Page 112 - Bible Writers Theology Original

96 ♦ Bible Writers' Theology Chapter Five
human race was a shadow of the church to come. Just as man was incom plete without woman, the church is incomplete without Christ. In the same manner of truth, as man's nature desires to be social with his race, God in His nature enjoys fellowship with His body, the Church.
As Eve was created from the bone and flesh of Adam to bring a com pleteness of relationship and unity; the Church was formed from the body of Christ to bring a complete relationship between God and man
(John 1:12-13; 3:5-6; I Corinthians 15:45-50; Ephesians 1:4-11; 5:30; I John 3:1- 3). I John 1:1-3 supports this truth, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."
5.2 The Bipartite Constitution (Framework) of Man
Trichotomists view man as being composed of three elements: the first element is the physical body. The second element of man is the soul. The third element is the spirit. The spirit, soul, and body are the defining parts of a man that can exist independent of each other.
Dichotomists view that man is composed of two elements, a material aspect (the body), and an immaterial component the spirit which is a unitary
^w o man. According to their view, man is composed of body, and soul. e ®y the physical part of man, which dies. The soul, or the spirit, on
the ot er hand, is the immaterial part of man, the part of man which sur vives death. It is this immortal nature which sets man apart form all other creatures (Erickson, 520-522).
The Bible attests in II Corinthians 4:16, "...though our outward man per ish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." This indicates that the human beings have a bipartite nature. (See Romans 7:21-25; Ephesians 4:22- 24; Colossians 3:9-10.) Man is created in the image and likeness of God. God
seems bipartite in His indivisible essence: Spirit and Word. As Word He begot word and made it flesh, and the Spirit (God the father) dwelt in it with no different subsistences or persons.
"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of