What is the soul? What does the Bible say about it? It is an important subject, since it is literally about our life! Is the soul something inside us that survives our death? Does it automatically go to either heaven or hell? Is it immortal or can it die? These are important questions, and the Bible does indeed answer them.

Let us begin with what it is, and what better place to start than with the first man and the first soul. In Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 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." Notice the final five words, "Man became a living soul." It does not say that man came to have a living soul, nor to possess a living soul, it says that "Man became a living soul." The living body itself was Adam’s soul! The soul was not something inside him, it was he himself!

Secondly, it says that Adam became a "living" soul. Does this mean that there is such a thing as a "dead" soul? It most certainly implies that, does it not? Does that mean that the soul is not immortal? Let us have the Bible answer that question. Ezekiel 18:4 (KJV) says, "Here, all souls belong to me; the father’s soul and the son’s alike, to me they belong; The soul that sins, that one shall die." This is repeated in verse 20, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Please read the whole chapter, the context is what behaviour is unacceptable to Jehovah and will lead to a person’s death, and the word ’soul" is being used to mean the person, as it was initially in Genesis.

Clearly, then, the Bible says that we are souls, not that we have one inside us, and since we can die, so can a soul die, because each one of us is a soul.

Now, does a soul survive our death? Again, the Bible provides a definite answer. Ecclesiastes 9:4 (KJV) makes it clear, "For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion."

Why is this so? Verse 10 tells us, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest."

That is very clear, those who die are not aware of anything. Their life is over. There is no automatic life somewhere else after we die. Since that is the case, it follows that we do not go to Heaven or Hell. Instead we just cease to be, unless Jehovah remembers us.

Jesus made this promise in John 5:28-29 (KJV), "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

This promise is one of the central themes of the Bible, that there will come a time when Jehovah will resurrect the dead so that a final decision may be made about each of them, whether they are to live or whether they are to go into permanent oblivion. What will be ours?

If you have a question about this or any other bible subject, please ask it in an email.