Our Tripartite Nature: One Person in Three Parts

Human beings reflect the tripartite nature of God. We consist of  -

A.  BODY  - consisting of our physical elements and characteristics

B.  SOUL- consisting of our
     •  MIND -  our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes
     •  WILL  -  the part that determines our choices & actions
     •  EMOTIONS  -  feelings such as love, joy, peace, etc

C.  SPIRIT  - the part of us that is sensitive to spiritual reality & includes that part of our conscience that distinguishes between right and wrong, irrespective of our upbringing.

The Effects of The Fall

Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God had three devastating effects for all human beings (see THE ORIGINS OF EVIL)  -

1.  Our BODY became subject to PHYSICAL SUFFERING and DEATH

2.  Our SOUL became subject to EMOTIONAL ANGUISH and WANTING TO GO OUR OWN WAY rather than God’s way

3.  Our SPIRIT suffered SEPARATION FROM GOD and we became SPIRITUALLY DEAD & ALIENATED FROM GOD. 

Instead of being in a perfect relationship with God, we all inherited the SIN-GENE and the DEATH-GENE  -   both physically and spiritually.

A War Between The Old & The New Natures

The result is we find there is a constant war going on between our OLD NATURE= The Flesh or Self-centred nature (consisting of Body and Soul, which wants to go its own way) and our NEW NATURE filled with the Holy Spirit, which wants to go God’s way.