Home of the Soul
No doubt as we’ve lived our lives we’ve moved a few times. When one is a child, they usually relocate whenever and wherever their parents transfer from one place to another. Those places to which we move are our homes. Very young people don’t have a lot of choice in the moves as these are often dictated by the parents vocation or perhaps an opportunity for their parents to advance within a particular occupation.
However, as we become older and face these decisions on our own, for the most part we realize the ability to choose where we want to live. Of course, if we are in the military services, we are directed by our government where our home is to be, whether temporary (in deployment), or for the time in which we are stationed on a particular base etc. Some gospel preachers have discovered that their chosen vocation could require a ‘series of moves’, and living in a multiplicity of homes during their career.
Have we ever considered that our soul will ‘move’ one day? Our soul was given to us as a part of God’s plan of procreation and it lives in our bodies. But it will not always reside there. These bodies will die. Where will our soul reside then? This is a question we need to ponder. In Eccl. 12:7, in the context of the decay and death of our bodies, we have a statement that may have been misunderstood over the years. Here, Solomon was directed by the Spirit to write: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Does this indicate the departed goes to where God is? NO it doesn’t! How do we justify such an idea with 1Jno. 5:7 which say only three bear record in heaven? If all souls, upon the death of the host, go directly to heaven where God is, for what reason would the rich man and Lazarus of Luke 16 be in two different places or ‘states’ within the same realm? It seems to me that these both, Paradise and the ‘place of torments’, are temporary receptacles of souls based on how each lived while in the flesh.
We know after a life of pain and suffering, the beggar (Lazarus) died. He was carried to a place called ‘Abraham’s bosom’ which we understand to be Paradise. We also know the rich man, who lived his life according to his fleshly desires, died. He went to ‘torments’ as Luke 16:23 shows. The Greek word translated ‘hell’ in the KJV Bible is “Hades”, which is the realm of departed souls. According to what Jesus taught in this passage, we see that there are two separate ‘compartments’ into which souls go after this life. Luke 16:26 speaks of the “great gulf” that is “fixed” between the two parts of the Hadean realm, and none are allowed to ‘change’ their location after arrival. The rich man was tormented, and Lazarus was comforted.
The only conclusion we can draw from this is that while we live here on the earth, we are to prepare for the next “phase” of existence of our soul. There is not one single chance to alter the outcome after our soul ‘moves’ to its temporary assignment to await the end of all things. However, there seems to be some things to consider as we contemplate our next move. Do you remember some of the homes in which you lived and the moves you’ve made? It seems that a certain amount of memory is retained in death. We see in Luke 16:25 that when the rich man cried out to Abraham for mercy, none was offered. Rather, Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Perhaps the remembrance of these things done or not done ‘in thy lifetime’ resulting in their terrible situation are part of the punishment of the disobedient.
Notice also that Abraham called the rich man ‘Son’. This indicates that both of these men were ‘sons of Abraham’, and while under the O.T. Law, children of God. As such, they were subject to that Law and disobedience in life resulted in ‘torments’. The rich man desired only a ‘drop of water’ to cool his tongue, and someone to warn his five brethren so they also did not “come into this place of torment”. He was told that Moses and the prophets had provided sufficient warning. If they, like him, failed to hear Moses and the prophets, even one who rose who from the dead (as Christ did) would not convince them.
Today, under the N.T. system, God gives all people (whosoever will) the opportunity to become His children. Also, this is when one makes the choice where they want to spend eternity. To make the choice for their soul to go to Paradise upon death, and spend eternity with God, one MUST obey the gospel to be ‘born again’. Then, as a child of God, one MUST remain faithful, be dedicated, and continue to grow in “grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2Pet. 3:18). The Spirit had the apostle Paul tell us in 1Thess. 4:16-17 what occurs for the faithful in the end. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. But what of the ungodly, the disobedient and the unfaithful? We see this in 2Thess. 1:8-9. In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
What choice will you make for the eternal home of your soul?
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
