DOES MANKIND POSSESS AN IMMORTAL SOUL?

I don’t mind your differing with me, but please don’t patronize me and tell me to “do a little study.” I have been studying the Bible for years (more than 20) and I believe you are in error about Christianity not being an offshoot. The original Christians were JEWS (hello). However, of course, other peoples responded to Christ’s message and when Paul and others made their missionary journeys, there were numerous peoples being “grafted” onto the tree. I am not naive enough to believe that some peoples brought some bastard beliefs with them (I think even now of the many peoples in Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, etc. who have grafted in animistic religious beliefs with Christian beliefs) but the fact IS, Jesus was a JEW. He is THE Messiah and if that’s not Jewish, I don’t know WHAT IS, and as for the soul, you are getting caught up in semantics.

Thank GOD, I finally reached a point in my humble life that I have accepted that some things are beyond my understanding. I admire you for being an intellectual but don’t forget that you are a finite being.

Lastly, I’d love to hear YOUR version of hell. The only thing I think I really agree with you on at this point is that you are right about everyone thinking their loved one is in Heaven, yet we know some people will end up in Hell. I shudder at the thought.

Blessings to you.

I don’t mind your differing with me, but please don’t patronize me and tell me to “do a little study.” I have been studying the Bible for years (more than 20) and I believe you are in error about Christianity not being an offshoot. The original Christians were JEWS (hello). However, of course, other peoples responded to Christ’s message and when Paul and others made their missionary journeys, there were numerous peoples being “grafted” onto the tree. I am not naive enough to believe that some peoples brought some bastard beliefs with them (I think even now of the many peoples in Mexico, Haiti, Honduras, etc. who have grafted in animistic religious beliefs with Christian beliefs) but the fact IS, Jesus was a JEW. He is THE Messiah and if that’s not Jewish, I don’t know WHAT IS, and as for the soul, you are getting caught up in semantics.

I sure wasn't trrying to patronize you when I suggested that you do a little study. I recommend that to all individuals who have their mind made up before studying. I applaud you for your 20 + years of study of the Bible. I also have many years of study behind me, some 45 of them. I went so far as to also study what various denominational authorities had to say on the topics I preach and speak on.

I stand by my statement that Christianity is not a direct offshoot of Judaism. It's true, as you pointed out, that the original Christians were Jews - and I have no problem in saying that. And yes, Gentiles were grafted on to the tree while the Jews were cut off. However, Jews could be grafted back on if they accepted Jesus as the Messiah, (Hebrew for Christos, and in English "the annointed one), and became Christians - i.e., followers of Christ. That tree is not Judaism, but the faith of Abraham - he forsaw the coming of the savior and the new covenant.

The first Christians did not bring "bastard beliefs" with them, that took decades and almost two centuries before certain individual introduced "bastard beliefs" into the Ekklesia of Christ (the church of Christ in modern thought). I personally don't care for the word "church" for it is not the definition of the Greek term "ekklesia." However, because that word "church" has become so common when referring to the Ekklesia of Christ, I find myself having to use it because of the infermity of the flesh. Anyway, what Jesus introduce and said he would build was not Judaism. Christianity was build upon the fact that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God," not and offshoot of the Jewish religion. Christians are not from the religion God set up for the Hebrew people under the Law given Moses, rather is was set up after the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The four Gospels should have revealed that to you.

Thank GOD, I finally reached a point in my humble life that I have accepted that some things are beyond my understanding. I admire you for being an intellectual but don’t forget that you are a finite being.

I never reject nor put-down a man who admits that there are things beyond their understanding. There are many thing that are beyond my understanding also. But the things I do know I understand. In other words, I know why I believe what I believe. I am just an ordinary human being, one who just happens to have an education in religious beliefs beyond the average person who sits in a pew on Sundays. I practice my religion every day, day in, day out - 24/7/365.

As for the term "soul," no, it's not semantics. It's the result of a deep study of the original Hebrew term, as I pointed out in the thread I posted. And that led me into studying what the Greek term meant at the time of Jesus and the Apostles. The English word "soul" is of modern language and thought, the thought (idea) propagated from pagan sources like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. That is one reason why you will never find any verse of Scripture insinuating that a person "has" a soul, or that it is "immortal." Lastly, I’d love to hear YOUR version of hell. The only thing I think I really agree with you on at this point is that you are right about everyone thinking their loved one is in Heaven, yet we know some people will end up in Hell. I shudder at the thought.

