Pt. 4- The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine? Continued

Pt. 4- The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?  Continued

'3. The third point is in verse 36 (1 Corinthians 15:36) : "That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die." 

To quicken is "to make alive. 

"What Paul says therefore is, "That which thou sowest is not made alive except it die." 

That this is spoken directly of man and his resurrection, is evident from verses 42-44, "It is sown a natural body," etc. 

1Co 15:42  So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 

1Co 15:43  It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 

1Co 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 

Now the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is that the body properly has no life, that it is not the real man, but that the soul is the real, living, sentient man, that it is that about man which alone possesses real life.

In other words, the body is only the house in which the real man lives.

The real "I," the soul, dwells within the body, and death is simply the separation of the soul from the body. 

Death breaks down the house, and lets the occupant free. 

According to this doctrine, there is no such thing as death, because the body properly has no life, consequently it does not die, and the soul-the real man-is immortal, and it cannot die; therefore, there is in reality no such thing as death. 

If this be true, there is not only no such thing as death, but there is, likewise, no such thing as a resurrection of the dead; for upon the apostle's premise that "that which thou sowest is not quickened [made alive] except it die," it follows that, as the body, having no life, does not die, it cannot be quickened (raised from the dead); and as the soul does not die, it cannot be raised from the dead; consequently, there is no such thing as a resurrection of the dead.

Therefore it stands proved to a demonstration that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is utterly subversive of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. But the resurrection of the dead is a Bible doctrine; it is the very truth of God. So then it is plain that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the truth of God, and is therefore false, deceptive, and destructive. 

(End Excerpt)

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

BY A. T. JONES.

((My Thoughts)) 

Have you ever seen a movie depicting spirit beings?  Have you ever seen a show that has formerly dead people as ghosts (spirit beings)? I've seen several. These spirit ghost beings in various movies are capable of doing various things. Some can move objects, others interact with people and things, still others cannot interact with anyone or move anything, they just exist unable to do anything but exist.  

Those who believe in the Bible know for certain there are spirit beings- angels. They know that angels can, and do, interact with people and things. These angels are NOT dead people but an entirely different being that God created. They are ministering spirits- 

Heb 1:13  But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? 

Heb 1:14  Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? 

There are also evil spirit (angels) as well. The evil angels sided with Satan, abandoning God. The evil angels also can interact with people and things, not ministering to them, but harming them. Even harming them by doing seeming good for them. What greater trap is there than to get a person to believe that their dead loved ones can visit them, telling them things only they knew- all the while it is an evil angel in disguise who has knowledge of your lives?

HUMANS DO NOT EVER BECOME ANGELS as some want to believe. We are forever human beings. We will be like them in some respects after we are resurrected from the dead, but we will not be angels. When you are like something, it doesn't mean you are that something. I could be like my mother, but I'm not my mother. 

Mat 22:30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven

Little ones have angels-

Mat 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. 

Angels are not humans and humans are not angels- there is no middle gray area about it, though Satan would have us deceived. 

If Satan can get us to believe we turn into spirit beings right after we die he's got us where he wants us, deceived.

Paul expounds upon a resurrection-  not a separation.  

Jesus died. As all who died.  He did not separate from his body and return to it when He was resurrected.  Lazarus died. He did not separate from his body only to be shoved back into it when he was resurrected by Jesus, and Lazarus was in the grave for four days.  

Death as a sleep is a reality. Death as in the dead knowing nothing is a reality. The concept of immediate life after death, as if there is no real death at all, is a lie begun by Satan in the Garden of Eden.

Please let us desire truth over deception.

May God bless all who seek His truth, and only His truth. ))

Immortality of the Soul... Part 3

 Pt. 3- The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?  Continued 

'2. The second point that the apostle makes in this connection is in verse 32:

(1 Corinthians 15:32)

"If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die." 

On this nothing can be better than to present Dr. Adam Clarke's comment upon this same passage. He says… 

"I believe the common method of pointing this verse is erroneous; I propose to read it thus: 'If, after the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it advantage me? If the dead rise not, let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.'     

