The Soul
Quite often in everyday language, men get it right about the SOUL, whereas Theologians miss the mark. Such expressions as....".the poor old soul"...or..."hundreds of souls perished", readily convey in the true sense that the reference is to people.
The International distress signal....S.O.S., meaning.. SAVE OUR SOULS, is another example. It is not a plea to rescue something which is invisible or intangible, but rather to rescue the whole being , that those concerned might hold on to life and be restored alive to loved ones.
THE BREATH OF LIFE:
To consider this much misunderstood word, let us go back to the beginning of creation, written about in Gen. 2:7……………….
"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".
Before Adam began to breathe, he was a "dead soul".....all the organs were in place just as for a new born baby, waiting for the lungs to begin functioning , thereby setting in motion the living being...."The BREATH of the Almighty hath given me life"..(Job 33-4). We refer also to Gen.1:20-21, quoting in part verse 20..."And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving CREATURE THAT HATH LIFE.....". .Now the A.V.marginal note says to substitute "soul" for "life", thereby rendering ,(in part)...."...let the waters bring forth the moving CREATURE THAT HATH A SOUL." Also, verse 24 reads..."God said....Let the earth bring forth the LIVING CREATURE after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind....."
SOULS LIVING:
So we find that, before Adam was created A LIVING SOUL,, many other beings were created in a similar way with a SOUL....INTERESTING, ISN'T IT ? But...consider also such passages as.........
Ps.33:19. "..to deliver their SOUL FROM DEATH and keep them ALIVE in famine"..also Prov 19:15.
Ps.63:1...."..my SOUL THIRSTETH for thee". see also Prov.25:25.
Ez.18:4... ". the SOUL that sinneth IT SHALL DIE"
Mat.10:28 ".fear him which is able to DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY in hell " ( the grave).
Mat.26:38.".my SOUL is exceeding SORROWFUL, EVEN UNTO DEATH". see also Rev 16:3.
THE MYTH OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL:
We surely understand that SOUL IN EVERY INSTANCE RELATES TO A LIVING BEING which, HUNGERS, THIRSTS, SINS, SORROWS AND DIES. This destroys the MYTH OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL. The long standing challenge thus remains.. "PROVIDE FROM THE WORD OF GOD, THE WORDS IMMORTAL SOUL coupled together". Some would claim Solomon did this in another way when he wrote..."Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and THE SPIRIT SHALL RETURN TO GOD who gave it". (Ecc.12:7). This is often quoted to prove there is a "spark of life" which continues on at death, returning to be with God.
SPIRIT AND BREATH: However, this is not so. The word translated SPIRIT, is often translated "BREATH" and it is that "breath of life" that returns to God , who gave it. Job states..."IF HE GATHER UNTO TO HIMSELF HIS SPIRIT(BREATH)...and His breath,.. ALL FLESH SHALL PERISH". (Job 34:14)..."...every moving creature that hath LIFE..(soul)"....., human beings, animals, birds and fish.
Thus we are compelled to believe that if man has an IMMORTAL SOUL, then SO DO THE ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISH. Such a belief is of course, sheer fantasy, for the Apostle Paul tells us that when the Trumpet blows to announce the RESURRECTION, when Christ comes..." THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY...(1 Cor.15:53).
SEEK IMMORTALITY:
In Romans 2:7 Paul verifies this statement, by PROVING that men and woman DO NOT have any immortality now, for he writes..".TO THEM WHO BY PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY...ETERNAL LIFE"
The Apostle Paul also tells us that " the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." To put on eternal life....immortality.....we have to be "in Christ" which means WE HAVE TO BE BAPTISED INTO CHRIST.
The International distress signal....S.O.S., meaning.. SAVE OUR SOULS, is another example. It is not a plea to rescue something which is invisible or intangible, but rather to rescue the whole being , that those concerned might hold on to life and be restored alive to loved ones.
THE BREATH OF LIFE:
To consider this much misunderstood word, let us go back to the beginning of creation, written about in Gen. 2:7……………….
"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".
Before Adam began to breathe, he was a "dead soul".....all the organs were in place just as for a new born baby, waiting for the lungs to begin functioning , thereby setting in motion the living being...."The BREATH of the Almighty hath given me life"..(Job 33-4). We refer also to Gen.1:20-21, quoting in part verse 20..."And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving CREATURE THAT HATH LIFE.....". .Now the A.V.marginal note says to substitute "soul" for "life", thereby rendering ,(in part)...."...let the waters bring forth the moving CREATURE THAT HATH A SOUL." Also, verse 24 reads..."God said....Let the earth bring forth the LIVING CREATURE after his kind, cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind....."
SOULS LIVING:
So we find that, before Adam was created A LIVING SOUL,, many other beings were created in a similar way with a SOUL....INTERESTING, ISN'T IT ? But...consider also such passages as.........
Ps.33:19. "..to deliver their SOUL FROM DEATH and keep them ALIVE in famine"..also Prov 19:15.
Ps.63:1...."..my SOUL THIRSTETH for thee". see also Prov.25:25.
Ez.18:4... ". the SOUL that sinneth IT SHALL DIE"
Mat.10:28 ".fear him which is able to DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY in hell " ( the grave).
Mat.26:38.".my SOUL is exceeding SORROWFUL, EVEN UNTO DEATH". see also Rev 16:3.
THE MYTH OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL:
We surely understand that SOUL IN EVERY INSTANCE RELATES TO A LIVING BEING which, HUNGERS, THIRSTS, SINS, SORROWS AND DIES. This destroys the MYTH OF THE IMMORTAL SOUL. The long standing challenge thus remains.. "PROVIDE FROM THE WORD OF GOD, THE WORDS IMMORTAL SOUL coupled together". Some would claim Solomon did this in another way when he wrote..."Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and THE SPIRIT SHALL RETURN TO GOD who gave it". (Ecc.12:7). This is often quoted to prove there is a "spark of life" which continues on at death, returning to be with God.
SPIRIT AND BREATH: However, this is not so. The word translated SPIRIT, is often translated "BREATH" and it is that "breath of life" that returns to God , who gave it. Job states..."IF HE GATHER UNTO TO HIMSELF HIS SPIRIT(BREATH)...and His breath,.. ALL FLESH SHALL PERISH". (Job 34:14)..."...every moving creature that hath LIFE..(soul)"....., human beings, animals, birds and fish.
Thus we are compelled to believe that if man has an IMMORTAL SOUL, then SO DO THE ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISH. Such a belief is of course, sheer fantasy, for the Apostle Paul tells us that when the Trumpet blows to announce the RESURRECTION, when Christ comes..." THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY...(1 Cor.15:53).
SEEK IMMORTALITY:
In Romans 2:7 Paul verifies this statement, by PROVING that men and woman DO NOT have any immortality now, for he writes..".TO THEM WHO BY PATIENT CONTINUANCE IN WELL DOING SEEK FOR GLORY AND HONOUR AND IMMORTALITY...ETERNAL LIFE"
The Apostle Paul also tells us that " the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." To put on eternal life....immortality.....we have to be "in Christ" which means WE HAVE TO BE BAPTISED INTO CHRIST.
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