Living 

ByTheSpirit







What Do Soulish 

and Spiritual Mean?




“The first man Adam became into a living soul; 

the last Adam into a life-giving spirit." 

(1 Cor 15:45 BLB)



Nab B. 

February 20, 2023

(Updated Sep 16, 2025)




Stage #1

Soulish, Earthly!


Man was potentially created to reflect the image of God, but not automatically! As an honourable creature, man was given the choice between reflecting God’s image or his own. 


I will spare you the details of how man, in the end, chose his image! Ever since, man has struggled to reflect the image of God; caught in an infant state, referred to as soulish, earthly, or natural in the scriptures. (Compare 1 Cor 15:47-48) 


As a breathing lump of flesh with feelings and intellect, "the Lord God formed man... and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being (Heb., nephesh: soul).” (Gen 2:7). 


Adam went back to dust. What of his offspring? Ever since this one act of "disobedience," we have been living and dying in a perpetual state of soulishness: unspiritual, missing the mark, in sin.


"For in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen 2:17 ESV). 


For out of it (ground) you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (Gen 3:19 ESV) 



A “soul” (nephesh, in Hebrew) means breath. God’s breath of life sustained Adam's flesh and all his mental faculties even after his disobedience, but it lasted for a short time, in a lower state of soulish existence, not so much in "God's image!"



All Souls Decay and Die!


People speak highly and positively of being connected to their inner souls rather than to their Creator God! By the very mind endowed to them by God, they choose to reject Him! When they speak of soul connection and soul searching, they often mean finding answers from within, apart from God! 


How does God view souls? To Him, all earthly souls (unborn of the spirit) must decay and die! Unless regenerated by His Spirit, the death of souls will continue to be the fate of every human! 


Death, a fact of life, is an unmistakable proof that God exists, and we humans cannot exist apart from Him! Rather than seeing the futility and the aimlessness of soulish earthly lives, humans continue, knowingly or unknowingly, to rebel, believing more and more in themselves, their own souls!


By God’s decree, souls were determined to decay and die:



Not only did man fall, but his entire world (which was made for humans) was also subjected, by God, to corruption and futility. Many, sadly, at the end of their lives, and despite seeming success, lament that their lived life was an exercise of futility! Their conclusion is correct, for had lived in a soulish state, never regenerated by God's Spirit.


“For the creation was subjected to futility."

(The Greek word, mataiotés, translated "futility," means aimlessness, lacking purpose or any meaningful end; nonsense, not permanent.) (Romans 8:20)


Only the living, for "the dead know not any thing," (Ecc 9:5), have a wonderful chance to accept or refuse to reunite with God. If not, such ones (by choice) will be permanently separated from the life of God at death for, 


"They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power." (2 Thess 1:9) NLT




What Keeps One Soulish? 

Any Way Out?


Dying is a process of lust, sin, and death! James 1:15 gives clues as to what makes us die. It goes something like this: 


“When lust (desire) hath conceived (Gk: actively lay hold), it bringeth forth (begets) sin, and sin, when it is finished (completed), Bringeth forth (gives birth) death.”


That passage, succinctly, describes what leads to death! According to James, death, like in Adam and Eve's case, begins with "lust". Lusting and focusing on our own desires, our soulishness leads to perpetual sin, which ends in death. 


Sin is what every human knows from womb to tomb. Sin resides in the minds and flesh of soulish humans. A human is not coerced into sin; he or she chooses it as naturally as taking a breath; we all do!


Sin (Gk., hamartia) means "no part of," or "loss" for not hitting a target, or better, "missing the mark". What mark did we all miss? "God's mark," or "God's image". But what is "God's image," you might ask? Christ is "The image of the invisible God." (Col 1:15) It is after His Son's image that God planned to transform every single human.


So, despite the bleak fate of all humans, by God's grace, it was bundled in hope: an assured expectation of a release to come. This was clearly expressed in Paul’s words here:


“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope (Gk. elpis: assured expectation) that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” (Rom 8:20-21 ESV)



Jesus Christ, the Saviour, has been setting humans free from their "soulish, earthly, and carnal" existence; bringing them back to God, the Father, but only through faith—complete trust—in what God has done through Him.



