I cannot state these understandings in a linear fashion because they were revealed to me in a circular conglomeration of ideas gleaned from several years of study and clarified from several sources simultaneously. My understanding is going to depart from a traditional understanding (Baptist or AG) primarily in three ways: First, I will argue that Paul writes about the notion of flesh and spirit as mindsets, not physical versus non-physical things; secondly, I will argue that we bear the image of God primarily in our free-will and having genuine power (Thanks to Dr. Robinson and Willard here); and finally, that salvation must be a physical event as well as spiritual event, not just an ethereal, mental experience (this is similar to saying that the traditional distinctions of justification and sanctification are false and both are necessarily part of salvation).
A popular understanding of the nature of man is that he is a "triune" being; a being made up of body, soul, and spirit. Some, who are unable to understand a distinction between the soul and spirit hold a more dualistic view of soul/spirit and body. Many understand heaven to be a place of existence for our eternal spirits, while our physical bodies are left here on earth. I think that both of these understandings are wrong and limit our ability to understand the remainder of Paulian theology. I will quote a rather extensive selection from Dallas Willard concerning the nature of our Body being closely related to our personhood:
"Our soul is not something we can separate from the body and hold pure without regard to the body to which it belongs...The union of spirituality with the fullness of human life finds its deepest ground in the identification of the person with his or her body. This is a very difficult topic to treat in a popular way, and it is subject to many misinterpretations. But only if we can achieve some appreciation of it will we be able to grasp firmly the body's place in our redemption...much recent biblical scholarship, which also insists upon the bodily character of human nature. This biblical scholarship even goes so far as to reject the idea of a purely spiritual "immortality" of the soul in the afterlife, regarding it as a Platonic imposition upon the biblical view of personality. Instead, resurrection is insisted upon as the true form of human existence beyond death. The works of H. Wheeler Robinson and Oscar Cullman seem quite decisive on this point."
A few scriptures can serve to enhance this point. Romans 6:12-14 says "Let not sin therefore rule as king in your mortal (short-lived, perishable) bodies, to make you yield to its cravings and be subject to its lusts and evil passions. Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members [and faculties] to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily members [and faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness. For sin shall not [any longer] exert dominion over you, since now you are not under Law [as slaves], but under grace [as subjects of God's favor and mercy]." From this selection we can see that yielding ourselves to God is contrasted with yielding our bodies to sin. Furthermore, we are challenged that "sin shall not exert dominion over you," when it is clear that he means that sin should not reign in our mortal bodies; this is a clear example that Paul equates our physical bodies with us, not as merely possession of our soul, but as an integral part of our humanness (which, it should be recalled, is in the image of God Genesis 1:27). Note, however, how Paul seems to imply that it is possible for us to still offer our bodies to sin even if we have been raised to life. This is an ambiguity that is difficult to treat, but I hope we will see is acceptable and leads to a deeply intimate relationship being the foundation of salvation.
More to come later, digest this, argue about it, send me comments, and get ready for the next section which should be coming soon!