The Christadelphians Belief About the soul: To better understand how the Bible uses the term “soul” you can use helpful tools that allow you to see where this word is used (lexicon) and also check the original Hebrew and Greek words and their translations into English (specialized dictionary). There are several free online resources that you can easily download from the internet, such as the free software “E-Sword.”
The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic. The Hebrew word for “soul” is “nephesh,” which means a living being with breath and is used in various contexts.
The first time the concept of “soul” is mentioned in the Bible is in the context of the creation of animals and birds by the Lord God. In the English translation of this section in the Bible (King James and English Standard Versions), this word is translated as “life” in Genesis 1:20 and “creature” in Genesis 1:21.
“And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.’” (Genesis 1:20, KJV)
“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:21, KJV)
When God created man, the Bible says:
“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.” (Genesis 2:7, KJV)
“… then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7, ESV)
Notice that when the Lord God created man, He breathed into his nostrils, and man became a living being. This indicates that man was lifeless until he was given the breath of life.
What we learn from creation and the initial uses of the concept of “soul” is:
- The concept of “soul” has broad applications, and different English words such as soul, being, soul, etc., are used for it.
- In creation, the word “living” precedes “soul/being,” meaning that “soul/being” could be a “dead being/soul” before becoming a “living soul.”
- The soul does not come alive until the Lord God breathes the breath of life into it. This shows that a soul can be a “dead soul.”
The prophet Ezekiel confirms that the soul dies:
“The soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:20, ESV)
The concept of “soul” is similarly used in the New Testament. The New Testament was written in Greek, and the Greek word for “soul” is “psyche,” which means breath, living being, and life force.
Read more : What are the beliefs of Christadelphians about evil?
The following verses show that “soul” can be alive or dead:
“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28, ESV)
“Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39, ESV)
And he [Jesus] said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” (Matthew 26:39, ESV)
These verses indicate that the soul can be destroyed, so it is not immortal. Also, a person can lose their “soul” or “life.” Jesus also said that his “soul was sorrowful even to death,” indicating that even Jesus’ soul could die.
Since the soul can die and does die, the following verses show that when a person dies, nothing remains of that soul/person/living being. The soul/person/being returns to the dust of the earth from which it was created:
“For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?” (Psalm 6:5, ESV)
“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing, and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, ESV)
And only the Lord’s nature is immortal:
“… who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.” (1 Timothy 6:16, ESV)
What Do Christadelphians Believe About the soul?
Christadelphians believe in what the Bible says about the soul. In the Bible, different English words such as “soul,” “life,” “creature,” and “person” are used to describe the soul. Christadelphians believe that the soul is the same as the person or being, encompassing their personality, characteristics, and traits, whether alive or dead.(Christadelphians)
- The soul/person/being only becomes a “living soul/person/being” when the Lord God breathes the breath of life into it.
- The soul is not immortal.
- All souls/persons/beings die and, losing consciousness, memory, and knowledge, return to the dust of the earth.
- Only God possesses immortality, which He bestowed upon Jesus Christ.
The Lord God has given us hope for eternal life through the return of Jesus Christ to the earth. At that time, Jesus will raise the dead and grant eternal life to those he finds faithful. The apostle Paul speaks about the resurrection of the dead at the return of Jesus to the earth:
“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’” (1 Corinthians 15:51-54, ESV)
Our call is to follow the Lord Jesus Christ faithfully. This is an assurance that although we die and return to the dust of the earth, in the resurrection of the dead, eternal life will be granted to the faithful, and “immortality will be clothed upon them.”
