Argument In Silence Proves Nothing

Bless the LORD, O my soul;

and all that is within me,

Bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits;

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness

and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

so that your youth is renewed

like the eagle’s.

Psalm 103:1–5

            This Scripture gives the best definition of the soul for the Hebrew word nephesh which comes from the verbal form naphash and refers to the essence of life, the act of breathing, and nephesh refers to all that a person is, that which is within a person and Scripture has as its goal to make the inner and outer consistent. The writer of the above Scripture did not say for God to bless him, rather to bless his soul, all that is within him, and this God does by redeeming your life from destruction and by giving to man His benefits. The good news is that our youth is renewed and we can fly as the eagle. Therefore, to understand the doctrine of the soul, all that we are, is more than some simple understanding, it is to learn what man has attempted to understand the soul and how they have been misguided by their culture, their presuppositions and their propositions. The burden of proof lies with those developing theologies so that the truth may be known. We must look at their proposals and theories as they often argue from their assumptions and not from evidence or from a source of truth. The truth in regards to religious dogmas must be founded on the only source of truth that has been revealed to man: Scripture, and Scripture must interpret Scripture or else it is man’s thinking, his rationale that determines truth and this from being sinful. Therefore, if a person does not have a good translation, and if a person does not hold to the fact that the Bible has been preserved by God throughout all generations then Scripture will not be used as a source for determining if a personal assumption, their presupposition is anything more than wishful thinking or actually true.

            We have examined preexistence of the soul and found that Scripture never speaks that the soul was anterior to creation. We began to look whether or not the soul is generated from one parent to a child and this we must examine to know if this is true. Remember that if we believe that the soul is immediately created we are known as Creationists, and if we believe that the soul is generated by our parents then we are Traducianists. Where do you stand on this debate? What is your Church teaching as to the doctrine of the soul? This is important for the doctrine of Original Sin is at the center of this debate. So then let us examine Traducianism. What is meant by this term is first a denial that the soul is created, and secondly that the soul is generated by the law of generation, that it is derived solely by the parents, that the whole man, his soul, and body is begotten. There are those who are Traducianists that go so far in their theory of the soul that the soul is susceptible of “abscission, and division,” so that a portion of the soul of the parents is communicated to the child; is this the way that man becomes sinful? Or as other Traducianists believe, that the soul is a true derivation from the parent. Both teach that there is numerical identity of the essence of Adam and his posterity, both to his body and to his soul. Knowledgeable Traducianists will admit that the Scriptures are silent on this proposal. Augustine in his debate and rebuttal to Pelagius over sin and the soul had this to say: “Concerning very obscure debate on helping clear Scripture specific evidence” (translation mine), showing that there is not evidenc that could be produced to give a specific answer by them for proof of their assumption. Some would point to the Scripture that Seth, Adam’s on was begotten in Adam’s image (Genesis 5:3) but this is not to be taken more than that Seth was like his father for in the previous verse Adam was said to be made in the likeness of God (Genesis 5:1). This was not that Adam became a god, rather that Adam, as man, had the likeness of God in the ability to do what no other creation could do; think, use rationale, and to worship God his creator. These Scriptures shed no illumination on the subject which is mysterious, the process of generation and how the likeness of a child is obtained by physical causes. Scripture does teach that like does beget like: “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). This verse simply states that all that is begotten from another source is sameness and in this case it is clear from the context that Jesus is showing that a corrupt nature is transmitted from parent to child. To admit more than this is assuming what Scripture is not saying, a taking out of context the meaning for Jesus to say what He did so that Scripture is made to prove their assumption. If a person argues from silence, which many do, then there can be no proof of what is argued. For instance, Eve was never shown to have received the breath of life given by God to Adam, yet we know that it was done, Eve was alive and all the animals too were created and alive, so that all that is being said is that God created every thing, on earth. This is nothing said of God’s breathing into man the breath of life to be a priciple of reationa life. Yet, we do know that it was done.

            I will continue this examination in the next blogs so that we can come to know the origin of the soul Scripturally. Much of our theology relies on our understanding of this doctrine and especially the doctrine of Original Sin.

