Do we have a soul? Is it IMMORTAL? Where did it come
from? Upon death, does it go to heaven to experience
eternal joy or to Hell to endure pain and suffering
FOREVER? What exactly IS man?

God made man in his own image, but he was not composed
of the same substance as God. God is spirit and immortal.
He possesses self-inherent eternal life. Man, on the other
hand, came from the elements of the earth and was an
inert, physical corpse of organic matter - until God
breathed into him the breath of life. Genesis reveals
man’s special creation by the Creator personally breathing
into him the breath of life.

"And God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, after
Our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish
of the sea and over the fowl of heaven and over the
livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that crawls upon the earth." . And God
created man in His own image, in the image of God He
created him. He created them male and
female." (Genesis 1:26-27)

"Then 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 being." (2:7)

It is at this point that man became a living soul or being
(Genesis 2:27), which is the heart of the discussion about
what man is. To modern Christians the word "soul"
denotes something that is immortal and conscious after
death, something that goes to heaven or hell. However, the
Biblical usage of the word is quite different.

The Hebrew expression translated "living soul" (or 'living
being') in Genesis 2:7 is nephesh. This word is
used in several other places in Genesis 1 and 2 as well as
throughout the Old Testament. It is in 243 different
Bible passages, and translated in 11 different ways. The
King James Bible translators translated nephesh as "living
creature" in Genesis 1:21 where it refers to sea animals.

They rendered it "living creature" in verse 24 where it
refers to land animals. In verse 30, this same Hebrew
expression is used to describe all living things on the
earth. The word translated as "living creature" in Genesis
2:19, where Adam names the animals, is again from the
Hebrew word nephesh. So, when we are told that Adam
became a "living soul," we are not informed that he was
given any inherent immortality.

What does it mean to be MORTAL?

Every indication in the Old Testament is that, of and by himself, man
is mortal creature, subject to decay and death. God told Adam after
he had sinned,

"In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to
the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to
dust you shall return." (Genesis 3:19)

There is no reference here to a conscious, immortal soul going to
heaven, hell or limbo when the body goes to the grave. Rather, the
indication is that when the body returns to the dust, the conscious
man, the "living soul", ceases to exist. Of course, it was not long
before Satan appeared on the scene contradicting God's warning
about sin and its deadly consequences. Tempting Eve with the
forbidden fruit he said,

"And the serpent said to the woman, "In dying, you shall not
surely die! For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your
eyes shall be opened, and you shall be like God, deciding
(determining for yourself) good and evil."" (Genesis 3:4-5)

In a sense, the modern concepts of the immortal soul and
reincarnation convey the same idea - that man is inherently immortal
- that he won't really die. Ezekiel stated just the opposite of this
supposition.
"The soul that sins, it shall die." (Ezekiel 18:4, 20)
So, whatever a soul is, in the Old Testament sense of the word, it can
die. Solomon, the wisest king of Israel, wrote about the fate of
humans,

"All things come alike to all; there is one event that happens to
the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean . . .
For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know
anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for their memory is
forgotten." (Ecclesiastes 9:2, 5)

Solomon corroborates the statements of Genesis
that death is the cessation of conscious life. The Psalmist wrote that
the dead do not praise God.

"The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into
silence." (Psalm 115:17; compare with Psalm 6:5; 1 46:4)

The idea that death is merely a separation of a conscious, immortal
soul from the body came not from the Bible but from Greek
philosophy. An interesting philosophy, but it is nowhere taught in the
Old Testament! Even modern theologians who believe in the
immortality of the soul admit frankly that it is not taught in the
Bible. Consider what The New Catholic Encyclopedia has to say about
the Hebrew word nephesh or nepes:

"Nepes comes from an original root . . . to breathe, and . . . thence,
breath of life. Since breath distinguishes the living from the
dead, nepes is used in regard to both animals and humans... After
death, the nepes goes to Sheol rest, (Hebrew word for grave). The
above summary indicates that there is no dichotomy of body and
soul in the Old Testament . . . other words in the Old Testament
such as spirit, flesh, and heart also signify the human person and
differ only as various aspects of the same being. The notion of the
soul surviving after death is not readily discernible in the Bible.

