In his prayer, St. Paul evidently distinguishes between spirit, soul, and body. We should bear in mind that his letter was addressed to the Church collectively, and not so much to individuals. We can be quite sure that the Apostle did not refer to individuals, for whatever interpretation we may put upon "soul and spirit," we are in the singular, not the plural number. St. Paul expresses his earnest desire that until the Lord's return the Church might be preserved entire, without schism, in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace. In `Acts 4:32`, we read that "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul," and in `Eph. 4:4`, the Apostle points out that there is one BODY AND ONE SPIRIT. As in the creation of Adam, with the entrance of the breath of life, man became a living soul, an intelligent, sentient being, so with the New Creation. Inspired with the Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, the members of the Church, which is His Body, should work in unity and harmony in doing the will of the Lord and witnessing to the truth of the Gospel.
