I grew up in a tradition that taught the following equation: Body + God's Breath of Life = Man Became a Living Soul. It goes on further by saying if you take away God's Breath, man is no longer a leaving soul and the breath goes back to God in heaven and the body returns the dust and man is "asleep" until the resurrection. However, recently I've been thinking that there are some holes in that logic, because if 'body' is in the equation where would that put things that God made that don't have a 'body' i.e (the supernatural realm, angels, demons, etc). If you need a body to be considered a living soul/spirit then things from the supernatural realm would be dead by that logic.
Angels for example, don't have a 'body', they are spirits and are disembodied by nature, however, they can occupy a physical nature if need be. Also, if the breath or life goes back to God what does that actually mean? Can it interact with God in heaven? This is another reason why I still can't see how the some would say the Bible teaches soul sleep. Can a soul die?
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Regarding angels ... they are a different type of created being. They don't die. Evidenced of why satan and the fallen angels will have to be destroyed by God in the very end.
Angels can be seen or not seen. Angels have supernatural abilities that mankind does not have, including the fallen angels.
Angels do have physical bodies.
Ezekiel 1:1-28 gives a physical description of angels as four-winged creatures. In
Ezekiel 10:20, we are told these angels are called cherubim.
When angels
are seen in Scripture and appearing on earth, they
usually appear (not always) in the form of human beings ... so they have the supernatural ability to change their physical appearance.
Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Angels do not die.
Luke 20
34Jesus answered, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
35But those who are considered worthy to share in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage.
36In fact,
they can no longer die, because they are like the angels. And since they are sons of the resurrection, they are sons of God.
Yes ... a soul can die ... a soul is a person ... "Body + God's Breath of Life = Man Became a Living Soul" (a person) ... this is correct.
Matthew 10
Berean Study Bible
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One
who can destroy both soul (person) and body (physical) in hell.
There are 2 resurrections from the grave, 1st of the saved who go to be with the Lord to heaven for 1,000 years ... after that the 2nd resurrection those of the lost and are destroyed by fire, along with the earth. After total destruction, then God makes everything new.
The Lord is the energy source for life ... for both the saved and unsaved (and animals) ... his breath ... when one dies is that energy source and the energy source returns to him.
Ecclesiastes 3:19
New International Version
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other.
All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
There are "records" of everyone's life being kept in heaven described as the "book of life". When one is saved their name goes into that book ... and if one dies earthly death and has not been blotted out ... removed from that book ... then they will be in the 1st resurrection that happens when Jesus returns.
Jesus made it clear we will have REAL physical bodies.
1 John 3:2
New International Version
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,
we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
Luke 24 (Jesus appearing to the disciples AFTER His resurrection
38“Why are you troubled,” Jesus asked, “and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself. Touch Me and see—
for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
Maybe ... this might be somewhat relatable ... ;o)
Like a computer hard drive .... information is stored there and is accessed when energy is provided to the computer. If the hard drive is removed ... the information is still on the hard drive (dormant - asleep, so to speak) ... it hasn't disappeared ... it just needs it's energy source to access the information that is waiting there to be accessed. All of the "hard drives" have a terrible virus on them (sin).
So, when the resurrections occur the Lord reconnects the "hard drives" (provides energy) ... The saved ... when their hard drive was removed (died earthly death) the ultimate anti-virus protection was placed on it (blood of Christ) and their "hard drive" was totally wiped clean. When they are resurrected their "information" (no longer tainted by the virus) is transferred to a "new hard drive" (given a new body) that goes to heaven and will remain 100% clean for eternity ... as there are not any viruses in heaven.
The lost are raised up and their "hard drive" (energy source) is reconnected however ... they don't have any anti-viral protection (blood of Christ) whatsoever ... and they are resurrected with the viruses (sin) still on their "hard drive" and do not have any way to get rid of it or repair it ... they do not have access to the anti-virus protection (blood of Christ), therefore will be destroyed (because their "hard drive" can not be fixed/repaired) thereby will be destroyed and will cease to exist for eternity.