I was in an interesting class last night that discussed the Body, Soul, and Spirit.
Do humans have three distinct parts, Body, Soul and Spirit? (trichotomy view)
Or two distinct parts Body, Soul/Spirit? (dichotomy view) With soul and spirit being different words for the same thing?
Per Hebrews 4:12, God made us with 3 parts, spirit, soul, and bones and marrow.
Study in God's Word reveals what each part means, and where each part is from.
In Ecclesiastes 12:5-7, we are shown that if our "silver cord" is severed, meaning flesh death, our flesh goes back to the earth where it came from, but our 'spirit' goes back to God Who gave it.
In Matthew 10:28, Jesus told us to not fear those who can kill our body (flesh), but not our soul. That means our soul is like our spirit, and also is linked together with it and returns to The Father at flesh death.
In 2 Corinthians 5, Apostle Paul said that if our earthly tabernacle (flesh body) were dissolved, we still have another body not made with hands (non-material), from God eternal in the heavens (of the heavenly dimension). Thus Paul said to be absent from the body (flesh) is to be with The Lord (in the heavenly dimension).
In 1 Peter 3, Peter said that Jesus at His resurrection was 'quickened' by The Spirit, by which He also went to the "spirits in prison" and preached The Gospel to them. In 1 Peter 4, Peter said the Gospel was preached to the 'dead' so they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.
Per 1 Corinthians 15:45-54, Apostle Paul said that as we have borne the "image of the earthy", we shall also bear the "image of the heavenly". Paul thus defined 2 separate and different dimensions of existence by that, this earthly one we live in while in the flesh, and the heavenly one where God and the angels dwell, invisible behind a hidden veil.
There are many more Bible Scripture hints that reveal the above facts about our created makeup. The above examples are just the irrefutable fact type Scriptures.
When all that is put together in the mind in understanding, it means simply that we cannot assign our spirit-soul as being made of material matter or flesh. Those who do not understand the above simple Bible Scriptures often confuse their flesh with their spirit and soul. The orthodox Jews especially are confused about the soul, thinking that it is part of the flesh, and that when the flesh dies the soul dies also, and must be resurrected with the flesh. That is an old Jewish superstition, and is responsible for a lot of Churches today that hold to the false 'dead in the ground' theory.
When our flesh body dies today, our flesh immediately is cast off, and our spirit with soul continues on to be with Christ.
