Soul: the essence, existence and expression - Chambers, Oswald

Chapter VIII Soul: the essence, existence and expression
Past, Present and Future of the Soul

1. Pre-existence

(a) spurious speculations (Deuteronomy 29:29; revelation 5:3)

(b) startling scriptures ( Jeremiah 1:5; Malachi 3:1; Romans 9:1113; Luke 1:41)

(1) no soul before body (genesis 12)

(2) no soul destiny pre-adamic (Romans 5:12)

(3) no soul but by pro-creation (genesis 5) n. B. Note the pre -existence of our lord Jesus Christ. John 17:5.

2. Present existence

(a) satisfaction of the soul (psalm 66:89, 12, 16, isaiah 55:3)

(b) sins and surroundings of the soul (proverbs 18:7; psalm 6; ezekiel 18:4; 1 peter 1:9)

N. B. Spiritualism is the great soul crime . Sickness , natural and demoniacal, will be examined.

3. Perpetual existence

(a) mortal aspect of the soul ( job 14:2; James 4:14)

(b) immortal aspect of the soul (Luke 16:19, 31; 23:43)

In concluding our general survey of this great theme of the soul, we purpose to sketch in outline the past, present and future state of the soul.

1. Pre-existence

i. E. The speculation that souls existed in a former world.

(a) spurious speculations

The student cannot be too careful about these speculations. There is no book which lends itself more readily to speculation than the bible, and yet all through the bible warns against it. By speculation we mean taking a series of facts and weaving all kinds of fancies round them. In Deuteronomy 29:29 (the secret things belong unto the lord our god: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever . . . ), and revelation 5:3 (and no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon), the bounds of human knowledge with regard to bible revelation are fairly well marked. What is revealed in gods book is for us; what is not revealed is not for us. Speculation is searching into what is not revealed. The subject of pre-existence as it is popularly taught is not revealed in gods book; it is a speculation based on certain things said in gods book. Theosophy lends itself largely to speculation, and all theosophic and occult speculations are ultimately dangerous to the mental, moral and spiritual balance. Speculate if you care to, but never teach any speculation as a revelation from the bible. Speculation comes right down to our lives in very enticing ways. Telepathy is one enticing way in which the speculation of transmigration and pre-existence is introduced to our minds. Telepathy means being able to discern someone elses thought by my own. This opens up the line of auto-suggestion. If one man can suggest thoughts to another man, then Satan can do the same, and the consciousness of auto-suggestion on the human side opens the mind to it diabolically. Telepathy is mentioned because all these occult things come down to our lives in seemingly harmless phases. For instance, spiritualism comes by way of palmistry, reading fortunes in tea-cups or in cards, by planchette, and so on, and people say there is no harm in any of these things. There is all the harm and the backing up of the devil in them. Nothing awakens curiosity more quickly than reading fortunes in tea-cups or by cards. The same is true of all theosophic speculations, they come right down to our lives on the line of things which is wrongly called psychology and awaken an insatiable curiosity. It has already been stated that the bible does not teach pre-existence and yet we have

(b) Some startling scriptures

Which appear to contradict that statement ( Jeremiah 1:5; Romans 9:1113; Luke 1:41).

We have called these startling scriptures for the obvious reason that they look as if the bible did teach pre-existence. There is, however, what may be termed a false and a true idea of pre-existence. The false idea of pre-existence is that we existed as human beings before we came into this world; the true idea is pre-existence in the mind of god. It is not an easy subject to state, but it is one which is revealed in scripture, viz. , the pre-existence in the mind of god not only with regard to the great fact of the human race, but with regard to individual lives. Individual lives are the expression of a pre-existing idea in the mind of god; this is the true idea of pre- existence. Call it ideal, or call it what you like, but it is revealed in gods book. In the few passages given, and in a great many more, the idea of pre-existence in the divine mind is clearly revealed.

There is one other thing in regard to individual spiritual experience, viz. , that our individual lives can be, and ought to be, manifest answers to the ideas in gods mind. Mans goings are of the l ord ; how can a man then understand his own way? (proverbs 20:24). This gives a lofty dignity as well as a great carefulness to human lives. The expression of it in the life of our lord is becoming familiar to us, viz. , that he never worked from his right to himself; he never performed a miracle because he wanted to express how able he was; he never spoke in order to show how wonderful was his insight into gods truth. He said, the son can do nothing of himself. He always worked from his father (see john 14:10).

