The concept of a human soul is difficult to grasp. The soul is not a material object. It is the God-given principle of life, united to the material body at the moment of conception. It is not something we can apprehend with our senses.
Therefore, we need another means of knowing its existence. Scripture and the constant teaching of the Catholic Church confirm its existence, but they typically convey this fact under the scope of revelation (e.g. Matthew 10:28; CCC, 362-368). However, we can take another approach to determine the soul’s existence and perpetuity, namely, that of reason.
The following synopsis will guide you through the rest of this column: 1) God exists and is perfect. 2) Consequently, we do not exist by accident. 3) We exist with a human nature designed to make choices that are for or against God. 4) These choices would be pointless outside of the realm of perfect justice, but perfect justice does not exist in our earthy journey. 5) Thus, perfect justice from the perfect God must be administered in the next life. 6) If we are purely material beings, we would cease to exist at physical death and would never receive perfect justice. 7) Therefore, we must have something spiritual that survives physical death and allows for the reception of God’s perfect justice in the life to come.
God’s Existence and Perfection
St. Thomas Aquinas, building on Aristotle’s writings, demonstrated God’s existence by using reason. The Catechism states, “Man’s [intellectual] faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God” (CCC, 35). St. Paul echoes this in Romans 1:19-20. Aquinas’ Five Proofs and other arguments provide solid explanations for God’s existence.
Additionally, God is all-powerful and all-knowing, and He is eternal by way of His essential perfection – perfect knowledge, perfect power, and perfection of all His other attributes (inherent qualities). The Summa Theologiae, Questions 1-21, provides a more detailed explanation of God’s attributes.
Humans Are Designed for Truth
Taking these attributes into account, we can conclude that God knows us eternally and that we cannot exist (with all our attributes) without His eternal knowledge and power. Therefore, humans did not begin to exist by chance, and our ability to think rationally (i.e. conceptually, as to a purpose) is not random. Rather, God created us with a nature designed to learn truth, love truth, and share truth. By observing our human nature, we can conclude that we are made for these things.
For instance, imagine the opposite. If we were designed to learn, love, and share lies, you would not be reading this article, and I would not have written it because it is meant to share truth and would therefore have no purpose. A type of nature oriented to lies would impede everything we do. Although human beings sometimes lie, it is usually in an attempt to prevent someone else from knowing the truth. Thus, truth precedes lies, and we continue to be designed for truth even if/when we attempt to rebel against it by lying.
Souls and Intellects
Building on the knowledge that God exists, that He is perfect, that our existence is not an accident and that our being designed for truth, let us look at how we can know that God has created us with immortal, spiritual souls.
First, let us momentarily set aside the fact that we have a soul and, instead, consider our rational intellects. After all, we could have been created without rational intellects like all other creatures (the powerful angelic intellects are more properly described as intuitive rather that rational).
The ultimate reason we have rational intellects is to know God, who is Truth, and to know He loves us. If we were made for any other purpose, our ability to reason would be unnecessary and our relationship with God would be something other than a Father/child relationship.
For instance, we would not need reason to be in a master/slave relationship or a dictator/subject relationship. We would simply do as commanded, without questioning and without conceptualizing the purpose of those commands. The ability to conceptualize purpose (i.e. understanding the “why” of something) includes the ability to question and the intellectual freedom to reject commands, something a dictator or slave master would never tolerate.
But this is contrary to the nature of God. If He had created rational beings for the purpose of controlling them, God would not have created from abundant generosity and love. Rather, He would have created from the need to control. The need to control implies an absence of perfect happiness. Absence of perfect happiness implies a lack of general perfection.
Additionally, we would not need reason to be in a programmer/android relationship. We would simply function as programmed. Finally, we would not need reason to be in a Creator/animal relationship. We would do as instinct dictates and without pondering purpose. Ultimately, we could easily fulfill the requirements of all these relationships without a rational intellect.
The Purpose of Reason
Having a rational intellect within the framework of these relationships would serve no purpose when we could provide for ourselves and others by instinct alone, just as animals do. Thus, the rational intellect points to something beyond self-preservation and temporal existence. It points toward a loving relationship with God through our natural capacities for knowing truth, doing right, and avoiding wrong.
In order to know Truth, to do right and avoid wrong, two additional resources are necessary. First, we would need intrinsic moral laws that tell us what right and wrong are. Second, we would need the power of practical reason to be capable of knowing, understanding, and applying these laws to the myriad situations with which we are confronted throughout our lifetimes.
