Tag Archives: human-spirit

The Human Spirit as Distinct from the Soulical Mind

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In the inductive study of biblical psychology/anthropology, the primary faculties of the human soul are identified as mind, will, and emotions. The primary faculties of the human spirit are intuition (the ability to discern spiritual truth – 1 Cor. 2:14-16), conscience (Rom 2:15) and communion (John 4:24; Rom. 8:16). Other conscious creatures which Adam named do not have these spiritual faculties since only man was created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26,27).

One of the New Testament passages that indicates how the soul and spirit are distinct from each other (and not mere synonyms for the immaterial side of man) is in the context of the apostle Paul correcting the Corinthian church of their immature use of spiritual gifts (chapters 12-14).

“For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind [a faculty of the soul] is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.” 1 Cor. 14:14,15 NASB 1995

Vocabulary notes:
“Tongue” is glossa: an unlearned language given by God’s Spirit
“Unfruitful” is akarpos: metaphorically, without fruit, barren, not yielding what it ought to yield. Here it means meaning without comprehension/understanding.
“Mind” is nous: mind, cognitive ability

Commentaries on “praying with my spirit”

Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Abridged Edition): New Testament on 1 Corinthians 14:13-14

“With the possibility before them of a non-understood tongue, Paul now argues that its interpretation must be sought. He urges this not only so that those who hear but do not understand may know the meaning, but also that the speaker himself may be benefited by getting an intellectual as well as a spiritual blessing from the exercise. The expression “my mind is unfruitful” means that the mind does not intelligently share in the blessing of the person’s spirit. The mind is that faculty in a person that is involved in conscious, meaningful reasoning. Paul desires the Corinthians to have a complete blessing here, both in their spirits and in their minds.“


Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary 1 Corinthians 14:14

“spirit—my higher being, the passive object of the Holy Spirit’s operations, and the instrument of prayer in the unknown tongue, distinguished from the “understanding,” the active instrument of thought and reasoning; which in this case must be “unfruitful” in edifying others, since the vehicle of expression is unintelligible to them. On the distinction of soul or mind and spirit, see Hebrews 4:12.

[On Hebrews 4:12 the commentary notes, “piercing—Greek, ‘coming through.'”
“even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit—that is, reaching through even to the separation of the animal soul, the lower part of man’s incorporeal nature, the seat of animal desires, which he has in common with the brutes; compare the same Greek, 1Cor. 2:14, “the natural [animal-souled] man” (Jude 1:19 ), from the spirit (the higher part of man, receptive of the Spirit of God, and allying him to heavenly beings).]

I Corinthians 14:15. “What is it then?—What is my determination thereupon?
and—rather as Greek, “but”; I will not only pray with my spirit, which (1 Cor. 14:14) might leave the understanding unedified, BUT with the understanding also…”

Conclusion

In this passage Paul is speaking of the believer’s human spirit. Whatever one’s view of speaking in tongues originally, and in some contemporary contexts, these verses distinguish the person’s mind (understanding) from his spirit.

Although 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 is not presented here as exclusive proof of the trichotomy of man, it clearly aligns with it.

Bracketed content and bold font added
JBW

Displacing the Kingdom of Self

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Chaplain Earl Jabay recorded important insights for pastoral care and counseling. For example, in his book, The Kingdom of Self, he presents the root cause of mental and emotional problems and also the biblical solution for wellness. The back cover includes some of the qualifications of the author:

“Earl Jabay has had quiet continuing success in thousands of counseling situations… An ordained minister of the Reformed Church in America, with two pastorates behind him and extensive grounding in modern psychiatry, Earl Jabay joined the staff of the famed Neuro–Psychiatric Institute at Princeton in 1959, as a clinically trained Chaplain…”

An bookseller’s synopsis states:

“The Kingdom of Self … explores the concept of self-centeredness, arguing that excessive self-focus leads to self-destruction and mental illness, and offers a path to mental health through a spiritual, less self-absorbed life. Jabay, a chaplain, presents a revolutionary approach to mental well-being by reframing the “kingdom of self” as the source of problems, contrasting it with a healthier, God-centered life. 

After showing the pervasive problems related of selfish living and the ineffective approaches of secular therapy, Jabay ends his book with a chapter called “The Power to Deliver,” where he talks about the One who can change and restore lives.

“King Self completely devoted himself throughout his life to acquiring power. From earliest childhood, he dreamed of controlling his world. Even supernatural power was called upon to support (but not control, thank you) the exciting destiny of himself as a god-king. The results, we know all too well, were completely disastrous. It was because King Self was fascinated with his own power. He was right in that he needed power—but wrong in looking to himself as the source of that power. This is the basic problem with all egocentrics: we lack the power to deliver ourselves from the power of evil. This is why we must turn away from the pseudo-religionists and the psychologists and turn to the God of all power. This God—this God of all power—has a name. 

He is the Holy Spirit.” 


As he discusses the positive characteristics of Spirit-filled ministries, he observes the significance of man as spirit, soul, and body.

“The movement of the Holy Spirit accurately discerns the spiritual nature of our basic problem in life.

 Most charismatics [those who value spiritual gifts], following the teaching of that most unusual Chinese Christian, Watchman Nee, affirm the biblical teaching that man is composed of spirit, soul, and body. Modern psychology ignores man’s spirit, because the behavioral scientists are so completely absorbed in the study of man’s soul (intellect, will, and emotions). [In secular psychotherapy] We are encouraged to develop our soulish powers by which to assert our mastery over life. Watchman Nee correctly discerned that this is the very worst mistake man can make. What we need is not soul-development but for our dead human spirits to be brought to life and joined by the Holy Spirit. We cannot really be helped until we are born of the Holy Spirit. Once our spiritual need is met by the Holy Spirit joining Himself to our spirits, a sure foundation for emotional health is laid. 

What this means is that the problem with man is basically spiritual rather than psychological or genetic or environmental. We are human spirits who need the Holy Spirit. When “he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him” (1 Corinthians 6:17), the basic life-problem is solved. How simple!” (bold font added)


It is important to recognize that the spiritual answer to freedom from self-centered living is clarified through observing that man not only has potential for nobler aspirations in the soul, but has been created with a human spirit (Gen. 2:7; Prov. 20:27). This spirit needs rebirth (John 3:3-6), and then should be given ascendancy in man’s functioning (1 Cor. 2:10-16) as illumined and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Kingdom of Self, Earl Jabay. (Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1980), ch. 9. His other published books include The God Players, Power Greater Than Ourselves, and The Search for Identity.

Clarification: This book is critiquing self-centeredness, which corresponds to being in the flesh (an unsaved person’s state – Rom 8:8,9), or walking after the flesh (the condition of the carnal Christian – 1 Cor. 3:1-3). Note, however that there are three other aspects of “self” to define. See https://gracenotebook.com/sorting-your-self-out/

JBW