Do You Have an Immortal Soul?

What happens when you die? Is there an afterlife? Do you have an immortal soul that wafts off to heaven or descends into an ever-burning hell fire? More fundamentally, WHY do you believe what you do regarding life after death? Where did your ideas come from? You may think you know, but don’t be too sure. Common views about heaven, hell, and purgatory do not come from the Bible and I’ll give proof on today’s Tomorrow’s World program. I’ll also be offering you a free resource that explains in detail the origin of many commonly held assumptions that people have regarding the Bible, so stay tuned! On today’s Tomorrow’s World program, I’m asking and answering questions regarding life after death. Will you live again? And if so, where might that be? Where did your ideas about heaven and hell come from? Try as you might to escape it, your death is certain and avoiding the subject won’t solve the problem. A common assumption is that humans have something often referred to as a soul, and that soul, whatever it is, is immortal. It cannot die but lives forever. If true, when you die that soul must go somewhere—usually thought of as heaven or hell. This idea supposedly comes from the Bible, but does it? What does the Bible say? You may be surprised. According to Jesus, the soul can be destroyed. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28) The highly respected New Bible Commentary Revised makes this comment about Matthew 10:28: The soul in biblical thought is not immortal, except when new life is conferred upon it through Christ (1 Tim 6:16; 2 Tim 1:10). Hell is therefore the place of its destruction as Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom, was of the rubbish of Jerusalem (Matthew 10:28) (Robert E. Nixon, 1970, p. 829). The concept of the soul burning up, is found in John the Baptist’s prediction of the Messiah to come. Notice what he says the Christ would do. Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12) The wheat and chaff are clearly referring in this passage to saved and unsaved human beings. Nothing here indicates immortality. In fact, this passage clearly states the opposite. Perhaps the most famous passage of scripture is John 3:16, but how many stop to think what it says? Notice carefully, beginning in verse 14: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15) Now, consider what this is saying. Notice that it contrasts “perish” with “eternal life.” These are opposites. Now we come to that famous verse that many know, but few seem to understand—verse 16: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) The contrast is between everlasting life and perishing. Are we going to believe Jesus or not? Do we understand what perish means? Or are we going to change the meaning to fit traditions handed down to us? The Bible is consistent on this matter. The Apostle Paul shows this same contrast in Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) What a powerful statement that is! Think about it. “The wages of sin is death,” not eternal life in some kind of ever-burning hell. These are only a few of the scriptures that contradict popular traditions, but there’s more, much more. But first, I want to tell you about one of the most profound resources we publish on why traditions so often conflict with the Bible. The late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith explains the problem in Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. I cannot express enough how important this booklet is. Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity can open your eyes to the greatest deception of the ages, and it’s yours free for the asking. So pick up the phone and ask for your free copy, and when I come back, I’ll show you from the pages of the Bible a Scripture that says the soul can die. Be ready, grab your Bible, because when I come back you can read it for yourself.