The concept of the human soul itself is not the same in the Old
Testament as it is in Greek and modern philosophy . . . (in the) Old
Testament means not a part of man, but the whole man - man as a
living being" (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967).
There is no support in the Old Testament for the idea that a
conscious immortal spiritual entity goes to heaven or hell (or some
other place) at death. Rather, all indications are that conscious life
ceases until the time of a future resurrection.

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall
awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and
everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2)

"But you (Daniel), go your way till the end be, for you shall rest
and stand in your lot at the end of the days." (Daniel 12:13)

Both verses compare death to a sleep, an unconscious state, which is
to continue until the time of the resurrection.

What do we find in the New Testament?
The Greek word psuche, the virtual equivalent to the Hebrew word
nephesh, is the only word that is translated "soul" in the New
Testament. You will find the word 105 times in the New Testament.
It is translated "soul" only 58 times. The word has also been
translated as "life" (40 times), "mind" (3 times) and others. There is
no indication that this entity continues in a conscious state following
death. Rather, the evidence shows that it refers to a living mortal
being who can die. Consider the following verses.

"For even the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve, and
to give His life (psuche) as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)

Isaiah wrote that Jesus
" . . . and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He has
poured out His soul (nephesh) to death" (Isaiah 53:12)

Clearly, Jesus' nephesh or psuche was given up and ceased to exist. it
was not merely separated from His body as Greek philosophy would
have one believe. John, in the book of Revelation wrote that when the
second angel poured out his bowl,

"And the second angel went and poured out his vial into the sea;
and it became blood, like that of a dead man; and every living soul
(psuche) in the sea died." (Revelation 16:3)
Consider the following statement from The New Catholic
Encyclopedia:

"The soul in the Old Testament means not a part of man, but the
whole man as a living being. Similarly in the New Testament, it
signifies human life: the life of an individual conscious
object" (Matthew 2:20-6:25; Luke 12:22; 14:26; John 10:11,15,17;
John 13:37; Acts 27:10,22; Philippians 2:30; 1Thessalonians 2:
" Recent exegetes... have maintained that the New Testament does
not teach the immortality of the soul in the Hellenistic sense of
survival of an immortal principle after death"
(The New Catholic
Encyclopedia article Soul, Human, Immortality of, In The Bible)

How do humans live forever?

The Greek concept of the eternal soul assumes that individuals
already possess eternal life - that the only question is where this
eternal life is spent after death. In stark contrast, many Bible
passages portray eternal life as a gift given by God. Paul refers
directly to the fact that God alone has immortality (1Timothy 6:16).

In a well-known statement to the Romans, Paul insists that the wages
of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. In other words,
the normal consequences of sin is death; but to be immortal, the
opposite of death, is something that man does not have of and by
himself; it comes only as a gift from God (Romans 6:23). John
reiterates Paul's statement in 1John.

"And this is the witness: that God has given us eternal life, and
this life is in His Son. The one who has the Son has eternal life;
the one who does not have the Son of God does not have eternal
life." (1John 5:11-12)

Jesus, referring to Himself, prayed to the Father just before He
was crucified.

"Father, the hour has come; glorify Your own Son, so that Your
Son may also glorify You; Since You have given Him authority over
all flesh, in order that He may give eternal life to all whom You
have given Him. For this is eternal life, that they may know You,
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You did send." (John
17:1-3)

If man is inherently immortal and his life continues eternally beyond
the death of the body, these passages don't make sense - unless, of
course, one redefines death as separation of soul and body, a
definition not supported in the Bible. If, however, death is the
absence of life and consciousness, these statements make very good
sense.

How is death like SLEEPING?

Throughout the Bible, death is compared to sleep. Notice a couple of
Jesus' statements:

"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I
may awaken him." (John 11:11)

"For the damsel is not dead, but is sleeping." (Matthew 9:24)

Matthew records that at the time of Jesus' death something very
usual took place.

"And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who
had died arose. And after His resurrection, they came out of the
tombs and entered into the holy city, and appeared to
many." (Matthew 27:52-53).

If these saints were already experiencing the bliss of heaven, it
would have been cruel to bring them back to frail human existence to
live and then die again; but if they were truly asleep, unconscious, it
would have been a blessing to them and to all who were witnessed to
by their new lives. The Apostle Paul referred to dead Christians as
sleeping until awakened by the last trump at the resurrection
(1Corinthians 15:51 and 1Thessalonians 4:14;5:10). Daniel wrote of
both believers and nonbelievers as sleeping - until they are
resurrected (Daniel 12:2). Notice that the focus is on the
resurrection - not on a reward in heaven or punishment in hell
experienced by a conscious immortal soul at death.