There are racial memories which obtrude them- selves into our consciousness whereby a person may be distinctly conscious of a form of life he never lived, it may be a form of life centuries past. The explanation of this does not lie in the fact that that particular individual lived centuries ago, but that his progenitors did, and there are traces in his nerve substance which by one of the incalculable tricks of individual experience may suddenly emerge into consciousness.

C) the steadying scriptures

By this we mean those scriptures which hold our minds to some steady line of interpretation.

(1) No soul before body (genesis 12)

In the creation of man the bible reveals that his body was created first, not his soul. The body existed before the soul in creation; so we cannot trace the his- tory or the destiny of the human soul before the cre- ation of the human race. This is the first main general line of revelation. We have in genesis 1:26 a splendid example of true pre-existence. God deliberately said what was in his mind before he created manlet us make man in our image, after our likenessthe pre-existence of man in the mind of god.

(2) No soul destiny pre-adamic

wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (romans 5:12) soul destiny began with the human race, not before it. Take any passage which deals with indi- vidual destinyezekiel 18, for instanceand you will find that destiny is determined in the lifetime of the individual soul. All speculations regarding the transmigration of soul are alien to the teaching of the bible.

(3) No soul but by pro-creation

we are not created directly by the hand of the almighty as Adam was; we are pro-created, gener- ated, and our spirit, soul and body, all come together in embryo, as related elsewhere. The pre-existence of our lord. And now, o father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which i had with thee before the world was ( john 17:5). This pre-existence is quite different from the phase of pre-existence previously mentioned. This is the existence of a being who was known before he came here, and the reason of his coming here is explained by what he was before he came. This is the only case of the pre-existence of a person in a former life. The bible nowhere teaches that individuals existed in a world before they came here; the only pre-existence is in the divine mind. 2. Present existence now we come down to simple ground where we are at home. In the last chapter we dealt with something of the nature of the complex characteristics of the soul, more perplexing and whirling and confusing the more we think of them. When we begin to think of the possibilities of the human soul, no clear thought is possible at first. We come now to the possibilities and capacities of the soul. Can these be satisfied here and now? The bible says they can. The claim of the salvation of Jesus Christ is that the spirit of god can satisfy the last aching abyss of the human soul, not only hereafter, but here and now. Satisfaction does not mean stagnation; satisfaction is the knowledge that we have gained the right type of life for our souls.

(a)Satisfaction of the soul

O bless our god, ye people, . . . [who] holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved. (psalm 66:89; see also psalm 66:12, 16; Isaiah 55:3)

these are indications from innumerable passages in gods book which prove that this complex soul which we have been examining can be satisfied and placed in perfect harmony with itself and with god in its present existence. The thought that a human soul can fulfill the predestined purpose of god is a great one. The human soul, however, can also be stagnated by ignorance. In the beginning, we do not know the capabilities of our souls and are content to be ignorant; but when we come under conviction of sin, we begin to understand the awful, unfathomable depths of our nature and the claim of Jesus Christ that he can satisfy this abyss. Every man who knows what his soul is capable of, knows its possibilities and terrors, but knows also the salvation of god, will bear equal testimony with the written word of god that Jesus Christ can satisfy the living soul. Isaiah 55:3 is our lords message to the age in which we live in cline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and i will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Bear in mind that the devil does satisfy for a time. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish (psalm 73:7). They have no changes, therefore they fear not god (psalm 55:19).

