In our previous lesson we looked at two false ideas concerning the spirit or soul of man. In this present study, we balance that by consider two true ideas.

TRUE: Man’s Spirit is in God’s Image

The Bible represents mankind as having two natures.

Example (1)
A little Lower Than the Angels

In Psalm 8:4-6 we have a statement about human status and nature. God made man "a little lower than the angels". This is a statement about Christ in particular, because he "became flesh and dwelt for a while among us" (Jhn 1:14). However it is also a statement about mankind in general. We are not a little higher than the animals as is generally believed today. No, we are much higher creatures than the animals. We are a little lower than the angels, and destined to be like them one day (Mrk 12:25).

Example (2)
The Image of God

It is true that presently we have flesh and blood bodies similar to some of the animals, however that is not all that we are. We are also, and essentially, spiritual beings, made in the image of God. "And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him. Male and female he created them" (Gen 1:27).

Man’s Likeness to God

As a physical being, man has a body, either male or female. But this body is not like God, for God does not have a body of flesh. "God is spirit" (Jhn 4:24). Man's likeness to God is spiritual, not physical. It is a man or woman's spirit that makes a man or woman "in the image of God".

The Bible clearly reveals this spiritual nature of man, and refers to it by various interchangable terms. Some examples are:

The fact that we are in the image of God, does not make us God, nor mean that one day we will become God. A child is not his parent, nor does he become his parent, but he is in the image of his parent. This is our relationship to God. He is our heavenly Father, and we are his children created in his image.

Even many religious teachers lack understanding of the spiritual nature of man as distinct from his earthly nature. Nicodemus was an example (Jhn 3:1-16).

TRUE: The Soul Is Not Subject to Physical Death

The Scriptures show us that whilst our mortal bodies die, our souls are immortal. They survive physical death and continue to live apart from this world and the body which perishes. The body without the spirit is dead (Jas 2:26) but the spirit without the body is not dead.

Example (1)
The Preacher’s Conclusion.

The preacher in Ecclesiastes, examined the nature of man. He concluded that man is like the beasts. Man is made of dust, and returns to the dust of the earth (Ecc 3:18-22). This is true, but it is not all the truth.

The preacher also concluded that man is related to God and responsible to God. He should fear and remember God, and keep his commandments --something which he nowhere says about the beasts. He says that man will be judged by God. Can God judge dust after it has returned to the earth as it was? No, but he can judge the part of man that returns to him (Ecc 12:5-14).

Notice in verse 5, that the preacher says that "man goes to his eternal home" . A grave is only a temporary home until the body returns to dust. It is not an eternal home. So unless the preacher is uttering meaningless words, there must be a part of man that survives physical death and is eternal.

Example (2)
Abraham Gathered to His Ancestors

When Moses wrote about Abraham's death, he said that "Abraham was gathered to his fathers" (Gen 25:8-9). This could not refer to the burial of his body, because he was buried "facing Mamre" whist his ancestors lay buried far away in Haran and Ur. So if Abraham's body was not gathered to his ancestors, yet Abraham was, then Abraham's body was not Abraham himself. If the spirit of Abraham departed to join the spirits of his ancestors, then what Moses said makes sense.

Along the same lines, Jesus stated that Abraham was living long after his body died, and used the scripture "I am the God of Abraham..." to prove it (Mtt 22:32).

Example (3)
The Crucified Thief

Jesus told one of the thieves crucified with him, "Today you shall be with me in Paradise" (Lke 23:43). This cannot be explained sensibly, unless Jesus and the thief were going to survive the death of their physical bodies and be together as departed souls in a paradise apart from their dead bodies.

Example (4)
Christ’s Definitive Statement

Jesus Christ made the matter black and white when he made this statement: "Do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell" (Mtt 10:28).

Example (5)
Paul’s Definitive Statement

Paul also made a clear statement of belief that the spirit survives physical death. "Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2Co 4:16-18).

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