Fist, I thank my God through Jesus Christ

            For you all, that your faith is spoken

Of throughout the whole world.

                                    Romans 1:8

May this be true of you and me

Richard L. Crumb

The Soul: Immediatly Created; or, Generated By Parents?

But you have not so learned Christ,

if indeed you have heard Him,

as the truth is in Jesus: that you

put off, concerning your former

conduct, the old man which grows

corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

and that you put on the new man which

was created according to God, in true

righteousness and holiness.

Ephesians 4:20–24

            I begin with the above Scripture to remind us that we are to learn Jesus Christ for in Him is truth. We are to put off the ‘old man” and put on the “new man” which is from and by God and in which dwells righteousness and holiness. Sin drove a wedge between God and man for God is Holy, Just, and demands from His creation the worship which is due Him as our creator. Man has this need even though some would reject this need so that they can continue in their deceitful lusts, but there is this sin that they must acknowledge and in their autonomous ways they ignore this fact, or tacitly agree that sin exists but will not do anything that will keep them from this antinomian life. There are those men who search for answers about life, sin, the origin of the soul, and they seek a way back to God only they have not learned Jesus Christ for they follow after philosophies that suit their presuppositions as to who God is, why things exist, especially man, and develop elaborate theologies to prove their point: They have not learned Jesus Christ. I have given some information as to what some have devised in regards to the origin of the soul: i.e., preexistence of the soul, and Origen’s theology as to preexistence of the soul and metempsychosis or an endless transmutation of the soul, a doctrine never accepted by the Church. I speak of important question in regard to the origin of the soul as to whether or not the soul is immediately created, or, whether it is generated by the parents (Traducianism). When it is spoken of the soul being immediately created there is a term used; Creationism, when we speak of the soul being generated by parents we use the term; Traducianism, which I will elaborate on so as to learn what the Bible says about these questions. The Greek Church favored creationism as the true nature of the soul. The Latin Church with Tertullian as a major theologian held to a theology of materialism, that is by the use of the language of materialism the soul was as much begotten as the body. Jerome (347 A.D.–420 A.D.) who was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, and theologian as well as historian and who became a Doctor of the Church opposed this doctrine that the soul was begotten when the physical body was begotten and held to the doctrine of creationism. Augustine  (354 A.D. –430 A.D.) was adverse to this doctrine but in his argument with Pelagius of the propagation of sin he became to favor the theory of Traduction, but could not fully receive this doctrine. Creationism became subsequently the almost universally received doctrine of the Latin Church. The Reformation of the Protestants adhered to the same doctrine. During the seventeenth century the Lutheran Church adopted the theory of Traduction even though earlier they favored creationism. Among many of the Reformed theologians, Calvin, Beza, Turrettin, and others, were creationists. In recent times German theologians are inclined to realism in any form, and in some manner have become advocates of Traducianism, although this is not the universal opinion of the German philosophers. We therefore must examine both Traducianism, and Creationism so that we can see what is true according to Scripture. This will be the thrust of the next blogs starting next week.

            Until we take the time to investigate these theories take the time to examine your own opinion(s) about these theories. Take a look at your Church and even ask the pastor questions on this matter so that you can understand what your Church’s opinion and position is on this subject. Read your Bible, do word studies on the soul which is a good way to know Scriptures. It is a good way to learn Jesus Christ and the truth. The apostle Paul gave us much to ponder and it would be good to record here what we need to learn: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the hear––Christ––….” (Ephesians 4:11–15.

May Sunday, the Christian Sabbath, Be A Day Of Rest

Richard L. Crumb

Is The Soul Eternal Being Anterior To Creation Of Man?

And the LORD God formed man

Of the dust of the ground, and breathed

Into his nostrils the breath of life;

And man became a living soul…..

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep

To fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took

One of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.

Then the rib which the LORD God had taken

From man He made into a woman, and He

Brought to the man.