(b) Sins and surroundings of the soul

psalm 6 refers to the surroundings of the soul in bodily sickness and perplexity and the inward results of these. The psalmists first degree of prayer is, heal me; for my bones are vexed; the second degree is, heal me, for my soul is also sore vexed, and the third degree is, save me for thy mercies sake. These are three degrees of perplexity arising from the souls surround- ings: because of pain; because the mental outlook is cloudy, and because god has not said a word. When the soul is perplexedand it certainly will be if we are going on with god, because we are a mark for satan and the sudden onslaught comes, as it did in the life of job, we cry, heal me because of my pain, but there is no answer. Then we cry, heal me, not because i am in pain, but because my soul is perplexed; i cannot see any way out of it or why this thing should be; still no answer; then at last we cry, heal me, o lord, not because of my pain, nor because my soul is sick, but for thy mercies sake. Then we have the answer, the Lord hath heard my supplication. The surroundings of the soul, the scenes which arise from our doings, do produce perplexity in the soul. The soul cannot be separated from the body, and bodily perplexities produce difficulties in the soul, and these difficulties go inward and at times intrude right to the very throne of god in the heart. Behold, all souls are mine; . . . The soul that sinneth, it shall die (Ezekiel 18:4). In this passage the soul life and the sin that is punished are connected. The inherited disposition of sin must be cleansed, but for every sin we commit we are punished. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls (1 peter 1:9). Salvation refers to the whole gamut of a man, spirit, soul and body; Christ the first fruits, with the ultimate reach in the hereafter of our spirit, soul and body being like his in a totally new relation- ship. The soul in the present life can be satisfied in all its perplexities, and in all onslaughts and dangers it is kept by the power of god. Sin destroys the power of the soul to know its sin, punishment brings awakening, self-examination brings chastisement and saves the soul from sleeping sickness, and brings it into a healthy satisfaction. In 1 Corinthians 11:30 (for this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep), paul alludes to sickness which has a moral and not a physical source. The immediate connection is the obscene conduct at the lords supper of former heathen converts, and Paul says that that is the cause of their bodily sickness. The truth laid down abides, that certain types of moral disobedience produce sicknesses which physical remedies cannot touch; obedience is the only cure. For instance nothing can touch the sicknesses produced by tampering with spiritualism; there is only one cure yielding to the lord Jesus Christ.

(c) The supernatural setting for the soul

. . . Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? (Luke 9:54)

the disciples knew Jesus Christ well enough to know that he had intimacy with supernatural powers, but they had yet to learn that it is possible to scathe sin and at the same time serve ones self. But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. It is possible to do right in the wrong spirit. These were the very men who a little while afterwards asked that they might sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory; and one of them (see acts 8) was sent down by god to Samaria, where he realised what the fire was that god was to send, viz. , the fire of the holy ghost.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers . . . (Ephesians 6:12). This has to do not with the bodily side of things, but with the supernatural. We are surrounded immediately by powers and forces which we cannot discern physically. . . . I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the lord, and the cup of devils . . . (1 Corinthians 10:2021). You can always tell whether Christians are spiritually minded by their attitude to the supernatural. The modern attitude to demon possession is very instructive; so many take the attitude that there is no such thing as demon possession, and infer that Jesus Christ himself knew quite well that there was no such thing, not seeing that by such an attitude they put themselves in the place of the superior per- son, and claim to know all the private opinions of the almighty about iniquity. Jesus unquestionably did believe in the fact of demon possession. The new testament is full of the supernatural; Jesus Christ continually looked on scenery we do not see, and saw supernatural forces at work. Try the spirits whether they are of god (1 john 4:1). The soul of man may be vastly complicated by interference from the super- natural; but Jesus Christ can guard us there. Sickness, natural and demoniacal. By natural sickness we mean that which comes from natural causes, not through the interference of any supernatural force. Demoniacal sickness comes from certain parts of the body being infested by demons. Read the records of our lord casting out demons. Some- times he said thou dumb and deaf spirit, i charge thee, come out, (e. G. , mark 9:25); at other times he said nothing about demons when he healed the deaf and dumb (e. G. , Matthew 9:32). In addressing the demon-possessed our lord frequently mentioned the particular organ affected, but in the case of the man of gadara, he was possessed by demons not only in a particular organ but through the whole of his body. How much room does thought take up? None! How many thoughts can we have in our brain? Why, countless! How much room does personality take up? None! How many personalities can there be in one body? Take this man of gadara. And Jesus asked him, what is thy name? And he said, legion; for many devils were entered into him (Luke 8:30 RV).

