What is the nature of man in the Bible?

The Nature of Man

While “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24), man is a soul, and souls do die: “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). A soul is not immortal by nature; otherwise, it could not experience death. Jesus declared in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body … but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The soul of a wicked person will die in the fires of hell. This understanding is crucial to grasping the biblical perspective on human existence and the afterlife.

In all the 1700 biblical occurrences of the words “soul” and “spirit,” they are never referred to as being immortal or undying. There is not one text that supports such a teaching in the Bible. Man is mortal (Psalm 146:3; Ezekiel 2:1). The word “immortal” is found only once in the Bible, and it refers solely to God (1 Timothy 1:17). The idea of immortal man originated from Satan when he deceived Eve (Genesis 3:1-4). Understanding the nature of man in the context of Scripture helps clarify many misconceptions that have arisen over time.

What Is a Soul?

The clearest and most concise definition of death is provided by Solomon: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). After death, the dust returns to the earth, and the spirit returns to God. Nowhere in the Bible are we told that any soul survives the body or continues to exist without a body. This perspective is essential for understanding the biblical view of life and death.

Body (Dust) – Breath (Spirit) = Death (No Soul)

Death is the opposite of creation. In Genesis 2:7, we read, “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 being.” God did not put a soul into the body; He added only one thing-breath or spirit. As a result of the body and breath uniting, man became a soul. This union of body and spirit is what gives rise to life.

Body (Dust) + Breath (Spirit) = Life (Soul)

Even animals are referred to as souls in the Bible because they possess the same breath from God that gives them life (Revelation 16:3). The wise man wrote, “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; … All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again” (Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20). This comparison emphasizes that all living beings share a common source of life.

This does not imply that man and animals share the same ultimate fate. There will be a resurrection and judgment for God’s moral creatures (humans). However, it highlights that life comes only from God, whether human or animal, and that life is often referred to in the Bible as the soul. Understanding this distinction is vital for a complete grasp of biblical anthropology.

What Is the Spirit That Goes Back to God?

James wrote, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26). The word “spirit” has a marginal reference which reads, “or breath.” The actual root word in Greek is “pneuma,” meaning “breath” or “air.” However, “pneuma” also means “spirit.” For instance, the Greek term for “Holy Spirit” is “Hagios pneumatos,” translating to “Holy Breath” or “Holy Spirit.” This dual meaning enriches our understanding of the relationship between body and spirit.

You will notice that the words “breath” and “spirit” are often used interchangeably in the Bible. Job said, “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils” (Job 27:3). Job was describing the same concept using both terms. Man has only breath in his nostrils, which is what God breathed into man at creation. The marginal note for Genesis 7:22 refers to the breath of life as “the breath of the spirit of life.” This interchangeability indicates a profound connection between our physical existence and our spiritual essence.

The psalmist describes death with these words: “Thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created” (Psalm 104:29, 30). Here, the order is reversed, and their breath returns to God at death. Solomon stated that the spirit returns. God gives the spirit to create, but Genesis mentions that He gave the breath to create. This understanding makes sense when we realize that the two terms are used interchangeably and convey the same meaning.

An Illustration

To clarify this truth, consider this illustration. Let us liken the body to a light bulb. The electric current flowing into that bulb represents the breath of life that God put into the body, while the light itself symbolizes the soul that man became after the breath united with the body. The shining light serves as a perfect representation of the completed creation. This analogy helps us visualize the connection between the physical and spiritual aspects of our existence.

If we turn off the light, what happens? The current leaves the bulb, just as the breath departs from the body at death. Where is the light? Did it ascend into the electric socket? No, it simply ceases to exist when the current separates from the bulb. Similarly, where is the soul when the breath separates from the body? There is no soul until the resurrection, when God will give the breath of life back to the body. This understanding reinforces the biblical teaching on the nature of man.

Un-Biblical Teaching

Millions have accepted the false traditional view that God placed a soul into the body to create man. This belief is rooted in the common, erroneous doctrine of many non-Christian religions. In the Bible, except in poetic or allegorical contexts, the soul does not enter and exit the body, nor does it exist independently outside of it. The truth is that the soul is the conscious life that results when God adds the breath or spirit to the body. Recognizing this truth is essential for a proper understanding of biblical doctrine.

For a Bible study on the State of the Dead, check: The Intermediate State

Conclusion

In summary, the nature of man according to the Bible is a complex interplay of body, soul, and spirit. The biblical text emphasizes that man is not inherently immortal but is a living being created by God. Understanding the distinctions between the body, soul, and spirit is crucial for grasping the biblical perspective on life, death, and the afterlife. By recognizing that the soul is the result of the union of body and breath, we can better appreciate the divine design of human existence and the hope of resurrection that the Scriptures promise.