"Her spirit returned". Her denotes ownership or possession, not person. If I said, her house, would that mean she is a house? If I say, her truck, does that mean she is a truck? The answer is no. So, saying her spirit doesn't mean she is a spirit. It simply means it came back to "Her". Obviously if it returned to her, it is not her. Are you aware that the Greek and Hebrew words that are translated "spirit" simply mean wind or breath? The DO NOT carry the idea of a disembodied consciousness like the English word spirit does. When they are translated as spirit, it is a figure of speech. So, what if we translated the passage literally?
But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her breath returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.
See, if translate it with breath it makes perfect sense. She was dead and her breath returned and she was alive.
While I understand your point, we must also understand that simply giving breath to a dead body will not revive it. While what you say is true about the words for spirit, we also understand that there are other words that have been used in Scripture and given a purely spiritual meaning to. Both נפח and πνεῦμα are used in this very same way. When we assign a "standard" definition to the word when it is clear that it means spirit, then we pervert the meaning of the word in the text, and thus, pervert the text. As an example, when the Scriptures say that an "unclean spirit" possessed someone or was cast out, are you going to suggest (in great error) that the word pneuma in such a text actually means "unclean breath?" If you would, then you would be cutting your nose off despite your face (or shooting yourself in the foot, which ever you prefer).
Nothing here says that man is a spirit. Paul says, "our spirit" our denotes possession or ownership, not person. If I say, "our truck" does that mean I am a truck? If I say, "our house" does that mean I am a house? The answer to both is no. It simply means that we have ownership or possession of a truck or house. So, that passage doesn't prove your point.
Again, while I understand what you are saying, you are not being straight with the texts. Your hand is part of your body, its not that you "possess" it...it is part of you. If I chop off your hand, again, it is not used in the sense of possession, but in the sense of it is part of you...part of your body. By rejecting the clear teaching of Scripture that human beings are flesh and spirit, you pervert numerous passages and not just one doctrine of Scripture.
Nothing here proves your point that man is a spirit. It simply shows that man has a spirit or literally breath. We already know that because God put His breath or spirit in man at creation.
Do you realize that you are making the same argument that heretic Jehovah's Witnesses use in their false doctrines, which has been condemned for the last 2000 years as just that...false doctrine? I understood that in order to be part of this forum, one had to uphold the essential doctrines of the Christian faith...but what you are claiming is not one of them.
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Gen. 2:7 KJV)
There is the spirit in man, it is the breath of life. notice though that it isn't man, man is dust as the passage says. The breath or spirit is something of God Himself.
Sorry, but what you are saying is only half truths. Here...
1 Samuel 28:7-15
7 Then Saul said to his servants, "Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her." And his servants said to him, "Behold, there is a medium at En-dor."
8 So Saul disguised himself and put on other garments and went, he and two men with him. And they came to the woman by night. And he said, "Divine for me by a spirit and bring up for me whomever I shall name to you."
9 The woman said to him, "Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the necromancers from the land. Why then are you laying a trap for my life to bring about my death?"
10 But Saul swore to her by the LORD, "As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing."
11 Then the woman said, "Whom shall I bring up for you?" He said, "Bring up Samuel for me."
12 When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice. And the woman said to Saul, "Why have you deceived me? You are Saul."
13 The king said to her, "Do not be afraid. What do you see?" And the woman said to Saul, "I see a god coming up out of the earth."
14 He said to her, "What is his appearance?" And she said, "An old man is coming up, and he is wrapped in a robe." And Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground and paid homage.
15
Then Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul answered, "I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams. Therefore I have summoned you to tell me what I shall do."
Samuel's body was dead, but since human beings are spirits temporarily dwelling within fleshly bodies, Samuel himself did not die. He was a spirit...now, unless you are going to go the way of the JW on this, your point is made completely useless and moot, because your point is in error.
Human beings are flesh and spirit together, to deny that is to make yourself a heretic and pervert the truth of Scripture.
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