death and separation from Him because Adam’s disobedience cast humanity into the kingdom of darkness. By disobeying God, Adam became a slave to sin, and thus humanity inherited this fallen nature. Therefore, only a perfect human could atone for mankind’s sins before a perfect God.
The blood of animals could never satisfy this eternal debt, but was merely a foreshadowing—a temporary fix pointing toward the ultimate sacrifice. Even the blood on the doorposts at Passover foreshadowed Jesus’ death. The blood on the head, the hands, and the feet all pointed to the cross, where Jesus would die, paying the penalty for mankind’s sins.
If we read the account of Passover in Exodus, we can see how God foreshadowed Christ’s sacrifice through the Passover Lamb. In Exodus 12:7 (KJV), we read: “And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” This act of striking blood on the lintel and doorposts points to what Christ would accomplish on the cross—atoning for the sins of the world. Just as the blood of the Passover lamb protected the Israelites from destruction, so too does Christ’s blood save us from eternal death.
Romans 6:23 (KJV) tells us that death is required because sin brings death, and justice must be satisfied. Only through death could the power of sin be broken. Jesus, as the spotless Lamb of God, offered His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45, KJV). This sacrifice was effective because Jesus was fully human, possessing spirit, soul, and body. If He had not been fully human, He could not have represented us; and if He were not fully divine, His sacrifice would not have been sufficient to cover the sins of the world.
Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 (KJV), explains: “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” This verse reinforces the need for a man—the Second Adam—to pay the penalty for mankind’s sin. Christ, fully God and fully man, accomplished what no other could: He satisfied God’s justice while providing humanity with the opportunity for resurrection and eternal life.
Paul goes on to describe the stark differences between the first Adam and Christ in 1 Corinthians 15:39-50 (KJV), explaining that while Adam was a living soul, Christ is a life-giving spirit. Paul emphasizes the transformation that takes place through Christ: “The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit… The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.” This transformation from the natural to the spiritual is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s plan to restore humanity.
Christ’s Complete Humanity
The Bible teaches that Jesus was fully God and fully man, a reality expressed in His triune composition as spirit, soul, and body—just like us. Philippians 2:6-8 (KJV) tells us that although Jesus was in the form of God, He took on human nature, becoming fully human in every respect.
At His death on the cross, Jesus “gave up the ghost” (John 19:30, KJV). His human spirit departed, and His physical body died. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He expressed that His “soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death” (Mark 14:34, KJV). These references clearly distinguish between His spirit, soul, and body, affirming His complete humanity. It wasn’t just the physical aspect of Christ that suffered and died; His entire being experienced the weight of sin and death.
The Holy Spirit indwelt Jesus’ human spirit throughout His life, enabling Him to live in perfect obedience to the Father. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ soul experienced deep anguish as He anticipated the cross, where He would bear the sin of the world. His cry, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, KJV), reflects the moment when the Holy Spirit departed from Him, and His human spirit was separated from the Father as He bore the weight of sin. When Jesus “gave up the ghost” (John 19:30, KJV), His human spirit departed, and He fully experienced the physical and spiritual death required for the atonement of humanity.
This aspect of Christ’s death is often misunderstood. Jesus, though fully divine, fully experienced the death of His human spirit, soul, and body, because only in doing so could He truly atone for humanity’s sin. His death and the departure of the Holy Spirit emphasize His complete humanity, as well as the profound sacrifice He made for our redemption.
Common Misunderstandings
Some religious groups—both within Christianity and outside of it—fail to grasp this biblical teaching, often focusing either on a dualistic view (spirit and body only) or reducing humanity to just the physical body. These misunderstandings lead to confusion about the nature of sin, death, and redemption.
The Bible makes clear distinctions. James 2:26 (KJV) says, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Without acknowledging the spirit’s vital role in life and salvation, many interpretations fall short of a holistic biblical view. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) adds another layer, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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.” This verse underscores the complexity of our being—how closely intertwined the spirit, soul, and body are, yet how distinguishable they remain.
Conclusion
Understanding the triune nature of humanity is essential for grasping the depths of Christ’s redemptive work. His death and resurrection involved the entirety of His being—spirit, soul, and body—so that He might redeem every part of us. Just as the Temple was a physical representation of God’s dwelling place, reflecting the triune structure of man, so too does our own makeup mirror the divine image.
As the Second Adam, Jesus was fully man, untainted by sin, and was able to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity. Through His complete humanity, Jesus fulfilled the requirement for justice and provided redemption for all who believe. In Him, we too are made whole—spirit, soul, and body.
Beautiful explanation John! What a glorious plan by our Father to make us joint heirs with Jesus in this life and the one to come.