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STUDY XII

THE SUBJECT OF THE ATONEMENT MAN

What is Man? The “Orthodox” Answer The Scientific Answer The Bible Answer Man’s Body The Spirit of Man The Human Soul Confusion Through Mistranslation The Propagation of Souls What is “Sheol,” “Hades,” to which all Souls Go, in the Interim Between Death and Resurrection? The Scriptural Statements Severally Considered.

“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou madest him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air and the fish of the sea.” Psa 8:4-8

WHAT great being is man that the Creator of the universe has been so interested in his welfare as to make so bountiful a provision for his reconciliation even through the sacrifice of his Son? We should know thoroughly, this highest of God’s earthly creatures, so far as possible: and yet, so limited are our powers of judgment, and so circumscribed our knowledge, that on this subject we are dependent almost entirely upon what our loving Creator has made known to us in his Word. Although the saying has become proverbial that “The greatest study of mankind is man,” yet, strange to say, there are few subjects upon which mankind is more confused than this one What is man? There are two general views on the subject, neither of which, we hold, is the correct, the Scriptural one. Though both have certain elements of truth connected with them, both are grievously wrong and misleading; so that even those who are not wholly deluded by them are nevertheless so influenced

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and confused by these errors that many truths are robbed of their force and weight, and many fallacies are given an appearance of truth. Our subject, therefore, is important to all who would know the truth, and have the full benefit of the same in its influence upon their hearts and lives. The subject is of special importance in connection with the topic under discussion, the Atonement. He who has not a clear conception of what man is, will find it difficult if not impossible, to clearly comprehend the Scriptural teachings relative to the atonement for man’s sin its operation and results.

We will here consider the general and so-called orthodox view of the question, What is man? then the strictly scientific view, and finally the Bible view, which, we hold, is different from both, much more reasonable than either, and the only ground of proper harmony between the two.

Orthodoxy’s View of Man

The question, What is man? if answered from a so-called “orthodox theological” standpoint (which we dispute) would be about as follows: Man is a composite being of three parts, body, spirit and soul; the body is born after the usual manner of animal birth, except that at the time of birth God interposes, and in some inscrutable manner implants in the body a spirit and a soul, which are parts of himself, and being parts of God are indestructible, and can never die. These two parts, spirit and soul, “orthodoxy” is unable to separate and distinguish, and hence uses the terms interchangeably at convenience. Both terms (spirit and soul) are understood to mean the real man , while the flesh is considered to be merely the outward clothing of the real man, in which he dwells for the years of his earthly life, as in a house. At death, they say, the real man is let out of this prison-house of flesh, and finds himself in a condition much more congenial.

In other words, “orthodoxy” claims that the real man is not an earthly being, but a spirit being wholly unadapted

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to the earth, except through its experiences in the fleshly body. When set free from the body by death it is theorized that a great blessing has been experienced, although the man, while he lived, made every effort to continue to live in the fleshly house, using medicines and travels and every hygienic appliance and invention to prolong the life in the flesh, which, theoretically, it is claimed is illy adapted to his uses and enjoyments. The “liberation” called “death” is esteemed to be another step in the evolutionary process: and in many minds such a future evolution from earthly to heavenly conditions, from animal to spiritual conditions, is regarded as a reasonable proposition and a logical outcome of the scientific conclusion that man was not created a man, but evolved, through long ages, from the protoplasm of prehistoric times to the microbe, from the microbe, by various long stages and journeys to the monkey, and from the monkey finally to manhood. It is further claimed that manhood, in its earliest stage, was very inferior to the manhood of the present time, that evolution has been bringing mankind forward, and that the next step for every human being is a transformation or evolution into spirit conditions, as angels and gods or as devils.

All this is very flattering to nineteenth century pride, for though, on one hand, it acknowledges an ancestry of the very lowest intelligence, it claims for itself today the very highest attainments, as well as a future exaltation. Nor is this view confined to the people of civilized lands: in a general way all heathen people, even savages, have practically the same thought respecting man, except that they do not usually trace back his origin so far. This view finds support in all the heathen philosophies, and to a considerable extent it is supported by the scientific theorizers of the present day, who, although they define the subject quite differently, nevertheless love to indulge in hopes of a future life along the lines of evolution, and experience a gratification of their vanity along lines which do not at all accord with their own scientific deductions respecting the spark of life in man.

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Man as Seen by Science

The scientific answer to the question, What is man? stated in simple language, would be: Man is an animal of the highest type yet developed and known. He has a body which differs from the bodies of other animals, in that it is the highest and noblest development. His brain structure corresponds to that of the lower animals, but is of a better developed and more refined order, with added and larger capacities, which constitute man by nature the lord, the king of the lower creation. Man’s breath or spirit of life is like that of other animals. Man’s organism and spark of life are from his progenitors, in the same manner that the beasts receive their life and bodies from their progenitors.

Science recognizes every man as a soul or sentient being; but as to the future, the eternity of man’s being, science has no suggestion whatever to offer, finding nothing whereon to base a conclusion, or even a reasonable hypothesis. Science, however, while it does not speculate, hopes for a future along the lines of evolution, which it believes it can trace in the past. Science is proud of the said evolutionary steps already accomplished by its god, natural law, and is hopeful that the same operations of natural law will (without a personal God) eventually bring mankind to still more godlike and masterful conditions than at present.

