When those who publish dictionaries seek to define the meaning and nature of the “soul,” they usually seek input from divinity-school theologians. Thus they often have something like this as their primary definition: “the spiritual or immortal element in a person” (Oxford American Dictionary). This is understandable because the general populace believes in the reliability of such persons on matters of theology.
The Bible “soul”
Of course, “soul” theology predates Christianity. It developed shortly after the creation of Adam, as indicated by archaeological findings in Egyptian tombs.
The idea did not come from an accurate recounting of the creation of Adam, as that account applies “soul” to the total person. “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” (Gen. 2:7). The word “soul” comes from the Hebrew word nephesh and should be translated a living “creature” as it is in Genesis 1:21,24; 2:19; 9:10,12, etc. I Corinthians 15 confirms this understanding, because “a natural body” in verse 44 is equated to “a living soul” in verse 45.
On occasion, the term “soul” is employed for the seat of human emotions, thus the soul can sin, lust, sorrow, etc. (Lev. 4:2; Deut. 12:20). In this usage, however, the “soul” speaks of emotions that are developed in the mind of man. Most human beings are conscious of their surroundings and their emotions are responses to their awareness of things. These are physiological factors developed from birth. Thus, even in this sense, the word “soul” defines man as a physical entity subject to various emotions.
Paul contradicts philosophers
Over the centuries, philosophers have described the soul as an eternal element in man, part of God’s eternal nature. Major Greek philosophers (e.g. Plato) taught the soul belonged to the eternal realm of divine nature and was restricted by dwelling in the body. They felt at death the soul was released from this restriction to once again enjoy its previous unfettered condition.1
Influential voices lead to error
There were many prominent Christian leaders who absorbed erroneous Greek teaching and developed unscriptural doctrines. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274 A.D.) postulated a theory about the soul which became a standard doctrine for most of Christianity. He taught the immortal human soul was created by God. It is the vital intellectual principle within the mortal body. It is not dependent upon the body for survival because it can never die. The idea is virtually identical to that of the Greeks and is an example of a pagan idea being absorbed into Christian theology.
This is directly contrary to Bible passages which speak of the death and destruction of the soul, e.g. “the soul that sinneth it shall die,” Ezk. 18:4,20; and “shall save a soul from death,” James 5:20; Mt. 10:28; 16:26.
Bible teaching about death
What happens at death is clearly revealed in the Bible by God — who certainly can tell us the right facts. Following are some examples:
Psa. 49:12: “Man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.”
Psa. 146:3-4: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
Eccl. 3:19-20: “For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other…All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and till turn to dust again.”
The hope of resurrection
Death would be the eternal fate of man without the mercy of God as extended in Christ our Lord. He has given a hope of a resurrection of the body that we may receive a reward according to all that we have done, whether good or bad (II Cor. 5:10).
In I Corinthians 15, Paul teaches the resurrection is a certain hope. He discusses the point at length to refute the contention of some in his day who were denying any future resurrection. “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?…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” (I Cor. 15:12-18). The Christian’s hope is completely dependent on a resurrection from the dead. Those awaiting resurrection are spoken of as being “asleep” because their abode in the grave is only temporary. If they are not raised, they have perished. This is in dramatic contrast to the idea that their eternal soul lives on quite apart from any bodily form.
Also consider Philippians 3:20-21 as it speaks about the transformation of our physical bodies: “Our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body. that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”
To summarize
The theory and doctrine of the immortality of the soul was of human origin. Today’s popular teaching about the soul came from Greek metaphysics, but reliable information about the nature of the soul can only be found in the Bible. By considering God’s word, we can separate Greek theory from the real facts.
Once we understand that at death the breath of life returns to God and the individual perishes, we realize the vital importance of the resurrection of the dead. With this in mind, we earnestly pray for the return of Christ “who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom” (II Tim. 4:1).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One