Is there a SPIRITUAL element in man? What IS man?
What IS man?

To those who believe in the senseless idea of
evolution, man is merely a product of time and chance, the outcome
of countless years of randomness. Man is, however, much more than
even many Christians understand. He is a special, glorious creation,
made in the very image of God, with the potential of living forever. In
addition, something separates him from animals. It is a spiritual
dimension, a capacity to understand spiritual, eternal, godly things.

Several passages of the Bible indicate what might be called a "spirit
in man" - a spiritual ingredient that makes a man human, that turns
an animal brain into a human mind, that gives him the capacity to
reason and plan and to consider spiritual questions. Paul refers to a
"man's spirit" in 1Corinthians 2:1 1.

Solomon, in Ecclesiastes, wrote
about it returning to God.

"And the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns
to God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7)

This "spirit in man" unites with the Holy Spirit when a person
experiences conversion - a spiritual essence that is not conscious
apart from the body. Regardless of whether a person is a Christian or
not, his "spiritual essence" returns to God at death. The important
fact is that although man does not have an immortal soul, he can
receive eternal life through accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior.

"This is madness!"

"Madness? This is Sparta!"

[img]http://2.bp..com/_rVC2QbjSS3E/SjCUumcdgkI/AAAAAAAAAHY/s_4I-qaMnaI/s400/this-is-sparta-7.jpg[/img]

You ask a question and then you assault us with a barrage of Jewish bible passages as though that were the only possible source for an answer. So you must have found your answer in there. Why bother us with your questions?

Rossikk: You ask a question and then you assault us with a barrage of Jewish bible passages as though that were the only possible source for an answer. So you must have found your answer in there. Why bother us with your questions?

Ever heard of a rhetorical question?

@haibe
That orientation Ȋ̝̊̅§ derived from jehovah witness church. Are u 1? That been said, i don't believe in hell, heaven nd spirit or last day resurrection. I believe u die its done. τ̲̅ђǝ world continues endlessly. Unless there'll be gr8 natural disaster t̶̲̥̅̊ơ wipe out every living thing on τ̲̅ђǝ face of τ̲̅ђǝ earth. And A̶̲̥̅♏ sure not every living thing wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be wiped out in this regard, life must go on. IMO! Peace!!!

meka chuko: @haibe
That orientation Ȋ̝̊̅§ derived from jehovah witness church. Are u 1? That been said, i don't believe in hell, heaven nd spirit or last day resurrection. I believe u die its done. τ̲̅ђǝ world continues endlessly. Unless there'll be gr8 natural disaster t̶̲̥̅̊ơ wipe out every living thing on τ̲̅ђǝ face of τ̲̅ђǝ earth. And A̶̲̥̅♏ sure not every living thing wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be wiped out in this regard, life must go on. IMO! Peace!!!

Am not a jehovah witness, neither is it an excclusive jehovah witness teaching, the bible doesn't teach immortality of the soul like some christians go about saying. Man is mortal, he only becomes immortal at the resurrection, he doesn't have a spirit or soulish entity in him, the spirit in man is not a person that can exist separately from the body.

Now the problem is that you don't believe the resurrection, there is resurrection to everlasting life for the godly and to everlasting contempt for the ungodly, the bible clearly teaches that, why don't you believe it?

Hell or lake of fire is a place of destruction for the unrepentant sinners which will be available after the second resurrection not immediately a person dies, hell is not a temporal place of torment before the resurrection.

Heaven is a complex word, it could mean the sky, the outer space or where God dwells, some people use paradise and heaven interchangeably but paradise will be brought down from heaven to the earth, its in this paradise the godly will dwell eternally not God's abode(heaven), the bible teaches this.

So why don't you believe in the resurrection, hell(lake of fire) and heaven?

haibe:

Am not a jehovah witness, neither is it an excclusive jehovah witness teaching, the bible doesn't teach immortality of the soul like some christians go about saying. Man is mortal, he only becomes immortal at the resurrection, he doesn't have a spirit or soulish entity in him, the spirit in man is not a person that can exist separately from the body.

Now the problem is that you don't believe the resurrection, there is resurrection to everlasting life for the godly and to everlasting contempt for the ungodly, the bible clearly teaches that, why don't you believe it?