Man from the Bible Standpoint

The Bible view, while agreeing with both of the foregoing in some respects, controverts both most absolutely along some of their most important lines. The Bible does not speculate, but properly, as the voice or revelation of God, it speaks with authority and emphasis, declaring the beginning, the present and the future of man. The Bible view is the only consistent one, and hence the only truly scientific and orthodox view of this subject. But the Bible presentation

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does not pander to human pride; it does not make of man his own evolutor, nor does it commit this to a god of nature, which is no God. The Bible view respecting man gives God the glory for his original creation (Adam), in the divine likeness; and lays upon man the blame for failure to maintain that likeness, and for a fall into sin, and all the consequences of sin mental and physical and moral impoverishment unto death. The Bible view honors God again, in revealing to us his mercy and magnanimity toward man in his fallen estate, in the provision for man’s redemption and for his restitution to his original condition, at the hands of his Redeemer, during the Millennium.

A fruitful source of confusion in the minds of Christian people, when studying the nature of man, and particularly when attempting to obtain the Scriptural views upon the subject, is their failure to distinguish between mankind in general and the Church, the little flock, which God is selecting from amongst men during the present age, and fitting and preparing for new and superhuman conditions spiritual conditions. Failing to “rightly divide the word of truth,” they apply to all men the statements and promises of the Scriptures, especially of the New Testament, which are addressed only to the Church class, and which have no bearing whatever upon the restitution hopes held out for all mankind. These “exceeding great and precious promises” are proportionately as untrue of the world as they are true of the Church. Thus, for instance, the Apostle’s words, “The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness” Rom 8:10 ), which apply only to the Church: thus the special and peculiar conditions of the call of the Church during this Gospel age, is interpreted to mean the same with respect to all humanity. Here the words “dead” and “life” are used in a relative sense, of those who after being justified through faith, by the grace of God, are at once reckoned as freed from death-condemnation, to the intent that they may present their bodies living sacrifices, reckoning their bodies and treating them as dead, so

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far as earthly rights and interests are concerned: and reckoning themselves as no longer fleshly or human beings, but as “new creatures,” begotten to a new nature through the promises of God. As such, justified and sanctified believers (the Church) recognize themselves, from the divine standpoint, as having obtained a new spirit of life through the operation of faith in Christ and obedience to him. But such uses of the words “dead” and “life” in respect to the world would be wholly improper, for the world has no other nature than the one human nature; it has not, in any sense of the word, been begotten again .

Another text frequently misapplied to the world, which belongs to the Lord’s consecrated people, says, “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2Co 4:7 ) Here the Church alone is referred to those who have received the treasure of the new mind, the new nature. They have this treasure, or new nature, in the natural body, which is reckoned as dead, and here denominated an “earthen vessel.” The illustration is quite a correct one for the class to whom it is applied, the Church; but it is wholly incorrect to apply it to mankind in general, and to suppose that every human being has a heavenly treasure or new nature, and that thus every human body is an earthen vessel or receptacle for such new nature. The world has but one nature the human nature: it has no new nature, either as a treasure or in any other sense; nor is there any promise that it will ever have. Quite to the contrary, the highest possible aspiration ever to be opened to humanity, according to the divine Word of promise, is “ restitution” to be restored to the full perfection of the human nature, lost in Eden, redeemed at Calvary. Act 3:19-23

Similarly we might discuss scores of statements of the New Testament, which are not applicable to mankind in general, but merely to the consecrated Church, begotten again by the holy Spirit to a new spirit nature. It will be profitable for all to notice carefully the salutations by which the apostles introduce their various epistles. They

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are not addressed, as is supposed by many, to mankind in general, but to the Church, “the saints,” the “household of faith.”

Be it remembered, therefore, that in discussing, What is man? in this chapter, we are not discussing what is the Church, the “new creature” in Christ Jesus, nor what is the spirit nature to which the Church is already begotten of the Spirit and if faithful shall be made partakers to the fullest extent in the first resurrection. On the contrary, we are discussing the first Adam and his children. We want to know who and what we are by nature, as a race What is man ? Thus we can best understand from what man fell, into what man fell, from what man was redeemed, and to what man shall be restored, and other cognate subjects.

Man Body, Spirit, Soul

Accepting the standard definition of the word “animal”“a sentient living organism,” we need have no hesitation in classing man as one of and the chief and king over earth’s animals, and thus far the Scriptures are in full accord with the deductions of science. Note the text which introduces this chapter: in it the Prophet David particularly points out that man, in his nature, is lower than the angels, and a king and head over all earthly creatures, the representative of God to all the lower orders of sentient beings.

The Scriptures nowhere declare, either directly or by implication, that a piece, part or spark of the divine being is communicated to every human creature. This is a baseless assumption on the part of those who desire to construct a theory, and are short of material for it. And this baseless hypothesis, that there is a portion of God communicated to every human creature at birth, has been made the basis of many false doctrines, grossly derogatory to the divine character disrespectful to divine wisdom, justice, love and power.