What the apostle says here is a regular and legitimate conclusion from the doctrine that there is no resurrection; for if there be no resurrection, then there can be no judgment-no future state of rewards and punishments; why, therefore, should we bear crosses, and keep ourselves under continual discipline? Let us eat and drink, take all the pleasure we can; for tomorrow we die, and there is an end of us forever."

That is sound exegesis, and a just comment upon the words of the apostle. As we have shown, that is the point of Paul's argument throughout, and it is the thought of the whole Bible upon this subject. But if the soul be immortal, neither Dr. Clarke's comment nor Paul's argument is sound. For if the soul be immortal, when-soever it may be that we die, that is not the "end of us forever," resurrection or no resurrection. By this it is plain that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul nullifies the plainest propositions of Scripture, and is therefore false. 

This view fully explains the query which Dr. Clarke propounds in his remarks at the close of his comments on 1 Corinthians He says:- 

"One remark I cannot help making: the doctrine of the resurrection appears to have been thought of much more consequence among the primitive Christians than it is now! 

How is this? 

The apostles were continually insisting on it, and exciting the followers of God to diligence, obedience, and cheerfulness through it. And their successors in the present day seldom mention it!

 

There is not a doctrine in the gospel on which more stress is laid; and there is not a doctrine in the present system of preaching which is treated with more neglect!"

((My thoughts- Today the focus is on Jesus Christ returning- but not the resurrection from the dead. It would be foolish to those who believe they live on in heaven after death to expound on a future resurrection from the dead. Some get around this as I mentioned in other thoughts on previous excerpts that their spirit form is given back a body upon the resurrection. It makes no sense whatsoever. There is no talk of immediate spirit resurrection at all or that spirit being put back into flesh.))

From the doctor's insertion of exclamation points and his query, "How is this?" it would appear that he was surprised that it should be so. It is indeed surprising that it should be so. But it is easily enough explained. The fact is that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul has become so all-pervading "in the present system of preaching" that there is no room for the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. 

If the doctrine of the immortality of the soul be true, then the doctrine of the resurrection is indeed of no consequence.

If that doctrine be true, then all need of laying stress upon the gospel doctrine of the resurrection of the dead is destroyed. 

And although "the apostles were continually insisting on" the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, and although there is "not a doctrine of the gospel upon which more stress is laid," yet it is through the insidious deceptive influence of the doctrine of the immortality of the soul that the preachers of the present day "seldom mention it," and that in the present system of preaching there is indeed "not a doctrine that is treated with more neglect," and nothing is needed to show more plainly than does this the irreconcilable antagonism between the truth of God and the doctrine of the immortality of the soul.' (End Excerpt) To be continued…

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

BY A. T. JONES.

((My Thoughts))

Eat, drink, for tomorrow you may die. Have you ever heard that saying before today? Did you know it was Biblical?

Paul, an apostle of Jesus said this…

'… if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die' 

1 Corinthians 15:32

If the dead rise not. In other words he is saying- the dead MUST rise because if the dead do not rise then this life is all we have and there is nothing to think about.  All those living immoral lives just go on and live them, because there is no resurrection- meaning no future life after you die.

But the DEAD MUST RISE. 

No, not in zombie form, but that sure is a popular idea among people these days.  The Bible talks over and over about a resurrection from the dead-- the dead rising. We are told this-

Joh 5:28  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 

Joh 5:29  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

The resurrection of life, not the resurrection of the spirit after death!  

The HOUR is coming…

ALL that are in the GRAVES shall hear his voice…

And shall COME FORTH..

Why would they need to COME FORTH, why would the dead in their GRAVES hear the voice of Jesus if they are in HEAVEN already?! 

These are all questions we need to ask ourselves not just gloss over them and stick to our cherished beliefs because that's what our parents believed, that's what our friends believed, that's what we've always believed, and that's what the majority of Christian's believe. Satan deceives! God wants us to be enlightened to all His truth, not caught up in Satan's lies. 

We should NOT be living right now as if there won't be a resurrection.

We should NOT be living as if we are guaranteed an afterlife because we have a supposed immortal soul, this is a huge lie, huge!

