Trinity Concepts (2.09) Man's Body

Mesoderm- structural

Ectoderm- communications

Endoderm- engine

When one’s body is not feeling well, or on the contrary, is fresh out of bed, after a sound night’s sleep, the soul (our mind, emotions and will) are affected by that condition negatively or positively.  The same holds true with our human personalities.  Our physical make-up affects our soulish personality. 

In embryology, there are three main aspects of development, the mesoderm, ectoderm and endoderm.  The mesoderm is the structural, skeletal development.  The ectoderm is the nervous system, while the endoderm is the fueling (engine) system of the human body.  The mesoderm relates to the will of the soul, as the will provides structure and stability for the mind and the emotions to operate.  The ectoderm relates to the mind, as nerves receive information for processing, and the endoderm relates to the emotions of the soul, fluctuating based upon anxiety or joy. 

Each of these three main characteristics of the human body: the Structural system, the Communication system and the Energy system are found in all of us; however, we have each been created with a certain ‘bent’, if you will, physically. 

I recently read in a fitness magazine, an article characterized by three types of workout routines for the Mesomorph, Ectomorph and Endomorph.  They gave a fourth kind of workout for the Combination body type, which relates to the concept of the Phlegmatic personality being a blend of the three soul areas: mind, emotion and will.

As we each have a physical body, which leans toward one of these three areas, our human souls follow suit.  On very broad terms, look at those who are structurally muscular and notice their tendencies toward the choleric or phlegmatic personalities.  Notice the ‘skinnier, long-limbed’ types leaning toward the melancholy personality traits, and those who have natural food-storing capabilities having sanguine tendencies.  It is also important to note that each of us have varying degrees of all three categories, all blending together, yet creating an end result of uniqueness for each individual.

According to the promise of Scripture, the return of Christ manifests a change in the creation and hence in our physical human bodies as well, where the death and decay of the natural realm is swallowed up by the supernatural life of God.  It appears that the most profound change to our bodies is in the Ectoderm, which correlates to the current natural realm and the Holy Spirit’s presence here at this time.

When the Sadducees questioned Jesus concerning the resurrection of the dead, He replied to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God." (Matt. 22:29-30)

(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)



Trinity Concepts (2.00) Man

Man 

Spirit

Soul

Body

Man, created in God’s image, was made to have three main elements to his being.  This is outlined in the Scriptures as “spirit, soul and body”. (I Thess. 5:23) These three areas of our existence each have three parts, reflecting the Trinity ‘dimensions’ within themselves.

The spirit of man is the part of man that touches the supernatural realm, or the spiritual realm.  To one who has not yet received the new birth, which comes through faith in Jesus Christ, his spirit is separated from God.  This produces within him a sensation of a ‘vacuum’, an insatiable hunger driving him to try to fill it with anything that will give some relief.  Just a moment of ‘inspiration’ from a movie or a walk in the park, or wherever he has tasted just a hint of God’s goodness (which is evident all around us), keeps him constantly searching for the next high, or 'fix', that will quell this aching pain within himself.  What he is not aware of is the fact that God is actually leading him to Himself by His goodness. (Rom.2:4)

Some people are lured into the negative power of the spirit realm through the occult, not realizing that spiritual forces can be destructive.  The misconception is that just because something is spiritual, and thus higher and more powerful than the natural realm, that this makes it automatically good.  Falling into this trap produces nothing but failure and destruction.

To the Christian, however, our spirits are joined to the Holy Spirit, united with Him.  We are “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3)

Our soul is formed by the ‘merging together’ of our spirit and our body.  It is the ‘middle’ part of our being, characterized by our mind (or reasoning capabilities), emotions (or affections) and volition, or will (decision making ability).  Every person has unique strengths and ‘giftings’, based upon how these three areas of their soul function.  One person will have a very quick mind.  Someone else will be the ‘life of the party’ with emotional effectiveness, and yet others can make quick decisions that, more often than not, are correct and good.  These are known as the personality temperaments of our lives.  We each have varied combinations of these three elements, producing within us our own uniqueness. The body also affects our soul and the kind of personalities we have.    According to the field of embryology, the three main aspects of our bodies, formed within the womb, are the Mesoderm, Ectoderm and Endoderm.  In broad terminology, this is the Structural system (bones, muscles, tendons, etc.), the Nervous system (or communication system) and the Fueling System (turning food into energy for the body).  Each of these three parts of our body relate to the Trinity ‘dimensions’ as well.

Following is a discussion of the attributes of man: spirit, soul and body, in more detail.



(for more study, see the Trinity Concepts Key)