It is this assumption, that a spark of the divine being is

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communicated at birth to every human creature, which necessitated the theory of a hell of eternal torment. The suggestion is that if man had been created as other animals were created, he might have died as other animals die, without fear of an eternity of torture; but that God having imparted to man a spark of his own life , man is therefore eternal, because God is eternal: and that hence it is impossible for God to destroy his creature even though such destruction might become desirable. And if man cannot be destroyed it is held that he must exist to all eternity somewhere: and since the vast majority are admittedly evil, and only a “little flock” saintly and pleasing to God, it is held that the unsaintly must have a future of torment proportioned to the future of bliss accorded to the saintly few. Otherwise, it is admitted that it would be more to man’s interest, more to God’s glory, and more to the peace and prosperity of the universe, if the wicked could all be destroyed . The claim is that God, having the power to create, has not the power to destroy man, his own creation, because a spark of divine life was in some unexplained manner connected with him. We hope to show that this entire proposition is fallacious: that it is not only without Scriptural support, but that it is a fabrication of the Dark Ages, most positively contradicted by the Scriptures.

The Scriptures recognize man as composed of two elements, body and spirit. These two produce soul, sentient being, intelligence, the man himself, the being, or soul. The term “body” applies merely to the physical organism. It neither relates to the life which animates it, nor to the sentient being which is the result of animation. A body is not a man, although there could be no man without a body. The spirit of life is not the man; although there could be no manhood without the spirit of life. The word “spirit” is, in the Old Testament Scriptures, from the Hebrew word ruach . Its signification primarily is breath ; and hence we have the expression “ breath of life,” or “ spirit of life,” because the spark of life once started is supported by breathing.

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The words “spirit of life,” however, signify more than merely breath; they relate to the spark of life itself, without which breath would be an impossibility. This spark of life we receive from our fathers, it being nourished and developed through our mothers.* It is quite untrue that the spark of human life is communicated in a miraculous way, any more than is the spark of brute life. The lower animals, the horse, the dog, cattle, etc., are begotten of the males and born of the females of their respective genera, in precisely the same manner as the human species is produced, nor does anything in Scripture suggest the contrary. It is purely human invention, designed to uphold a false theory, that claims divine interposition in the birth of human offspring. To suppose that God is the direct creator of every human infant born into the world is to suppose what the Scriptures contradict, for thus he would be the author of sin and of confusion and of imperfection, whereas the Scriptures declare, “His work is perfect.” Deu 32:4 ) No, no! the mentally and physically and morally blemished and deformed are not God’s workmanship. They are far removed, far fallen from the condition of their perfect progenitors, Adam and Eve, for whose creation alone God takes the responsibility. Those who claim that God directly creates every human being make out that God is responsible for all the idiocy and insanity and imbecility in the world: but both science and Scripture declare that the children inherit from their progenitors their vices and their virtues, their weakness and their talents. The Apostle most explicitly declares, “By one man’s disobedience sin entered into the world and death by [as a result of] sin: and thus death passed upon all men; because all men had [by heredity] become sinners.” The Prophet refers to the same thing when he declares, “The fathers ate a sour grape [sin] and the children’s teeth are set on edge” they are all depraved. Rom 5:12 ; Jer 31:29-30 ; Eze 18:2

*See page 98.

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But some one will inquire, Might it not be possible that God had implanted a spark of his immortal divinity in our first parents, and that thus that spark descends nolens volens to posterity? Let us examine the Scriptural statement respecting this subject, and in so doing let us remember that there is no other revelation than the account of the Scriptures open to any one else, hence we may know all there is to be known on the subject by anybody. What do we find in the Genesis account? We find indeed that man’s creation is particularly mentioned, while that of the brute creation is not so particularly mentioned. We find, however, that the statements made are in very simple language, and that they contain no suggestion whatever of the impartation of some superhuman spark of being. Man’s superiority over the beast, according to the account given in Genesis, consists not in his having a different kind of breath or spirit, but in his having a higher form, a superior body, a finer organism endowed with a brain organism which enables him to reason upon planes far above and beyond the intelligence of the lower animals, the brute creation. We find that it is in these respects that man was created a fleshly likeness of his Creator, who is a spirit being. Joh 4:24

The Spirit of Man

As already seen* the word “spirit” in our Common Version Bibles translates the Hebrew word ruach and the Greek word pneuma ; and hence to rightly appreciate the word spirit in God’s Word we must keep always in memory the meaning attached to the originals, which it translates. As we have seen, “spirit” primarily means wind , and secondarily was made to apply to any invisible power . In connection with God we saw that it signifies that he is powerful but invisible ; and used in reference to God’s influence and operation, it implies that they are by an invisible power. It is applied to mind because it is a power that is invisible, intangible; words

*See page 172.

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are also invisible, yet powerful; life , although all-important and all pervading, is an invisible power or quality, like electricity: hence the word “spirit” is applied to all of these various things. As a result, we have the Scriptures speaking of the spirit of our minds, the invisible power of the mind; the spirit of a man, a man’s mental powers and will; the spirit of life, the power of living, which actuates our bodies and all creation; the Spirit of God, the power or influence which God exerts, either upon animate or inanimate things; the spirit of wisdom, a wise mind; the spirit of love, a mind or disposition actuated by love; a spirit of evil and of malice, a mind or disposition actuated by maliciousness; the spirit of truth, the influence or power exerted by the truth; the spirit of the world, the influence or power which the world exerts. Likewise, heavenly beings are described as spirit beings, that is, invisible beings, possessed of power, intelligence, etc. This is applicable, not only to God, the Father, of whom our Lord Jesus said, “God is a Spirit,” but it is applicable also to our Lord Jesus since his resurrection, for of him it is declared, “Now the Lord is that Spirit.” It is applied also to angels and to the Church, which is assured that in the first resurrection each overcomer shall have a spirit body. It is applied in the Scriptures also to Satan and his associates, spirit beings, invisible, yet powerful.

