Human Nature Essentially Mortal, as Proved By Nature and Revelation, continued

WHAT THE SCRIPTURES SAY

We turn now to the Scriptures, whose voice is weightier than the fallible deductions of philosophy. And what find we here? Here we find a complete agreement with the natural facts in the case. First, and most astounding fact of all (as it must appear to those who think the Bible teaches the immortality of the soul), we do not find anywhere in the Bible those common phrases by which the popular doctrine is expressed. "Never dying soul," "immortal soul," "immortality of the soul," &c., so constantly on the lips of religious teachers, are forms of speech which are not to be met with throughout the whole of Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. Anyone may quickly satisfy himself on this point by reference to a concordance, if he be otherwise unacquainted with the Scriptures. How are we to explain the fact? All the essential teachings of Scripture are plain, unequivocal, and copious. The existence and creative power of God - His purposes in regard to the future - the Messiahship of Jesus Christ - the object of his mission to earth - the doctrine of the resurrection, etc., are all enforced as plainly as language can enforce them; but of the doctrine of immortality of the soul, there is not the slightest mention. This fact is acknowledged by eminent theologians, but does not seem to suggest to their minds the fictitiousness of the doctrine. They argue the other way, and maintain (or at least suggest) that the reason of the Bible passing over in silence the doctrine of human immortality is because it is so self-evident as to require no enunciation. This is very unsatisfactory. It would be much more appropriate to suggest the very opposite significance to the silence of the Scriptures on the subject. If the immortality of the soul is to be believed without sanction from revelation, on the mere assumption that it is selfevident, may we not uphold any doctrine for which we have a prepossession? A more rational course to pursue is surely to suspect a doctrine not divinely inculcated, and subject it to the severest scrutiny. This is the course adopted in the present lecture; and we shall find that the process will result in a complete breakdown of the doctrine. The Bible is not silent on the question, although it says nothing about the immortality of the soul. It supplies direct and conclusive evidence of the absolute mortality of man.

Some, however, may not be satisfied that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is not definitely broached in the sacred writings. Recalling to mind the constant use of the word "soul," they may be disposed to consider that it is countenanced and endorsed in such a way as to render formal enunciation superfluous. For the benefit of such, it will be well to look at the use made of the word in the Scriptures, in order to see its meaning. First, let it be remembered that in its original derivation the word "soul" simply means a breathing creature, without any reference to its constitution, or the duration of existence. This fact is strikingly illustrated in the renderings adopted by our translators in the first few chapters of Genesis. As applied to Adam it is translated soul (Gen. 2v 7); as applied to beasts, birds, reptiles and fish, it is rendered "creature" and "thing" (Gen. 1v 20, 21, 24, 28). The word is employed to express various ideas arising out of respiring existence as its fundamental significance. It is put for persons in the following: -

"And Abram took . . . the souls that they had gotten in Haran, and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan;" that is, Abraham took all the persons, etc. (Gen. 7v 5).

It is applied to animals in this: -

"Levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle, one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep" (Num. 31v 28).

It is also used to represent mind, disposition, life, etc.; and that which it describes is spoken of as capable of hunger (Prov. 19v 15), of being satisfied with food (Lam. 1v 11, 19), of touching a material object (Lev. 5v 2), of going into the grave (Job 33v 22, 28), of coming out of it (Psalm 30v 3), etc. It is never spoken of as an immaterial, immortal, thinking entity. The original word occurs in the Old Testament about 700 times, and in the New Testament about 180 times; and among all the variety of its renderings, it is impossible to discover anything approaching to the popular dogma. It is rendered "soul" 530 times; "life" or "living" 190 times; "person" 34 times; and "beasts and creeping things" 28 times. It is also rendered "a man," "a person," "self," "they," "we," "him," "anyone," "breath," "heart," "mind," "appetite," "the body," etc. In no instance has it the significance claimed for it by professing Christians of modern times. It is never said to be immortal, but always the reverse. It is not only represented as capable of death, but as naturally liable to it. We find the Psalmist declaring in Psalm 22v 29, "None can keep alive his own soul," and again, in Psalm 139v 48, "What man is he that liveth and shall not see death? Shall he deliver HIS SOUL from the hand of the grave?" And in making an historical reference, he further says, "He spared not THEIR SOUL from DEATH, but gave their life over to the pestilence" (Psalm 77v 50). Finally, Ezekiel declares (chap. 18v 4), "The soul that sinneth IT SHALL DIE."

