Science is basically the observation, study, investigation and explanation of the natural physical world. Science is “geared” to explain all phenomena as physical reality. By its own logic science must explain spiritual and supernatural events as objective physical reality.
By this basic principal of its own multi-faceted disciplines science must deny man is a spiritual entity. By its own dictates science must state man is a product of evolution, survival of the fittest and genetics. Science only recognizes the outward man so science must prove “by its own rules” the physical brain is the person, the source of man.
Think about this: You could devise your own set of rules and their application and prove anything.
If we do not understand what an English word means we use a dictionary to find out the definition so we won’t make a fool of ourselves and use it the wrong way. OR: We hear a word and curiosity causes us to find out what it means. These are two “common sense” ways we educate ourselves so we can understand what people are saying AND: it helps us speak so people can understand us. SO:
It makes common sense to use a Hebrew/Greek to English dictionary to find the definitions of the words used in the scriptural text. English has nouns, verbs, adverbs, prepositions and all that stuff that “prop up” and communicate how the word is being used in a sentence. Hebrew and Greek are more precise languages.
EXAMPLE: English says: “He’s been dead two weeks and in this hot weather the decomposition was really bad.” A picture has been painted on our understanding by words that causes us to understand what has been described. A precise language like Greek has one word for dead that means rotted corpse, it has a completely different word that means freshly killed, it has another different word for dead that means a “state of existence” and on and on.
The concept of using a dictionary does not “change” the scripture; it simply broadens and deepens our understanding of whatever scripture we are reading. Here is a scripture concerning science with the definitions in parenthesis and in italics at the end of the word.
(1Tim. 4:11 keywords: command and teach & 2Tim. 4:2 keyword: preach) Paul was telling Timothy what to command, teach and preach SO his words are to all Christians, you and me. (1Tim. 6:20-21) “Oh Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
(1Tim. 6:20-21) with the definitions: “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane (wicked) and vain (empty) babblings (fruitless discussions), and oppositions (conflicts) of science (the act of knowing) falsely (untruly) so called (named): Which some professing (announcing) have erred (deviate from the truth) concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
SPECIAL NOTE: I asked the internet if psychology was a science? Answer: YES, then it gave a definition too long to write here but it did say; “. SO: I asked the internet, is the study of human nature a science? Answer: “The connections between the humanities and social sciences are especially close. As a result, although the humanities are etymologically the study of human nature, many, – maybe most, – humanists now doubt that there is any such thing as human nature.” Then I understood God’s point; EVOLUTION from animal to human! END OF NOTE.
(1Tim. 6:20-21) using underlined and italicized definitions in the place of the Biblical words: “Oh Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding wicked and empty fruitless discussions and conflicts of the act of knowing untruly so named: Which some announcing have deviated from the truth concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
THE BIBLE IS GOD’S REALITY PRESENTED TO MANKIND: *****Scriptural faith is defined; (Heb. 11:1) “the substance (assurance, the support of underlying reality) of things hoped (to anticipate with pleasure, expectation, confidence, trust) for, the evidence (proof) of things not seen.”***** SO: Faith is reality.
SCIENCE IS MAN’S ASSUMPTION OF REALITY: The involvement of scientific theory in the soul/brain issue has created controversy so that aspect must be addressed by using the language of science and internet information. A theory is a system of assumptions (supposed true but without proof) based on limited (confined) information or knowledge produced by abstract (not applied or practical) reasoning (the use of logical thinking to make a declaration of a conviction or conclusion) to explain something. SO: A theory is really a guess.
I would rather base my eternal destiny on reality instead of a guess! What about you?
Since salvation faith is brought supernaturally to man by the Holy Spirit; science cannot and will not, by its own rules, admit scriptural faith is reality. So we have two sides: For effect science states God does not exist and Christianity is a lie. For effect God’s word states science is a liar concerning matters of faith in God. So, as you can see, Science and Christianity cannot agree and will never agree because science will not recognize the inward man as a separate spiritual entity.
