Many read into this verse that since man is in God's image, then man is immortal. However, they reason that since the body dies, it is not the body that is immortal, but rather they claim that it is the "soul" or "spirit" in man that is immortal. John Wesley wrote: "God's image upon man, consists, in his nature, not that of his body, for God has not a body, but that of his soul. The soul is a spirit, an intelligent, immortal spirit, an active spirit, herein resembling God, the Father of spirits, and the soul of the world. In his place and authority." This kind of theology is called "dualism", the belief that man is a spiritual and material being at the same time, different from the animals and other material objects, and that in man is an immortal soul that cannot be destroyed, and which can exist as a conscious being aside from the human body.
Having assumed from this scripture that the soul is immortal, and thus cannot be destroyed, the idea is that this immortal soul must spend eternity somewhere, and from this, it is assumed further (based on Judaic/Hellenistic philosophy) that the soul of the righteous goes to paradise, a compartment of sheol, at death, and the soul of the wicked, being immortal, indestructible, must go to some "compartment" of sheol, either in limbo, purgatory, or the inferno, etc. In actuality, there is nothing in these verses that even hints of such a dualistic theory. The idea of dualism comes from Hellenistic philosophy and has to be read into this scripture.
Having assumed from this scripture that the soul is immortal, and thus cannot be destroyed, the idea is that this immortal soul must spend eternity somewhere, and from this, it is assumed further (based on Judaic/Hellenistic philosophy) that the soul of the righteous goes to paradise, a compartment of sheol, at death, and the soul of the wicked, being immortal, indestructible, must go to some "compartment" of sheol, either in limbo, purgatory, or the inferno, etc. In actuality, there is nothing in these verses that even hints of such a dualistic theory. The idea of dualism comes from Hellenistic philosophy and has to be read into this scripture.
In what way, then, was man created in the image of God? We know that man is separate from other animals due to his ability to reason with complexity and creatively, speak languages, etc. We can also reason that man was created in God's image in that he was endowed with moral qualities like that of his Creator, but with the ability to choose to do what is right or to do what is wrong. In this sense man was "crowned with the glory of God", but after disobeying, he became short of the glory of God. (Psalm 8:5; Romans 3:23) Nevertheless, the scripture itself points to the fact that man was given a dominion. (Genesis 1:26,28) That is, just as God rules over all the universe, so he appointed to man a dominion, to have all things on earth put under his feet. (Psalm 8:6-8) At present, due to man's sinful condition (Ecclesiastes 1:2,13,14; Romans 3:10-12; 5:12-19; 8:20,22), scripture tells us that all is not now under man's feet. But in the age to come this dominion that God originally had assigned to man will become a reality. -- Hebrews 2:5-8.
However, in the Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words that are often rendered as "soul" are not only applied to humans, but they are also applied to the lower animal creation, although translators usually do not render the words as "soul' when applied to animals. The words are used in the sense of sentiency but are also used in the sense of a person, his ambitions, etc. As far as having soul (sentiency) is concerned, in the Bible, there is no difference between man and beast. Indeed, just as an animal is a living soul, or has soul (sentiency), so is man a living soul, or has soul (sentiency), only on a higher plane of ability to think and reason. Thus, only man was given the dominion of the earth, but as Hebrews 2:5-8 points out, man has not yet obtained this dominion. The dominion is to be restored during the times of restoration spoken of in Acts 3:21.
However, in the Bible, the Hebrew and Greek words that are often rendered as "soul" are not only applied to humans, but they are also applied to the lower animal creation, although translators usually do not render the words as "soul' when applied to animals. The words are used in the sense of sentiency but are also used in the sense of a person, his ambitions, etc. As far as having soul (sentiency) is concerned, in the Bible, there is no difference between man and beast. Indeed, just as an animal is a living soul, or has soul (sentiency), so is man a living soul, or has soul (sentiency), only on a higher plane of ability to think and reason. Thus, only man was given the dominion of the earth, but as Hebrews 2:5-8 points out, man has not yet obtained this dominion. The dominion is to be restored during the times of restoration spoken of in Acts 3:21.
There is nothing, however, in the fact that God made man a living soul (sentient being) that means that man's soul is immortal, or that it cannot die, or that it lives on after the death of the body. Many times the Bible speaks of souls as dying, but this may not be apparent in most translations, since translators most often do not render the Hebrew and Greek words for "soul" with the English word "soul" when the Bible speaks of the soul as dying. In Ezekiel 18:4,20, however, most translations do render the word as "soul", and it is clear that it says that the soul dies. What is stated in Genesis 1:26,27 is in complete harmony with the condition of the dead as presented in Ecclesiastes 9:5,10 and with the ransom sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.
Links to Studies Related to Genesis 1:26
Links to Studies Related to Genesis 1:26
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