Hell or lake of fire is a place of destruction for the unrepentant sinners which will be available after the second resurrection not immediately a person dies, hell is not a temporal place of torment before the resurrection.

Heaven is a complex word, it could mean the sky, the outer space or where God dwells, some people use paradise and heaven interchangeably but paradise will be brought down from heaven to the earth, its in this paradise the godly will dwell eternally not God's abode(heaven), the bible teaches this.

So why don't you believe in the resurrection, hell(lake of fire) and heaven?

Good question.
I don't believe because of lots of contradictions that totally made M̶̲̅ε t̶̲̥̅̊ơ rethink. Now, ♈☺ΰ are of τ̲̅ђǝ opinion that τ̲̅ђǝ dead wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resting in their sheols till τ̲̅ђǝ last day. When τ̲̅ђǝ righteous wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resurrected t̶̲̥̅̊ơ eternal life while τ̲̅ђǝ unjust wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resurrected t̶̲̥̅̊ơ eternal condemnation.
But same bible asserts that after death, judgment follows immediately.
Secondly, when was hell created?? It was never recorded in τ̲̅ђǝ bible.
Talking about resurrection, Ȋ̝̊̅§ it in flesh or spirit?? Either way, its nt possible. Because last day wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ never come.
Finally, i believe heaven Ȋ̝̊̅§ a state of mind not a place. One last question, y do u fink satan wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ punish pple fr doin' his wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ ??

meka chuko: Good question.
I don't believe because of lots of contradictions that totally made M̶̲̅ε t̶̲̥̅̊ơ rethink. Now, ♈☺ΰ are of τ̲̅ђǝ opinion that τ̲̅ђǝ dead wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resting in their sheols till τ̲̅ђǝ last day. When τ̲̅ђǝ righteous wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resurrected t̶̲̥̅̊ơ eternal life while τ̲̅ђǝ unjust wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ be resurrected t̶̲̥̅̊ơ eternal condemnation.
But same bible asserts that after death, judgment follows immediately.

The bible never said we go to heaven or hell immediately after death, i know the passage you are talking about, "it is appointed once for a man to die , after this is judgement"

This verse doesn't imply the great white throne judgement, it means the fate of a person has been determined immediately he dies. The word judgement is synonymous with fate, i hope you get it now?

meka chuko:

Secondly, when was hell created?? It was never recorded in τ̲̅ђǝ bible.

It doesn't matter when it was created, what matter is when it will be available for the ungodly and the bible says it is after the second ressurection not immediately a person dies.

meka chuko:
Talking about resurrection, Ȋ̝̊̅§ it in flesh or spirit?? Either way, its nt possible. Because last day wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ never come.

Finally, i believe heaven Ȋ̝̊̅§ a state of mind not a place. One last question, y do u fink satan wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ punish pple fr doin' his wȊ̝̊̅ℓℓ ??

1). The resurrection of the godly will be in a spiritual/immortal body not a natural/physical body

2) Satan will not punish people in hell for doing his will, he himself will be destroyed in hell after the second resurrection, its a greek mythology that there is a demon or devil waiting for the ungodly in hell immediately after they die, this idea was originated by plato and is not scriptural.

Now my question is why don't you believe this events, do you believe the bible?

haibe:

The bible never said we go to heaven or hell immediately after death, i know the passage you are talking about, "it is appointed once for a man to die , after this is judgement"

This verse doesn't imply the great white throne judgement, it means the fate of a person has been determined immediately he dies. The word judgement is synonymous with fate, i hope you get it now?

i wish i got it.

Where Ȋ̝̊̅§ τ̲̅ђǝ immortal soul/spirit all τ̲̅ђǝ while, in τ̲̅ђǝ grave too?? Or just hanging in τ̲̅ђǝ air?? Waiting for τ̲̅ђǝ perpetual last day.

haibe:

It doesn't matter when it was created, what matter is when it will be available for the ungodly and the bible says it is after the second ressurection not immediately a person dies.

i see. It dosen't matter when it was created right? 1 quick question.

Where Ȋ̝̊̅§ satan and his angels @ τ̲̅ђǝ moment?? If hell Ȋ̝̊̅§ not available yet.

meka chuko: i wish i got it.

Where Ȋ̝̊̅§ τ̲̅ђǝ immortal soul/spirit all τ̲̅ђǝ while, in τ̲̅ђǝ grave too?? Or just hanging in τ̲̅ђǝ air?? Waiting for τ̲̅ђǝ perpetual last day.

