Most church leaders and churches would have you believe that the soul is immortal , everlasting , and can never die. They teach that when you die that your soul either goes to heaven or hell . But is this so ? We shall find out from the pages of our own Bibles , if this is true or false .

                The Strong's complete New Dictionary of Bible Words : Reference Nephesh 5315 which states : The Hebrew word Nephesh / 5315 nephesh. neh'-fesh; from 5314 ; prop. a breathing creature, i.e. animal of ( abstr. ) vitality; used very widely in a lit, accommodated or fig sense (bodily or ment.):- any, appetite, beast , body, breath, creature, x dead (-ly), desire, x (dis) contented, x fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart (-y), (hath, x jeopardy of) life (x injeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, normally, one, own , person, pleasure, (her-,him-,my-,thy-) self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (x she) will x would have it.

            Reference Psuche 5590 which states : The Greek word Psuche / 5590 psuche, psoo-khay'; from 5594; breath, i.e. (by impl.) spirit, abstr. or concr. (the animal sentient principle only; thus distinguished on the one hand from 4151, which is the rational and immortal soul; and on the other from 2222, which is mere vitality, even of plants: these terms thus exactly correspond respectively to the Heb. 5315, 7307 and 2416); -heart (+-ily), life, mind, soul, +us,+you.

                5594 psucho, psoo'-kho; a primary verb; to breathe (voluntarily but gently, thus differing on the one hand from 4154, which denotes prop. a forcible respiration; and on the other from the base of 109, which referrs prop. to an inanimate breeze), i.e. (by impl.or reduction of temperature by evaporation) to chill (fig.): -wax cold.

                SOUL. The usual Hebrew word occurs 755 times in the OT and has the primary meaning of possessing life (Gn.2:7), and so is used of animals (Gn.1:20, creatures') as well as people. In many cases, especially in Psalms, it stands for the life principle. It also refers to various states of consciousness, including the seat of appetite (Jb.33:20,life'), the source of emotion (Ps.86:4), and is associated with the will (Ps.24:4). It also denotes a (whole) person (Gn.2:7;Ezk.18:4).

            Although seen as departing at death (Gn.35:18), it is never used for the spirit of the dead. In the NT it has similar meanings, although its sense of life' is more than physical (Mk.8:35). Paul uses it for life (Rom.16:4) and desire (Eph.6:6, 'heart'). Other NT writers say it (i.e. the person) can be saved (e.g.Jas. 5:20).

                As we can see once again , that the soul is our life . It is the primary meaning of possessing life . It is also used in animals and creatures .

                SOUL, PERSON, nephesh (neh-fesh). Nephesh is a noun meaning soul or person. At times it means the inner being as distinct from flesh (Is.10:18). This inner being departs from the body at death ( Gen.35:18; Jer.15:9). Nephesh can indicate a living being where life resides in the blood. This would explain the prohibition against eating blood. Numerous times the term is used to mean life of either animals or humans; for example. Ex.21:23 says, If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life. In poetic usage, the soul is the person, so that the phrase my life means me. Nephesh can also be used to indicate appetites, as in Eccl. The soul is seen as the seat of emotions over 150 times in the OT. ( Strong's # 5315 )

                SOUL, LIFE, psuche' ( psoo-khay). This noun appears often in the NT and is usually translated soul. The fundamental meaning refers to the life principle that animates the body of earthly creatures (animal or human). When the psuche leaves the body, death occurs (Luke 12:20). The word can refer to (earthly) life-objectivized as the self (Luke.12:19)- or a person's emotions and feelings (Matt.26:38). Psuche can also be used figuratively to refer to a living being (1Cor.15:45) or souls (=persons; Acts.2:41). ( Strong's # 5590 ) .

                When you confront a Minister or a Priest and tell him that when you die that you don't go to heaven or hell . He will usually say , No your body don't go there in a humanly form but your soul goes there . But is this so ! We shall find out from the pages of our own Bibles if this is so or not .

                We shall now take a look at some simple scriptures from you're own Bible . Now if you have the newer King James Version these words will already be changed for you . But if you have an older version it will use the word soul in each of the examples that I will give to you .

                Genesis. 2 : 7 . 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 ( living being ). Here we can see that God gives life to the soul . Leviticus. 4 : 2. Speak to the children of Israel, saying: If a soul ( person ) sins unintentionally against any of the commandments of the Lord in anything which ought  not to be done, and does any of them. Here we have God saying , that the soul can sin.

