Question:
First of all, I'm going to assume that those who respond to this thread have a tripartite view of man - that is, that body, mind, and spirit are separate things.
That said...could someone please define what, in Scripture, 'body', 'mind', and 'spirit' constitute? The reason I've been thinking about this is that I've been considering certain mental illnesses which cause chemical imbalances or personality disorders (one even goes so far as to 'split' the psyche into different personalities or identities) and wondering, from a Biblical standpoint, just how to understand what is going on. Is it the body which is being affected? The mind?
I don't know if I'm being very clear. It might be helpful if someone would define, in Biblical terms, just what 'body', 'mind', and 'spirit' are first.
Answer:
The mind seems to either be a combination of the Spirit and the Body or solely a product of the Body. Either way, I think it's apparent that we'll be significantly different once in Heaven.
Answer:
In Scripture, "mind" and "spirit" mean the same thing. "Soul" and "spirit" seem to mean different things, although Scripture nowhere says "a person is composed of these three parts" and nowhere supports a stark, clear division between mind, spirit, and soul.
Answer:
1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
Seems like from this verse that the mind and the spirit are two different things.
Dallas Willard in his book Revolution of Character divides the human into six different dimentions.
1. Thoughts
2. Feelings
3. Heart
4. Body
5. Social Context
6. Soul
Answer:
Originally Posted by Lightknight The mind seems to either be a combination of the Spirit and the Body or solely a product of the Body. Either way, I think it's apparent that we'll be significantly different once in Heaven. He's asking for people who do have a Platonic/trichotomist anthropology to respond.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Chrysostom He's asking for people who do have a Platonic/trichotomist anthropology to respond. Right. But without making this thread too crazy...I'd like to see other folks' thoughts on what Scripture means when it uses these terms, because it isn't clear-cut.
Answer:
Originally Posted by ICTHUS Right. But without making this thread too crazy...I'd like to see other folks' thoughts on what Scripture means when it uses these terms, because it isn't clear-cut. Well, it looks like you've got only one more-than-dichotomist taker (Bryan), so chances are the thread won't get too clogged.
Answer:
Originally Posted by Bryan 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.
Seems like from this verse that the mind and the spirit are two different things. Would this verse then argue that we are made up of heart, soul, strength, and mind?

Luke 10:27a (New International Version)
27a He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"

Answer:
Originally Posted by Sean Would this verse then argue that we are made up of heart, soul, strength, and mind?

Luke 10:27a (New International Version)
27a He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind"

i think so, and from Romans 7 we see the flesh and the spirit. Paul talks about glorifying God in our body.
I think that there aren't clear distinctions between everything and many times words are used interchangeably. I think that man is a complex creature with many parts that touch and it isn't possible to divide us up into distinct parts.