Afterlife

06
May
2024

The Immortal Soul? Part 1

Immortal Soul

As Paul nears the end of 1 Timothy, he writes

He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light. No one has ever seen Him, nor can anyone see Him. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. (1 Tim. 6:16 BEREAN)

Paul’s point in this passage is “not that God is the only immortal being but that he alone inherently possesses immortality.”1 Other spiritual beings such as angels possess immortality, but they do not possess it by their own nature as God does. The point is not what other beings may or may not have received; it is that humans cannot assume they are in that category simply by virtue of being created. 

By extension, most people assume that humans are also immortal by nature. The immortality of the human soul is a widely held belief, often seen as self-evident. This assumption permeates both secular and religious worldviews. It is a foregone conclusion that the human soul is immortal, and this is rarely, if ever, questioned. Nevertheless, the Bible is clear that God did not create humans with immortal souls. 

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in 1 Timothy, Afterlife, Immortality, Misconceptions
01
May
2023

Will Our Pets Be In Heaven?

Pets

A couple I know recently lost their beloved family dog. Like many of us who have lost pets they grieved the loss. This reminded me of how keenly I felt the loss of our family cat a few years ago. Many of us become as fond of our pets as we are of people. It is difficult to lose anyone or anything that we care deeply about. Because this is true, it is only natural for us to wonder if our pets will be in heaven.

The traditional answer to the question is an absolute “No!” It is reasoned that animals are not like people because they do not have a soul. Therefore, death forever extinguishes our pet’s existence. Thus, the saying, “Rover is dead all over.”

What does the Bible have to say about this? Is it true that animals do not have souls? Does the Bible tell us if we’ll be reunited with our pets in eternity? 

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Afterlife, Misconceptions
19
Jul
2021

Were The Rich Man And Lazarus Real People?, Part 2

Rich man and Lazarus

In the last blog post we considered evidence which suggests the rich man and Lazarus were not real people. Instead, it appears that Jesus adapted a well known Jewish story to teach a lesson. So, what was the lesson Jesus was teaching in this story?

As always, context should be the primary factor in determining the meaning of a passage. The structure and content of Luke’s writings offers valuable insight to aid us in determining what Jesus’s true point was.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Afterlife
12
Jul
2021

Were The Rich Man And Lazarus Real People?, Part 1

rich man and Lazarus

The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) is one of the best-known narratives in the New Testament. Many Christians read it as a window into the afterlife, but was that Jesus’s intention? A careful look at the context and cultural background of this passage suggests His purpose was something quite different. The point of the story of the rich man and Lazarus was to overturn a misconception. It illustrates that possessing wealth and honor are not indications that one is in good standing with God.

The popular belief that this passage offers insight into life after death is very prevalent. Therefore, we must examine the idea to test its validity. If Jesus was speaking of a real, historical event involving Lazarus and the rich man, then one could argue with greater confidence that Jesus’s point was to impart knowledge about the realm of the dead. On the other hand, if these characters were not real then Jesus’s intended message must have been something else.

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Posted by Eddie Lawrence in Afterlife