The case of Judas instances the identification of a human soul with the devil himself; just as a man may become identified with Jesus Christ so he can be identified with the devil. Just as a man can be born again into the kingdom where Jesus Christ lives and moves and has his being and can become identified with him in entire sanctification, so he can be born again, so to speak, into the devils kingdom and be entirely consecrated to the devil. Then entered Satan into him ( john 13:27 RV ). Have not i chosen you twelve, said Jesus, and one of you is a devil? ( john 6:70). This subject awakens tremendous terrors, but these are facts revealed in gods book. There are supernatural sicknesses of the body and soul in this present life, but Jesus Christ can deal with them all.

3. Perpetual existence

(a) mortal aspect of the soul what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ( james 4:14; see also job 14:2)

By mortal is meant in this order of things only. All through gods book the soul and man as he appears now is described as mortal in one aspect. The soul is the holder of the body and spirit together, and when the spirit goes back to god who gave it, the soul disappears. In the resurrection there is another body, a body impossible to describe in words, either a glorified body or a damnation body (. . . For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation [ john 5:2829]), and instantly the soul is manifested again. We have not a picture of the resurrection unto damnation; yet our lord states that there will be such a thing (see also luke 16:1931). We have a picture of the resurrection unto life in the resurrected body of our lord. Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body . . . (Philippians 3:21). The soul life, then, is entirely dependent upon the body. The indelible characteristics of the individual are in his spirit: and our lord, who is the first fruits (1 Corinthians 15:23), was spirit, soul and body. Therefore resurrection does not refer to spirit, i. E. , personality that never dies, but to body and soul. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. God raises an incorruptible glorified body like his own sonsevery man in his own regiment, and Jesus Christ leading. Just as the glorified body of our lord could materialise during those forty days, so will our body be able to materialise in the day yet to be.

(b) Immortal aspect of the soul (Luke 16:19, 31; 23:43)

The mortal aspect is strong in the bible, and the immortal aspect is just as strong. The annihilationists build all their teaching on the mortal aspect; they give proof after proof that because the soul and body are mortal only those who are born again of the spirit are immortal. The bible reveals that there is everlasting damnation as well as everlasting life. Nothing can be annihilated. In scripture the word destroy never means annihilate. In this present bodily aspect the soul is mortal, but in another aspect it is immortal, for god sees the soul in its final connection with spirit in the resurrection. See Luke 16:2526 (son, remember . . . ), and Luke 23:43 (and jesus said unto him, verily i say unto thee, to- day shalt thou be with me in paradise). Both these passages refer to the state immediately after death, and reveal that mans spirit, i. E. , personality, never sleeps and never dies in the sense that body and soul do. The soul- sleep heresy creeps in here. The bible nowhere says the soul sleeps; it says that the body sleeps but never the personality; the moment after death, unhindered con- sciousness is the state. (c) eternal life and eternal death of the soul for the wages of sin is death; but the gift of god is eternal life through Jesus Christ our lord. (Romans 6:23; see also Matthew 10:28; Romans 5:21) we have no more ground for saying that there is eternal life than we have for saying there is eternal death. If Jesus Christ means by eternal life, unending conscious knowledge of god, then eternal death must be never-ending conscious separation from god. The destruction of a soul in hades, or hell, is the destruction of the last strand of likeness to god. Mark uses a strange phrase: salted with fire, i. E. , preserved in eternal death. In Romans 8:6, Paul tells us what death is to be carnally minded is death. The people who say that eternal damnation is not personal but that eternal life is, put themselves in an untenable position. We know no more about the one than we do about the other, and we know nothing about either saving what the bible tells us. Probably the greatest book on this subject, apart from the bible, is the one entitled human personality and its survival of bodily death (by Dr. F. W. H. Myers7 ). It was written during the last few years by a great man who tried to prove, not from gods book, but simply from speculation, that the human soul is immortal, and he ends exactly where he begins, viz. , with his intuitions. All we know about eternal life, about hell and damnation, the bible alone tells us. If we say that god is unjust because he reveals perennial death and imply that the bible therefore does not teach it, we put ourselves under the condemnation of those pas- sages (i. E. , in the books of Deuteronomy and in the revelation) to which we have already referred. These things transcend reason, but they do not contradict incarnate reason, our lord Jesus Christ, and he is the final authority. All we can have hoped to do in these studies of the human soul is to have suggested lines of research for the bible student.

Soul: the essence, existence and expression - Chambers, Oswald

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