I don't have a "version" of hell. I can tell you what I found out from the Scriptures though. What people believe about hell today and since it was introduced within 150 or so years after Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross for us, is not what the OT taught, or what Jesus and his Apostles taught in the NT. It came from the Greek myths of "Hades" which was the term the translators of the Hebrew Old Testament used to define for the Hebrew "sheol." Jesus and the Apostles never used the term "Hades" to depict what modern man thinks what "hell" consists of. Jesus never used the term "Hades" but did use the term "Ge-henna." It is this term that could be used for "hell" because it concerns the place dead souls (people), mostly wicked criminals, were thrown in to be either burned up and eaten by maggots. Ge-henna was the garbage dump of Jerusalem, and the fires were kept burning with all the refuse thrown in it. And it always had worms (maggots), from the eggs of flies. However, there is another place mentioned in the Scriptures that is even more terrible than Ge-henna, and that is the lake of fire mentioned in the book of Revelation (20:11-15). What happens to a branch cut off of a tree when it is thrown into a fire? Does it continue to be a living branch? or is it reduced to ashes that will never again be a living branch? That is one of the examples Jesus gives us in the Gospels. Either he is wrong, or we should believe it as the truth. BTW, while people like to believe that their loved ones are "up in heaven," the book Hebrews, chapter 11 speaks to that belief, although not for it.

Blessings to you.

I thank you. And the same to you as you increase your knowledge of the Savior through your studies of his word.

You are obviously a sincere individual. I don’t even think I would be diligent or devoted enough to spend the amount of time that you have obviously spent with this stuff.

I think you make some valid points. Many of us use terms now that perhaps were not the original intent, or we are misusing them. The easiest example I can think of is the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill” and people who have made a serious study of their Bible understand that the word used originally had to do with murdering someone innocent, so if I kill someone who is trying to kill me, I have not broken the commandment. That’s why I get so annoyed at people who think abortion is similar to the death penalty (oy).

As for hell, I know what you say about Gehenna and Sheol and Hades is true. And the Lake of Fire as well. Maybe, people aren’t in hell forever. I honestly, at the moment, can’t recall what the scripture says as far as “eternal.” I know that Heaven is eternal, but maybe those cast into Hell are just burned up. I will do a little looking into my Bible on this subject.

I guess what I’m wondering is your belief on Jesus. Do you hold to a particular denomination?

Oh, and as for the word, “church,” well, sometimes, it’s just not worth making a big deal out of some things. I know the meaning of church is Christ’s bride; his church and it is not a physical place or building but that’s my belief.

You are obviously a sincere individual.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I also think that of you by what you say. You seem to believe wholeheartedly what you say, no one can deny that.

I know that Heaven is eternal, but maybe those cast into Hell are just burned up. I will do a little looking into my Bible on this subject.

The terms "eternal and Eternity" are not biblical terms. They were injected into the Bible when Jerome translated the Greek OT and NT scriptures into Latin, which was later referred to as the "Latin Vulgate." Information on the meaning of the Greek terms "aion and aionias" and its derivatives is easily come by from a lot of sources. Some of the best sources are located in older volumes of books that are no longer in print (I have quite a few of them). These books are quoted from in many places in current books that are available. I ran across two that are current and do a very good job in explaining the meaning of the terms in today's English. If you can get a hold of them, I recommend Edward Fudge's book, "The Fire That Consumes" and Kenneth Fortier's book, "Church Doctrines: Right or Wrong? (You Decide)." Included in these two books are sections on the Soul and Immortality. They are very worthy of examinations by those of any denomination in Christianity.

I guess what I’m wondering is your belief on Jesus. Do you hold to a particular denomination?

I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; completely fulfilled the prophecies of the OT; replaced the Old Covenant with a New Covenant; shed his life as a sacrifice for our sins; and was raised from the dead to die no more. There is much more that is inherent in the Gospels and letter of the NT referring to a Christians way of life on earth, and receiving the assurance of living again after death.

No, I do not proclaim an alliance to any denomination, nor do I restrict myself to what the congregation I affiliate with teaches - although I have not found any thing that I would disagree on with them. Does that answer your question?

Oh, and as for the word, “church,” well, sometimes, it’s just not worth making a big deal out of some things. I know the meaning of church is Christ’s bride; his church and it is not a physical place or building but that’s my belief.

Okay, I can understand that. Christ is the head of his called out people, the "church." There is no "earthly" head, because Jesus still lives, and reigns among his people. Any man who thinks he is the head of any earthly church is just that, the head of an "earthly church." That goes for all denominations found in Christianity. That is what I see the Scriptures saying. That is my belief.

Here is a question that everyone should be able to define as to what it is.

WHAT IS MEANT BY THE WORD "SOUL"?

How would YOU answer that question? Remember, the term "soul" was an unknown word before it was used by modern translators of the Bible. The word used was "psuche" by the Greeks, and "nephesh" by the Hebrews.

I wonder how many people in this thread are capable of answering it? My guess is a very small number. Prove me wrong.