SOUL. The word soul has different meanings in Scripture. Sometimes it does refer to the whole man. Often, though, it refers to a conscious, immaterial part of man which exists beyond death apart from the body. Bible words must be defined by the context in which they are found, since almost all Bible words have various usages and definitions in different contexts. This is true with words in normal language usage in or out of the Bible.
OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING ON THE SOUL. O.T. examples of the soul as an immaterial, conscious part of the man are seen in Ge. 35:18 and 1 Ki. 17:21-22. In Ge. 35 the death of Rachel is recorded, and we learn that her soul departed when she died. "... as her soul was in departing, (for she died)..." In 1 Ki. 17 it is recorded that a young boy died and was raised again through Elijah's ministry. The Bible plainly says his soul departed and returned again to him: "... O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived."
NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING ON THE SOUL. In the N.T., the word "soul" is also used to describe a spiritual part of man distinct from his body. "... I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Th. 5:23). Here we are told that man has three parts. Paul did not say man IS a soul; he says man HAS a soul. [See also Death, Seventh-day Adventism, Spirit.]
SPIRIT. The word spirit has various meanings in Scripture. (1) Sometimes (rarely) it refers to the breath of man (Job 27:3). (2) Sometimes it refers to intelligence and skill (Ex. 28:3; De. 34:9). (3) Sometimes it refers to the emotions (Ex. 6:9; 1 Sa. 1:15). (4) Sometimes it refers to demons (Le. 20:27; Ju. 9:23; Job 4:15; Mt. 12:43; Mk. 1:23; 3:30; 5:2; 7:25; 9:20-26; Ac. 5:16; 8:7; 16:18; 19:12,13; 1 Ti. 4:1). [See Devils.] (5) Sometimes it refers to angels (He. 1:7,14). [See Angels.] (6) Sometimes it refers to the Holy Spirit (Ge. 1:2; 6:3; Zec. 4:6; Mt. 3:16; Ac. 2:4; 5:9; Ro. 8:9). [See Holy Spirit.] (6) Sometimes it refers to the immaterial part of man, the inner man which is distinct from the body and which passes into eternity at death. The spirit can faint (Ge. 45:26), can be willing (Ex. 35:21), can be hardened (De. 2:30), can be sad (1 Ki. 21:5), can be troubled (Jn. 13:21), can rejoice (Lk. 10:21), can be refreshed (1 Co. 16:18). Ec. 12:7 says the spirit returns to God at death. The N.T. says there are three parts to man: spirit, soul, and body (1 Th. 5:23). Jesus dismissed His spirit from His body when He died on the cross (Lk. 23:46). The Christian is to be holy in body and in spirit (1 Co. 7:34; 2 Co. 7:1). Death is separation of the spirit from the body (Jam. 2:26). [See Death, Seventh-day Adventism, Soul.]