Let's start by understanding the foundation for the physical only doctrine of mankind. It is primarily based on the use of the Hebrew word nephesh as used in the first chapters of Genesis. To accommodate the saving of the personality, some posited a spirit in man that was not conscious after death, but when reunited with the body in a resurrection reconstituted the person. The following summarize beliefs related to the physical only position.

• Man is a living soul [Hebrew nephesh], formed of the dust of the ground; man is physical with a brain empowered by the spirit in man and can die.

• Nephesh is the word generally translated "soul" in the King James Version. Nephesh--in reference to human beings--is always speaking of the temporary, physical, animal life, which is supplied by the transfer of oxygen through the blood.

• The Hebrew word nephesh merely means a breathing animal--this is what man became. The soul is physical, composed of matter, and can die. The soul is merely the breathing animal.

• The spirit in man (1) imparts the power of intellect--thinking and mind power to the human brain, and (2) is the means God has instilled making possible a personal relationship between human man and divine God.

• The departed human spirit, at death, is in fact a spiritual mold, of itself unconscious, yet in the resurrection bringing into the resurrected body all the memory, knowledge, and character as well as form and shape of the person before death.

• Pagan religions were simply manufactured to control the masses. The doctrine of a hell immediately after death--which signifies that people had inherent immortality--were meant to scare the common people into being faithful citizens.

• The wicked will receive eternal punishment (by being burned up to become ashes and remaining dead for eternity), not eternal punishing (remaining eternally alive while being tormented in a fictitious burning hell-fire).

Perhaps we should start by constructing the expected evidence that would allow us to reach the above conclusions. What observations from Scripture and contemporary life would require us to draw the above conclusions? I believe we can start with the following expected observations:

• Nephesh always refers to characteristics of physical, biological life; it never refers to the mind, emotions, or personality and is never contrasted to flesh or the body.

• Nephesh, at death, is placed in a grave or tomb.

• Graves or tombs can be purchased for future placement of dead nephesh.

• Words used by pagans to describe an immortal soul or the abode of conscious departed souls are never used in Scripture to refer to man; rather Scripture uses carefully selected words that describe precisely that man is mortal.

• Sleep is used, not merely as a euphemism for death, but as a actual description of the state of the dead.

• The wicked are not described as experiencing pain or torment after death; only after the final judgment are they punished.

• Eternal punishment is described in Scripture only as the consumption or destruction of all aspects of man; there is no external punishing, but the eternal punishment of destruction.

I am open to other suggestions for required observations. My assumption is that evidence should come from the Scriptures and contemporary society rather than from a Pope or other person who claims to supersede the Scriptures (Sola Scriptura!).

Next, I will present some of the Old Testament evidence I have found that supports the concept of a conscious soul that can exist separately from the body.

Old Testament Evidence

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