Can God destroy souls?

[jmisk]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.
2. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.
3. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

 

[Della]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

Not exactly. Rather the soul is immortal–it lives beyond the life of the body.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

It serves God’s justice. People want God’s mercy but not his justice to be eternal. We can’t have it both ways. Either mercy is eternal as well as justice or neither is.

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

So God should deprive souls of their immortality because they willed not be with him in heaven? Why? God gives life, he doesn’t deprive anyone of their immortal life. How would that be just? Why take away a part of their being merely because they chose to not love him?

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.

Yes we do know. The answer is–God doesn’t destroy souls.

1. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.

Yes to the first proposition and no to your second one. Hell exists for the Devil and his angels. Souls who refuse to live in God’s love go there, as well.

1. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

Yes, he could, but he won’t because it would violate his nature, which is to give life. Once he’s given life he will not take it away. We humans chose to love God or not, to cooperate with his grace or not. He wants all to be saved and live in his love and joy, but if we will not have it, he will not impose himself on us. His justice will be satisfied. He extends his his mercy to all who want it, but we are free to refuse it, so the onus is on us not on God.

 

[davidv]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.
2. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.
3. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

First your understanding is not accurate. Humans have one nature, human nature, not two.

365 The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the “form” of the body:234 i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.

Second, if God, as we believe, is perfect, he makes no mistakes. Based on this it seems that destroying a person he created would violate this perfection.

 

[JRKH]

Great question.
On the one hand we speak of eternal torment in hell - on the other hand we have this…

Matthew 10:28 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I’ll be interested in what others have to say

Peace
James

 

[tawny]

Sin without repentence destroys the soul.

 

[Viewer]

God being God I wouldn’t doubt for a moment that he could, since he is infinite in every regard. If he would ever exercise the power to do this however is another matter entirely.

 

[PietroPaolo]

You’re understanding of omnipotence might also be clouding the issue. You seem to assume that all-power equals “can do anything”, in point of fact in means “can do any possible thing.” Some things can’t be done, not b/c God lacks the power (He lacks nothing) but because they are not doable things. Logical contradictions are a good example. It can’t both rain and not rain at the same time in the same place in the same way. It’s either x or not x, it can’t be both. In the same way, immortal souls cannot be destroyed. Saying immortal souls can be destroyed is a meaningless contradiction, one which isn’t given meaning by adding “God can” in front of the statement. If people have immortal souls, and according to Christianity they do, then those souls can’t be destroyed.

 

[ClearWater]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.
2. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.
3. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

According to what I’ve heard, God doesn’t destroy the soul. Souls are permanent, eventually ending up in either heaven or hell.

According to St. Faustina, the fourth suffering of hell is:

The fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it. A terrible suffering since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger.

 

[Loving_disciple]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.
2. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.
3. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

He can destroy souls. He won’t because of his love and instead lets us exist in eternity. This is our ultimate and final rejection of Gods love thus a lack of God forever

 

[hicetnunc]

Great question.
On the one hand we speak of eternal torment in hell - on the other hand we have this…

Matthew 10:28 - And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I’ll be interested in what others have to say

Peace
James

Very interesting James. But compare Matt 10:28 to Revelation 14:11:

“And the smoke of their torment will rise **for ever and ever. **There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

It seems that the Greek word Matthew uses in 10:28, apolesai, which is often translated as ‘destroy’ is also used in Scripture to mean kill (as in Matt 2:13).

“Destroy the soul” has the connotation here of destroying hope; that is, the pains of hell are eternal. I think we see this usage in the Greek Septuagint version of the Book of Job uses the derivative of this verb to talk about hope being destroyed: “You destroy the hope of man” (Job 14:19).

 

[tonyrey]

You’re understanding of omnipotence might also be clouding the issue. You seem to assume that all-power equals “can do anything”, in point of fact in means “can do any possible thing.” Some things can’t be done, not b/c God lacks the power (He lacks nothing) but because they are not doable things. Logical contradictions are a good example. It can’t both rain and not rain at the same time in the same place in the same way. It’s either x or not x, it can’t be both. In the same way, immortal souls cannot be destroyed. Saying immortal souls can be destroyed is a meaningless contradiction, one which isn’t given meaning by adding “God can” in front of the statement. If people have immortal souls, and according to Christianity they do, then those souls can’t be destroyed.

Concise, precise and decisive!

 

[JRKH]

Very interesting James. But compare Matt 10:28 to Revelation 14:11:

“And the smoke of their torment will rise **for ever and ever. **There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

It seems that the Greek word Matthew uses in 10:28, apolesai, which is often translated as ‘destroy’ is also used in Scripture to mean kill (as in Matt 2:13).

“Destroy the soul” has the connotation here of destroying hope; that is, the pains of hell are eternal. I think we see this usage in the Greek Septuagint version of the Book of Job uses the derivative of this verb to talk about hope being destroyed: “You destroy the hope of man” (Job 14:19).

Thanks for that explanation.

Peace
James

 

[ventura2323]

It is my understanding that man is composed of two parts or natures; spiritual and physical. The physical nature is weak and can die and decompose. The spiritual nature, from was I have been taught, is like an indestructible ball bearing. Now that is just a metaphor and does not mean we believe the soul to be spherical.

My question is since God created our souls, can he destroy them. If he can than what is the purpose of Hell? What purpose do souls that are infinitly separated from God serve?

The economy of souls could be that upon death all souls go to heaven or purgatory while the corrupted souls are whipped from existence. To put crudely, God could have 100% profit gains in souls if he eliminated souls that did not pass his judgement to enter the kingdom.

Possible answer:

1. We don’t know if God does this (destroys souls) or not.
2. The word of God says Hell is real and the purpose for its existance is beyond our understanding.
3. God can do whatever he wants (destroy souls or not).

 

[ventura2323]

ventura2323:
Why on earth would God save our souls and then kill them ?
Makes no sense. Scripture says our souls go to God. He continues to redeem sinful souls. even in hell…