The Soul-Life
The soul is man's self-consciousness, encompassing all elements of our personality, and is the key to understanding a person's true self.
Watchman Nee explores the concept of the soul as the essence of human self-consciousness and personality, emphasizing that our intellect, emotions, and will are all integral parts of the soul. He explains that the Bible often equates the soul with the heart, suggesting that understanding a person's soul is key to understanding their true self. Nee highlights that the soul is not only a reflection of personality but also encompasses the natural life of man, where the terms 'soul' and 'life' are often used interchangeably in Scripture. This interconnectedness of soul and life illustrates the depth of human existence as defined by both spiritual and natural elements. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deeper understanding of the soul-life as foundational to our identity and relationship with God.
Text
The soul is man's self-consciousness. We are conscious of our own existence. This consciousness is the soul. The soul is the organ of our personality. All of our personality is part of the soul. All of the elements that constitute us as human beings, our intellect, mind, ideas, love, sensations, judgments, will, and so forth, are all part of the soul. Everything that man's personality encompasses belongs to the soul. The Bible often uses the word heart when referring to our true self. It may be that in the Bible the heart and the soul mean the same thing. The soul is our heart, our true self. The Bible often calls man a soul, as if man is nothing but a soul. For example, Genesis 12:5 uses the word ``souls,'' and there are numerous other scriptural passages that use soul for man.
This means that the soul is the personality, including all the elements of the personality. To understand a man, we have to understand his personality. The existence, characteristics, and life of a man issue from his soul. This is why the Bible calls a man a soul.
However, in addition to the intellect, love, will, and sensations in the soul, there is also the life of the soul. This life is man's life, the natural life of man. In the Bible, many places use the word soul interchangeably with the word life; many passages translate soul as life. For example, the word translated life in both Leviticus 17:11 and Revelation 12:11 is soul in the corresponding original languages. This is because in the original languages there is no difference between the words soul and soul-life.
Hence, the various elements contained in the soul are the elements contained in the soul-life. This soul-life is man's natural life, which includes the intellect, love, sensations, and so forth.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Soul as Man's Self-Consciousness
- A. The soul is the organ of our personality
- B. All of our personality is part of the soul
- II. The Soul as the True Self
- A. The Bible often uses the word heart when referring to our true self
- B. The soul is our heart, our true self
- III. The Life of the Soul
- A. The life of the soul is man's natural life
- B. The soul-life includes the intellect, love, sensations, and so forth
Key Quotes
“The soul is the organ of our personality.” — Watchman Nee
“The soul is our heart, our true self.” — Watchman Nee
“The life of the soul is man's natural life, which includes the intellect, love, sensations, and so forth.” — Watchman Nee
Application Points
- To understand a person, we must understand their personality and the life of their soul.
- Our soul-life, including our intellect, love, and sensations, is what makes us human.
- Recognizing the soul as our true self can help us develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.