HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE WATCHMAN NEE (1903-1972)In Watchman Nees book The Christian Life and Warfare originally published in 1927, he clearly demonstrates from 1 Thessalonians 5:23 that man has three parts. The Word of God does not divide man into two parts, the soul and the body. Rather, it divides man into three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body. First Thessalonians 5:23 says, Sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete. This verse clearly shows a distinction between the spirit and the soul. Otherwise, it would not have said, Your spirit and soul, but rather, Your spirit-soul. Since God has said this, we can see that there is a distinction between mans spirit and his soul. From this we can conclude that man is divided into three partsthe spirit, the soul, and the body. (7)
The first chapter of Watchman Nees book The Spiritual Man is entitled The Spirit, The Soul, and The Body. Here, Nee further emphasizes and elaborates on the fact that man is composed of three parts. First Thessalonians 5:23 says, The God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete. This verse clearly divides a person into three parts: the spirit, the soul, and the body. Here the apostle mentioned the believers being sanctified wholly. This means that the whole being of the believers is to be sanctified. What did he mean when he said that a person is to be sanctified wholly? He meant that a persons spirit, soul, and body are to be preserved complete. This is very clear; a complete person has a spirit, a soul, and a body. (3)
Murray |
Pember |
Fausset |
Larkin |
Penn-Lewis
Main |
Scriptural Basis |
Historical Perspective |
The Definition Copyright ©2000, 2002. Christian Websites. All Rights Reserved. |