The bible says the dead will be raised incorruptible in a spiritual and immortal body, its not a disembodied soul or spirit.

This transformation will be done by God.

haibe:

1). The resurrection of the godly will be in a spiritual/immortal body not a natural/physical body

2) Satan will not punish people in hell for doing his will, he himself will be destroyed in hell after the second resurrection, its a greek mythology that there is a demon or devil waiting for the ungodly in hell immediately after they die, this idea was originated by plato and is not scriptural.

τ̲̅ђǝ resurrection of τ̲̅ђǝ ungodly nko?? Perhaps in flesh because spirits/ immortal body can't b killed.

meka chuko: i see. It dosen't matter when it was created right? 1 quick question.

Where Ȋ̝̊̅§ satan and his angels @ τ̲̅ђǝ moment?? If hell Ȋ̝̊̅§ not available yet.

Satan and his demons are just roaming around the earth posessing and tempting people, they will be thrown into the lake of fire before Jesus sets up his eternal paradise on earth.

meka chuko: τ̲̅ђǝ resurrection of τ̲̅ђǝ ungodly nko?? Perhaps in flesh because spirits/ immortal body can't b killed.

The bible only says the saints will be raised in an immortal body to eternal life, i don't know about the ungodly, perhaps they resurrect in their mortal body.

haibe:

The bible says the dead will be raised incorruptible in a spiritual and immortal body, its not a disembodied soul or spirit.

This transformation will be done by God.

Lemme get this straight.

Do you mean same body and everything?? But this time, incorruptible cum immortal also spirits @same time??

meka chuko: Lemme get this straight.

Do you mean same body and everything?? But this time, incorruptible cum immortal also spirits @same time??

Same body but will be changed to an incorruptible and spiritual body

Can you do a study on 1 corinthians 15?

haibe:

Satan and his demons are just roaming around the earth posessing and tempting people, they will be thrown into the lake of fire before Jesus sets up his eternal paradise on earth.

you mean satan and his demons are right here with mere humans on earth?? Hmmmm! If this Ȋ̝̊̅§ true, then i can't help but say that satan run τ̲̅ђǝ earth and if God Ȋ̝̊̅§ powerful than satan but still allows her/him t̶̲̥̅̊ơ tempt and possess ordinary human, who Ȋ̝̊̅§ t̶̲̥̅̊ơ blame?? And why eternally condemning humans in lake of fire when its obvious that him(God) and satan are having personal beefs.

meka chuko: you mean satan and his demons are right here with mere humans on earth?? Hmmmm! If this Ȋ̝̊̅§ true, then i can't help but say that satan run τ̲̅ђǝ earth and if God Ȋ̝̊̅§ powerful than satan but still allows her/him t̶̲̥̅̊ơ tempt and possess ordinary human, who Ȋ̝̊̅§ t̶̲̥̅̊ơ blame?? And why eternally condemning humans in lake of fire when its obvious that him(God) and satan are having personal beefs.

I don't know why God allows temptation but i know God has a purpose for everything he allows.

What matters most is sticking to his plan and purpose for you and i.

haibe: Can you do a study on 1 corinthians 15?

i just studied τ̲̅ђǝ verse you suggested. Have got couple of questions, but answer this first. Based on your belief, do you think you might have been existing somewhere in τ̲̅ђǝ spiritual realm before you were conceived??

meka chuko: i just studied τ̲̅ђǝ verse you suggested. Have got couple of questions, but answer this first. Based on your belief, do you think you might have been existing somewhere in τ̲̅ђǝ spiritual realm before you were conceived??

No

Adam said nothing about his existence somewhere before he was created. Lazarus when brought back to life said nothing about HELLFIRE or Heaven. my point is, if you hold the bible as God's word and your final authority, you shouldnt believe in an immortal soul because the soul that sinneth,it shall die - Ezekiel 18:4

Efere701: Adam said nothing about his existence somewhere before he was created. Lazarus when brought back to life said nothing about HELLFIRE or Heaven. my point is, if you hold the bible as God's word and your final authority, you shouldnt believe in an immortal soul because the soul that sinneth,it shall die - Ezekiel 18:4

Very true bro, the concept of immortality of the soul is not biblical, we only become immortal at the resurrection to eternal life.