The New Testament teaches that man is at least a two-fold being, consisting of three characteristics, spirit, soul and body (1 Thess. 5:23). Man's physical nature is a product of a procreative act of man and woman, and so is imperfect and possesses a human or carnal nature (Rom 8:8). Man's spiritual nature, however, is the direct result of a creative act of God (Acts 17:28; Heb 12:9; James 3:9).

• Man's heart (not the fleshly one), is the center of his being, the place of his emotions, the seat of his nature.
• Man's spirit, is the conscious entity of man's soul, the place where he exercises his will.  it is sometimes use interchangablly with the soul, man's inner man, God's image, it is his spiritual being.
• Man's body, is his housing, and "when saved" by Christ, it becomes God's House, God's Temple.