But Jesus says the soul cannot be killed

Jesus Christ foretold persecution many times. He warned His hearers that persecution would accompany the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. In Revelation, He warns future generations of the persecution they would face because of their faith in Him. He warns His church that at the close of history a time of trouble “such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time” will occur (Matthew 24:21). For God’s people to endure these times without wavering in their faith, Christ offered the words of encouragement we find in the text in question, Matthew 10:28. We understand, and believe, that our bodies may die, but our soul does not.

The problem here is twofold. First, the text contains a different message depending on the reader’s understanding of what constitutes a “soul.” Second, people who use this text to prove the existence of an immortal soul often fail to read the second part of the same verse.

If we read this text with a pre-determined idea that the human soul is an immortal, intangible part of us that lives on after death, then Jesus’ words do seem to confirm that the soul cannot be killed. However, if we read the same text with an understanding that a soul is the joining together of a body and the breath of God (see Genesis 2:7), Jesus’ words are a promise of a life to come even when this life ends. He promises that, although our bodies may be destroyed now, He will create for us new bodies at the resurrection and that our souls will once again live. The text remains perfectly valid even with an understanding that humans “go to sleep” when they die, awaiting the resurrection day. Therefore, this text cannot be used to prove anything conclusive about the soul without further evidence.

Thankfully, further evidence does exist! And we need to read no further than the second half of the same verse to get clarification from Jesus. The entire text of Matthew 10:28 reads:

“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

When we consider the second half of the verse, it becomes clear that the soul can, indeed, die. Further, it states that hell is the place where souls go to die. This calls into question the concept of eternal torment without end in hellfire, but that’s another topic.

Though we should always be willing to accept Jesus’ words as true, we can be comforted in knowing that His words are supported by the rest of the Scriptures. Jesus says that the soul can be destroyed and will thus die. We see the same thing stated twice in Ezekiel 18.

Ezekiel 18:4 records God as saying:

“Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die.”

Ezekiel 18:20 explains:

“The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.”

The text in Matthew does, indeed, say that mankind cannot kill the soul. The soul can only be destroyed in hell, and man does not have the power to send anyone there. That is a job that belongs only to the righteous Judge, the Almighty God.

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Quotes About Fear Of Death

1. “...But the Mahommedan religion increases, instead of lessening, the fury of intolerance. It was originally propagated by the sword, and ever since, its votaries have been subject, above the people of all other creeds, to this form of madness. In a moment the fruits of patient toil, the prospects of material prosperity, the fear of death itself, are flung aside. The more emotional Pathans are powerless to resist. All rational considerations are forgotten. Seizing their weapons, they become Ghazis—as dangerous and as sensible as mad dogs: fit only to be treated as such. While the more generous spirits among the tribesmen become convulsed in an ecstasy of religious bloodthirstiness, poorer and more material souls derive additional impulses from the influence of others, the hopes of plunder and the joy of fighting. Thus whole nations are roused to arms. Thus the Turks repel their enemies, the Arabs of the Soudan break the British squares, and the rising on the Indian frontier spreads far and wide. In each case civilisation is confronted with militant Mahommedanism. The forces of progress clash with those of reaction. The religion of blood and war is face to face with that of peace.”
 Winston S. Churchill, The Story of the Malakand Field Force

2. “Fear of death is fear of surrender to Infinity.
Learn to surrender, to exist at Infinity while alive, and fear of death dissolves.
Fear of death is fear of the Unknown.
Realize the Wonder, the Eternal Unknowability of the Totality of Existence, and fear of death is transcended.
If happiness or freedom depends on the Answer to the Question, then there can be no happiness or freedom.
The Question cannot be satisfactorily or finally Answered.
For one who abides at Infinity, happy and free, at ease with his Ultimate Ignorance, the Question and the Answer are equally unnecessary.
What began will come to an end.
What is Wonderful is not threatened.
The Process of the Totality of Existence is Transcendental and Eternal.
Only a fraction of the Whole can pass away in any moment, since only a fraction of the Whole appears in any moment.
Therefore, the Heart Itself is always already Full of Wonder and Love.
"I" is the body-mind, the fraction of the Whole that is now appearing and will soon disappear.
"I" must be surrendered to the Heart, to the Whole, which is Infinity, Wonder, and Love.”
 Adi Da Samraj, The Eating Gorilla Comes in Peace: The Transcendental Principle of Life Applied to Diet and the Regenerative Discipline of True Health

3. “The white-hot singularity at the core of the Machine is – ultimately - a fear of death. It's the inevitability of a journey's end and the threat of a question nobody can honestly answer: what does it mean to make the most of a life? How can you tell that you've spent your time well? There is no metric, no answer key at the back of the book. It's a question that I think everyone had to answer for themselves, and hold tight onto that answer with both hands.”
 Jared Stone, Year of the Cow: How 420 Pounds of Beef Built a Better Life for One American Family

4. “It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things.”
 Lemony Snicket, Horseradish

5. “We are all alone, born alone, die alone, and—in spite of True Romance magazines—we shall all someday look back on our lives and see that, in spite of our company, we were alone the whole way. I do not say lonely—at least, not all the time—but essentially, and finally, alone. This is what makes your self-respect so important, and I don't see how you can respect yourself if you must look in the hearts and minds of others for your happiness.”
 Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967

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Is there life after death?

What is the purpose of religion? You’ll probably get many different answers to that question, depending on who you’re talking with. However, many religious skeptics claim that religion exists merely as a vehicle for humanity to attempt to explain the unexplainable aspects of life and, ultimately, mollify the masses’ fears about death.

The logical conclusion when deciding that religious thinking is manmade mythology is that death is the absolute end of life; there is no life, no hope, no existence at all beyond the grave. Some people find comfort in this naturalistic point of view, because it releases them from any responsibility toward any god and leaves them to enjoy their lives as they see fit. This line of thinking grew in popularity throughout the 20th century.