We have to note another difference between scriptural and modern sentiment. We are all familiar with the estimate put upon the value of the supposed immortal soul. We frequently hear it exclaimed, "Oh! the value of one human soul! Countless worlds cannot be placed in the balance with it!" Now we meet with nothing of this sort in the Scriptures. The sentiment there is entirely the contrary way. Take for instance this: -

"WHAT IS YOUR LIFE? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4v 14).

Or, Psalm 144v 3, 4: -

"Lord, what is man that Thou takest knowledge of him, and the son of man that Thou makest account of him? Man is like to vanity; his days are as a shadow that passeth away."

Or, Psalm 103v 14-16:

"He knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth; for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more."

And more expressive than all, we read in Isaiah 40v 15-17 -

"Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance All nations before him are AS NOTHING, and are counted to him LESS THAN NOTHING, and vanity."

And in Daniel 4v 35: -

"All the inhabitants of the earth ARE REPUTED AS NOTHING."

There is only one passage that looks a little different from this. It is this: -

"What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8v 36, 37).

This is frequently quoted in justification of the popular sentiment, but it will at once be observed that the words do not describe, the absolute value of a man's life in creation, but simply its relative value to himself. They enforce the common sense principle that for a man to sacrifice his life in order to obtain a thing which without life he can neither possess nor enjoy, would be to perpetrate the lightest folly. Does any one insist that it means the "immortal soul" of common belief? Then let him remember that the same word which is translated "soul" in this passage is translated "life" in the one immediately before (In the Revised Version life is substituted for soul in verse 37 as well.) in which if we were to read it "immortal soul" the absurdity would at once appear: -

"For whosoever will save his immortal soul shall lose it, but whosoever shall LOSE HIS IMMORTAL soul for my sake and the gospel's the same shall save it" (Mark 8v 35).

What an awful paradox would this express in orthodox mouths. But regard the words in the light in which we have already seen the Scriptures use it, and you perceive beauty in the idea - preciousness in the promise. He who shrinks not from sacrificing his life in this age, rather than deny Christ and forsake his truth, will be rewarded with a more precious life at the resurrection: whereas he who renounces the truth to protect his poor mortal interests, will be excluded from the blessings of the life to come.

We get to the root of the matter in Genesis, where we are furnished with an account of the creation of man. Here the phraseology is not at all in agreement with the popular view, but entirely coincides with the view advocated in this lecture: -

"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" (Gen. 2v 7).

Here we are informed that man was made from the ground, and that that which was produced from the ground was the being called MAN. "But," says an objector, "that only means his body." It is possible to say that it means anything we may fancy. A statement of this kind is worth nothing. There is nothing in the passage before us, nor anything else in the Scriptures, to indicate the popular distinction between a man and his body. The substantial organisation is here called man. True, he was without life before the inspiration of the breath of life, yet he was man. The life was something super added to give man living existence. The life was not the man; it was the principle, it was something outside of him, proceeding from a divine source, and infusing itself into the wonderful mechanism prepared for its reception. "He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and MAN BECAME a living soul." This is frequently quoted in proof of the common doctrine - or rather, mixquoted, for it is generally given "and breathed INTO HIM a living soul"; but it really establishes the contrary. What became a "living soul"? The dust formed being. If, therefore, the use of the phrase "became a living soul," prove the immortality and immateriality of any part of man's nature, it carries the proof to the body, for it was that which became a "living soul." But, of course, this would be absurd. The idea expressed in the passage before us is simple and rational, viz., that the previously inanimate being became a living being when vitalised, but not necessarily immortal, for, though a living soul, it is not said that he became an "everliving" or "never dying" soul, though doubtless he would have lived had not sin brought death.