                If a soul ( person ) sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or know of the matter-if he does not tell it, he bears guilt. Here we have another strong warning from God if you see a person sinning and you don't tell it , you are just as bad as the person who did the sin in the first place . But here person is used for soul once again .

                Deuteronomy.13 : 3. You shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Being , mind ) . Here we have the soul being used as a part of our human being or mind . 1 Samuel. 2 : 16 . And if the man said to him, They should really burn the fat first; then you may take as much as your soul ( heart ) desires, he would then answer him, No, but you must give it to me now; and if not, I will take it by force . Here we have the soul described as a heart , a desire .

                Psalm. 63 : 9. But those who seek my soul ( life ), to destroy it , Shall go into the lower parts of the earth . Here we have David saying , that when he was in the wilderness that man wanted to take his soul and to destroy it . How is this possible for man to destroy his soul , if the soul is immortal . Psalm. 120 : 2. Deliver my soul ( heart ) , O Lord, from lying lips And from a deceitful tongue . Here the soul is used once again for the heart .

                Psalm. 142: 7 . Bring my soul ( Being , Person , Life ) out of prison, That I may praise Your name; The righteous shall surround me, For You shall deal bountifully with me. And once again Psalm . For the enemy has persecuted my soul ( Being , Body , Person ) , He has crushed my life to the ground; He has made me dwell in darkness, Like those who have long been dead. So how can someone persecute you soul if it is immortal . Do they see , feel , touch you're soul , well of course not .

                Now we shall look at some scriptures in the New Testament . These will amaze you and shock you . Matthew . 10 : 28. 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 . Now just hold on a minute , I taught that the soul was immortal , that it cannot die , that it lives on forever and forever .

                Mark . 8 : 36. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul ? Here we go once again how can you lose you soul if it is immortal . Is God going to take it away and give it to someone else .

                Jesus gave a perfect parable proving the thing's that I am trying to teach here . Luke. 12: 16 - 21. Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. ( 17 ) And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops ? ( 18 ) Se he said, I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. ( 19 ) And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry. ( 20 ) But God said to him, You fool ! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided ? ( 21 ) So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God .

            There is no mistaken , that the rich man knew exactly what his soul was . He said , that his soul ( body ) would be eating and drinking and being merry . But what did God say to him , God called him a fool ! God was going to take away his life ( soul ) away .

                James. 5 : 20. Let him know that he wo turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. Here again James is talking about saving a soul from death . But what for , there is no more sin . All of the Laws and the Commandments are done away with , the soul is immortal . We have nothing to worry about , just as long as we have love , faith , hope , and charity , we are saved . God forbid ! When He comes , we will answer ! And if you beleive that love, faith , hope , and charity is going to do it for you , you are gravely mistaken .

                1 Corinthians . 15 : 45 . And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul ( being ). The last Adam became a life-giving spirit ( Jesus Christ ). As we can see that the soul of man is the breath and life that our Almighty God has given us .

                Can the soul die ? Well of course it can ! Ezekiel. 18: 4. Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die. Again Ezekiel . 18 : 20. The soul who sins shall die . Once again I have given you more than enough to prove that the soul is not immortal .

                If you want to follow man's commandments instead of God's Commandments then that is your choice . Man will teach you that your soul is immortal but that is not what God's Sacred Word teaches . If you want to be next to God and be in his grace , then you will have to start doing what He says to you through His Sacred Word .

                Man's commandments are that all you need for salvation is love , faith , hope , and charity . And that is all that is required for salvation . Oh , and that you have to belevie in Jesus Christ . Well I tell you that they are dead wrong according to God's word .

                Once again we have to get back to basic Bible study . We have to start belevieing what the scriptures are really saying . We have to beleive that God's word is true . If you need to learn more on this subject , just start doing you're own Bible study . Look up every word on soul and see if it dosen't mean some form or Being , life , person , mind , desire , animal , and even fish of the sea . They are all in there , all you have to do is look . Start reading you're own Bible more .

                Then again if you have trouble studing God's word , don't know where to start , I can recommend some good Study Aids for you . And I can even help you further . Find out where there are people who really and truly study their Bible for what it says , not what man says . There are people out there , you have to start searching .

                I have given you just a few scriptures once again . There are many , many scriptures proving what I am saying is true . Because these are not my word , they are God's words . It is up to you to study and pray for the truth . Remember :

  You are responsible for what you read !

  Amen. 

By Edward P. Porter