Not only do Bible commentators and evangelical theologians endorse man as spirit/soul/body, but many leading Bible studies have this perspective. One prominent example is Nancy Missler’s study, The Way of Agape. (“Agape” is the New Testament Greek word for unconditional love.) These truths are not only gleaned from Scripture; they were confirmed in her personal journey and public ministry.
From The King’s High Way Ministries:
After God healed Nancy Missler’s marriage, she prayed for three years, asking the Lord to show her from Scripture what He had done. She not only wanted to understand what had happened, but also needed be able to explain it to others. The Way of Agape details that answer. In short, Nancy learned:
1. What God’s Love is and how it differs from human love. Most of us, even as Christians, are still functioning only on human love and this is why so many of us have become confused and disheartened.
2. What it means to love God with all our heart, will and soul and learning the difference between each of these terms. Learning what quenches God’s Love in our hearts and how practically to yield these things over to Him.
3. And, finally, what it means to love our neighbors as ourselves and how to put their will and desires above our own.
The only way we can do this is to love God first; to totally give ourselves over to Him. The Way of Agape is a completely new way of loving. It’s a way of loving that is opposite from the way the world teaches and probably very different from the way you have been used to showing love, even as a Christian.
Our human love is based on what we think and what we feel, what our circumstances are, and how that other person responds to us. God’s Agape Love, on the other hand, is an unconditional, two-sided, freeing and other-centered Love. If we are Christians, we have this type of Love in our hearts. The key is learning how to cleanse our hearts moment by moment so that we see that Love flow freely.
In essence, The Way of Agape shows us how we can transform the failures of human love into the victories of God’s Agape Love.