Wommack’s Vision

Wommack’s Trichotomy of Human Being : Spirit, Soul and Body

The composition of the human being into three distinct parts—spirit, soul, and body (a so-called “trichotomy” approach)—is a rich and often debated topic in Christian theology. While understanding the body and soul is relatively easy, grasping the nature of the spirit is more complex.

This view is based on

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”.
• Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”.

In his book “Spirit, Soul and Body“, Andrew Wommack teaches that distinguishing these three components is crucial, especially the role of the human spirit in our relationship and, therefore, in our knowledge of God.

The Body: Our Interface with the Physical World

The body is the physical and tangible part of the human being, the one that allows us to interact with the material world through our five senses. The body is what we do.

The Soul: Our Mental and Emotional Center

The soul, the seat of personality, another part of the human being, encompasses our mentality, thoughts, emotions, will, conscience, and intellect. The soul is what we think and feel. For Andrew Wommack , conscience, reason, and intelligence are all part of the human soul.

Wommack notes that it is easy to perceive what we feel in our body and soul because we are constantly aware of them. A brief inventory is enough to inform us about the state of our body, and similarly, we can easily assess the state of our soul (fear, depression); we are always in contact with it. The physical world can come into contact with the soul.

Spirit: Our Divine Connection

The spirit, the seat of communion with God, according to Wommack , is the deepest and most essential part of the human being, created in the image of God. It is the part of us that is capable of entering into a relationship with God. Unlike the body that we see, and the soul whose manifestations we observe through thoughts and emotions, the spirit is an abstract, non-physical, and unobservable human part. We cannot perceive it with our five senses. It operates in a spiritual dimension that exceeds our natural perception.

Spirit is often better understood through experience and intuition than through strict definition. Think of love or joy: you can describe their effects, but the very substance of spirit is an inner experience. It does not obey mental logic. Don’t try to use our logic- or reason-driven culture to better understand spirit; the more you try to “logize” it, the more difficult it becomes to grasp

According to Andrew Wommack and many theologians, the phrase “created in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27) refers primarily to the human spirit. Since God is Spirit and we are created in His image, it makes sense that the part of us that most directly reflects His nature is our own spirit.

The Spirit Before and After the Fall

Before the fall, the human spirit was in perfect harmony with God, reflecting His holiness, righteousness, intelligence, and will.

After the fall, man became spiritually dead. His spirit is considered “dead to God” or “separated from God.” This does not mean that he no longer has a spirit, but that this part of him is not in living communion with God. It is a separation from the source of all spiritual life. The analogy often used is that of a dead battery: it exists, it is there, but it no longer has power, it no longer functions for what it was designed to do. When the spirit is “dead to God,” the soul (mind, emotions, will) and the body take over. Unregenerate man lives primarily according to his carnal thoughts, feelings, and desires, rather than being guided by a spiritual connection with God. He relies on human wisdom rather than divine wisdom. According to Wommack, the spirit’s primary function is communion with God, and its state of “spiritual death” before salvation means that it is incapable of fulfilling this function, leaving the soul and body without direct divine guidance.

The Regenerated Spirit: New Creation and Perfection

The spirit of man after regeneration (saved, born again) is completely transformed, recreated, and made perfect. According to Wommack, at the new birth, the believer’s spirit becomes exactly like the spirit of Jesus. It is made righteous, holy, and perfect. It is a finished work of God. This new spirit is the “new creation” spoken of in 2 Corinthians 5:17. It is sealed and perfect forever. The regenerated spirit is the believer’s “true self,” the part of him that is in direct communion with God.

This perfection of the spirit is immediate and complete at the moment of salvation. It will not improve, even in eternity, because it is already perfect in Christ.

The challenge of the Christian life then lies in renewing the soul (mind, emotions, and will) and body to align them with the truth of what is already accomplished in the spirit. Romans 12:2 (“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your “mind” (***). Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”) is a key verse in this regard.

(***) The term “mind (MIND in Eng)” generally refers to the cognitive and psychological dimension of the human being. It is the seat of thought, reason, consciousness, emotions, and memories.

In summary, according to Andrew Wommack:

• True knowledge of God (a deep and intimate knowledge, not just intellectual) can only be done with the spirit, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
• The soul (reason, emotions) is limited. Using the soul to know God is very relevant and a natural tendency in our culture that values the intellect. The soul can:
  • Learning about God (intellectual knowledge, but not the intimate “true knowledge”).
  • Feeling emotions for God (manifestations of the soul such as joy, peace, love, but fluctuating and not the basis of the relationship).
  • Analyze and doubt (ability to reason, but seat of doubt).
• Wommack emphasizes the supremacy of the spirit in knowledge and relationship with God. He views the soul (with its emotions) as a part that must be submissive and aligned with the spirit and Word of God to avoid errors and manifest divine truth. He does not deny emotions, but he insists that they should not direct our understanding or actions.