Can a person's soul and spirit operate apart from his body?
No. Scripture teaches that there is no valid operation of the soul and spirit separated from the body. While departed believers exist in soul and spirit in the Lord's presence, they await the resurrection of their bodies for complete redemption and function.
Les explains that church-age believers who die immediately go into the presence of the Lord in heaven, but only in soul and spirit; their body remains in the grave. He points out that nowhere in Scripture is there any valid operation of the soul and spirit separated from the body. Paul always teaches that we look forward to the resurrection of the body, and redemption is not complete until we have the new resurrected body. At the resurrection, the bodies of departed saints will be suddenly reunited with their soul and spirit, making them complete and ready to return with Him at the end of the seven years. Old Testament saints, however, must wait until the kingdom is set up, because Israel will not enjoy the elevated role that the body of Christ will enjoy.