A local pastor recently wrote that we are blessed with an “eternal soul” that immediately goes to be in the presence of the Lord when a believer dies. How do we know if this is truth or tradition? This idea of an eternal, indestructible soul can be found in the dialogue “Phaedo,” written by Plato around 360 BC. He lays out the classic Greek argument for the immortal soul. Also, around 387 AD, Augustine of Hippo wrote “The Immortality of the Soul” reflecting his engagement with Platonic and Neoplatonic philosophy. Augustine has influenced modern Christian thought (mainstream Christianity) more than almost any other post-biblical writer.

I would ask, where is that in the Bible? The phrase “eternal soul” is not there. It is not in the Hebrew text from which our Old Testament is translated. It does not appear in the Greek, Aramaic or Latin texts from which our New Testament is translated. If such a phrase is not in the Bible, why would a pastor imply that it is? We can see from Genesis chapter 3 that adding and changing God’s words can have very negative consequences.

The Old Testament Hebrew word for soul is “nephesh” which is first translated soul in the KJV in Genesis 2:7. The corresponding Greek word for soul in the New Testament is “psyche”. I counted 104 occurrences translated into English as follows: soul or souls 58 times, life or lives 40 times, etc.

The first use is in Matthew 2:20 translated life.

“Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”

What does appear in the New Testament 43 times is “eternal life” or “everlasting life.” This comes from the Greek words “zō�” aiōnios” and literally means life in the age to come.

According to Jesus and the Bible, we have the promise of eternal in the coming age (Titus 1:2). Eternal life begins when Jesus returns and raises the dead on the last day (John 6:39-40,44,54).

Jesus is the first to be raised from the dead and put on immortality (Revelation 1:17-18; Acts 26:22-23; Romans 6:9; Acts 13:34; Colossians 1:18; etc.).

But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 ESV

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life….”

John 5:28-29 ESV

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

Philippians 3:20-21 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 ESV

Now, the question is: will we build our hope on inherited traditions or on the words recorded in the Bible? Scripture never promises an “eternal soul” that survives death; it promises something far greater — resurrection and immortality in the coming age, “everlasting life.” Jesus received immortality when God raised Him from the dead, and believers will receive it when He returns and they are raised from death to life.

If you want to learn more, I would encourage you to look not at what Plato or Augustine of Hippo wrote, but at every passage in the Bible relating to death, resurrection, immortality and the hope of eternal life in future.

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Mark Rohde can be reached at marklrohde@icloud.com.