Spirit in Re the New Nature in the New Testament

In considering the use of the word spirit in connection with man, we remark:

(1) The words “spirit” and “spiritual” in the New Testament are often used to refer to (a) the will , especially to the new mind of the “saints,” begotten by the Word and Spirit of God. The “new creatures in Christ” are called to a change of nature, from human to spiritual, and are promised that if faithful they shall in the resurrection have (b) spirit bodies like unto Christ’s resurrection body, and like unto the heavenly Father’s glorious person. In view of this, their future prospect, the hope of the Church is designated as

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(c) spiritual and heavenly , in contrast with the hopes and promises to which the world of mankind will become heirs during the Millennium. Spirit is also used (d) in referring to angels, who by nature are spirit beings not flesh beings. But the thought of invisibility always attaches to the words “spirit” and “spiritual” whenever and wherever used.

A few illustrations of such uses of these words follow:

(a) “Paul purposed in the spirit [ pneuma mind, will]... to go to Jerusalem.” Act 19:21

(a) “Paul’s spirit [ pneuma mind, feelings] was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.” Act 17:16

(a) “Paul was pressed in spirit [ pneuma in mind, he was mentally energized] and testified to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ.” Act 18:5

(a) “[Apollos] was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit [ pneuma of ardent mind] he spake and taught diligently.” Act 18:25

(a) “God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit [ pneuma my new mind, my new heart, my renewed will] in the gospel of his Son.” Rom 1:9

(a) “Glorify God in your body and in your spirit [ pneuma mind] which are God’s.” 1Co 6:20

(a) “I verily as absent in body but present in spirit [ pneuma mentally] have judged already as though I were present.” 1Co 5:3

(a) “A meek and quiet spirit [ pneuma mind, disposition].” 1Pe 3:4

(b) “It is sown an animal body, it is raised a spiritual [ pneumatikos ] body.” 1Co 15:44

(b) “There is an animal body and there is a spiritual [ pneumatikos ] body.” 1Co 15:44

(b) “That was not first which is spiritual [ pneumatikos ].” 1Co 15:46

(b) “Afterward that which is spiritual [ pneumatikos ].” 1Co 15:46

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(c) “To be spiritually minded [ pneuma to have a mind controlled by God’s holy Spirit or will] is life and peace.” Rom 8:6

(c) “Ye which are spiritual [ pneumatikos spirit begotten and possessed of the new mind] restore such an one in the spirit [ pneuma disposition] of meekness.” Gal 6:1

(c) “The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings [ pneumatikos blessings of a spirit kind] in heavenly privileges in Christ.” Eph 1:3

(c) “Be filled with the spirit [ pneuma the holy Spirit of God] speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs [ pneumatikos songs in accord with your new spirit].” Eph 5:18-19

(c) “That ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding [ pneumatikos understanding of all matters connected with your new spiritual relationship to God and his plan].” Col 1:9

(c) “Ye are built up a spiritual household [ pneumatikos a family or household of a spirit order or kind].” 1Pe 2:5

(d) “A damsel possessed of a spirit [ pneuma an invisible power] of divination” through fellowship with the fallen spirit-beings. Act 16:16

(d) “Paul...turned and said to the spirit [ pneuma the evil spirit-being possessing the woman] I command thee... to come out of her.” Act 16:18

(d) “The evil spirits [ pneuma ] went out of them.” Act 19:12-13

(d) “And the evil spirit [ pneuma ] answered and said.” Act 19:15

(d) “The Sadducees say that there is...neither angel nor spirit [ pneuma spirit being].” Act 23:8

(d) “If a spirit [ pneuma ] or an angel hath spoken to him let us not fight against God.” Act 23:9

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Spirit in the Old Testament

(2) The word “spirit” is used of mankind in general, especially in the Old Testament; but always either with reference to (e) the spirit of life , the animating spark which God first enkindled in Adam and which thence (impaired) descended to all his posterity which is an invisible power or quality; or (f) the spirit of the mind , the will an invisible power which controls the life.

Ruach, Pneuma an Animating Power

When speaking of man’s creation it is the spirit of life that is understood the breath of life. The Scriptures clearly show that this spirit of life is common to all God’s creatures, and is not possessed exclusively by man, as the following Scripture quotations will clearly demonstrate.

