There are three parts to the soul and three parts to the spirit. We must discover what the three parts of both the soul and the spirit are. Furthermore, we must also define the heart. First Thessalonians 5:23 indicates that we are a tripartite being—spirit, soul, and body—but it does not mention the heart. What is the heart, and how can we relate it to the inward parts and the hidden part?
God’s Word proves clearly and definitely that the soul is of three parts—the mind, the will, and the emotion. The shaded area in the diagram below illustrates the parts of the soul.
Proverbs 2:10 (cf. 19:2) suggests that the soul needs knowledge. Since knowledge is a function of the mind, this proves that the mind is a part of the soul. These two verses from Proverbs tell us that we need to have knowledge in our soul. Then Psalm 139:14 says that the soul knows. To know is something of the mind, which again proves that the mind is a part of the soul. Psalm 13:2 says that the soul takes counsel, or considers (ASV), which refers to the mind. Lamentations 3:20 indicates that the soul remembers. From these verses we can see that there is a part in the soul that knows, considers, and remembers. This part is the mind.
The second part of the soul is the will. Job 7:15 says that the soul chooses. To choose something is a decision made by the act of the will. This proves that the will must be a part of the soul. Job 6:7 says that the soul refuses. To choose and refuse are both functions of the will. First Chronicles 22:19 says, “Set your...soul to seek.” Just as we set our mind to think, so we set our soul to seek. This is, of course, the soul making a decision, which proves that the will must be a part of the soul. Then Numbers 30 speaks of binding one’s soul ten times (ASV). When we read this chapter, we understand that to bind the soul is to make a decision. It is related to a vow that is made with the Lord. To make a decision to bind the soul is to make a vow to the Lord. Thus, this is proof that the will must be a part of the soul. Psalm 27:12; 41:2; and Ezekiel 16:27 (ASV) translate the Hebrew word for soul into “will.” The prayer made by the psalmist is, “Do not give me over / To the desire (lit. soul) of my adversaries.” This proves clearly that the will must be a part of the soul.
The emotion is the third part of the soul. With the emotion there are many aspects, for example, love, hatred, joy, grief, etc. All these are expressions of the emotion. References to love in relation to the soul are found in 1 Samuel 18:1 and Song of Songs 1:7. These verses show that love is in the soul, proving, therefore, that within the soul there is such an organ, or function, as the emotion. Concerning hatred, 2 Samuel 5:8, Psalm 107:18, and Ezekiel 36:5 speak of hating, loathing, and despising in relation to the soul. Since these are expressions of the emotion, these verses also prove that the emotion must be a part of the soul. As seen in Isaiah 61:10 and Psalm 86:4, exultation and rejoicing also are related to the soul. Since these are of the emotion, this again proves that the emotion is a part of the soul. Grief, another expression of the soul, is mentioned in 1 Samuel 30:6 and Judges 10:16 (ASV). First Samuel 20:4, Deuteronomy 14:26, Ezekiel 24:25, and Jeremiah 44:14 mention desire in relation to the soul. Concerning Ezekiel 24:25 and Jeremiah 44:14, the right meaning is reached when the American Standard Version is checked with Young’s or Strong’s Concordance. These verses show that desire, an element of the emotion, is in the realm of the soul.
These verses establish the ground to verify the three parts of the soul: the mind, the will, and the emotion. In the Scriptures it is difficult to find any additional parts of the soul, for these three parts cover all the functions of the soul. The mind is the leading part, followed by the will and the emotion. These are the verses that best reveal what the three parts of the soul are.