With a subject matter like the purpose and function of the human spirit, we have no place to go for information apart from the Bible. But, as always, it’s adequate. Not that the Bible’s answers satisfy all our curious questions, but God, the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Bible, has seen to it that the record reveals adequate information for our purposes. It’s part of the sufficiency of Scripture. So, precisely, what is it that our human spirit does? What exactly does this non-material component contribute to our personhood?
For starters, let’s appeal to the books of Genesis and James. Genesis 2 makes it quite clear that it was the very breath of God into the nostrils of Adam that enlivened him. This infusion of non-matter spirit was the animation of Adam. It appears to be the very life principle itself, and no one has ever actually seen this spirit, or life principle. We only see physical bodies that either have it or do not have it. If you don’t have it, your body is dead. If you do, you’re alive. You may be close to leaving the living and entering death, but, as long as you haven’t, you are still alive, and your human spirit remains in your body. Your spirit gives you life and sustains your life. This is the first importance for your having a spirit.
Secondly, your spirit works in tandem with your physical brain. How can we prove this? I’m not sure it can be proved. Call it speculation, but it seems to be a logical necessity. Yet, it must be confessed no one has ever seen the spirit cooperating with our brain simply because the human spirit can’t be seen. While we can’t be dogmatic, it appears that the physical brain and the non-physical spirit and mind work in tandem. The brain is dependent upon the spirit. The spirit is dependent upon the brain. It appears they are a mutual admiration society with an exquisite function of cooperation. While in the body, these use and work with each other, immaterial information and signals originate from the spirit and are passed to the brain. The brain interprets these spirit-directed signals and gives orders to the neuro-muscular system for their execution. Voila! We walk, we talk, we speak, and do all kinds of wonderful things because we have a spirit containing a mind, and a brain working in tandem to animate us.
Can we verify what was just described? No, we can’t. We can’t because verification requires visualization. We simply cannot witness the actual carrying out of what was just described. Then, how do we know that’s how it works? Well, we don’t for sure. It can only be said that in taking the totality of Scripture testimony about what the Bible says regarding the human spirit and the human body, this scenario, or, perhaps, some variation of it, seems best to fit the overall situation about how we function and respond to neurological and spiritual stimuli. We will certainly welcome any additional light from other sources far more knowledgeable than ourselves. For now, with limited data, this appears at least possible, if not probable. “Fearfully and wonderfully made?” Well, I guess.
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