Current scientific theory is the soul/person/self is produced by the genetic profile of the individual human body which, for effect, says the soul and body are one person; not two. The brain follows this rigid genetic profile in its composition and science, by its own rules, “proves” the physical brain is the soul. A genetic profile is “fixed” and does not change; so genetically you were you when you were born and, for a limited time until you rot in the grave, you will still be you when you die.
If the soul was produced by the individual genetic profile salvation would have no effect because man would be “fixed” by his genetic profile and would not be able to come to repentance (reversal). OR:
At the time of salvation if God did change a person’s genetic profile the individual would become somebody else and salvation would mean nothing. OR:
When a person dies, their genetic profile disappears in the grave rot and the soul would vanish.
The theory the soul is produced by a person’s genetic profile is made ridiculous when viewed through the lens of God’s Holy Word because (Luke 13:3-5) repentance means (to turn around and go the other way), man is always required to repent, and only the soul, without genetics, can repent.
Please read (Acts 5:31, 11:18, 17:30; & Rev. 2:16) for reference concerning repentance. If you are thinking the genetic brain, by its ability to think, learn and etc. is the soul; think about this: Actually genetics does not recognize life because you have genetics either dead or alive!
Science knows when life is here and when it is gone. And: Science attaches reasons to what life does. But: Science cannot decide when life begins and does not know where life goes when it leaves (Gen. 2:7) because life is given supernaturally! The “genetics produces soul” theory actually causes confusion (1Cor.14:33) and God does not cause confusion.
The genetics theory really says; “Oh that’s just the way individuals are made and they can’t help it.” The devil wants us to believe science because he loves to see a precious, one of a kind, made in God’s image person caught up in confusion, then hopelessness, then defeat, then hell!
(Luke 16:19-31 & Rev 6:9-10) Numerous scriptures prove the brain and the soul are not the same thing because the people in these listed scriptures had left their physical body behind but were still functioning in their new spiritual type of existence just as if they still had a physical body. Imagine your dead body in its casket or car-wreck or whatever. Now read (2Cor. 4:16) “but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”
That is what you (soul- inward man) experienced when you “saw” yourself dead (body- outward man). You may say you believe you are an atheist and there is no afterlife but far into the night when you are laying there in the stillness you will wonder and you will know that you are an eternal creation. (Gen. 1:26-27, Matt. 25:46 & Luke 16:19-29) God placed the knowledge of the eternal person in our souls because He knew what science would attempt to do before there ever was science.
FOR AN EYE OPENER PLEASE VIEW: “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” which is a documentary film with Ben Stein that was made in 2008. In this production Ben Stein investigates the persecution of scientists and others who challenge Darwinism and instead believe life may be a result of intelligent design.
The SELF article in this commentary gives a much more detailed account concerning what makes us human and the WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT article tells how we are made in God’s image and gives a much more detailed account of time verses timeless, natural selection, evolution, intelligent design/creation and how America is plunging into Godlessness. The three article INTRODUCTION to the SIN IN CHURCH commentary gives the past, present and future relationship between the Church and government/politics.
RECAP OF COMMENTARY TO HERE: (2Cor 4:16) Each of us is an individual, an outward (external), physical temporary person with an individual physical identity. Each of us is also an individual, an inward (internal), eternal person composed of three things: personality parts commonly called individual character traits, measured in passion, which is our identity, a conscience that is our perception of right and wrong, and a God Place from which springs our need to worship.
The inward man (soul) lives in our outward man who contains the physical brain which the inward man uses to reason and rationalize; to think. Each of us is a unique one-of-a-kind entity but very much like all the others of us. Each of us is free to make choices and express will. In us, the greatest of all of God’s creation, is the alarming tendency for passion, the measure of emotion, to override reason, (before we can think) and bring trouble crashing down on our own head.
We are who God has chosen to create, to work with and try to develop a relationship with and the rest of this commentary is how He does it.