This type of skepticism, however, doesn’t stop many people from wondering what, if anything, awaits us on the “other side” of death. Death and the afterlife remain a source of confusion, mystery, and fear for many people.

Is there an afterlife? If so, is it immediate? Is it bodily or spiritual? How is it different than the life we know now? Is everything bigger and better? Do we gain more wisdom? More power? Where does this life take place? When does it occur?

We believe there is a plan to overcome death, and we can learn about this plan from an absolutely authoritative source. The truth about death offers answers to these questions and more. We invite you inside this website to check it out.

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Quotes About Death Of A Loved One

So sad but true...

“But she wasn’t around, and that’s the thing when your parents die, you feel like instead of going in to every fight with backup, you are going into every fight alone.” 

― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

Quotes about death of a loved One

“When he died, all things soft and beautiful and bright would be buried with him.” 

― Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles

“Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal. From an Irish headstone” 

― Richard Puz, The Carolinian

“Whoever said that loss gets easier with time was a liar. Here's what really happens: The spaces between the times you miss them grow longer. Then, when you do remember to miss them again, it's still with a stabbing pain to the heart. And you have guilt. Guilt because it's been too long since you missed them last.” 

― Kristin O'Donnell Tubb, The 13th Sign

“Those we love never truly leave us, Harry. There are things that death cannot touch.” 

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Parts One and Two

“Because death is the only thing that could have ever kept him from you.” 

― Ally Carter, Out of Sight, Out of Time

“I am always saddened by the death of a good person. It is from this sadness that a feeling of gratitude emerges. I feel honored to have known them and blessed that their passing serves as a reminder to me that my time on this beautiful earth is limited and that I should seize the opportunity I have to forgive, share, explore, and love. I can think of no greater way to honor the deceased than to live this way.” 

― Steve Maraboli

“On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend's life also, in our own, to the world.” 

― Henry David Thoreau

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Famous death quotes

When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice. Indian Proverb

Know one knows whether death, which people fear to be the greatest evil, may not be the greatest good. Plato

Live your own life, for you will die your own death. Latin Proverb

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time. Mark Twain

Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. Andrew Sachs

 

When the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Italian Proverb

Death is a law, not a punishment. Jean Dubos

Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh. Bernard Shaw

Man is the only animal that contemplates death, and also the only animal that shows any sign of doubt of its finality. William Hocking

As long as you are not aware of the continual law of Die and Be Again, you are merely a vague guest on a dark Earth. Johann Goethe

No one can confidently say that he will still be living tomorrow. Euripides

Death is the end of one story and the beginning of another. Philip Moeller

Life levels all men. Death reveals the eminent. Bernard Shaw

Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death. James Byrnes

 

When we finally know we are dying, and all other sentient beings are dying with us, we start to have a burning, almost heartbreaking sense of the fragility and preciousness of each moment and each being, and from this can grow a deep, clear, limitless compassion for all beings. Sogyal Rinpoche

After your death you will be what you were before your birth. Arthur Schopenhauer

I have only one curiosity left: death. Coco Chanel

If you would behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and sea are one. Kahlil Gibran

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne

Death is not the worst that can happen to men. Plato

It is impossible that anything so natural, so necessary, and so universal as death should ever have been designed by Providence as an evil to mankind. Jonathan Swift

Life is a great surprise. I do not see why death should not be an even grater one. Vladimir Nabokov

In the depth of the anxiety of having to die is the anxiety of being eternally forgotten. Paul Tillich

As death, when we come to consider it closely, is the true goal of our existence. I have formed during the last few years such close relations with this best and truest friend of mankind, that his image is not only no longer terrifying to me, but is very soothing and consoling! I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

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Being lost quotes

"Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves."

Henry David Thoreau


“ I got lost but look what I found."

Irving Berlin


In the middle of the journey of our life I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.    

Dante Alighieri


When you're feeling lost, take heart. It's just your brain gathering the information it needs to make good decisions.    

Josh Kaufman


No matter how much light I carry within me, there will always be times of feeling lost, being confused, seeking direction. It is the way of the human heart.    

Joyce Rupp


Feeling lost? Take a dream and convert it into small goals, then start taking the steps to hit those goals.    

Dave Ramsey


The soul which has no fixed purpose in life is lost; to be everywhere, is to be nowhere.    

Michel de Montaigne


We have lost contact with reality, the simplicity of life.    

Paulo Coelho


It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way.    

Dr. Rollo May


I need to have a reason why I'm doing something. Otherwise I'm lost.    

Steve Mcqueen


The risk of a wrong decision is preferable to the terror of indecision.    

Maimonides


Every one goes astray, but the least imprudent are they who repent the soonest.    

Voltaire


It's easy to be led astray when you're so broken. People take advantage of you.    

Willie Aames


My mind is led astray by every faint rustle.    

Mason Cooley


Suppose you could gain everything in the whole world, and lost your soul. Was it worth it?    

Billy Graham

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Quotes About Death - P2

“If you gave someone your heart and they died, did they take it with them? Did you spend the rest of forever with a hole inside you that couldn't be filled?”
― Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes

“That was the thing. You never got used to it, the idea of someone being gone. Just when you think it's reconciled, accepted, someone points it out to you, and it just hits you all over again, that shocking.”
― Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever

“You'll stay with me?'
Until the very end,' said James.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

“I go to seek a Great Perhaps.”
― François Rabelais

“Even death has a heart.”
― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

“Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, if not always in the way we expect.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“Don't feel bad, I'm usually about to die.”
― Rick Riordan, The Battle of the Labyrinth

“When people don't express themselves, they die one piece at a time.”
― Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.”
― Herbert Hoover

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