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Paul spoke of the struggle we have within us between our flesh and spirit. Yet we believe we are three parts--body, SOUL, and spirit. So where is the soul in all of this? Is it just part of some collective flesh?It came to me that something referees between the spirit and the flesh. We DECIDE which way we will go (decide may be too strong of a word in some cases; it might be more like we just let go and go with the flow). That is our WILL. So, is the soul the will? Is that all of the soul...or, as we usually put it, does it also contain the emotions, etc. Why wouldn't the emotions be part of the FLESH? They do seem awfully susceptible to temptation, etc. The will, I think, must be the INTELLIGENCE--the thing that governs our direction, deciding whether we go with the flesh or not, etc.

As usually defined, the soul consists of the mind, will and emotions. It seems to me that instead of a free will, what we actually have is a free mind, weighing alternatives and making decisions. Thus, the will is simply a faculty of the mind. Emotions are neither sinful or holy, but are merely reactions to what the mind is presently contemplating. They can, when overly excited, certainly cloud good judgement and influence us to make sinful choices if we let them (for example, getting carried away or losing your temper).

The soul is the mind, the will and the emotions. The flesh doesn't produce emotion. It simply provides the soul with sensory information the soul interprets to produce emotions - pain, hunger, fatigue, pleasure.The soul is the deciding factor in whether the flesh or spirit prevails. Are we spiritually minded or fleshly minded I'm not saved because I'm good. I'm saved because He's good!My website: www.bradfreeman.comMy blog: bradcfreeman.tumblr.com/

Yes, I know we've all HEARD that the soul is the emotions, etc. But, of course, from a materialists point of view, the mind, emotions, etc., are all contained in the body.I know we're not materialists, but how have we deduced that the soul MUST be the emotions, etc.? Certainly, when Paul spoke of the struggles with the flesh, he was clearly speaking of not JUST the body, but the emotions, desires, etc. He considered all of these things to be part of the flesh or the body, it seems.Will is--or is certainly part and parcel of--intelligence. We decide which way to go based on our intelligence/will making a determination.

Brad...

I presume that is the word from which psyche arises? But although that word was used as perhaps the best word, is that word fully accurate about the soul?I am not being argumentative, but since Paul seemed to think that the flesh (which, admittedly, could be the combination of body and soul) was a term that meant all of those things:(Galatians 5:24

No problem. In Galatians 5, Paul is again describing the Romans 6:6, Romans 7:17, 20, Phil 3:3-9, Galatians 6:14, Col 2:11