No doctor operating on a patient has ever discovered an organ called the soul, yet we have no better term to describe what distinguishes human beings from every other part of God’s creation. Only people have the unique gift of self-consciousness, the ability to reflect on their own experience, to interpret it to others, and then to speak about it. A famous professor once said, “Dogs bark, but dogs never bark about barking.”

Only people speak to each other about their lives. Only people are able to know about a Being supremely good and loving and to pray to that Being. Our physical capacity for though, speech, and prayer is lodged in our brains, but neurophysiology alone cannot explain it. That is why the elder John could write to Gaius about the health of his body and also the strength of his spirit (his soul-his uniquely human capacity for spiritual life).

When God created the world, He gave a very special gift to Adam and Eve-His own “image” (Genesis 1:26). God shared with us the ability to distinguish good from evil. This gift, however, was abused, and humans fell into sin, tainting the gift and requiring that the soul be cleansed from guilt. This Jesus did on the Cross.

The soul of each person lives forever and will somebody be reunited with the body in God’s heavenly kingdom. In the meantime, keep your soul healthy with lots of Bible study, prayer, and vigorous faithful service to Christ.

3 JOHN 2: – Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.