Genesis 2:7,21–22

            Preexistence makes cause for many questions; i.e., when was the soul created, or is the soul a god and is an eternal being, or does the soul have as one of its attributes that the soul is to be of the same essence as the Father God, and if God, as the Mormons teach is anthropomorphic, is the soul anthropomorphic, etc.? The Platonic and Realistic theories do not allow for God to have in His mind, as does an artist when about to paint a picture, a conception of that which He is about to make. These are two different theories. It is only a figure of speech to say that a picture exists as a conception in the artist’s mind. If the beginning foundation of a doctrine is built on falsehood, then even when it is seen as though it had validity, it does not, for nothing good can come from that which is bad; that is unless God changes it, and God never says anything about conceptions that are to be changed, rather God will change the soul by giving to man, a living soul, the gift of faith by means of the free gift of faith. Now man can think and act differently, and can by the guidance of the Holy Spirit do those things which God by His Providence gives to man to do. Even when the word “Christian” is attached to a doctrine it does mean that the doctrine is valid in the eyes of God. To seek the origin of the soul is to attempt to find answers and the Platonic, and Realist look outside of the reveal God in His Word, the Holy Bible to find answers by reason and rationale. Many Christian Theologians were influenced by Neoplatonism and this philosophy can be found in their theologies, and in their writings.

            I spoke in earlier blogs in regards to Neoplatonism a system developed in Alexandria in the third century by Plotinus and others who attempted to syncretize Christian concepts, some Judaism concepts with elements of mysticism and posited that there was a single source from which all existence emanates and by which an individual soul can be mystically united with that single source. This philosophical system greatly influenced one of the first theologians, Origen (184/185 A.D.–253/254 A.D.) who lived in Alexandria and heard Ammonius Saccus possibly and knew Plotinus possibly, however, Origen did not teach true Platonic philosophy of an ideal world, a dualism which was enhanced and even refuted in some ways by Neoplatonists for Origen he supposed that the souls of men had a separate, conscious, personal existence in a previous state ( as do Mormons), furthermore these preexistent souls sinned or at least in a state of sin and then are condemned to a physical body. Origen taught a theology of an eternal creation. That is, this present state of being is only one epoch, an era in the existence of the human soul. The soul has passed through several, of not many, other epochs and even were in other forms of existence, and will go through other epochs and forms in the future. This is what the Orientals, Buddhists, Hinduism teaches, and has taught for many centuries. This is to teach a doctrine of metempsychosis, a transmigration of the soul. This doctrine of an endless transmutation of the soul has never been adopted in the Christian Church, it can be said that it began with Origen and ended with the death of Origen as it was rejected by both Greeks and Latins, yet there are those who have attempted in some form of this theory to resurrect it and teach it to their parishioners. This doctrine does not pretend to have Scriptural support, or to be Scriptural for the Bible never speaks of a creation of men before Adam, or that the soul was anterior to the creation of Adam. That man, or the soul that according to the above theory that says that the soul was in some sort of state to be in sin and was placed due to that sin in a physical body. Scripture only states as the opening Scripture testifies to, that our soul was placed in man by God and that the soul was not in sinfulness prior to Adam’s fall in sin. It is by our first parents that sin came into the world. It is presumption to say that all souls were created before the creation of man, that the soul was in some sort of unconscious state and then were awaken and placed into the physical body of man.

            This then leads us back to the original subject of the doctrine of Original Sin. Further questions are such as; how is it that the soul is in sin, and was our sin generated and passed on to their progeny by their sinful act? Before we continue on the subject of Original Sin we must attend to the other doctrines or theories in regards to the soul. The next blog will begin a discussion of the theory of Tradcianism and whether or not it is a Scriptural theory and how the Church approach this doctrine or theory. Important are these questions as to whether or not the soul was created, or whether it is simply generated by the parents. How the soul came to be in man is so important. Stay with me as the answer is one of more than the generation of the soul, it has to do with salvation and the regeneration of man as God created, a perfect man, a man that sinned, and how we by repentance can come to be a child of God.

When I was a child,

            I spoke as a child,

I understand as a child,

            I thought as a child;

But when I became a man,

            I put away childish things.

                                    1Corinthians 13:11

Do not rejoice in iniquity: shun the world’s promotion of sin

Richard L. Crumb