Tripartite Man: Functions: Soul—refs by Witness Lee

The Functions

The Functions of the Three Parts of Man:

The Function of the Soul

To Express and Reflect the Lord

The primary function of the soul of man is to express and reflect the Lord. The soul’s expression of God is clearly portrayed in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. In response to Elizabeth’s blessing, Mary exclaimed, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has exulted in God my Savior” (46-47). Mary’s spirit had exulted in God and was filled with joy, yet the joy in her spirit could not be adequately expressed apart from the function of her soul. Second Corinthians 3:18 provides a detailed description of the soul’s function of reflecting God: “But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.”

Our soul is like a mirror designed to behold and reflect Christ

Our soul is like a mirror designed to behold and reflect Christ. Yet in order for our soul to reflect Christ in the clearest, most unobstructed way, its fallen source must first be denied (Matthew 16:24-26; Luke 9:23-25). This means that we must learn to deny our natural mind, will and emotion. Secondly, for our soul to reflect Christ alone, it must be not only denied but also purified by receiving the Word (1 Peter 1:22). Finally, our soul needs to be thoroughly transformed into the image of Christ by the renewing of the mind (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Thus, when our soul is denied, purified, and transformed it is able to fulfill its intended function, the glorious, true reflection of Christ (Witness Lee, Economy 70-71).

Spirit | Soul | Body