The Doctrine of Immortality of the Soul

THE doctrine of the immortality of the soul requires us to believe that spiritual death was all or a part of the penalty for Adam's transgression. By spiritual death is meant the soul's alienation from God and the losing of all desire to do good. This is absurd, for it subverts the Bible doctrine of a vicarious sacrifice. By vicarious sacrifice is meant that Christ dies as a substitute for man and suffers the penalty for his transgression. Now if spiritual death is the penalty, Christ must die a spiritual death to redeem man from it, which would make him a sinner. This we know is false, and therefore cannot arise from a heavenly source, but from him who said to Eve in Eden, "Ye shall not surely die." The doctrine of the immortality of the soul exalts death, as a friend, which robs Christ of his glory. The oft-repeated expressions heard on funeral occasions are very much in harmony with the sentiment of a well-known hymn—

"Death is the gate to endless joy, And yet we dread to enter there."

Now if this sentiment be true, then death is a friend to the human fainily; which is directly in conflict with the scripture which says, "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 1 Cor. 15 : 26. And it also robs Christ of his glory, for the Scriptures everywhere set forth the fact that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the one that will destroy death, and give his people endless joy.

The doctrine of the immortality of the soul subverts the Bible doctrine of the Judgment; for it requires us to believe that both the righteous and the wicked enter their reward at death, and hence their judgment either wholly or in part must take place at that time. According to this view the judgment began nearly 6,000 years ago when Abel died. This is in direct conflict with the Bible which invariably points us forward to the last day as the time of judgment. Acts 17 : 31.

The doctrine of the immortality of the soul makes the resurrection of the dead unnecessary, which again is in direct conflict with the Bible. According to this belief, if the resurrection never did take place it would be no matter to either the righteous or the wicked, as the one class would be rejoicing in glory and the other suffering the torments of hell. But Paul says, " If the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised." "Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15:16, 18.

The doctrine of the immortality of the soul forever sets aside the idea that the universe will ever be free from sin and sinners, which again is in conflict with the word of God. See Rev. 5:13. And, according to the interpretation given by immaterialists, of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Heaven and Hell are in speaking distance of each other, therefore the songs of the redeemed saints must be constantly and eternally interrupted by the curses and wailings of the wicked. Such a condition of things would be revolting to our nature, and how much more so to a just and holy God.

"The wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23.