First we must understand "why" death exists, and the Bible clearly tells us:
"the wages of sin is death." [ ROM 6:23 ] So SIN is responsible for bringing
DEATH into our world.
Here's how it happened. In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, it's told
that God created our world in six days, and He rested on the seventh day.
Into this perfect world God placed Adam and Eve, the first two human beings.
They were perfect in health and stature, for they were made in God's own
image. And they would have lived eternally, had they not chosen to disobey
God.
Note that after God created something He always said "it was good." That
was up until the point man came about. God's foreknowledge knew that man
would sin. Remember the serpent "ye shall not surely die..." Adam and Eve
aren't alive now, so already we know Satan is a liar.
God told Adam and Eve that they could live eternally on ONE condition:
If they obeyed. God was NOT playing dictator here; he was giving them rules
that would perserve them and keep them well. As a creator he knew these
things. Just as your parents said "don't play in a busy street" they were
trying to keep you from getting hit by a car, and when they wouldn't let
you eat dessert and nothing else, they were regulating your body chemistry
to keep you in good health.
"Obedience". Their entire existence hinged upon obedience to God. Adam
and Eve were given only one very simple restriction: DO NOT EAT OF THE FRUIT
OF ONE CERTAIN TREE IN THEIR GARDEN OF EDEN. [ GEN 2:17 -- "For in the day
that you eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Die that day? No. So Satan
looked like he knew what he was talking about. From that day on they had
marked a date of death for themselves, yes. Satan told a half-truth by
twisting God's words and their perception of them. ] Incidently, no where
does it mention that the fruit of the tree was an apple. This is part of
those simplified children's stories; speculation has it that the fruit was
similar in nature to an apricot (though this doesn't mean it was an apricot).
But Even decided to take the word of the serpent over God's word. She are
the FORBIDDEN FRUIT. And Adam ate also, and mankind began its rollercoaster
ride into the grave. Adam and Eve were now separated from God. They were
cut off from their creator, the giver of life. Eternal life was removed, and
their bodies began to age and slip into the darkness of a world without God's
blessings. "...for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return."
[ GEN 3:19 ]
Our world became a world of sin... a world where death awaits us all.
"Werefore, as by one person sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned..." [ ROM 5:12 ] But
what happens to us when we die?
Many believe that the SOUL of man is IMMORTAL -- but is this correct? Is
this belief supported by scripture? Many have come to accept the PAGAN BELIEF
that a good person's "soul" goes floating up to heaven when he DIES. There we
turn into angels and play harps and sit on clouds... this is yet another lie,
with no scriptual foundation that is designed to make heaven look like a really
boring place. Angels we are taught are a different kind of being, and when we
eventually do make it to heaven we will be above the angels and end up judging
them.
The words "soul" and "spirit" are used more than 1,600 TIMES IN THE BIBLE,
but NOT ONE TIME are either given any life or personality or wisdom or
knowledge when they are separated from the body.
The word "soul" in the Bible usually means A PERSON, a "LIVING BEING." [ see
LEV 5:2; 26:6; 7:18-25; 7:12,15 ] Sometimes it means "life" [ JOB 12:10 ],
and sometimes it means the "mind" or the "intellect." [ PSA 139:14 ] When
someone says, "Oh, you pour soul," they are not talking about a ghostly part
of you, they are refering to the whole you.
It is totally unscriptural to think that "the physical body can die, but our
souls can never, ever die"... "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
[ EZE 18:4 ] Here we see an example of soul meaning person. Die. That's
what the Bible says about souls.
The "soul" of man, by itself, DOES NOT naturally possess IMMORTALITY.
There is no use of the phrase "immortal soul" in the Bible.
"Immortal" is used ONLY ONCE in scripture, and it applies NOT TO MAN, but
to "THE ONLY WISE GOD." [ 1 TIM 1:17 ] There's no need to waste time
looking in the Bible for a text saying that man has an "immortal soul," because
there isn't one. "The King of kings, and Lord of lords... only hath
immortality." [ 1 TIM 6:15-16 ]