IS THE SOUL IMMORTAL?
First, we must consider what constitutes a soul, and then look at it contextually where it is recorded in the scriptures that the soul that sins will die.
The meaning of soul from Webster's Dictionary, the unabridged version: (1). An entity which is regarded as being the immortal or spiritual part of the person and, though having no physical reality, is credited with the function of thinking and willing, and hence determining all behavior. (2). Spiritual or emotional nature of man. (3). Spiritual or emotional warmth, force, etc., or evidence of this; as, the painting, like the artist lacks soul. (4). Vital or essential part, quality, or principle; as, “brevity is the soul of wit”. (5). The person who leads or dominates; the central figure; as, Cromwell, soul of the Commonwealth. (6). Embodiment; personification; as, she is the soul of kindness. (7). A person; as, I didn't see a soul about. (8). The spirit of a dead person, thought of as separate from the body and leading an existence of its own. Upon my soul!; (a). Originally, “I shall risk eternal damnation if this is not so!”; (b). An exclamation of surprise.
Synonyms of Soul: life, ardor, spirit, courage, force, mind, intellect.
Having outlined unequivocally the literal meaning of soul and how it can be used figuratively, it's time we dealt with the subject matter, which happens to be the question, is the soul immortal?
Indeed, the soul is complex, and as such should be considered critically for proper understanding.
Let's look at it vis-a-vis the literal meaning as stated above. The soul would be said to be that part of a person that is intangible, that exist even after the demise of the person. Scripturally, it is this part of a person that is believed to live in the resurrected body on the day of judgment or “Judgment Day”.
There are two schools of thought with divergent view within Christianity. A school of thought holds the view that after judgment, those that are found wanting would be cast into the lake of fire to be burned and suffer for eternity. The other school of thought maintain that after judgment, sinners would be cast into the lake of fire to be destroyed once and for all.
In the light of the different believe stated above, if the concept of the immortality of the soul is to determined by the consequence of the “Judgment Day”, then it would be apposite to stay that, to the school of thought that holds the believe in the total destruction of sinners, the soul of sinners to them is mortal, while to the one with the view that there would be everlasting burning and suffering in the lake of fire, the soul is immortal.
Given the above premise, I would say that, in any case, both schools of thought believe either directly or indirectly in the immortality of the soul, since they both agree in the immortality of the soul of the righteous.
However, it would be right to say that to those who do not believe in the concept of life after the first death, or rather death, because they do not believe in life after death, are those that it would be right to say do not believe in the immortality of the soul.
In conclusion, I would say that the concept of the immortality of the soul is subject to argument, with either side of the divide being entitled to their opinion. But, to me, I support the side of the divide with the view that the soul is immortal, for it is indeed immortal. But not every soul is immortal. It is only that of the righteous that is immortal.
The principal proponent of the concept of the immortality of the soul is Jesus Christ, and for this singular reason, whoever professes to be a Christian must concur to this believe, otherwise cease to call his or herself a Christian.
John Miles Wanogho