Might be a LITTLE off topic but here it goes,
Just as the temple in the OT had an outer court, a holy place, and a holy of holies; so man was also crafted in like manner having a physical body (the outer court), a soul (the holy place), and a spirit (the holy of holies).
So we were created in the image of God with a body for contacting the things of the physical realm, a soul for contacting the things of the psychological realm (i.e. mind, emotion, and will), and a sprit for contacting the things of the Spiritual realm (i.e. God Himself).
It was not until God breathed Himself into the physical body of man that man became a living soul. After the fall of man, the spirit of man became dead, the soul of man became the self, and the body of man became the flesh. And there was a need for man to be redeemed so that God could fulfill His original purpose for creating man, who was created in the image of God.
After Christ died on the cross the veil of separation between the holy place and the holy of holies was torn in two, effectively opening the way for us to contact God through Christ, which was previously blocked when God cast Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (note the Cherubims and a flaming sword which are also quite significant).
So I think it is also important to consider why man was created in God's image.
Those who come forward to God must believe that He is...(Heb 11:6)