I think it's a dialectical impasse.
I would be interested din hearing what you think the "image of God" in humanity is.
The leaning I have in the Spirit is to the Jewish understanding of soul and spirit as follows.
1. nephesh the will to live, the animal soul, or the soul of all living things which by Jewish tradition returns to the earth after death. In Romans 8, this is seen as a whole, the creation longing for the children of God to be revealed.
For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected [the same] in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. - Romans 8:19-22
2. ruach - the self-will or free will peculiar to man (abstraction, anticipation, intention, etc.) by Jewish tradition, the pivot wherein a man decides to be Godly minded or earthy minded. Ruach is the breath of life in Genesis 6:17 and the ability to choose which Eve "blew."
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. - Genesis 2:3
And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life, from under heaven; [and] every thing that [is] in the earth shall die. - Genesis 6:17
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. - Romans 8:5-6
3. neshama - the breath of God given to Adam (Genesis 2:7) which may also be seen as the ears to hear (John 10) - a sense of belonging beyond space/time, a predisposition to seek God and seek answers to the deep questions such as what is the meaning of life?"
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. John 10:4-5
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: - John 10:27
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44
4. ruach Elohim - the Holy Spirit which indwells Christians the presently existing in the beyond while still in the flesh. This is the life in passage : "In him was life, and the life was the light of men..." (John 1)
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. - Romans 8:9
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. - Colossians 3:3
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. - I Corinthians 2:14
In sum, my musing is that all life has nephesh, all men have ruach, the elect of God have neshama, and the children of God have the indwelling ruach Elohim.