The Reality of the Soul

The naturalist declares that human consciousness evolved from mindless processes of physics, chemistry, biology and anthropology. He proposes that our capacity for self awareness, rational thought, the capacity for reason and the possibility of considering the fact of consciousness originated not in the mind of a knowing, thinking God, but rather in soulless matter and energy. The naturalist's view is that humanity's vast capacity for a conscious, knowing existence somehow sprang forth from conscious nothingness.


The average person finds this notion to be counterintuitive. The begetting of soul by the soulless seems impossible, and the strained science of the naturalist offers no viable explanation for what could only be termed "miraculous" if it actually happened. Such skepticism is the only reasonable course for anyone who realizes that consciousness does not actually exist according to the naturalist's perspective. Indeed, the average person's concept of knowing and self awareness involves the metaphysical interpretation that such inward experience of our being and personhood is real and something beyond physical process. This is not the case if heart and mind are merely the fortuitous and very temporary combination of atoms. The skepticism of the man on the street regarding "the science of consciousness" is therefore perfectly justifiable.


"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1).


"This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19).


The truth of the matter is that the naturalist possesses a real soul, along with every human being. That soul does not reject reality because of intellect, but because of fear of the Soul of the supernatural. As Adam hid from God in the trees after he sinned, so does the naturalist hide in the forest of rejecting the One to whom he knows he is accountable. The issue is first and foremost heart rather than mind. The truth does not allow the naturalist to think, say and do the things he wants to do. In essence, it does not allow him to be the god he desires to be. It also allows him - for now - to ignore the Voice that calls to him deep in his consciousness, as it did to the first man: "Where art thou?" (Genesis 3:9).


The born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has a simple message for the naturalist: "Your heart is real. Your mind is real. And Somebody is bearing witness in the depths of your real soul to open your heart and mind to the truth." Much debate about science and pseudo-science may be somewhat helpful, and we need not fear discourse with the unbeliever. However, at the end of the day, the naturalist's problem is the same as that of every lost son and daughter of Adam. He is willfully hiding in the trees from that which he knows deep within to be the truth. He lusts to be his own god, and to fulfill his own desires rather than those of his Creator. He rejects the reality of his very being and personhood. But God does not. Nor must we as we pray and bear witness to the real and eternal souls He made, and that will exist forever in either the joyous glory of His presence, or the terrible hell of His wrath.


"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good."

(Psalm 14:1)


"Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him."

(Ecclesiastes 3:14)