The Ownership of the Soul

SCRIPTURE READING: 1Peter 4

The Ownership of the Soul

Text: Luke 12:16-21

Men are immortal beings. We have an immortal soul that exists within us. When the body dies, the existence of the soul (and the dead or living spirit) continues on. This essence of man, or this portion of man’s existence, is what separates him from every other part of God’s Creation. This soul is God-given unto every baby at conception. And this soul will be required by God at every man’s death. This is non-negotiable, and this is universally applied. If men would only ponder this truth, and if the truth were only proclaimed in the world of men! We owe God our very existence! He will judge what we do with our lives, and He will one day call all men, everywhere and every time, into judgment!

The Beginning

In the very beginning, it is God that breathed life into Adam (and thus into man), and Adam became a living soul. Man lives as a result of the Gift of Life that God gives unto him. This is certainly true in the Physical realm, and is just as certainly true in the Spiritual realm. Our Lord claims Right and Authority over the Souls of men, because He states that these are the souls which I have made. The teaching our Scriptures seem to be instructing us in, is that God, if He were to contend for ever, or if He were to be always wroth, would eventually cause the spirits of men to fail before Him, and the souls also to fail. However, it is His Will to save some; and it is His Will to destroy the wicked. And certainly it is His right to do so, since He is the One that has Made the Souls of men. And certainly He must have the Power to save these Souls, since He obviously has the Power to make them. Gen. 2:7; Jer. 38:16; 52:1-3; Isa. 57:16-21

All Souls are Mine

God claims all souls as His. He has Proprietorship of these souls. He has the Right and Authority to do with them as He sees fit. The fact that He is a Holy and Just God, makes it just as clear that He will do that which is Right and Just in the case of each and every soul. Those that sin, and whose sins are not atoned for, shall certainly die. Those that do good, and whose righteousness is that of the Son of God, shall certainly live. Ezek. 18:4, 19-21; 1Sam. 25:29 

Satan Desires to Have the Ownership of the Souls of Men

The Souls of men are the property of the Lord God. However, Satan seeks to set up his kingdom through the theft of the Souls of men. He desires that men and their Souls would owe their allegiance to him, rather than to their maker.There is a War going on in this Earth, and it greatly concerns the Souls of men. Satan fights, using his terrible power to accomplish his desires. We must be ever mindful that Satan is powerful, and that he can only be defeated through the Power of our God that has Saved our Souls from Satan and from ourselves. And our God will certainly Keep our Souls! Lk. 22:31-32; 1Pet. 5:8; Ezek. 13:18-23; Gen. 3:1-6; 10:8-9

The Ransom of the Souls

Man owes his existence to God as the Creator. Even so, man owes the life of his Soul, to His God that gave him life. However, that soul has been corrupted, and is now totally Depraved and Destitute. How can that Soul be saved? The Ransom or Price that must be paid so that these Souls can be Justly and Holily Redeemed, is immeasurable, and it is unattainable by mere men. There is a Ransom that was paid for my soul and for all of the souls of God’s Elect. That Ransom is Jesus Christ – and the Price that was paid is His Suffering and Death on behalf of our Wicked and Depraved Souls. We are saved by God’s Grace. Ps. 49:6-9; Ex. 30:12; Ps. 34:22; Job 33:24-26; Mt. 20:28; Hos. 13:14; 1Pet. 4:19