The supernatural worldview and arguments for the soul

In this blog post, we will examine soul sleep proponents' view of the supernatural world and how it actually works against their own theology. For the most part, their concept of the spiritual world is similar to mainstream Christianity with some caveats. They believe heaven is a real place inhabited by angels and where God dwells, but no humans are allowed with few to no exceptions (depending on the denomination).

So, let's consider the nature of angels. They are non-corporeal beings, though they sometimes can appear corporeal. That are always described in Scripture has having the appearance of a man. That would infer that they have a body of some sort. One of the arguments against having a soul is that it is akin to being a ghost but angels are not described that way. That would imply that angels have a body, just one made of a different substance than our own. The implication here is that if angels can have non-biological bodies, then so can humans, until the resurrection.

The obvious objection is that angels are a different order of creation. It's true that angels and humans are not exactly the same, but we are all sons of God. Psalm 8:5 and Hebrews 2:7-9 say that we were created a little lower than the angels. Mark 12:25 says that we will be like the angels. Luke 20:36 says we will be equal to the angels. Therefore, it’s plausible to conclude what is true of angels can also be true of humans. 

Soul sleep proponents also believe in the existence of demons. Like angels, they also believe demons are non-physical beings who are capable of possessing physical bodies (with the exception of Christadelphians, who hold the strictest views). If a non-corporeal consciousness is able to possess a physical body, then it gives credence to the soul. What is the soul, according to substance dualism, than the mind (consciousness) inhabiting a physical body? Whether demons are also of a different order is  not relevant here, the concept is still the same.

According to the Book of Enoch, demons are not fallen angels but are the spirits of Nephilim giants who perished in the flood. Meaning they were once physical beings, but their spirits continue to live on and harass humanity. In fact, the Book of Enoch supports the idea of spirits/souls of the dead continuing to exist after death. The objection, of course, is that the Book of Enoch is not canon for most traditions. And yet, New Testament writers quoted from and alluded to it. Clearly then, it shaped their worldview, and they believed in disembodied spirits.

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