We Conquer by The Word of God


The very depth of man (soul, spirit, and joints, see Heb 4:12) could not be altered or permanently changed unless "God’s living Word" penetrates and transforms his fallen nature into a new divine one. 


When "The Word," Jesus Christ, fully penetrates the inner being of a human, the old self (Adamic soulish life) dies, and a new one is given, marking a new birth through by Holy Spirit, 


"I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God...and white robes (made righteous, compare Rev 19:8) were given unto every one of them." (Rev 6:9,11).


Note how Hebrews 4:12 shows how "The Word of God" heals us from within: (keep in mind that the word isn't just the scriptures)




A true seeker will think seriously about losing his soulish, earthly life to gain this real life! A Soulish life is a hindrance to true life. When man is ready to surrender his old soul, the greatest battle ensues, making the surrender of the soul quite difficult and lengthy. Don't give up; patience is needed.


No new birth begins in adulthood! As one grows from childhood to adulthood, so does the spiritual birth. One never matures instantly. It takes time. Paul addressed soulish believers, urging them to press on to spiritual maturity. Christ's messages to the churches are filled with counsel against the prevailing soulish attitudes among many.


What is not desirable is when a believer lingers in a soulish state, never maturing spiritually to take hold of the true life in Christ Jesus. Christ tells us that it is a waste of time (life) to stay soulish:


“For whoever desires to save his life [Gk: psuché or soul] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his soul? Or what will a man give as an exchange for his soul?” (Matt 16:25-26)


“The one loving his life [soul] loses it, and the one hating his life [soul] in this world will keep it to eternal life [zoen aionion - ‘age-long life] (Note: zóé: real life, fullness of life).” (John 12:25)




Three Words for Life

( Bios - Psuché - Zoé )

What is the Difference?



The word ‘life’, which appears in our English Bibles, has different shades of meaning in the original Greek. ‘Life’ is shown as (1) Bios, (2) Psuché, and (3) Zoé. These three are often lumped together and translated as life; hence, their subtle differences are missed. 


By recognizing their subtle differences, you will appreciate the life God is offering to those who believe:


Bios: Translated as ‘life’. It refers to the biological or physical body. For example, Luke 8:14 speaks of the word being “Choked with the cares and the pleasures of this life (bios)”. These are the ones who live solely for the desires of the flesh.



Psuché: Als translated as ‘life’. Psuché refers to the soul-life as lived by a person absorbed in their life, self-made, fleshly, intellectual treasures apart from God. For example, in Matt 16:25, Jesus said, “Whoever loses his soul [Psuché] (for my sake) shall find it.” Jesus is not asking us to kill ourselves but rather to lose our self-absorbed, self-achieved kind of life to find the real life (or zoé: see next). One needs to ask, "If souls were any good, why does Jesus insist on losing them?"



Zoé: This is also translated as ‘life’. ‘Zoé refers to "the divine eternal life of God," which is offered through Christ Jesus, who has been a “life-giving Spirit” (see 1 Cor 15:45). 


Note how the word zoé (life) is used in these verses to denote a life, but a different kind of life from bios or psuché. Here, it refers to a new life given to us (God's divine life) through the Saviour, Jesus Christ:


“In it [the 'word' or God’s news about Christ] was life [zoé], and the life [zoé] was the light of men.” (John 1:4) In other words, God was bringing His divine eternal life to us when His Christ appeared.


“And the life [zoé] was made manifest, and we have seen and bear witness, and proclaim to you the eternal life [zoé aionion], which was with the Father and was revealed to us.” (1 John 1:1)


“Now this is eternal life [aionion zoé]”. (John 17:3 )


“I have come that they may have life [zoé] and may have [zoé], abundantly.” (John 10:10 )


“Through which He has given to us the precious and magnificent promises so that through these you might become partakers [sharers, partners, companions] of the divine nature, having escaped the decay in the world in desire.” (2 Pet 1:4)



To simplify, this is how I think of these three types of life:




It's good to ask, "Which of these three stages am I at?" Well, take your pick: 






Keep in mind that stages one and two are still soulish, carnal, and earthly and carry very little, if any, of the life of God in them. 




