Man’s Triune Being

This week we shall begin to examine in detail what the Bible teaches about the resurrection of the dead.

The first point which must be clearly established is that the part of man which is to be resurrected is his body – not his spirit or his soul. More precisely defined, the resurrection of which the Bible speaks is a resurrection of the body.

In order to understand what this entails, it is necessary to analyse briefly the total nature of man as revealed in the Bible.

Paul offered the following prayer on behalf of the Christians in Thessalonica.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thess. 5:23)

In the first part of this verse Paul uses the phrase “sanctify you completely.” This indicates that he is concerned with the total nature or personality of each of the Christians for whom he prays. In the second part of the verse Paul enumerates the three elements which make up man’s total nature or personality: spirit, soul and body.

Again, we read:

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow.” (Heb. 4:12)

This verse gives the same threefold division of man’s total personality into spirit, soul and body. In this instance the body is represented by the actual physical parts here mentioned – that is, the joints and marrow.