Chapter 22 THE SOUL AND SPIRIT - THE NEPHESH

(This extract is based on concepts presented in Chapter 21 THE NATURE AND MECHANICS OF A HUMAN)
Modern society has only a childlike idea of what a soul or spirit might be, mostly because neither are things that can be poked or prodded with a scalpel. For many, spirit and soul are interchangeable terms and simply mean the unique, intangible, and non-physical aspects of a person. But they are not the same.
A person's soul, their nephesh, is nothing like their spirit.
I imagine that at the conception of a child, the nephesh is almost nothing at all. Nothing but the essence of life itself; God’s breath and a set of unique instructions carried within it. It is something like DNA for who the person will become. It is a gift, the raw potential for life in its most perfect and uncorrupted form.
When developed, the nephesh of a human is intricate, complex, and if properly formed, exquisitely beautiful. Like a snowflake of sentient life, it is an ecosystem shaped by a person's history, intentions, actions, beliefs, and current potential for good or evil, imbued with the breath of God. It is the very essence of who a person is. It is a perfect mirror in the SUPOX for the person’s life in the NAPOX. Layered, each part is interwoven in such a way that many things can be hidden within the fabric of its fold.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:44 NIV

For the more literal minded among you these ideas might be a bridge too far. However, if you’ve enough of an open mind to stay with me for a moment, we can hold this theory I’m putting forward up to the light of scripture and test its worth. Somebody had to imagine that the Americas existed to set sail and ultimately find them. And perhaps, in a similar way, you’ll find merit in these ideas as you read on.
I imagine in the SUPOX a person’s nephesh would fill out the frame of their torso. Spreading out from the axis drawn between their head and heart, it fills out their physical form continuing even to the point of forming a garment (see Chapter 42 THE GARMENT ). For some, these are beautiful, extending like a living and organic flower, up from the heart and around the head like a crown. In some instances these would resemble a tiara or a woven piece of armor. And yet for others, especially the spirit-dead, it is a wild bramble, complete unkempt chaos through which they can’t even see.

They are vines without grapes; fig trees without figs or leaves. JEREMIAH 8:13 CEV

There are aspects of a nephesh that fit inside the body's form, and these would be commonly understood as a person's soul. There are also aspects of a nephesh that extend beyond the frame of the body, forming something like a garment, and this is a person's character. These are features that make up and distinguish an individual, features that can generally be perceived by other humans.

“She [the Church] has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.” For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. REVELATION 19:8 NLT

“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” MATTHEW 13:18-23 NLT

The nephesh of a person grows and changes in perfect synchronization with the person as they progress through life. In so far as it is true that a person is the sum total of their decisions, the same can be said for their nephesh. Seeds planted in their heart grow and give form to the nephesh, both inside and outside the outline of their physical form.
The nephesh was intended to be covered by the luminescent flame of the Spirit, and a person's naked soul never meant to be seen. Sensing exposure, a person will try to cover themselves with anything, lies and deception being in easy reach. Covering nakedness in this way produces a wiry and thorn-laden thicket, something that over time will harden into the permanent exterior.

So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. … clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. ROMANS 13:12 & 14 NLT

Jeshua’s clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel. So the angel said to the others standing there, “Take off his filthy clothes.” And turning to Jeshua he said, “See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes.” ZECHARIAH 3:3-6 NLT

For a human who is Spiritkind, the spirit can be clearly seen in the SUPOX surrounding the nephesh like flame. In my mind’s eye, it is like fire that burns from the heart both upward and downward, covering the nephesh from top to bottom. The Spirit makes many parts of the nephesh luminescent, pure and radiant. Angels watching the first spark of the Spirit’s flame count themselves extraordinarily fortunate – they are witnessing the birth of a brand new Spiritkind. An extraordinary transformation. That which was dead, now blazing with life.

“In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” LUKE 15:10 NIV

I will likely never see this while I am bound in my body on earth, but I imagine there to be nothing in the NAPOX that compares to this moment. The dead spirit within a child, nothing but smoldering embers. And then, from seemingly nowhere, the wind of the Spirit arrives, breathed from above like pure oxygen. The person is baptized into flame, the gentle caress of the Spirit surrounding the soul, and for the first time since birth, ignition! The person's own newly born spirit springs to life, fanned into flame and leaping in pure joy. Burning together with the Holy Spirit the flames twist into one, inexorably linked and alive.

I [John the Baptist] baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He [Jesus Christ] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” MATTHEW 3:11-12 NIV

Baptism by the Holy Spirit is a fiery immersion that turns the dead and decaying layers of a person’s nephesh to ash. It is a purging, a complete removal of all that is abhorrent and filthy. When a person repents, the fire that the Holy Spirit brings is that of cleansing.

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 NLT

The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion … with the hot breath of fiery judgment. ISAIAH 4:4 NLT

…if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, … the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. …if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 JOHN 1:7 & 9 NLT

A human with a beautiful nephesh is a valuable find, partly because they have channeled the buffeting of violent and merciless circumstances to refine their quality and value, a remarkable and rare outcome. Among Spiritkind, these are well prepared for life in the SUPOX when their mortal body fails.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18 NIV

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. 1 PETER 3:3-4 NLT

In the absence of the Holy Spirit, there is no enveloping protection. What was a healthy nephesh can become tinder-dry, like flakes of paper. Within the delicate but dead layers can hide all sorts of sickness and disease. Love of money is like hidden corrosion. Worry is like a vine that constricts and strangles. Lust, like a damp and pungent rot. Anger like hot coals that smolder and burn.

Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. ROMANS 1:29 NLT

God’s intention, however, is through his Holy Spirit to make of each person’s nephesh a remarkable, unique and heavenly garment. Most famously, laced within the intricate folds of each are the ‘fruits of the spirit’, pure and living gems. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness; in the SUPOX they shine with clear color and beauty, unique to every person through whom they are produced.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. … the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, GALATIANS 5:16 & 22 NLT

It strikes me that love, possibly the most delicate, the most fragrant and the most valuable part of a person’s nephesh, is also the fabric upon which all else holds in place. It is the vine upon which all other fruit hangs.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. … And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. COLOSSIANS 3:12&14 NIV

… this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. PHILIPPIANS 1:9 MSG

When a person dies, their nephesh does not disappear with the passing of their mortal body. Rather, like something that passes through the flames of the refiner’s fire, all that is impure is burnt away, and only that which is pure survives. What remains on the other side of death, be it everything or nothing at all, is what the person will have as a garment for the next age.

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 CORINTHIANS 5:1-5 NIV

Excerpt From: Geoffrey Young. “Guardian Universe: The Gospel in Unexpected Terms.” https://www.cmdrpublishing.com/product-page/guardian-universe-book
Chapter 23 TESTING BY FIRE