(e) “All flesh wherein is the breath of life [ ruach the spirit or breath of life of all flesh].” Gen 6:17 ; Gen 7:15

(e) “All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life [margin, ruach the spirit or power of life].” Gen 7:22

(e) “The spirit of Jacob their father revived [ ruach the vital or life powers of Jacob revived].” Gen 45:27

(e) “And when he [Samson] had drunk, his spirit [ ruach ] came again and he revived [his strength, vigor, energy returned to him].” Jdg 15:19

(e) “In whose hand is... the breath [ ruach ] of all mankind. [The spirit of life of all mankind is in the divine power].” Job 12:10

(e) “O God, the God of the spirits [ ruach life-power, spirit of life] of ALL FLESH, shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?” Num 16:22

The theory that the distinction between man and beast consisted in a different spirit of life, a different kind of life, and that at death the one went up and the other down

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seems to have been very old amongst the world’s philosophers; for we find Solomon, the wise man, querying:

(e) “Who knoweth [who can prove] that the spirit [ ruach spirit of life] of man goeth upward and that the spirit [ ruach spirit of life] of the beast goeth downward to the earth?” Ecc 3:19-21 ) Solomon’s own understanding he gives just previously, saying:

(e) “That which befalleth the sons of men [death] befalleth beasts; even one [the same] thing befalleth them: as the one dieth so dieth the other; yea they have all one breath [ ruach spirit of life, breath of life]; so that a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast” in this respect, in the matter of having a different kind of life his pre-eminence must be sought and found elsewhere, as we shall see.

(e) “Into thine hand I commit my spirit [ ruach spirit of life or vital energy].” Psa 31:5

This was the prophetic declaration of our Lord Jesus’ dying words. He had received the spirit of life from the Father as a gift: he had, in obedience to the Father’s plan, become a man to be man’s Redeemer: and when yielding up his spirit of life or vital energy, he declared his reliance upon God’s promise to give the spirit of life again, by a resurrection.

Mankind received the spirit of life from God, the fountain of life, through father Adam. Adam forfeited his right to the power or spirit of life by disobedience, and gradually relinquished his hold upon it dying slowly for nine hundred and thirty years. Then the body returned to the dust as it was before creation, and the spirit of life, the privilege of living, the power or permission of living, returned to God who gave that privilege or power: just as any contingent privilege or favor returns to the giver if its conditions are not complied with. Ecc 12:7 ) Nothing in this text implies that the spirit of life “wings its flight back to God,” as some would represent; for the spirit of life is not an intelligence, nor a person, but merely a power or privilege which has been

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forfeited and hence reverts to the original giver of that power or privilege. The thought is that man having sinned has no further life -rights: the return of his forfeited life-rights to God, and the return of his flesh to dust, reduces his condition to exactly what it was before he was created.

But as our Lord Jesus had hope in the divine promise for a return of his “spirit of life” or life powers and rights under divine arrangement, so by reason of our Lord’s redemptive sacrifice certain hopes and promises are opened to all mankind through “Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant.” Heb 12:24 ) Hence believers “sorrow not as others who have no hope.” Our Redeemer purchased the spirit of life-rights which father Adam had forfeited for himself and all his family. Now, therefore, believers can for themselves (and, by a knowledge of God’s plan, for others also) commit their spirits (their powers of life) to God’s hand also, as did our Lord and as did Stephen full of faith that God’s promise of a resurrection would be fulfilled. A resurrection will mean to the world a reorganization of a human body, and its vivifying or quickening with life-energy, the spirit of life (Hebrew, ruach ; Greek, pneuma ). To the Gospel Church, sharers in the “first [chief] resurrection,” it will mean the impartation of the spirit of life or life-energy (Hebrew, ruach ; Greek, pneuma ) to a spirit body. 1Co 15:42-45

In that graphic picture of earthly resurrection furnished us in Ezekiel’s prophecy Eze 37:5-10 , Eze 37:13-14 ) the relationship of the body and the spirit of life, “ the breath ,” is clearly presented. It matters not that the prophet uses this merely as a symbol , it nevertheless shows (proves) that a human organism has no life until it receives the ruach the breath of life which, as elsewhere shown, is common to all animals, none of whom can live without it. Let us notice Ezekiel’s statements very critically, as follows:

(e) “I will cause breath [ ruach spirit of life, life-energy] to enter into you, and ye shall live.”

(e) “And I will...bring up flesh upon you, and cover

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you with skin, and put breath [ ruach spirit of life, life-energy] in you, and ye shall live.”

(e) “And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath [ ruach spirit of life, life-energy] in them.”

(e) “And he said unto me, Prophesy unto the wind [ ruach spirit of life, life-energy margin, breath] and say unto the wind [ ruach spirit of life, breath of life], Thus saith the Lord God, Come from the four winds [ ruach ] O breath [ ruach breath or spirit of life], and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.”

(e) “So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath [ ruach spirit of life, breath of life, living energy] came into them, and they lived.”

(e) “And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my spirit [ ruach spirit of life, breath of life] in you, and ye shall live.”

This spirit of life or power of life given to Adam by his Creator he was privileged to keep forever if obedient. He forfeited this right by disobedience, and the right to life reverted to the great Giver; not as a person, nor as a thing, but as a right or privilege, the spirit of life returns or reverts to God, who gave that right or privilege conditionally, and whose conditions were violated. Ecc 12:7

(e) “No man hath power over the spirit [ ruach spirit of life, spark of life] to retain the spirit [ ruach spirit of life], breath of life.” Ecc 8:8

By God’s grace those forfeited life-rights or privileges which each man surrenders to God in death have all been purchased with the precious blood, and the purchaser is announced as the new Life-giver, regenerator or father for the race, who will give life, and that more abundantly, to all who will ultimately receive him.

