The Immortal Soul

Among the myriad uncertainties of life, there is one thing we know for certain. Every one of us, no matter what our status in society, will eventually face it. Millions of humans in the past have experienced it. And all who have ever lived must have at some time wondered about the dreaded enemy to which they would sooner or later be introduced: death.

Within the human mind is an inborn instinct to survive. We naturally want to keep on living—forever, if possible. This desire for unending life led daring explorers to traverse the globe in search of a "fountain of youth," from which one could drink and live perpetually. But still cruel reality came, and these adventurers of long ago are now only figures of history, their fate the same as all who passed before them.

From ancient times till today, the question has surfaced repeatedly: what happens after death? Is there a higher existence that human beings can look forward to? Among heathen and civilized nations alike, there have been many different beliefs and theories on what happens after death.

Many people believe that there is a 'soul'—something separate and distinct from the body, a sort of formless spirit. They propose that at the death of the body, the soul does not die, but lives on, in the "spirit level" of existence. Others say that there is no such thing as a separate life within your body; that when you die, you are gone out of existence, and will never, ever, be conscious again.

As Christians, we look for guidance, not to the countless theories and speculations of mankind, but to the unerring truth of the Word of God. What does the Bible say about this issue? Is there a soul? Is the soul separate from the body? Does it live on after death? If so, where? If not, is there any life after death? And what about those texts that seem to indicate that there is an immortal soul?

THE SOUL

Where did the term 'soul' come from anyway? The Bible defines the soul in the account of Creation: "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Genesis 2:7.

Here we find a specific order of events. 1) God formed man, 2) He breathed into him the breath of life, 3) Then man became a living soul. From this we can conclude that the soul (3) was produced by combining a body (1) with life (2). This can be stated as an equation: Soul = body + breath. Before creation, Adam did not exist. When God created him, that was the beginning of his existence. He became a soul at the moment he was given life.

"Soul" is used in the Bible to denote a person—a living, breathing, physical person.

IMMORTAL?

We hear about immortality. What is mortality, versus immortality? "Mortal" is defined as transient, impermanent, temporal, momentary. Mortality is something not permanent—it will eventually end.

"Immortal = undying, eternal, everlasting, timeless, perpetual, ceaseless, deathless, indestructible. To be immortal is to have perpetual life—everlasting life. No human being has this kind of life. God is the One "Who only hath immortality." 1 Timothy 6:16.

We are not greater than God. "Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?" Job 4:17. "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Romans 6:12.

Therefore, if we are not immortal, what happens when we die? Remember the equation: the soul = body + life. If you take away the life from the body, what do you have? A dead body! "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Ecclesiastes 12:7. (This word spirit is also translated "breath," just like in Genesis 2:7).

Can the soul die? "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Ezekiel 18:20. Yes, the soul dies!

STATE OF THE DEAD

Are the dead still conscious after they die? "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish." Psalm 146:4. "The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence." Psalm 115:17. "For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth." Isaiah 38:18.

They are not conscious of God. "For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Psalm 6:5. "Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee?" Psalm 88:10. "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." Ecclesiastes 9:5.

They have no more emotions: "Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun." Ecclesiastes 9:6.

"SLEEP"

Jesus, while on earth, dealt with death several times. He referred to it in a unique way: "Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead." Luke 8:52-53. Notice that Jesus called death a sleep. It was not a conscious existence. To the person who was resurrected, it seemed like awaking from a deep sleep.

When Jesus' friend Lazarus was very ill, he died. Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." His disciples misunderstood Him, thinking he meant Lazarus really was sleeping. "Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep." "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11:11-15. Jesus called the death of Lazarus a sleep. He was simply reemphasizing the teaching of the Scriptures on this point.

SAUL

Let us look at a few texts in the Bible that sometimes confuse people. The first is the experience of Saul in 1 Samuel 28. Saul had a problem. God wasn't answering him anymore! "And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets." Verse 6.

