3385.- Soul and Spirit

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Mar 21, 1911

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 38, No. 12.

3385.— Soul and Spirit

Does the soul go to heaven at death? What is meant by "soul"? P.

The word "soul" is summed up under three definitions:

1. The whole man, the person. This is its primary use. "Man became a living soul." Gen. 2:7. "Eight souls were saved" in the ark. 1 Peter 3:20. See Joshua 10, where it is spoken of persons again and again, as souls "destroyed." "Every living soul died in the sea." Rev. 16:3. In the original we read of "dead souls," rendered "bodies."

2. It is spoken of the animal life, common to man and other creatures as well, that which makes man a living, conscious being; and it is sometimes spoken of as the responsible person. See Luke 12:19; Matt. 16:26. The last text the A.R.V. renders "life." This responsible soul dies. "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." Eze. 18:4, 20.

3. It sometimes means the emotions, affections, powers, in such texts as, "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Ps. 103:1. But in no case is the soul said to be immortal, or capable of conscious existence apart from the body. It is mortal, subject to death. The spirit is a higher life which came from God as life and returns to Him as life. Compare Gen. 2:7 with Eccl. 12:7. Read the articles by Prof. G. W. Rine now running in this journal.