Now, if the Creator of the law is perfect and moral laws exist, we should expect perfect justice (expressed as a balance of mercy and punishment) in response to our obedience or disobedience. However, perfect justice is rarely, if ever, administered during our earthy existence. Our good actions are never perfectly, consistently rewarded, and our bad actions are never perfectly, consistently punished during this life. Therefore, some part of us must continue to exist after physical death that connects us to this life and allows us to be perfectly punished and/or rewarded in the next life.
The Need for an Immortal Soul
If we do not have immortal souls, we would cease to exist at death without ever receiving perfect justice. Even if God resurrected our bodies and somehow animated them without an immortal soul, they would not have a connection to our earthly lives. He would be creating materially-identical persons who look and perhaps act exactly like us but without having a connection to this life.
This is because human memories are not merely material. They also exist in the spiritual soul. When I remember a thing, that thing is not physically present in my mind. So, if I were a purely physical being (like an animal), my physical death would mean the end of all my memories.
Therefore, having an immortal soul that survives physical death is the only way we can receive perfect justice. One’s soul would maintain the connection to this life while allowing for the proper dispensing and receiving of justice after bodily death. Creating us without a soul, allowing us to die, and then administering justice on a newly created person who has no connection to the right and wrong performed in this life would be perfectly unjust; and injustice is incompatible with a God who is perfect in every way.
The Take-Away
God designed our human nature to share in His eternal nature. He wants to share Himself with us and to help us become perfect (Matthew 5:48). Our perfection does not consist in our bodies dying, decaying, and ceasing to exist. Rather, it consists in allowing God’s grace and life to permeate our souls so that, after physical death, our resurrected bodies can be joined to our perfected souls and live with God for eternity.
Furthermore, God designed us to know and love Him, and the only path to knowing and loving Him is that of unadulterated truth. Alternative paths such as relativism, atheism, pantheism, paganism, agnosticism, transcendentalism, materialism, nihilism, etc., will not move us closer to God. In fact, these ideologies, which are saturated with lies, will move us farther from Him.
The only sure way to walk the path of truth is with Jesus Christ, in the Church He founded – His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. In this Church alone, we are guaranteed unadulterated spiritual and moral truths. These truths properly form our consciences and prepare our immortal souls for eternal life with our Creator.
Nate:
Footnote from my Catholic Bible for your consideration on Hebrews 12.
12:18–29 As a final appeal for adherence to Christian teaching, the two covenants, of Moses and of Christ, are compared. The Mosaic covenant, the author argues, is shown to have originated in fear of God and threats of divine punishment (Hb 12:18–21). The covenant in Christ gives us direct access to God (Hb 12:22), makes us members of the Christian community, God’s children, a sanctified people (Hb 12:23), who have Jesus as mediator to speak for us (Hb 12:24). Not to heed the voice of the risen Christ is a graver sin than the rejection of the word of Moses (Hb 12:25–26). Though Christians fall away, God’s kingdom in Christ will remain and his justice will punish those guilty of deserting it (Hb 12:28–29).
Is your conclusion clearly supported by Paul?
BTW, Paul clearly states that Jesus is our mediator with God, not Mary or the church-declared saints.
Finally, why do you consistently criticize me for quoting scriptures? It was done by Jesus, Peter, Paul, and others in the Bible. Since the Scriptures are the foundation of our faith (not the writings of early Church leaders which occurred decades or centuries after Christ departed from the earth), why do you seem to denigrate them?
Robert, did the Hebrews come to the assembly of the spirits of just men made perfect or not?
Not yet.
Finally, we have gotten to the crux of the problem. You want me to believe your interpretation of this verse, but it clearly states they have (present tense) come to the spirits of just men made perfect and to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant. Did they come to Jesus? Yes. Did they come to the spirits of just men? Yes. Btw, these men are mentioned throughout the previous chapter. The Church Jesus founded and Scripture affirm that human souls exist apart from the body after physical death.
Thus, I reject your fallible opinion, which is neither historical nor biblical, and rely on the teaching of Christ’s body, his Church. Accordingly, you are the one who denigrates Holy Scripture by interpreting it outside the Church Jesus founded.
Also, it’s in Christ that they have come to the spirits of these just men.
Also, I just realized that your “Not yet” response is an dmission that they will come to these spirits. Spirits of whom? Of just men.
Nate:
For your further consideration:
Proverbs 3:5
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
on your own intelligence do not rely;
Thanks for the Bible verse, Robert! This is exactly what I do. I trust in the Lord with all my heart and he has renewed my mind (Romans 12:2) so that I do not mindlessly copy and past Bible verses that have nothing to do with the topic being discussed.
Speaking of this topic (the human soul) and Bible verses, you never attempted to explain Hebrews 12:22-23 in a way that fits your manmade theology. “But you (the Hebrews) have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”
Nate:
Guess you missed the whole point of Paul’s message.
“‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” Jesus (not Nate)
I got it. It was just incredibly stupid. Good job taking Bible passages out of context though.
I got it. It was just incredibly stupid. Good job taking Bible passages out of context though. (For Robert – a repeat offender on this site.)
Christopher:
What did Lazarus say after spending 4 days in his tomb? Anything about judgement?
Perhaps the Judge in Judea at the time? I believe his exact words were, “I am glad for you that I was not there”
Robert, did Lazarus say anything about the sun, moon, stars, earth, Bible or your ignorant remarks? And yet they all exist.
Nate:
Actually the Scriptures that I cited stand in opposition to your article. I wasn’t arguing what you suggested.
Who should I believe? The Bible or you? I think you know the answer.
Leaving you with another appropriate scripture.
1 Timothy 6:3-16
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
3 Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching 4 is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, 5 and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain. 6 Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it. 8 If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. 9 Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.
Exhortations to Timothy. 11 But you, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. 12 Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I charge [you] before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, 14 to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ 15 that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”
Amen, Chris! A perfect Bible verse for Robert to contemplate.
Nate:
In my Catholic Bible, Jesus says nothing about Purgatory. He says nothing about the “immortal” soul, being judged after death, or going to heaven. In fact, Jesus said in John 3 that no one has gone to heaven. In John 14, He tells his chosen 12 that he goes to prepare a place for them and will come back for them. They have all since passed away and the Second Coming hasn’t occurred. Doesn’t sound like they are in heaven, does it?
In the beginning of the Old Testament, God confronts Cain about the murder of his brother by saying, “What have you done! Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil!”. Nothing about his immortal soul arriving for judgement.
Job 14:10-12 also addresses death, as well as Ecclesiastes 9. Ecclesiastes 12: 7 also says, “And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.” Nothing about an immortal soul.
Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2 that our gathering to the Lord takes place after two events – the mass apostasy and the revealing of the antichrist. He also wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 that immortality for believers takes place at the last trumpet and his coming.
The description of the end times is primarily found in the Book of Revelation, but there are other sources in Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Isaiah, Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. Nothing in there about immortal souls, either.
Hey Robert! Thanks for reading my article! Regarding your comments, your argument is that since you can’t find an immortal soul mentioned in Scripture, then it must not exist. Then you quote passages in which the immortal human soul is not mentioned. I can quote a lot more passages in which an immortal human soul is not mentioned. The problem with your argument is that it depends on your ability/inability to find something in Scripture. But just because YOU can’t find something, doesn’t mean that a thing does not exist. Have you found an argument in the Bible that states something must be found in Scripture in order for it to exist? No, you haven’t, because it’s not there. Therefore, your argument refutes itself. In other words, it’s nonsense.
Next, my article does not use Scripture to defend the existence of an immortal human soul. It uses reason. It works from the fact that the eternal, perfect God exists and arrives at the need for us to have immortal souls. You did not attempt to refute my argument. Rather, you started listing Bible verses that do not mention human souls. Are you unable to refute my argument, Robert?? I know you’re unable, but do YOU know it?
Next, in the Letter to the Hebrews (12:22-23), the author tells the Hebrews – “But you (the Hebrews) have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” The author is speaking to those who are physically alive about their participation in the heavenly society through Jesus Christ (see vs. 24). Question for you – Are the spirits of just men in the heavenly Jerusalem or not? They do not have their physical bodies because the Second Coming has not happened yet. So, the answer is yes. They are in heaven as spirits and we commune with them through Jesus.
Next, Acts 23:8-9 reports, “For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.” Are you a Sadducee, Robert?
Next, James 2:26 says, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.” Now, faith and works are distinct and a faith without works is truly dead. Accordingly, body and spirit are distinct and a body without a spirit is truly dead. Does your body have a spirit, Robert? Are you a zombie?
Next, Genesis 35:18 states, “And as her (Rachel) soul was departing (for she had died), she called his name….” “For she had died” is part of the verse.
Next, in 1 Kings 17:21-22, a child had died and Elijah “stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to the Lord, ‘O Lord my God, let this child’s soul com into him again.’ And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.”
Next, Job 33:21 states, “His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be see; and his bones which were not see stick out. His soul draws near to the Pit, and his life to those who bring death.” In this verse, the death of the flesh results in the soul being sent to the Pit.
Finally, Baruch 2:17 states, “…open your eyes, O Lord, and see; for the dead who are in Hades, whose spirit has been taken from their bodies, will not ascribe glory or justice to the Lord…”
Thank you for proving my point, Sadducee.