The Gift of Prophecy

The Wholistic Nature of Humanity

Biblical anthropology has been the subject of numerous studies. ³ In this research we presuppose the biblical understanding of the wholistic nature of human beings, as reflected in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. ⁴ GOP 141.1

Opposed to dualism is biblical monism, the position according to which all expressions of the inner life depend on the whole of human nature, including the organic system. The components of a human being function as a unit. There is no separable soul or spirit capable of conscious existence apart from the body. ⁵ GOP 141.2

As humans we were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26, 27). ⁶ Since we are made in God’s image, we could assume that our emotions are in some way reflective of God’s emotions, even though ours are subject to sin while His are not. We do not believe in the duality of human beings, separating a body from an independent soul. Instead, we argue for a wholistic view of a human being where emotions are an integral part of the overall existence. ⁷ From the outset it would be important to reiterate the obvious: prophets were and are people who brought all of their personhood into their prophetic office. However, before we look at the emotional involvement of the prophets in their ministry and writings, it is important to try to find a working definition of the word emotion. GOP 141.3