Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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No, it says they have a nephesh...
Animals have a soul.
Man's soul was created in God's image.
Not so, for animals.
There is a difference.
In Genesis One describes all the souls were created.
(bara = created out from nothing)
In Genesis Two, bodies were then provided for those souls.
(jatsar = bodies molded and formed from the elements of the earth)
Yes... animal souls, too, were provided bodies 'molded and formed' -jatsar, out from the earth!
Not just Adam's body!
Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky.
He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each
living creature, that was its name. Genesis 2:19
One could assume that the sea creatures were made of the elements taken from lakes and oceans.
God has a pattern He follows.
The 10,000 living species that humans host came from the elements of earth as well.
I appreciate you sharing how you feel, and I apologize for causing any harm or disrespect you may feel.
We all have our cross to bear, and yours may be heavy,
but I think you will have greater joy in heaven,
just as an artist has greater appreciation for a painting
than someone who is rather ignorant of that subject.
Eze 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Everlasting = no death...
The soul shall die....
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. ....
Rev 16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
There are many more verses
But this doctrine is tradition from pagan sources... This is shocking to a lot of people. How upsetting it is to learn that in all the 1700 biblical occurrences of the words “soul” and “spirit” not once are they referred to as being immortal or undying.
See this is the issue. Unbelievers cannot choose to follow God and His ways. ONLY believers can.
Unbelievers ONLY choice is the Gospel Of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are sinners in need of a Savior, and The Lord Jesus Christ offers it to ALL, everywhere and at all times.
Following God and Knowing His ways comes AFTER we are saved and have His Spirit.
His Gospel is for ALL. Knowing Him is only for Spirit filled believers.
We can think and act in a higher level
Animals have instinct and act on instinct.
We can reason and choose things because of morals and conscious. We can be filled by and influenced by the Holy Spirit.
Unlike Animals.
It's a bit complicated because we have to sides...
The flesh wants to follow the pleasing things that are mostly ungodly.
But the Spirit wants to follow God
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
So it is a battle but with Jesus we can overcome. This is the choice we have.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
We can yield to obey God ..
It's not from pagan sources, the Bible speaks of "no death for the wicked".
Mark 9:48
where their worm never dies and the fire is never quenched.
Their worm (anguish) never dies but their soul does??
Daniel 12:2
Many of those who sleep in the dusty ground will awake— some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting abhorrence.
Life is everlasting but but their condemnation isn't?
The Greeks taught the immortality of the soul meaning one cannot die but @Genez said the soul is everlasting. I take that to mean it is designed to live forever but sin can disrupt this quality of life so that a life of shame, condemnation and abhorrence is no life at all. He is welcome to correct me if I misunderstood.
Death comes in many forms.
Yes...
The animal bodies came from the same elements of the soil where man's body came from.
That is why man can eat animal flesh as to help replenish our nutritional needs for our bodies.
grace and peace ....
Pagan shamans/holy men, received demonic inspirations.
So? They would have had access to understanding certain realities to make them appear wise.
Soul was designed to "last forever."
The soul belonging to God will 'live' forever... Having eternal life!
Forever in amazing life and joys that we can not fathom in our present state.
As for the unbeliever's soul?
That soul of the unbeliever will only 'exist' forever.
Existing forever in the Lake of Fire... where the worm never dies.
Endlessly existing... and always wishing it could die and be no more.
If God stepped outside from His justice?
And, God decreed that all unbelievers would be spared the Lake of Fire?
The promotion they would receive when resurrected would have put them on equal footing with believers.
And, their evil would then become supercharged... Always wishing to destroy the happiness of believers
whom they would be eternally jealous of. It would be like a never ending battle of having to defend oneself
from the hateful, liberal media we see today.
Justice must stand eternal!
..........
Destroyed does not have to mean annihilation.
For this passage could not be truthful if that was the intended meaning..
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur,
where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented
day and night for ever and ever." Revelation 20:10