But, whatever Adam may have been as originally constituted, the decree went forth that he should cease to be - that he should return to the state of nothingness from which he had been developed by creative power: that he should die: and this constitutes the greatest disproof that could be brought forward of man's immortality in any sense. It was said to Adam that in the day he ate of the forbidden tree, he should "surely DIED" (Gee, 2v 17). If there could be any doubt as to the meaning of this, it is set at rest by the terms of the sentence passed upon him when he disobeyed.

"Because thou hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying, Thou shalt not eat of it . . . in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till THOU return unto the ground; for out of it wast THOU taken; for dust THOU art, and unto dust shalt thou return" (Gen. 3v 17-19)

To say that this sentence merely relates to the body and does not affect the being, is to play with words. The personality expressed in the pronoun "thou "is here distinctly affirmed of the physical organisation. "THOU art dust." What could be more emphatic? "THOU shalt return to the dust." This, of course, is utterly inapplicable to the intangible principle which is supposed to constitute the soul, and refers exclusively to man's material nature.

Longfellow's view of the matter is that: -

"Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul."

Ergo, it conclusively decides that to be a man's constituent personality which undergoes physical dissolution, or, at any rate, the indispensable basis of it. Abraham expresses this view: -

Behold now I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes" (Gen. 18v 27).

This is Abraham's estimate of himself; some of his modern friends would have corrected him. "Father Abraham, you are mistaken, YOU are not dust and ashes, it is only your body." Abraham's unsophisticated view, however, is more reliable than "the (philosophical) wisdom of this world," which Paul pronounces to be "foolishness with God" (I Cor. 3v 19).

Paul keeps company with Abraham: "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Romans 7v 18), and tells us in general to "Beware of philosophy and vain deceit," which are specially to be guarded against on this question.

James (chap. 1v 9, 10) adds to this testimony: -

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, but the rich in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away."

Which is something like a reiteration of Job's words (chap. 14v 1, 2): -

"Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble; he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not."

Then comes the words of Solomon, the wisest of all men: -

"I said (or wished) in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts, for that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them; as the one dieth so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so THAT A MAN HATH NO PREEMINENCE ABOVE A BEAST; for all is vanity. All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again" (Eccles. 3v 18-20).

The hasty believer in the popular doctrine gets impatient with this statement: "No preeminence above a beast." At first, he imagines it proceeds from a less authoritative pen than Solomon's; he stigmatises it as detestable; but there it stands, in unmistakable emphasis, as a sweeping condemnation in the very Bible itself, of the flattering dogma which exalts human nature to equality with Deity.

Thus do the Scriptures combine with nature in pronouncing man to be a creature of frailty and mortality, who, though bearing the image of God, and towering far above all other creatures in his intellectual might, and in the grandeur of his moral nature, and in his racial relation to futurity, is yet labouring under a curse which hastens him to an appointed end in the grave.

It is of the highest importance that this truth should be recognised. It is impossible to discern the scheme of Bible truth while holding fundamental error on the nature of man. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul will be found to be the great error of the age - the mighty delusion which overspreads all people like a veil - the great obstruction to the progress of true Christianity! This will be manifest to the reader of the succeeding lectures. Words truly fail to describe the mischief the doctrine has done. It has rendered the Bible unintelligible, and promoted unbelief by making the Bible responsible for a doctrine with which its historic and moral features are inconsistent. It has taken away the vitality of religion by destroying its meaning, and investing the subject with a mystery that does not belong to it. It has robbed it of its vigour, and reduced it to an effeminate thing, disowned and unpractised by men of robust mind, and heeded only by the sentimental and romantic. Fling it to the moles and to the bats, and humbly accept the evidence of fact, and the testimony of God's infallible word.