We need only truth! Let's search for the truth, please, let us only search for truth.

May God help us as we seek for Him with all our heart!

All through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, now and forever!!!!!!! Amen!

The Immortality of the Soul Part 2

 

Pt. 2- The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine? Continued from last week…

'1Co 15:16-18

For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

1. In verse 16, his premise is,

"If the dead rise not."

The first conclusion from that is, "Then is not Christ raised;"

then upon this conclusion follows the logical sequence, "Your faith is vain," and upon that another, "Ye are yet in your sins."

From his premise,-

"If the dead rise not," the second conclusion is, verse 18,

"Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."

Nothing can be plainer than that this statement and the doctrine of the immortality of the soul cannot both be true.

For if the soul be immortal, as is held, it cannot perish, and, therefore, so far as its existence is concerned, it is utterly independent of the resurrection of the dead.

Is it not supposed by all those who believe the soul to be immortal that all who have passed from this world in the faith of Christ, have gone to heaven, and are now enjoying its bliss? Assuredly it is.

Then, if that be the truth, upon what imaginable principle can it be conceived that they "are perished," if there be no resurrection?

What need have they of a resurrection?

Have they not, without a resurrection, all that heaven can afford?

Upon that theory they certainly have. Then it just as certainly appears that not one of them has perished, even though there never be a resurrection.

Over against this theory stands the word of God, that "if the dead rise not, then they which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished."

That word is the truth.

Therefore it follows that if there be no resurrection of the dead, there is no hereafter for any who have ever died, or who shall ever die.

But God has given assurance to all men that there shall be a hereafter, and that assurance lies in the fact "that he hath raised him [Christ] from the dead" (Heb. 9:27; Acts 17:31). The resurrection of Christ is the God-given pledge that there shall be a resurrection of all the dead: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive," and, "There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Therefore it is by virtue of the resurrection of the dead, and not by the immortality of the soul, that there will be any hereafter for the dead, whether just or unjust.'

To be continued… God willing.

The above excerpt is taken from -The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

By. A.T. Jones

My thoughts below-

*******

When did man get an immortal soul? The short answer is- never.

Take a few moments to ask yourself a couple of questions. When Abel died, was he resurrected? No. If, when Abel died he had a supposed immortal soul and it went to heaven, why was it a bad thing to die? Heaven is our goal, isn't it? Salvation.

The thing is, why would we need a resurrection at all, whatsoever, if we go directly to heaven without any pesky bodies? We wouldn't. If we are automatically resurrected in heaven after death, we would need NO FUTURE resurrection in the last day.

If my loved ones are in a place of peace and happiness without any anguish, without any sin- why would God subject them to a resurrection from their dead state? It makes no sense. Will He pull their spirit forms from heaven and put them back into their bodies?

If being dead means you simply leave this flesh to possess a spirit form- why would you want flesh back? Remember, in heaven the idea is that everything is wonderful. You aren't missing your flesh at all. So, I ask again, why would you want it back?

When Jesus returns and calls all who died, calls all His followers to rise from the graves and meet Him in the air, do you realize if you believe you are living on in some spirit form in heaven because your soul is immortal and not subject to true death, then you will have to be put back into the grave in order to be called from it when that last trump sounds. Does that sound even remotely logical to you in any fashion?

The excerpt study we are undertaking is really thought provoking, please read the excerpts above- they are a lot more insightful than my words.

May the Lord bless and keep us as His now and always!!!!!!! Amen.

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

 

The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

The doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul is one of the oldest and one of the most widespread doctrines that has ever been in this world. It was preached in the world before ever faith in Christ the Saviour was preached.

((My thoughts- The definition of immortality is- the ability to live forever; eternal life. This idea has been around since sin began.))

"The serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die;" and from that day to this that doctrine has been believed more generally by the children of men than has the truth of God.

((My thoughts- God didn't say those words 'ye shall not surely die'. God didn't give hope in those words. Don't be mistaken, it is hope that Satan is giving to Eve isn't it? God told her she would die, and Satan turns around and tells her, guess what? God is wrong. God lied to you. You won't die. And yes, as stated above, millions and millions alive today believe this and uncountable number have believed it in the past.))