It's Risky to Remain Soulish!


Soulish is the opposite of spiritual! It is not a desirable state! I'm not making this up; read what Paul said:


“The natural (literally: soulish) man does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. For they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:14)



How undesirable? A soulish person is actually in a state of corruption, dishonour, weakness, natural, and earthly. Unregenerated souls are destined to decay and die with no hope of living forever. But one can change this destiny. 


To change this, to be saved, we need Jesus Christ, "the life-giving Spirit," and the "Word of God" to re-create us anew. There is no other way, for he is "The (only) way, the truth, and the life." If done by faith in God and His work through Christ, only then are we transformed into the final stage of being "born of God". 


Pay close attention to 1 Corinthians 15:42-49 below, showing the stark contrast between the soulish and the spiritual. As you read, study the negative adjective concerning being soulish or a natural, unregenerated man:


“The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption."


"It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory.


"It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 


"It is sown a natural (literally: soulish) body, it is raised a spiritual (relating to the realm of the spirit) body. 


"And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being (lit. Soul: psuché).” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 


"The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 


"And as we have borne the image of the man of dust [the 666 or the number of man], we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.” (1 Cor 15:42-49)




How is the Soul Spiritually Sacrificed?


“The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4) is the fate of those who die in their sin, unsaved. But, if one chooses willingly to put to death his old soulish life, he will receive the new life of God (aiónios zoé). 


It is a symbolic violent death, a sacrifice, a killing of the old soulish self (Gk., ego). It needs willing determination and intellect, combined with faith and humility, to offer the old to God for a glorious new life!


“Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it.” (Mark 8:35)


“Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25)


“For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom 8:2)




Am I Soulish or Spiritual? 

How Do I Know?


It's worth noting that the word "flesh" does not refer to our physical bodies, which God perfectly formed. The "flesh" in the scriptures mostly refers to our human old nature, corrupted mind, the sin within in our very depths, which is often manifested in the flesh.


Now that we know what flesh means, note how this condition, being fleshly (soulish), is unapproved by God in Romans 8:4-7: 


“Those who live according to the flesh (self or carnal) set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For the mind of the flesh is death; but the mind of the Spirit, life and peace, because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.” 



One can become soulish by prioritizing other unnecessary pursuits over Christ. Note that even with Jesus being present, Martha, at least on one occasion, acted soulishly, causing Jesus to say this:


“Martha, Martha, you are anxious (divided, distracted) and troubled about many things; but one thing is necessary, only one; for Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)



Another way is when a believer is overly occupied and worried about what might seem to him legitimate pursuits, such as work, eating, and clothing. 


“He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, allow me first, having gone away, to bury my father. But Jesus told him, "Let the dead (spiritually) bury their own dead. You, however, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:60)


“Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles [soulish] seek after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you have need of them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt 6:32) ESV



On the other hand, a spirit–born believer dwells, trusts, and relies more on God in all things. He is more focused on spiritual things and savours them. His previous soulish and carnal existence, slowly and gradually, is put to death.


“Set your minds on the things above, not the things on the earth. For you have died, and your life has been hidden with Christ in God…Therefore put to death members which are upon the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Col 3:2,3,5)




Stage #2 

Spiritual, Heavenly!


A door has opened because of Christ's death, humans are being reconciled to God and being saved from death. By faith, God's free gift is handed to all. Anyone who wishes can obtain a spiritual renewal, to seize the life of God, in this age and in all ages to come.


“Let the one who wishes (willingness is required) take the water of life without cost.” (Rev 22:17)



Does God care which way we choose? Not only does He care, He desires all to choose life with Him. Each human is given one life, enough to decide which way we choose, ourselves or God! 


“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live.” (Deut 30:19) ESV



To many, soulish or earthly life may seem too precious to let go, but what we get in return is unfathomable; it cannot be compared with anything on this side of life:


“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." ( Romans 8:18)


"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.” (1 Cor 15:44)