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pointed out Biblical verses to reveal the truth and been told other verses supersede those verses- my Bible verses are outdated and done away with, theirs are truth.))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.

THE ANTICHRIST

 THE ANTICHRIST

He’s Already Here! Prepare!

The final Deception is coming!!

An Exposé Of Deceit by Gary L. Patrick & Dennis Tevis 2018

NOAH 2.0 – AN ANALOGY Earthquakes, fires, floods - nature’s excesses appear to be increasing daily!! Disasters on all sides and at historic levels are wreaking havoc on the earth. Chaotic weather, along with failing man-made infrastructure, is multiplying devastation; claiming life, property, and anything else in its path! Most are alarmed, but few realize the root cause - human sin. Why? Because the overwhelming majority, blinded by worldly unbelief, choose to ignore God and the warnings found in the Bible. And our time, toward the end of the present age and just as God’s Word predicted, parallels Noah’s day.

For 120 years, this “preacher of righteousness” warned the antediluvian world of a coming catastrophic flood. Its wickedness had reached a level that necessitated God’s judgments to put a check on sin. Noah was commanded to build an ark where believers of his message could find their only refuge. A time arrived when the ark was finished. All of a sudden, groups of animals and birds came from each direction, making their way toward and into the ark. Here was a warning sign for all to see. And yet the people went right on disregarding all the cautions of impending doom. Just a few days later, the prophesied event occurred. When the ‘business as usual’ folly of that ungodly generation passed, it was too late! Continuing to ignore plain heaven-sent evidence produced grave results, causing untold loss of life and desolation. Likewise, in our time, lies, misconceptions, denials, and unconcern surrounding the events preceding the second coming of Christ are lulling people willingly into a false sense of security that will not be realized until it, also, is too late!

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With the advent of social media, postings can go viral in a matter of hours. It's out there for all to view and form reactions. Information is available at one's fingertips. The same thing can be said of the Bible. This book, because of its near global availability, is also highly accessible. Sadly however, it is too often greatly ignored. To neglect the Bible by disregarding an imminent forecast of massive deception, which will engulf the entire world, puts you in serious trouble. Carelessly overlooking biblical warnings will prove to be eternally fatal! God through His Holy Scriptures has revealed the specifics leading up to this “last great delusion” beforehand. Sinister powers are vying for the allegiance of all humanity, and their attention is primarily focused upon a certain key city – one that captures the awe and imagination of most today – Jerusalem.

The mastermind behind this plot is Lucifer. Under the symbol of the King of Tyrus, the Bible reveals his beginning, purpose, and downfall: “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I [God] have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28: 14-15). Though “perfect” and invested by God with the highest authority given to created beings, at some point something happened to him that brought “iniquity” (lawlessness, sin) into his heart. Under another symbol, the King of Babylon, Lucifer is …

((Please click on the link below to continue reading… (Scroll down to page 2. To improve your study- look up each scripture verse given and pray for understanding. God bless you as you seek His truth.) )

https://alfiowa.com/.../THE%20ANTICHRIST%20-%20EZ%20read.pdf

That they all might be damned who believed not the truth

 'Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: FOR THAT DAY SHALL NOT COME EXCEPT THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST, AND THAT MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that HE MIGHT BE REVEALED IN HIS TIME. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.' 2Th 2:1-12

This is something people don't like to think about. They say things like- our ancestors have been waiting for Jesus for centuries and He's not returned and that old stuff about his coming quickly is obviously not true. But it is true and yes, for centuries- since 33 AD and the death of our Savior- people have been waiting for Him to return. Paul told the people in his day the following…

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Don't be deceived. Christ will return but there is going to be a falling away first. That falling away will reveal the man of sin, the son of perdition ((SATAN)) who places himself above God to the point he will sit in God's place as if he were God.

This hadn't had this happen in Paul's day, but it had begun. A falling away came first, a falling away from what? A departure from truth that is capable of causing a deception- something that can deceive people.

We are told the truth, Satan and his power on earth would be revealed before Christ's return. People couldn't let themselves be deceived by believing otherwise. They needed to expect this revelation of the man of sin.

2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 2Th 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

Paul wanted knowledge of the deception of Satan being revealed to be on people's minds. Paul didn't want people to be lulled into a complacency that would say otherwise. Paul wasn't advocating smooth words and a hope of Christ's return to the exclusion of what must come before that happens. He wanted them to remember he talked about this stuff when he was physically with them.

2Th 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming

That mystery of sin was already at work among them and would remain among them until that Wicked is revealed…. And it would be that Wicked revealed who would eventually be consumed — by what? 'Whom the LORD shall consume with the SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH' What comes from the Lord's mouth? TRUTH.

