The human soul is NOT eternal

The human soul

Many teachers out there teach that the human soul is inherently eternal, and consequently the souls of the wicked must also always exist which leads to the doctrine of Eternal Suffering. But is this true?

Some ask the inevitable question, “how can a God of love subject anyone to such a terrible fate? Let’s see if this idea of eternal suffering is true by looking at the very scriptures that these teachers use to support their teaching. Before we begin though, let’s think this hypothesis through.

First off, how are the wicked alive if they are cut off from the God of the living? Do they have another life power source apart from God? Or do they get to keep the breath that gave them life in the first place. If so, why does it say that the spirit goes back to God who gave it in Ecclesiastes 12:7?

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

And what happens when you forfeit your soul, does it mean you keep it?

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? … For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? (Mark 8:36)

These scriptures answer our sensible questions regarding what eternal judgement must entail.

Are these just isolated scriptures taken out of context though? Let’s read on and discover more scriptures that tell a completely different story to the Doctrine of Eternal Suffering.

First we will investigate if the human soul is eternal as many assume.

  • the soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20)
  • Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.(Matthew 10:28)

This is enough to answer anyone who believes that the human soul never dies. We have to clear witness scriptures that teach that the human soul can actually die. But there is more. In fact there is a wealth of teaching about the possible destruction and death of the human soul and the destruction of the wicked. After all, do we not already hold to the fact that eternal life is for the righteous soul ONLY.

  • for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
  • hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.
  • But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.
  • He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.
  • What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath–prepared for destruction?
  • And death and Hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 
  • They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
  • I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
  • I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.
  • For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
  • and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
  • Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
  • Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
  • They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
  • By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
  • For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Anyone who denies that the wicked will be destroyed, perish, forfeit their soul, die, or thrown into the Second Death that also destroys the present earth and heaven simply deny scripture and prophecy regarding what is taught on Eternal Judgment. In the Book of Revelation. we clearly read that Death and Hell are thrown into the Lake of Fire, and we know that the SAME fire that destroys the heavens and earth also destroys the wicked.

This teaching that says that both the righteous and wicked will have their soul exist for all eternity is clearly not aligned with scripture. But how important is the correct belief on Eternal Judgement? Well it is is one of the foundational doctrines of the true faith. See Hebrews 6:

1 Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. 4 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 7 Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. 8 But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned. 9 Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case–things that accompany salvation. 10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Viewing 20 posts - 581 through 600 (of 732 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #820757
    Proclaimer
    Participant
    #820777
    Miia
    Participant

    If God is love, how do believers in ‘eternal conscious punishment’ know love?

    #820778
    Miia
    Participant

    Walking without God is Hell.

     

     

     

     

    #821383
    Miia
    Participant

    The teaching of human beings being tormented in eternal torment by an unloving and unforgiving god causes so many to turn away from the True God as he is constantly blasphemed. Anyone preaching a Christ and God without love, power and empathy turns people away, as does judgment.

    1st John 4: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

     

    #821384
    GeneBalthrop
    Participant

    Miia….Very well said, nothing is perfected in fear, for fear has torment, and love cast out fear.

    Peace and love to you and yours. …….gene

    #821387
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi,

    it is important to recognise that the same word HELL is used to translate many words of different meanings in the KJV.

    Tartarus.

    Hades and the bosom of Abraham which make up Sheol.

    The lake of fire, the second death.

     

    The last is the one is the big deal.

    God knows many will not find the truth so as to be saved.

    So He has written many merciful chances for men knowing they are but flesh.

    eg

    Whatever you did to the least of my brethren you did for me.

    #821388
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi Jodi,

    God will be in all.

    He will pour out His Spirit on all flesh

    but by that stage ALL may not include very many.

    #821422
    Miia
    Participant

    Hi Gene yes.

    You can’t fear God in an unhealthy way if you know God as love.

    #821423
    Miia
    Participant

    We strive for perfection in all the wrong ways. Because perfection is from the heart.

    #821424
    Miia
    Participant

    Hi Nick.

    The lake of fire is the second death. Death as the absence of life. There is no resurrection from the second death it is permanent. The penalty of sin is death but the gift of God is life eternal without pain and suffering in the presence of God Almighty. Amen.

    #821431
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi,

    Matt 25.41f

    “Then He shall say to those on his left

    ’Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels….

    and these shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal”

    Rev 20.10

    ”And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”

    Heb 10.21

    “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”

     

    #821438
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi Miia,

    Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect

    is an exhortation to follow the Spirit.

     

    The sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.

    #821662
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    And they have love. Love is the fruit that you are born of God. No love, no Spirit because God is love.

    The enemy always condemns and opposed everyone who follows God.

    #821663
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    God can destroy the soul. He is the one whom we should show ultimate respect. He gives us life and he can take it away. Men can only kill the body, we do not need to fear man.

    #821664
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    Believing in eternal torment in fire and believing you are the only truth is very much in line with the spirit of Catholics.

    Believe the Spirit and scriptures when they say that man will perish without God.

    Do not believe harlots who espouse their own so called truths.

    #821682
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi T8,

    What is it that you do not accept in these scriptures of God?

    Do you serve the interests of God or men?

    #822060
    Proclaimer
    Participant

    Scripture I agree with. I do not follow the tradition that evil men have an eternal soul and thus will not perish in the Second Death because they have eternal life. Clearly, God spared man that fate. Eternal judgement is one of the foundations of our faith and yet again, the traditionalists got that wrong too. Only the righteous will exist forever and ever. Many false teachers preach and allude to the idea that the wicked will suffer in flames in the Lake of Fire or Hell for all eternity. Do you teach this Nick?

    Genesis 3:21-24
    22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.
    24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

    Psalms 37:20
    “But the wicked will perish: Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field, they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.”

    Malachi 4:1
    “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.”

    John 3:16
    For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

    #822061
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi T8,

    An interesting question which needs clarification.

    Do you understand that the word HELL covers both Hades and Gehenna, the lake of fire?

    Do you realise that the rich man is in the waiting place of the lost, Hades, in Lk 16?

    Of course Hades is cast into lake of fire when it is no longer needed.rev.20.14

    The risk of perishing spoken of by Jesus, in Lk 13, is in relationship to physical death.

    Gehenna is the big deal, and follows the second resurrection and the final judgement.

    We know of the new heavenly bodies those in the first resurrection receive.

    Do we know the details of the state of those raised in the second resurrection?

     

    #822062
    NickHassan
    Participant

    Hi T8,

    Matt 5.29, 10.28 and 18.7 seem to confirm that the wicked experience whole body resurrection and risk Gehenna.

    Who knows for how long as a case can be made for several options.

     

     

    #822063
    Miia
    Participant

    Hi Nick.

    Psalm 103:9: ‘He will not always accuse; neither will he stay angry forever.’

Viewing 20 posts - 581 through 600 (of 732 total)
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