Indeed, in our day the doctrine of the immortality of the soul has gained such favor among even those who profess the word of God as their standard of belief, that to deny it is considered by the majority of them as equivalent to a denial of the Bible itself.

(My thoughts- I've personally faced this situation. I've told others that there is no immediate life after death, the dead don't rise up out of their bodies in spirit form separating from their flesh bodies. I've said outright that my loved ones are not in heaven, but sleeping and I've been told I'm wrong about that. I've pointed out Biblical verses to reveal the truth and been told other verses supersede those verses- my Bible verses are outdated and done away with, theirs are truth.))

But, instead of such denial being in any way a denial of the truth of revelation, the fact is that the truth of revelation can be logically and consistently held only by the total and unequivocal denial of the doctrine of the natural immortality of the soul.

This, the Scriptures plainly show.

I. THE RESURRECTION

There is no truth more plainly taught nor more diligently insisted upon in the Bible than this: That the future existence of men depends absolutely upon either a resurrection of the dead or a translation without seeing death at all.

Paul's hope for future existence was in the resurrection of the dead. In speaking of his efforts to "win Christ," he says: "That I may know him, and the power of his RESURRECTION, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the RESURRECTION of the dead." Phil 3:10, 11.

It was of "the hope and resurrection of the dead" that he was called in question by the council (Acts 23:6); and when he had afterward to make his defense before Felix, he declared that the resurrection of the dead was the end of his hope, saying: "And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a RESURRECTION of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts 24:15

Time and again Paul thus expresses his hope of future life. Nor is Paul the only one of the writers of the Bible who teaches the same thing. The RESURRECTION of the dead is that to which Job looked for the consummation of his hope. Job 14:14, 15; 17:13-15; 19:23-27.

Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

Job 14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands.

Job 17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness.

Job 17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou art my mother, and my sister.

Job 17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?

Job 19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

Job 19:24 That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job 19:26 And though AFTER my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

David says: "Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken [give life to] me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth." Ps. 71:20. And, "As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness." Ps. 17:15

((My thoughts- Worms destroying skin, coming up from the depths of the earth- this most assuredly does not portray someone separating from their body and living on in spirit existence. This is clearly the dead being put in a grave to decay and not seeing anything at all whatsoever until 'I AWAKE with thy likeness'. These men of God knew that death meant a complete and utter separation from life in any form. They expected the nothingness of their death and had hope of a future, not an immediate resurrection. It couldn't be more clear.))

And what shall we more say? For the time would fail us to tell of Isaiah, and Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, and Daniel, and Hosea, and Micah, and all the prophets and apostles, and of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for Jesus himself declared that it was the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD of which God spake when he said, "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."

More than this, Jesus pointed his disciples always to the resurrection of the dead, through which alone they could obtain the reward which he promised. In John 6:39-54 we find that no less than four times the Saviour, in giving promise to those who believe in him, sets it forth as the consummation of that belief that "I will raise him up at the last day."

((My thoughts- those four times-

Joh 6:39 … should raise it up again at the last day.

Joh 6:40 … may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:44 … and I will raise him up at the last day.

Joh 6:54 … and I will raise him up at the last day. ))

And in Luke 14:13, 14 we read: "When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and . . . thou shalt be recompensed at the RESURRECTION of the just."

Paul, however, gives us, upon this subject, a straight-forward, logical argument, which leaves the doctrine of the immortality of the soul not a particle of ground to rest upon.

The fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is devoted entirely to an argument in proof of the resurrection of the dead.

The apostle first proves, by hundreds of living witnesses who had seen him after he was risen, that Christ arose from the dead.

Still there were some who said, "There is no resurrection of the dead," and in refutation of that idea, he introduces three points of argument, any one of which utterly excludes the doctrine of the immortality of the soul from any place whatever in Christian doctrine.

To be continued… God willing.

The above excerpt is taken from -The Immortality of the Soul, Is it a Scriptural Doctrine?

By. A.T. Jones

With my thoughts included.