We will give but one instance from the New Testament:

(e) “The body without the spirit [ pneuma life-spark, breath of lives] is dead.” Jam 2:26

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Ruach, Pneuma the Mind, the Will

Since the mind or will is an invisible power or influence, it is represented by the same words in the Hebrew and Greek languages, as the following examples will show:

(f) “Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit [ ruach mind, disposition].” 1Sa 1:15

(f) “A fool uttereth all his mind [ ruach plans, thoughts, mind, purpose].” Pro 29:11

(f) “My spirit [ ruach mind, courage] was overwhelmed.” Psa 77:3

(f) “My spirit [ ruach mind] made diligent search.” Psa 77:6

(f) “He that is of a faithful spirit [ ruach disposition, mind].” Pro 11:13

(f) “All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits [ ruach the mind, thoughts, motives].” Pro 16:2

(f) “Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit [ ruach disposition, will, mind] before a fall.” Pro 16:18

(f) “Better to be of an humble spirit [ ruach mind, disposition].” Pro 16:19

(f) “Vanity and vexation of spirit [ ruach mind].” Ecc 6:9

(f) “Patient in spirit [ ruach mind, disposition]...proud in spirit [ ruach mind, disposition]...hasty in thy spirit [ ruach mind, disposition].” Ecc 7:8-9

A few illustrations from the New Testament:

(f) “The child [John] grew and waxed strong in spirit [ pneuma mind, character].” Luk 1:80

(f) “Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit [ pneuma mind, disposition, character] serving the Lord.” Rom 12:11

(f) “Now you have received not the spirit [ pneuma disposition, mind] of the world.” 1Co 2:12

(f) “I had no rest in my spirit [ pneuma mind].” 2Co 2:13

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(f) “Be renewed in the spirit [ pneuma character, disposition] of your mind.” Eph 4:23

(f) “The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit [ pneuma mind, disposition].” 1Pe 3:4

These Scriptural uses of these original words show that our English word spirit is a good equivalent, for we not only speak of the spirit of life, but also of a gentle spirit, a good spirit, an angry spirit or mood, a bitter spirit and a fiery spirit: and we also use these expressions in respect to the lower animals as well as man. The fact we are proving is abundantly demonstrated namely, that the spirit is not the real man, nor another man, but that this word, when used in reference to man’s creation, signifies simply the life-spark or life-power, which is common to all animals.

Neshamah the Breath of Lives

Although the word ruach is sometimes translated “breath,” the Hebrews had another word for breath, viz., neshamah . It occurs twenty-six times, and in nineteen of these it is translated “breath”“inspiration” once, “spirit” twice, “souls” once, “blast” three times. As samples of the meaning of this word, and as proving that the word simply signifies life power, and in no sense of the word conveys any thought of everlasting life, or immortality, note the following uses of the word:

“The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed [ naphach inflated, blew] into his nostrils the breath [ neshamah ] of lives [ caiyah ].” Gen 2:7

“All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beasts, and of everything that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath [ neshamah ] of life [ caiyah ] of all that was in the dry land died.” Gen 7:21-22

These first two occurrences of the word neshamah in the Bible are abundantly sufficient to prove our contention that the word has no reference to immortality, nor to an immortal

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principle, but simply refers to vitality, life power. This life power, we are told, was given to Adam, and the same life power, by the second text quoted, is declared to have been in all the dry land animals, fowl, cattle, beast and creeping things, as well as in man, and when deprived of this breath of life, the declaration is that all these souls or beings died as a result man as well as the lower creatures. They died alike, except that there is a divine purpose respecting man, which in due time provided a ransom, and will in further due time provide the deliverance promised from the power of death by a resurrection of the being, of the soul.

A Human Soul

Many in reading the account of creation in Genesis have noted the fact stated that when God had formed man of the dust of the ground, and had communicated to him the breath (spirit) of life, the record is, “Man became a living soul .” This statement to the average reader taken in connection with his general misconception of the meaning of the word “soul,” as misrepresented to him by those who should have instructed him properly, and should have understood the subject themselves, is sufficient to bewilder him and leads him to think that somehow there is some basis for the prevalent error which he does not comprehend, but which he supposes his chosen theological teachers have investigated and proven beyond peradventure.

Not comprehending the meaning of the word soul , many feel at liberty to use it in a reckless manner, and hence they reverse the Scriptural statement and instead of speaking of man as being a soul, they speak of man as having a soul, which is a very different thought. It is necessary, therefore, that each truth-seeker should, so far as possible, divest his mind of prejudice on the subject, and especially with respect to things and features which he admits he does not understand ; because it is the natural tendency to give attributes

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and powers to that which is mysterious and not comprehended. Thus the general idea of a soul is that it is wonderfully intelligent, possessed of wonderful powers, that it is indestructible, intangible, and incomprehensible.