Saul had been disobedient to God while the prophet Samuel was living, not heeding the counsel that was sent through him. But now in his desperation, he goes to "a woman that hath a familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her." "And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night."

The very man that had ordered all the people like her killed, assured this woman that no harm would come to her. To her request, "Whom shall I bring up unto thee?" Saul answered, "Bring me up Samuel."

"And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself." 1 Samuel 28:12-14.

Did Samuel actually come back from the dead? Saul had gone through all God's approved channels, and the Lord was no longer speaking to him. So Saul in desperation went to seek counsel from the servant of Satan. Why would God consent to communicate with Saul this way, when the divinely approved methods had not brought an answer?

Notice that the woman said she saw "gods ascending out of the earth." How many who use this text as proof of an immortal soul, also believe that the righteous dead are down in the earth? Would Samuel come from the ground, or from heaven?

The primary evidence that shows this was in fact a demon spirit lies in the fearful exclamation of the woman, "Why hast thou deceived me? For thou art Saul." The spirit that appeared to her had first put her on her guard to Saul's identity.

Someone might argue that the Scriptures say it was Samuel. But read carefully: "Saul perceived that it was Samuel." Saul never saw the apparition, but imagined from the description the woman gave him that it was Samuel. So the Bible narrative tells the story from then on from Saul's point of view. That does not mean in any way that what Saul "perceived" was correct.

THE THIEF ON THE CROSS

As Jesus was dying on Calvary, there were two criminals on either side of Him being crucified the same way. To one of them, Jesus made a promise, which has been pointed to as proof of the immortality of the soul. We find this promise in Luke 23:43, which reads "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

We must ask one question regarding this verse: was Jesus in paradise that very day when He died? No He was not. Later, the day of His resurrection He announced to Mary that He had "not yet ascended" to His Father. (John 20:17). The promise that "today you will be in paradise with Me" does not seem possible.

Remember that in the original manuscripts there were no marks of punctuation. If we move the comma in this verse, and change the word order for correct grammar, we could more accurately read the verse as follows: "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with Me in paradise." Jesus was simply promising His suffering companion a place in His kingdom to come.

THE SOULS UNDER THE ALTAR

Another problem text is found in Revelation 6:9-10. "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" Here we are shown souls under the altar, and they are crying out to God for vengeance of their blood.

How could souls in heaven, a place of joy and peace, be so intensely impassioned about having vengeance carried out on their murderers? Should they not rather have the spirit of Jesus, who pleaded for those who were killing Him, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34.

In the Old Testament services, the altar of sacrifice was outside the sanctuary. The ashes of the sacrifices were stored under the altar, before being taken and disposed of outside the camp. So a fitting illustration is drawn regarding the dead souls in the verse in question.

The altar that this text refers to is not in heaven, but upon earth. Jesus, the Lamb which the sanctuary services symbolized, died here on earth. This was symbolized by the sacrifice being burned on the altar. Therefore we can conclude that these souls are crying out from the earth. How can they do this?

We can understand this if we remember how the blood of righteous Abel was said to have "cried out" to God from the earth. (Genesis 4:10). This was not a literal outcry. God was letting Cain know that he had taken his brother's life unjustly, and now he must come to justice for it. The same goes for the souls under the altar. They have been killed unjustly, and the righteous indignation of God is represented by their crying out to Him for vengeance.

Finally, these saints are told to keep on resting for a while: "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Revelation 6:11. This also indicates that they were not living, but dead, and should now continue so for a little longer.

DEATH DIES

Is the devil in charge of hell? Jesus says, "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:18. Rather than being in charge of hell, the devil will be destroyed by it. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2:14.

Death will not exist after this. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Corinthians 15:26. Isn't that wonderful? God will destroy even death itself! Are the wicked still around being punished forever? "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." Malachi 4:1. "And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts." Malachi 4:3.

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Revelation 21:4.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38, 39.

Let us accept the love of God in our lives, so that we cannot be separated from Him, even by death!