Does Christianity Believe in a Soul or Ghosts

[cataway]

But Paul said in Corinthians that you get a new body, and then it goes places. Or does the 'soul' go places in the interim the last the trumpet sounds making that body available, (obviously chronological far from the moment many people die) and then rejoin the body to create a new body, and take that body to a new place on a second trip? All of this is very confusing, it's no wonder I can never keep it all straight.

Another interesting thing is when you look at the greek words for soul and spirit in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, they were actually psyche and pneuma. Most people who speak english have a greater understanding of those two words than they would soul and spirit. They are actually applicable in different places. Psychology researches the psyche, and things that are pneumatic deal with air. Alternatively, we have no idea what could be meant by soul and spirit. So I guess a question might be, where does an equivalent word for the psyche show up in the old testament? Pneuma seems pretty compatible with the hebrew word for spirit, which was ruach, or the breath of god, but was there much discussion of the psyche before the new testament...

a new body ...well I should hope so . in the resurrection of the dead we should relies that most of the dead have rotted away a long ,long time ago

 

[Darkforbid]

No. The Bible backs up everything I said.....Do you know the Bible?.....Can you show me where I am in error?

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,"

 

[Enoch07]

death is the judgment

Only if you haven't repented and accepted Jesus.

Eternal life is also a judement.

 

[74x12]

Are Christians waiting for a resurrection or face eternal darkness? Is their a soul or Ghosts in a resurrection theology?

Yes we all have a soul and spirit.

 

[Deeje]

25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,"

Bad translation.

Unfortunately the word "ghost" did not exist in Jesus's day. It is a German word incorporated into English by various Bible translators. "Giest" means "spirit", so what the disciples saw, they exclaimed more correctly was "an apparition"...not a "ghost".

There are no such things as "ghosts" (as defined by those in Christendom.) There are evil spirits as we see throughout the NT who were causing no end of trouble for people in the first century. Jesus and his apostles expelled some of them because they were causing people to become ill. That is not to say that all illness is caused by demons, but many were affected back then and certainly some are still affected today. Spiritism was forbidden in God's law for that reason. (Deuteronomy 18:9-12)

 

[Deeje]

I agree with most of this. However, it needs to be made abundantly clear that DOING to please God is not the way of Salvation, it is by FAITH, and faith alone. Good deeds flow from salvation, they do not earn salvation.

Sorry shmogie, the Bible is clear that "faith without works is dead". Neither one alone will lead to salvation, but we need both. One prompts the other.

To illustrate.....if a good Christian is sitting on his porch reading his Bible, but he knows that just around a blind corner from his house a flash flood has taken out a bridge over a ravine. Does the good Christian have faith that God will save the people driving past his house who will surely plunge into that ravine because there is no sign posted yet to warn of the danger. Or does the good Christian go down onto the road and wave down the passing motorists and warn them of the danger that is just around the corner? What would God and his Christ want that man to do? If he fails to warn those people, will he not incur bloodguilt before God? (Ezekiel 3:17-21) Are we not under the same obligation today?

"Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he does not have works? That faith cannot save him, can it. . . . . . . faith by itself, without works, is dead.

18 Nevertheless, someone will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder. 20 But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that his faith was active along with his works and his faith was perfected by his works . . . .

24 You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same manner, was not Raʹhab the prostitute also declared righteous by works after she received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way? 26 Indeed, just as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." (James 2:14-26)

If there are no works to back up what you claim, then all you have are empty words. Your faith is proved by your works.

 

[cataway]

Only if you haven't repented and accepted Jesus.

Eternal life is also a judement.

eternal life is a blessing

 

[Enoch07]

eternal life is a blessing

I won't argue with that.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,"

Unfortunately the word "ghost" did not exist in Jesus's day. It is a German word incorporated into English by various Bible translators. "Giest" means "spirit", so what the disciples saw, they exclaimed more correctly was "an apparition"...not a "ghost".

Actually, it looks like the greek in that instance is actually 'phantasma' where one might expect the common words pneuma (spirit) or psyche (soul). I would have expected either one of those to be behind the word, or the word daimón which is obviously used for the numerous demons. Clearly phantasma is related mostly to our english word phantom, which seems to be pretty related to a basic ghost. Pretty darn interesting to look at what's behind the veil of the translation

 

[Deeje]

Actually, it looks like the greek in that instance is actually 'phantasma' where one might expect the common words pneuma (spirit) or psyche (soul). I would have expected either one of those to be behind the word, or the word daimón which is obviously used for the numerous demons. Clearly phantasma is related mostly to our english word phantom, which seems to be pretty related to a basic ghost. Pretty darn interesting to look at what's behind the veil of the translation

What did Jews believe about death? Not to mention the fact that this scripture is speaking about a time when Jesus was still very much alive. They thought it was (as Strong's describes) "an appearance; specifically, an apparition, spectre". None of them thought it was the ghost of Jesus.

 

[sojourner]

I’d like to hear Zack Bagans and Amy Allen weigh in here...

 

[viole]

Our bodies at the Resurrection will be the same bodies that we have now, but transfigured and glorified, as Christ was transfigured on Mt. Tabor and as His body was glorified at His Resurrection.

I hope that this glorification includes also some reduction of cellulites and wrinkles. I would find it suboptimal to ask for my cosmetics consultant before drawing my terminal breath.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Muffled]

Are Christians waiting for a resurrection or face eternal darkness? Is their a soul or Ghosts in a resurrection theology?

