What is a soul?
Response to comment [from a Christian]: "a) of animals b) of men"
Animals have a soul. They do not have a spirit.
"The “soul” is the nephesh, also shared by
animals (Genesis 1:24), and refers to the consciousness principle, the
realm of the mind and emotions. The soul was created on the fifth day;
but just as man’s body was tremendously more complex and capable than
those of animals, so man’s soul was of much higher order than the animal
soul..." Morris, Henry M.: The Genesis Record : A Scientific and
Devotional Commentary on the Book of Beginnings. Grand Rapids, MI :
Baker Books, 1976, S. 86
"...[T]he (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right
use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and
secure eternal blessedness..."
The soul is descriptive of our spiritual life (Ps. 42:1, 2, 4). Not everyone one is spiritual. One is spiritual if he has the spirit of God (Ga 5:16-26). One in the flesh needs rescue (James 5:20).
Response to comment [from a Christian]: “No, the scriptures do not make this association even in the new covenant definition as many try to claim. It shows clearly when the soul dies it doesnt go anywhere but the grave, the person is no more...”
That
is false. Annihilationism is not biblical.
"One view of hell that seems to be making a strong resurgence today among
evangelicals is Annihilationism. There are slight variations, but it essentially
teaches God will eventually snuff every unbeliever out of existence. Some
Annihilationists make room for divine wrath, but they don’t allow it to extend
beyond the lake of fire. In other words, they won’t allow God the full force of
His judgment, which is eternal, conscious torment..." Full text:
Is Hell Really Endless?
Grace to You
