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Inasmuch as we have seen how soul is the site of our personality, the organ of volition and the natural life, we can easily conclude that this soul is also the “real I”—I myself. Our self is the soul. This too can be demonstrated by the Bible. In Numbers 30, the phrase “bind himself” occurs ten times. In the original it is “bind his soul.” From this we are led to understand that the soul is our own self. In many other passages of the Bible we find the word “soul” is translated as “self.” For instance: “You shall not defile yourselves with them” Lev. 11.43 “You shall not defile yourselves” Lev. 11.44 “For themselves and for their descendants” Esther 9.31 “You who tear yourself in your anger” Job 18.4 “He justified himself” Job 32.2 “But themselves go into captivity” Is. 46.2 “What every one (original, “every soul”) must eat, that only may be prepared by you” Ex. 12.16 “Who kills any person (original, “kill any soul”) without intent” Num. 35.11,15 “Let me (original, “let my soul”) die ...

Some Bible scholars point out to us that three different words are employed in the Greek to designate “life”: (1) bios (2) psuche (3) zoe. They all describe life but convey very different meanings. Bios has reference to the means of life or living. Our Lord Jesus used this word when He commended the woman who cast into the temple treasury her whole living. Zoe is the highest life, the life of the spirit. Whenever the Bible speaks of eternal life it uses this word. Psuche refers to the animated life of man, his natural life or the life of the soul. The Bible employs this term when it describes the human life. Let us note here that the words “soul” and “soul life” in the Bible are one and the same in the original. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for “soul”—nephesh—is used equally for “soul life.” The New Testament consequently employs the Greek word psuche for both “soul” and “soul life.” Hence we know “soul” not only is one of the three elements of man but also is man’s life, his...

Aside from having a spirit which enables him to commune with God, man also possesses a soul, his self-consciousness. Hs is made conscious of his existence by the work of his soul. It is the seat of our personality. The elements which make us human belong to the soul. Intellect, thought, ideals, love, emotion, discernment, choice, decision, etc., are but various experiences of the soul. It has been explained already that the spirit and the body are merged in the soul which, in turn, forms the organ of our personality. That is why the Bible sometimes calls man “soul,” as though man has only this element. For example, Genesis 12.5 refers to people as “souls” (ASV). Again, when Jacob brought his entire family down to Egypt, it is recorded that “all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into Egypt, were threescore and ten” (Gen. 46.27 ASV). Numerous instances occur in the original language of the Bible where “soul” is used instead of “man.” For the seat and essence of the personality...

“ …and let them have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and over the fowls of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepth upon the earth. ” (Gen. 1:26). God created man to have dominion over the earth and all thing that creeped upon the earth. He did not say some things, neither did He say-- on earth only, but God said all things that are on the earth and the things that creeps upon the earth. God made us the god of this world, he gave us authority on earth; we were made the managers of earth. All things on earth including things that creeps upon it. This is the soul of man, this is the free will God gave us. He did not make us robots to be controlled, but He gave us dominion. Dominion here means to rule over them, it means the power of choice. Though He created bravery in us, He made us the green of the world, He made us moving creature that can fly above the earth; we have the rule over them whether to manifest the...