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1. EVERYONE IS IMMORTAL
A selection of verses used to assert the view that everyone has immortality, with brief commentary. (NIV)
1. The LORD heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived. (1 Kings 17:22)
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Biblically, ‘life’ is given to our flesh by ‘the breath of life’ from God. Without that, we are dead and return to dust. It has been claimed that this passage supports ‘the notion that ‘true’ life is actually found in the life of the soul, not the life of the body’. However, it makes far more sense that the boy’s life is not his immortal soul, but rather ‘the breath of life’ from God (as confirmed throughout God’s Word). Finally, this verse identifies the boy not as the ‘life’ or soul, but the body that life revived, since his life ‘returned to him’.
2. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
This is a wonderful verse - and I see why people would use this verse to claim that if eternity has been set ‘in the human heart’, our hearts must be immortal. However, this verse isn’t claiming that our hearts are immortal - they stop beating. Instead, this passage is speaking of the sense or knowledge of time and eternity (rather than immortality). The remainder of this verse shows it is about our knowledge (and its limits) rather than length of existence; ‘yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end’. We know of eternity in our hearts, yet cannot search out God’s eternal plan.
3. and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Biblically, the breath of life is synonymous with the spirit of man from God (see Job 32:8, 33:4, Isaiah 42:5), which He can give and take back. The dust is who we are by nature (see Genesis 3:19, 18:27, Psalm 90:4) and the spirit, given by God, as long as He would allow us to live (see Job 34:14-15). Here we see this picture - and nothing of an individual conscious soul with any disembodied experience.
4. 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)
Interestingly, those who believe in the immortal soul focus on the first half of the verse to claim that ‘the soul’ cannot be killed, rather than the second half where the same is destroyed. This word for ‘soul’ literally means ‘breath’ (from the Greek word, Psucho, meaning ‘to breathe’). It references the breath of life which can return to revive the dead (as seen in 1 Kings 17:22) and therefore cannot be killed by man. It is only by God that this breath of life can be taken (hence the soul destroyed) once and for all!
5. Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.’ (Luke 23:43)
These wonderful words were spoken by our Lord to a thief whilst on the cross. What a gracious Saviour we have! It has long been taught that this thief went to be with Jesus on the day of his death via his immortal soul. This is an example of a Scripture that has been misinterpreted based on a common assumption. These words were translated from Greek manuscripts that are without punctuation. Throughout history, there has been discussion on whether the second comma of Jesus' statement should go before or after 'today'. By placing the comma after 'today' we read, "Truly, I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise". The emphasis is firstly on the day this promise is given; a day when such a hope would otherwise be impossible for a dying thief yet is made possible by the death of the One beside him. We are then introduced to the wonderful reality that this thief won’t just be remembered by Jesus, he will be with Jesus. Here are three main pieces of evidence that this comma should be placed after ‘today’:
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a. Biblical teaching: When do believers (like the thief) enter paradise according to Scripture? Paradise is another word for 'garden'. Jesus is speaking of Eden restored. This same 'paradise' is mentioned in Revelation as the location of 'the tree of life' (Revelation 2:7) and we know from the final chapter that we will be granted access to 'the tree of life' at the very end (Revelation 22:1-5, 14). Throughout Scripture, this same reality is taught. We find that God's Word presents the believer's hope as the resurrection 'at the last day' (John 6:40,44,54). The comfort for those who have lost loved ones is that they 'will rise' at 'the coming of the Lord' (John 11:23, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18), not their present location (1 Kings 2:10, Acts 2:29, 13:36). The thief was given a promise on the day of his death, not its fulfilment.
b. Biblical phraseology: We see this kind of phrase throughout the Bible. For instance, Moses warned the Israelites, "But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 'I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.'" (Deuteronomy 30:17-18). Luke records similar phraseology in the second part of his account, the book of Acts, where we find the phrase: "I declare to you today..." (Acts 20:26). Finally, it is interesting to note that the translated phrase “today, you will” is found in one other passage of the New Testament, the previous chapter of Luke (22:61). There, once again, the comma appears after 'today', not before.
c. Biblical significance: Luke presents Jesus as the last Adam. He presents the only Biblical genealogy from Jesus back to Adam and, ultimately, to God (Luke 3:23-38). Immediately after this line is drawn, Jesus is tempted like Adam, yet overcomes (Luke 4:1-15). At the scene on the cross, this continues. Unlike the first Adam, Jesus is innocent (Luke 23:33,47). The language used in Luke 23:43 seems to be reflective of God's Words concerning the forbidden tree in Eden: "in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17, ESV). This unique grammar attaches a sure curse to the day that the fruit is eaten. Jesus reverses this by attaching a sure promise to another day; the day on which He said these words: "Truly, I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43) That very day marks the opening of the way back to Eden.
6. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)
Does 'what is unseen’ refer to the human soul? Well, if you presuppose that we have immortal souls, then you would think so. However, the idea that humans are inherently immortal is not being taught in this passage. Here, the apostle Paul is referring to the 'eternal glory' (v17) prepared for those who 'believe' (v13) - that’s what we can take from the context. When we read of 'inwardly' being 'renewed day by day’, this is speaking of the daily renewal of believers in their spirit, not the eternal conscious existence of all people.
7. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)
In some Christian circles it is believed that this verse reads, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord". Instead, Paul is speaking of the longing to leave this present life and put on immortal bodies in the resurrection. There are two main pieces of evidence that this is the case. First up, Paul compares our current body (or 'tent') with the 'eternal' body (v1) that believers will be 'clothed' with 'so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.' (v4). This is something Paul had already explained to the Corinthian church; that mortal believers will 'put on immortality' (1 Corinthians 15:50-57). When does this occur? 'At the last trumpet' (1 Corinthians 15:52)! Secondly, Paul includes an important disclaimer. He writes that we long to leave 'this tent' and put on 'our heavenly dwelling' (v2) but not to be 'found naked' (v3) or 'unclothed' (v4). In other words, we want to leave this life and go on to the next (at the resurrection) but do not seek death itself. Therefore, the whole picture is one consistent with the Biblical revelation that believers will be raised up "on the last day" (John 6:39,40,44,54, 11:23-24, 1 Thessalonians 4:14).
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Others may believe this verse supports the idea that we are immortal souls since the believer's body is described as a 'tent'. Throughout Scripture, we are identified as 'dust' and 'flesh' in which is the 'breath' of life (Genesis 2:7, 3:19, 6:3,17, 18:27, Psalm 90:3, Ecclesiastes 3:19). In that sense, we do have a spirit (Ecclesiastes 12:7, Luke 8:55), but without the spirit, we are dead (Job 34:14-15, Psalm 104:29, 146:4 Ecclesiastes 9:5, James 2:26). This passage depicts the body as a 'tent' to make the point that our present bodies are temporary. The purpose is not to teach the structure of a human. The believer is then depicted as being 'clothed' in a new body since we will no longer be identified by the 'dust' we once were. It is actually a testament to the Scriptural revelation of man being flesh that the only time a believer is represented as indwelling the body is in a passage that refers to their transferal from one body to another.
8. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
The word for ‘soul’ here speaks of one's ‘breath’, synonymous with ‘life’. Thus, we read of one's ‘spirit, life and body’. Jesus used this word for life when He said, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” (Matthew 6:25). He was speaking of this life that we’re living and certainly didn't consider it immortal since He is able to 'destroy' it (Matthew 10:28)!
9. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ (Revelation 6:9-10)
This vision is reflective (as Revelation often is) of Genesis, where Abel’s blood figuratively cries out for vengeance. Similar language is used here to show that God is not unaware of what has taken place against His people. It is as if they cry out with a loud voice. While the Greek word used for 'souls' often refers to ones 'breath' or 'life', it is the closest equivalent of the Hebrew word for soul (nephesh) meaning 'being', 'creature' or 'person'. In both the Hebrew and Greek, they can die (Ezekiel 18:20, James 5:20) and receive life (Genesis 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:45). This Greek word is therefore used of Jesus' body in the tomb (Acts 2:27), the eight 'people' who survived the flood (1 Peter 3:20) and just a few chapters after this verse in Revelation it is even used of sea creatures (Revelation 16:3). When John sees the 'souls of those who had been slain', he likely refers to their physical bodies. This vision of John teaches that God will avenge the dead in Christ without showcasing any inherent immortality.
10. I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)
While the Greek word used for 'souls' often refers to ones 'breath' or 'life', it is the closest equivalent of the Hebrew word for soul (nephesh) meaning 'being', 'creature' or 'person'. In both the Hebrew and Greek, they can die (Ezekiel 18:20, James 5:20) and receive life (Genesis 2:7, 1 Corinthians 15:45). This Greek word is therefore used of Jesus' body in the tomb (Acts 2:27), the eight 'people' who survived the flood (1 Peter 3:20) and just a few chapters before this verse in Revelation it is even used of sea creatures (Revelation 16:3). When John sees the 'souls of those who had been beheaded', he likely refers to their physical bodies and certainly isn't referring to disembodied immortal souls. This also makes sense of the phrase 'they came to life'. Immortal souls don't come to life, but just as Adam 'became a living (nephesh)', these 'souls' can also live. This vision of John therefore represents the restoration of life to the dead in Christ without showcasing any inherent immortality.