The soul is one with the being. A person cannot be removed from his own breath.

Scripturally, the soul is defined as the whole human being. Genesis 2:7, “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.” Man did not receive a soul; he became a soul. Therefore, when the body dies and the breath departs, the soul ceases to exist. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die…” Ezekiel 18:20. Is there, then, no hope for us beyond death?

The Bible gives us great hope! When we die, the memory of our soul resides with God. John 5:28, “…the hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear His voice and come forth…”  “Graves” is the Greek word “mnēmeîon”. This word, “mnemeion”, refers to recalling the memory of any person. (See Thayer’s Greek Lexicon.) So, all the total life information (including body, mind, and feelings) of those who have died are stored – awaiting the resurrection. This includes every detail about us. What does God do with this memory? He resurrects us! John 5:28,29, “…the hour is coming when all that are in their graves shall hear His voice and come forth…”

Jesus was the first one to be resurrected. “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20 (NASB) At our Lord’s second advent, Christians will also be resurrected. Romans 6:5, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.”

Afterwards, the entire world will gradually be resurrected and restored to perfection as human beings (See 1 Timothy 2:4-6, 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, Isaiah 35, Jeremiah 31:34). During Christ’s reign, all that man lost in the fall will be restored. The resurrected soul will have health, perfection, and loving human relationships. God will once again establish a personal Father-child relationship with each individual person during the wonderful “times of restitution of all things”! (Acts 3:19-21) Even the earth, itself, will be healed of pollution and become a paradise home. “Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool…and I will make the place of my feet glorious.” Isaiah 66:1; 60:13