When the soul is shown independently, it signifies that which provides life to a body, whereas "spirit" simply denotes those parts of human existence and activity that transcend our corporeal constraints and so expose the soul to the supernatural life of grace (spirituality). In Christian theology, the soul and the spirit are often used interchangeably, but this is not always the case. The English word "soul" comes from the Latin word anima, which means "air" or "breath," because in ancient Christianity, belief was vital for salvation and the only way to meet God was through faith in his son Jesus Christ. Thus, the soul was seen as something extremely important, which could not be taken for granted. The soul and the spirit are two different things. The spirit is what lives after death while the soul is what makes us alive now. They aren't exactly same because once you die your soul will leave your body and go straight to heaven or hell based on how good or bad you were during your life. The spirit is what remains after someone dies and goes to heaven or hell. In religion, one often encounters the terms "soul" and "spirit" used interchangeably, but this is incorrect. The soul is what makes us alive now and the spirit is what lives after death.