Hi santgem,
The 'body' is the physical organism that makes us a human, our flesh and part of our body is the brain that operates the body through the 5 senses. The body is what houses the spirit, creating a soul, so we can have this physical experience. But without the spirit/breath of life the body can not live by itself. So it is a necessary part of our make up. It is through the body that we have the "lust of the flesh."
So in Thess. Paul refers to the body, because we do have to bring "the deeds of the body" into "subjection."
Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
1Co 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
But the spirit is also another element that we must master. See if this will help you with this.
http://bible-truths.com/kennedy2.htm --------------------
All the time I hear preachers talking about our souls and our spirits as if they were one and the same. Soul and spirit are not one and the same.
v
The "soul" is the seat of sensation, consciousness, and feelings, not the body or the spirit. It is the spirit that imparts life to the body and the body then becomes a living soul (Gen. 2:7).
v
At birth God gave us a body, implanted to us His spirit, which gives the body perception (through the brain and the five senses).
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=644.0 --------
When your body dies, your "being" dies, your soul is gone (to the unseen, imperceptible--there is NO perception in death: not in your body, not in your soul, and not in your spirit). No one can live without a body. When our spirit is combined with a body, then and ONLY THEN do we have "soul" which is consciousness. At death no one has consciousness, or it wouldn't be death.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Our spirit, not the Holy Spirit, must be applied to
Rom 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with
our spirit that we are children of God,
Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with
my spirit in the gospel of His Son,
John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship
in spirit and truth."
And it is the two, body and spirit, that make us a soul, our consciousness and feelings. That too we must apply to our
Isa 26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
Luke 1:46 And Mary said:
"My soul magnifies the Lord,
v. 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
What all this says to me is we (through His Spirit) must apply our whole beings (body, soul, spirit) to loving and serving our God, if as it said in Thess. "and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Mar 12:30 Therefore shalt thou love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,—and with all thy mind; and with all thy strength. (Rotherham)
mercy, peace and love
Kat