I don't believe anyone can speak for all Christians and certanly my beliefs are unorthodox for a Christian.

Most Christians believe OT people are sleeping and NT Christians go to Heaven and others go to Hell. They believe those who died will be resurrected to eternal life and the living will just be raised to eternal life.

I believe in re-incarnation so the OT people may well be with us today since the world is nearly at capacity. So the most likely are n't any sleepers.

I believe Christians only go to Heaven if they wish or to a new life but in every case that depends on what God considers best for the person.

I believe others most likely return to life to face punishment for their sins and God judges what that will be. I believe it is highly unlikely that others would get to Heaven because they don't know the way. I believe others are not going to Hell until the Great White Throne judgement.

I believe there are some who realize freedom from the body who don't get a new life because they don't deserve one even for punishment and don't go to Heaven because they don't know the way. Those lost spirits are ghosts.

 

[Muffled]

I think it's written somewhere in there that they are resurrected and put into exotic new bodies in heaven, and our present bodies are just the seeds waiting to grow that body. The whole terrestrial demon / ghost idea in the NT seemed like an import, it didn't seem really present in the old testament. There was one apocryphal book from the old testament times that dealt with haunted houses or something though, I can't remember the name of it.

I believe supposedly Samuel was called forth by a medium from his sleep because Saul wanted to talk to him.

 

[Muffled]

Not according to the Bible, which is what I base my faith upon.
At death, the Bible says we all go to the same place (the grave, sheol, hades) the only way to live again is by resurrection...literally a "standing up again".....like "hades", the meaning of the word "resurrection" has been obscured and distorted by belief in an immortal soul, which basically makes the resurrection redundant because nobody really dies.

If we recall Jesus raising his friend Lazarus, who had been dead for 4 days, Jesus did not pluck this man's spirit from 'the other side' and put it back in his body.....he actually repaired his decaying body and returned the breath (spirit) into his lungs. He had no recollection of where he had been, and if it was heaven, then how was it doing him a favor by bringing him back to this life only to die again later?

According to scripture, all the dead "sleep" (in an unconscious state) until the day Christ calls them from their graves (John 5:28-29)....some to life in heaven and some to a restoration of life on earth. Those chosen for life in heaven will have specific roles as 'kings and priests' and these will be resurrected first.... (Revelation 20:6) and they will rule over subjects on earth, where God put humans in the first place. (Revelation 21:2-4)

There are no such things as 'ghosts'....the Bible says that there are rebel spirits who like to impersonate dead people, but those who know what the Bible teaches about death, know that the dead don't talk to anyone.
The devil told the first humans that they would not die, and he has been lying about that ever since.

The only choices people have concerning life is to continue living by remaining obedient to God and his teachings, or to ignore them and face having no future at all. If that is "eternal darkness", then "gehenna" is that place. No one is conscious there however. (Ecclesiastes 9:5; 10)

I believe that is a delusion on your part.

I believe that works for the body.

I believe you confusion n this is too confusing for even me. However the belief in an immortal soul is Biblical.

I believe you are amazing me at your clairvoyance that you can see what happened with a spirit thousands of years ago. It certainly isn't in the text or even the context.

I believe that is OT and I am not even so sure of the all. Jesus talks about people getting to Heaven another way.

I believe there is no evidence to support that view. The verse is not time specific.

I believe that is greatly in error. There is no indication that any of the resurrected are going to Heaven. The kingdom of God comes on earth (eventually) just as the prayer Jesus gave us asks for "on earth as it is in Heaven."

I believe this one is a bit mysterious. What is a resurrection of judgement? Are the dead going to be given new bodies that are temporal and have to cope with a destroyed earth?

I believe I know what the Bible teaches and it sure isn't the errant teaching you proclaim.

I believe that is just more nonsense.

 

[Nakosis]

Are Christians waiting for a resurrection or face eternal darkness? Is their a soul or Ghosts in a resurrection theology?

Sometimes soul in the Bible seems to refer to conscious the aware self. Sometimes it seems to refer to conscience. The idea of an internal knowledge of right and wrong.

Different authors, perhaps different meanings. I don't think there is only one meaning intended by all biblical authors.

In Christianity they didn't say much about souls. Mostly Jesus, faith, salvation and heaven. Maybe soul and what happens after death was more the realm of the Christian philosophers then the laypersons.

 

[cataway]

yeah ,well most of Christianity believes what they want to believe regardless of what the bible does say

 

[cataway]

some of you's do have some strange ideas

 

[Muffled]

Are Christians waiting for a resurrection or face eternal darkness? Is their a soul or Ghosts in a resurrection theology?

I believe the resurrection we are waiting for is that which takes us into eternal life. I believe for most people it will be a physical change while still alive. Fr those in Heaven their spirits will be given a new body. As for Ghosts their spirits are usually troubled and that remains for God to make the call. Everything can be forgiven if they knew Jesus as Lord and Savior. For those spirits or ghosts who do not know Jesus it is possible that God will provide another temporal life for them to choose Him.

 

[PearlSeeker]

So I guess a question might be, where does an equivalent word for the psyche show up in the old testament? Pneuma seems pretty compatible with the hebrew word for spirit, which was ruach, or the breath of god, but was there much discussion of the psyche before the new testament...

Nephesh - Wikipedia