A Methodist bishop is credited with having given the following definition of a soul, which certainly accords well with so-called “orthodox” theories, even if it is absurd when closely analyzed“It is without interior or exterior, without body, shape, or parts, and you could put a million of them in a nutshell.” These various things are predicated of a soul, to help fill out a theory which is wholly erroneous. The theory is that the soul is the real being, a spark of divinity, possessed of divine quality and intelligent life, etc., separate and apart from the body; and that it inhabits the human body for a time, and uses it for a house, and when the body is worn out or disabled abandons it. Inasmuch as no one ever saw a soul enter a body, and inasmuch as a soul cannot be found while it is in the body, by the most critical examination, and with all the improved appliances of the microscope, photograph and “X” rays, therefore it is supposed that it is “without a body, without shape, and without parts”; and since it is supposed to be so small that it cannot be distinguished by a microscope, it might as well be said that you could put fifty millions of them in a nutshell. Really, the bishop gave an excellent definition of nothing ; and all will agree that a hundred millions of nothings could be put into the smallest kind of a nutshell and have room to spare.

But what foundation is there for such wild speculation? We answer, It is wholly unwarranted. It is the result of man’s taking his own theory of a future life, and rejecting the divine theory and plan. Human theory says, There must be something which never dies, else there can be no future life. The divine theory says, The same God who created in the beginning is able to resurrect the dead. This is the conflict between the Word of God and all the human theories of earth amongst the civilized as well as amongst

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the barbarians: all human theories teach that man does not die, and hence has no need of a Life-giver and a resurrection. The Bible theory is that man does die, and that without the Life-giver, and without a resurrection, death would indeed end all, and there would be no future life.

It is to support its theory that the world, and all its religious books (including, we are sorry to say, the majority of works on eschatology written by professed Christians), teach the doctrine of the immortality of the soul that there is a soul in man, possessed of a separate life from his body, and that it is immortal, indestructible, and therefore destined to an eternity of pain or pleasure. We come then to the inquiry:

What Is a Soul?

Examining this question from the Bible standpoint we will find that man has a body and has a spirit, but is a soul. Science concurs with the Scriptures in this. Indeed, one of the sciences, Phrenology, undertakes to treat the skulls of men and the lower animals as indexes and to read therefrom the natural traits and characteristics of the owners: and do not all men find themselves possessed of some ability in judging character physiologically? All can discern between the intellectual and the idiotic, between the kindly benevolent and the viciously brutal. Those who have not learned that organism (bodily form) is indissolubly connected with nature, character and disposition have made poor use of life’s lessons and are unprepared to pass judgment on our topic or any other.

The word “soul,” as found in the Scriptures, signifies sentient being ; that is, a being possessed of powers of sense, sense-perception. With minds freed from prejudice, let us go with this definition to the Genesis account of man’s creation, and note that (1) the organism or body was formed; (2) the spirit of life, called “breath of life,” was communicated; (3) living

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soul , or sentient being, resulted. This is very simple, and easily understood. It shows that the body is not the soul, nor is the spirit or breath of life the soul; but that when these two were united by the Lord, the resultant quality or condition was living man, living being a living soul, possessed of perceptive powers. There is nothing mysterious about this no intimation that a spark of divinity was infused into humanity, any more than into the lower animals. Indeed, while the creation of the lower animals is passed over and not particularly described, we may know that with them, as well, the process must have been somewhat similar. We know that there could be no dog without a dog organism or body, nor without spirit or breath of life in that body. The body of the dog that had never been animated would not be a dog; it requires first the infusion of the spark of life, the breath of life, then doghood begins. The same would apply to all animals.

In full accord with this, we now call attention to a fact which will surprise many; viz., that according to the Scriptural account every dog is a soul, every horse is a soul, every cow is a soul, every bird and every fish are souls. That is to say, these are all sentient creatures, possessed of powers of sense-perception. True, some of them are on a higher and some on a lower plane than others; but the word soul properly and Scripturally applies to creatures on the lower planes as well as to man, the highest and noblest to fish, reptiles, birds, beasts, man. They are all souls. Mark, we do not say that they have souls, in the ordinary and mistaken sense of that term, yet they all do have souls, in the sense of having life, being, existence they are living souls. Let us prove this:

In the first, second and ninth chapters of Genesis the words “living soul” are applied in the Hebrew language to the lower animals nine times, but the translators (as though careful to protect the false but common vagary respecting a soul, derived from Platonic philosophy) sedulously guarded their work, so that, so far as possible, the English

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reader is kept in ignorance of this fact that the word soul is common to the lower creatures, and as applicable to them as to man in inspired Scripture usage. How else could it happen that in all of these cases, and in many other instances throughout the Scriptures, they have carefully covered the thought, by using another English word to translate the Hebrew word, which, in the case of man, is rendered “soul”? So carefully have they guarded this point that only in one place in the Bible is this word translated “soul,” in connection with the lower creatures, viz., in Num 31:28 , and there, very evidently, they were compelled to show the matter, by reason of the peculiar construction of the sentence no other translation being reasonably possible. The passage reads:

“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.” Here it will be noticed that the word “soul” is used respecting the lower creatures as well as in reference to man; and so it would appear elsewhere in the Scriptures, had the translators been free from the warp and twist of their false theories on this subject.

Let us now notice the nine texts in Genesis in which the Hebrew original of the word soul ( neh-phesh ) occurs in connection with the lower animals:

“God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving [creeping] creature that hath life [Heb., neh-phesh soul].” Gen 1:20 ) Note that the marginal reading is soul ; and that this was on the fifth creative day or period, long before man’s creation.