The spirit of the Lord's mouth… Truth will consume the Father of Lies. The Lord will destroy that Wicked with the LIGHT of His Return.

What this is all saying, if I'm understanding it correctly (BIG IF), is that evil will exist right up until the LORD'S return.

Evil will exist and this evil can cause people to be deceived. This evil will present itself as God, understandably causing the people to be deceived.

Paul is admonishing Christ's followers not to be deceived by this evil which had already begun to infiltrate that Christian organization. Alongside the true followers of Christ there would exist lies, deception making itself seem as if it were of God. That Wicked would be revealed. We can't let ourselves be deceived even centuries later, especially centuries later as we still wait for our Lord to return. We have to recognize that among Christ's followers is an EVIL that has existed in and among Christ's followers throughout time and it will only be done away with by Christ at His return. WE ARE NOT to attempt to destroy the EVIL as if we had the power to do such a thing. We are warned, we are made aware of the deception among God's people, a mingling of wheat and tares until the very end. We need to seek TRUTH Christ's TRUTH so that we are not deceived and we do not become a part of the deception of the evil one.

So great is this evil…

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

READ THAT AND RE-READ THAT, AND RE-READ IT AGAIN AND AGAIN.

This Wicked will work with DECEPTION! The deception will be so incredibly strong that people will no longer love truth, and once they no longer desire truth to be saved but want only their deception, God is going to give them strong delusions, letting them believe the lies they want to believe.

These people will be damned that do not believe TRUTH. These people will be damned that have pleasure in unrighteousness.

We have truth or lies, righteousness or unrighteousness. When we choose to accept lies from the deceiver we allow ourselves to be deceived. This deception is going to appear like the REAL THING, it's the only thing that makes deception - deception.

You can't be deceived if you don't believing you are in the truth.

You won't be in the truth, but you will believe you are.

You will believe you have all the truth you need and you'll stop searching for truth.

You will believe you have enough and need no more, you are already rich in the blessings of God you don't need to seek out more truth than what you already have. You have the love of God and you are doing the work of God, you are believing and you are loving your fellow man by taking care of his needs- helping them as Christ instructed. You are clothing them, feeding them, housing them, visiting them, you are doing so much for your fellow man that you must belong to Christ, because the Bible says those who do those things are Christ's.

So why, why does Jesus say that many will say didn't they do wonderful works in His name, but they are lost? Why are they lost if they are doing the wonderful works, doing all that Jesus said they should do? These people believe they are genuinely Christ's. We have Paul telling us that the Wicked will be revealed, that it will exist and already exist among them and wouldn't be destroyed until Christ return's. We have these truths and we are warned not to be deceived. So how can we ever be deceived if we are doing all those wonderful things that we are told by Christ's to do?

There are truth and there are lies, there is truth and there is deception, there is righteousness and unrighteousness-- we must seek TRUTH above all things. Our wonderful works and believing we are doing the words of God, of Christ, will not automatically guarantee that we are Christ's. There is a deception that makes people believe they are Christ's but they aren't.

We have to have a love for TRUTH, a desire not to want to be deceived. We need to seek truth. Our allegiances reveal where we believe. If we align ourselves with deception when we are able to leave that deception for the truth, we are accountable. You say TRUTH doesn't matter, that nothing matters but Christ- you are deceived, Christ is the TRUTH. Christ stands for TRUTH. His life was one of all TRUTHFULNESS.

Our actions will determine if we want to serve The Truth by following the truth He followed, or if we just want the label Christian and no more.

What is truth? Study to show yourself approved unto God- rightly dividing the word of TRUTH. Study truth.

A person following revealed truth isn't guaranteed Salvation. If they follow the truth and do not have the love of Christ they aren't Christ's. They have to go hand in hand! Truth and love- truth and compassion- loving GOD in all truth, and loving MAN in all truth. You can't stop at one and neglect the other.

God's Ten Commandments that Jesus upheld and expounded on, living a life of sinlessness in obedience to those Ten Royal Laws is truth. But if I stop there and do not advocate for love in actions towards others while fulfilling the commandments, I'd be very remiss.

REMEMBER. Isn't that word 'remember' a powerful, powerful word of caution.

If you tell someone to remember it's for a reason, always. When you say remember, you don't want something forgotten.

When Christ lived out his life in perfect obedience, shaking the man made dross off the Royal Ten Commandments, polishing them so their truth would shine through, it was for us that He did that.

