Often, the terms "spirit" and "soul" are considered synonymous. However, they are separate because they are components of a person's personality. To avoid confusion in the future, it is better to know how these concepts differ from each other.
The personality of any person is integral and consists of three components: body, spirit and soul. They are united and interpenetrating. Often the last two terms are confused and are considered synonyms. But the Bible separates these two concepts, although they are often confused in religious literature. Hence the confusion that leads to doubts on this issue.
The concept of "soul" and "spirit"
The soul is the immaterial essence of the individual, it is contained in his body and is the driving force. With her, a person can exist, thanks to her he learns the world. If there is no soul, then there will be no life.
The spirit is the highest degree of human nature, it attracts and leads him to God. According to the Bible, it is his presence that puts the human personality above other creatures in the existing hierarchy.
Differences between soul and spirit
In a narrow sense, the soul can be called the horizontal vector of a person's life, it connects his personality with the world, being the area of feelings and desires. Theology divides its actions into three lines: feeling, desirable and thoughtful. In other words, it is characterized by thoughts, emotions, feelings, a desire to achieve a goal, a desire for something. She can make choices, even if not always correct.
The spirit is a vertical reference point, which is expressed in the pursuit of God. His actions are considered purer because she knows the fear of God. He strives for the Creator, and rejects earthly pleasures.
According to theological teachings, it can be concluded that not only a person has a soul, but also animals, fish, insects, but only a person owns the spirit. This fine line needs to be understood, and even better felt on an intuitive level. This will be helped by the knowledge that the soul helps the spirit to enter the human body in order to improve it. It is also important to know that a person is endowed with a soul at birth or conception. But the spirit is sent precisely at the moment of repentance.
The soul makes the body alive, akin to blood that penetrates the cells of the human body and permeates the entire body. In other words, a person possesses it, as well as a body. She is his essence. As long as a person lives, the soul remains in the body. When he dies, he cannot see, feel, speak, although he has all the senses. They are inactive because there is no soul. The spirit, by its nature, cannot belong to man; it easily leaves him and returns. If he leaves, then the person does not die and lives on. But the spirit quickens the soul.