“God created great whales, and every living creature [Heb., neh-phesh living soul ] that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly.” Gen 1:21 ) This also was in the fifth “day,” before man’s creation. These were fish -souls.

“God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature [Heb., neh-phesh living soul ] after his kind cattle and creeping thing and beast.” Gen 1:24 ) These were dry-land

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souls, higher than the fishes but man, human soul or being, had not yet been created.

“And God said...To every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life [living soul neh-phesh ] I have given every green herb for meat.” Gen 1:30 ) Here the lower animals are specified, and it is distinctly declared that they are all living souls in exactly the same terms that refer to man.

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air;...and whatever Adam called every living creature [Heb., living soul neh-phesh ], that was the name thereof.” Gen 2:19 ) Comment here is unnecessary: there can be no question that soul is not exclusively a human part or quality, but rightly understood is applicable to all sentient creatures from the lowest to the highest all creatures possessed of sensibilities.

“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you... but flesh with the life thereof [Heb., flesh, soul neh-phesh ] which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” Gen 9:3-4 ) Here the animals which man may eat are not only declared to possess soul or being , but their blood is said to represent their existence , being or soul , and hence man is forbidden to use blood as food forbidden to cultivate blood-thirstiness.

“Behold I establish my covenant with you [Noah] and with your seed after you; and with every living creature [Heb., living soul neh-phesh ] that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth.” Gen 9:9-10 ) A very plain statement that all living creatures are souls as well as man though inferior to him in nature, organism, etc.

“This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature [Heb., living soul neh-phesh ].” Gen 9:12 ) What could be more explicit than this?

“I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature [Heb., every living soul neh-phesh ] of all flesh.” Gen 9:15

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The same expression exactly is repeated in verse 16. And there is no room for cavil as to the meaning when the veil of mistranslation is lifted and we catch the thought God wished us to receive from his Word.

We might similarly proceed through other books of the Bible, but we have quoted sufficient to establish our contention before any reasonable mind that soul in Scriptural usage as properly applies to the lower animals as to man; and hence that all claims or theories built upon the idea that man’s hopes of a future life and his present superiority over lower animals result from his being a soul and they not, is a false theory and needs radical reconstruction if we would see matters from the true standpoint of divine revelation.

But let no one misunderstand us to teach that because all living, moving creatures, from a mite to an elephant and from a tadpole to a whale are living souls , therefore all these must have a future life, either by a transfer to spirit conditions or by a resurrection future. Such a thought would be arrant nonsense insanity without a shadow of reason. Billions of living souls on these lowest planes of animal nature are born every minute, while other billions die every minute.

Our argument is that man is a soul or being of the highest order the king and lord over the lower orders of souls or sentient beings, yet one of them an earthly, human animal soul; and yet so grandly constituted originally (Adam) that he was properly described as in the likeness of God the image of him that created him.

Man as a soul is differentiated from the lower animals or souls by reason of his higher organism : not merely is his superiority indicated by his upright form; it is witnessed to by his superior mental endowments, which are Godlike and are reflected in his countenance. It is in his mental and moral endowments rather than in physical form that man was created in divine likeness. While many of the lower orders of animal soul or being possess reasoning powers and demonstrate them in thousands of ways, yet each has a level

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beyond which no progress can be made; but man’s reasoning powers are almost unlimited, because he was created an “ image of God,” “the likeness of him that created him.” And notwithstanding man’s fall into sin and his thousands of years of gross darkness and degradation we can still see Godlikeness especially in those who have accepted Christ’s ministry of reconciliation to God, and have again become “sons of God,” and who are seeking to be conformed to the image of God’s dear Son.

To illustrate: horses, dogs and birds may be taught the meaning of many words so as to be able to understand many things pertaining to life’s affairs. They often demonstrate their reasoning powers, and some are able to count as high as twenty: but who would attempt to teach a horse or a dog or a bird algebra or geometry or astronomy? The highest of the lower animals can be taught a certain degree of moral honesty and obligation to their masters not to kill sheep, not to bite, kick, etc., but who would attempt to teach his dumb brutes the Decalogue? They may be taught a certain kind of love for their master and his friends, but who would think of teaching them to love or worship God, or more than mere endurance of enemies who had despitefully used them.

The point to be noticed is that all these differences are not by reason of the lower animals having a different kind of breath or spirit of life, for as we have seen, “they have all one breath” Ecc 3:19 ); nor because man is a soul and the brute beast is not, for as we have seen they are all souls. But as we have found, and as all men are witnesses, each has a different bodily organism which gives to each his different characteristics, and which alone constitutes one higher and the other lower in the scale of intelligence. Notice, too, that not size and weight give excellence and superiority, else the elephant and whale would be the lords of earth; the excellence is in the “ organic quality” represented chiefly in brain-structure and functions.

Man, therefore, is the highest type of earthly creature“of the earth, earthy” and his excellence consists in the superiority

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of his mental endowment not a development, but a gift from his Creator.

“The Soul That Sinneth, It Shall Die”

It is quite in harmony with the foregoing, but quite out of harmony with the usual thought on the subject, that we find the Scriptures declaring repeatedly the death of the soul, which human philosophy and hymn-book theology