If the Royal Ten Commandments were to be done away with, Jesus had plenty of opportunity to rip it apart in many, many ways. He reinforced it- the TWO COMMANDMENT ENCOMPASSING THE TEN- LOVE GOD, LOVE OTHERS. Jesus went about shaking the heavy weight of man's interpretation off those Ten Commandments. He told them if they committed adultery in their lust, not just in their actions- that their minds were sinning and that was just as bad as their flesh committing the act of sin. Wow, Jesus went and made that commandment so much more restrictive than the people were following it already.

Jesus said, if you're hateful in your heart towards someone to the point of wanting them dead, you are a murderer already! Again, the do not murder commandment was made more restrictive than they were ever thinking it should be.

Jesus took another commandment they'd made super restrictive in many ways and said that it was wrong what they'd done to it. There is a proper way to keep the Sabbath and that's not by being a statue unmoving, unthinking, being loveless on that holy day. Do you see?

Jesus knew that sin was a transgression of the law, and He did NOT transgress the Royal Law, the Ten Commandments in any way at all whatsoever! He was, is and will ever be, SINLESS. This is TRUTH! HE IS TRUTH.

If we ignore something that Jesus went to great pains to point out the truth about- that the Ten Commandments are absolutely still binding and must be obeyed and when transgressed forgiveness must be sought, then we are deceived. We should never ignore truth!

Those who argue the Ten Commandments are no longer in effect are deceivers, and so many believe them! They say those who advocate for keeping the Ten Commandments are being sticklers for the law and trying to get to heaven by their works.

That's a lie! LOVING GOD, LOVING OTHERS upon those two commandments hang all TEN! Only through LOVE and recognizing the love in the TEN COMMANDMENTS- the TWO COMMANDMENTS BROADLY, can we recognize the LOVE of Christ. He sacrificed Himself, the Sinless One, the One who transgressed not a single Ten Commandment because He knew we are sinners in need of a Savior from our failings, from our sinfulness. I can believe about myself that I keep the Ten Commandments in all truth, in love, and I'd STILL fall short. I have my Savior who did that for me! But He did not do it for me and say, 'Okay, you don't have to keep the commandments any longer, I did it for you. Go on, go transgress those laws they aren't in effect any longer.' He didn't say, 'I know you can't keep them, so don't even try.' NO. He said 'IF YOU LOVE ME KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS….. ' How could He say that knowing we couldn't?

He could say it because in those commandments are PURE LOVE, and IF we have accepted CHRIST as our SAVIOR, He will send us the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit it is possible to keep the revelation of love throughout the Ten Royal Laws. Loving God and loving Others in TRUTH.

I don't keep the SABBATH commandment as Christ commanded me to in order to be saved, in order to think I obtain righteousness by my action. I keep the SABBATH commandment of Christ because I LOVE HIM, and HE loved me enough to create the SABBATH commandment. He LOVED ME ENOUGH to keep the SABBATH commandment perfectly to show me the Love in the SABBATH.

I can't change the Sabbath to suit my traditions.

Just like the Jewish leaders (when Jesus ministered upon Earth) over time had piled many rules upon the Sabbath, today people have taken the Sabbath and moved it around to suit their own desires. If you think I'm wrong, tell me why the Sabbath day was kept by the Jewish people and early Christ followers both until it became a selling point to win over the pagan people to change it to a day they worshipped the sun on? The resurrection of Christ was NEVER EVER a reason for the change, it's NOT BIBLICAL AT ALL WHATSOEVER. Man changed it and labeled it as a Christian holy day, not God. And today millions upon millions upon millions believe in that LIE, that DECEPTION and say it doesn't matter at all whatsoever. It doesn't matter that we are told to REMEMBER that particular Royal Law. It just doesn't matter. Jesus' love is all that matters and the excludes the Ten Commandments- as if Jesus didn't make them all the more important to us with His ministry.

DECEPTION! BLINDED! BELIVING LIES! DECEIVED!

IT MATTERS IN THE SEARCH FOR ONLY TRUTH!!!!

As I said, my keeping the true Sabbath will not earn me anything at all. My loving Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, enough to live His truth matters. He gave us the truth in His life, don't let yourself be deceived so that you'll be among those who think they are doing all things a Christian should, but will be shocked when Jesus tells them to get away from Him.

Don't let yourself be deceived! Search for TRUTH! You won't be able to say you weren't given an opportunity to know the truth, you are being given it- right now. 'This wicked' works deception and will continue to do so until Christ returns. 'This wicked' has worked deception since the days of the Apostles in many different ways. Don't be deceived! Seek truth! Seek Jesus!

2Th 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.