The Hebrew word "nephesh" used in Ezekiel 18:4 and the Greek word "psuche" used in Acts 3:23 both mean "living being" or "person", so there is no contradiction there. Matthew 10:28 says "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell", which clearly shows that the soul can survive after our physical bodies are dead. The transfiguration and the parable of Lazarus also demonstrate that the dead have living souls.
Actually the original word at Matthew 10:28 was "Gehenna" Not hell. Im sure you are aware that Gehenna was a literal place outside of Jerusalem so those Jesus was speaking to could relate. Gehenna was NOT a place of conscious torment. The dead bodies of criminals and animals were put there.
The meaning is this: We need not be in dread of Satan or his human agents. Even tho some may have the power to cause harm, even death. However, the worst they can do is still only temporary. God can and will undo any damage done to his faithful servants, even resurrecting them. It is God alone who is worthy of our fear, our profound awe and respect. He alone has the power to take away life and all prospects for future life, destroying both body and soul in Gehenna - meaning eternal death without hope of a Resurrection.
Churches generally teach that the human soul is spirit, that it leaves the body at death, and that it is immortal. In contrast, older Bible translations in most languages clearly state that humans are souls, that animals are souls, and that the soul dies. (Genesis 12:5; 36:6; Numbers 31:28; James 5:20)
Now some newer versions obscure these truths. How? They simply avoid a direct translation of the Hebrew noun ne′phesh (soul) in certain texts. At Genesis 2:7, they may say that the first man began to live (instead of came to be a living soul). Or they may refer to creature instead of soul in the case of animal life. (Genesis 1:21) In such texts as Ezekiel 18:4, 20, they refer to the person or the individual (rather than the soul) as dying. Such renderings are, perhaps, justifiable to the translator.
Nor did I say that all good people go to heaven. The Bible teaches that salvation is a gift of God and has nothing to do with good works or our own righteousness.
Jesus put it this way; By their fruits you will know them (His true followers) Matthew 7:16-23 this scripture goes onto to speak about the workers of lawlessness who clearly have faith in Jesus and believe but by their fruits (works) they disown him and he told them to get away from him. Demonstrating how simply faith alone is not enough, it has to move us to produce fine fruits
We are NOT saved by our own works, but rather by imitating Jesus as best we can and obeying his commandments. By our works that are produced is how we will be judged.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James is not saying that our works make us righteous before God, but instead he is making it clear that real saving faith is demonstrated by good works. Works are not the cause of salvation; works are the evidence of salvation.
1 Peter 2:21 For even here unto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps
Works are proof of our faith, our faith requires action on our part in order to be able follow christs steps closely. Jesus main objective while on earth was his ministry, to preach about Gods kingdom, and of course to give his life as a ransom sacrifice and redeem us from sin and death. His followers were commanded by Jesus himself to make disciples (Matthew 28:19) and thats exactly what the first century Christian congregations and his apostles did after his death, they preached to others about Jesus and Gods kingdom, from house to house (Acts 5:42, Acts 20:20) and town to town. So that is one way we prove our faith by our works. By actively preaching to others
Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. How would that prophecy be fulfilled if followers werent required to act on their faith and prove it by these works?
John 15:10 - If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. clearly to be saved we not only have to have total faith in christ but also obey his commands (which are our works)
Regarding the number, Revelations is a highly symbolic book and many of the passages are not intended to be interpreted literally. If the 144,000 was taken literally, they would all have to be Jewish male virgins! Revelations 7:9 speaks of "a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues" and Jesus consistently taught that salvation is available to all who believe, not just a selected few.
Of course Revelation is highly symbolic but, after mention of the definite number 144,000, Revelation 7:9 refers to a great crowd, which no man was able to number. If the number 144,000 were not literal it would lack meaning as a contrast to the great crowd. Viewing the number as literal agrees with Jesus statement at Matthew 22:14 regarding the Kingdom of the heavens: There are many invited, but few chosen.
There is no limit to those who will enjoy life on a paradise earth. Jehovahs witnesses dont believe they are the only ones that will be saved, even those who have never come to know God will be given a chance as John 5:28,29 says that there is a "Resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous"
In reference to only being Jewish male virgins, we know this cannot be literal - for example: Rev. 7:4-8: I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel: Judah . Reuben .. Gad .. Asher . Naphtali . Manasseh .. Simeon .. Levi . Issachar .. Zebulun .Joseph .. Benjamin.
(These cannot be the tribes of natural Israel because there never was a tribe of Joseph, the tribes of Ephraim and Dan are not included in the list here, and the Levites were set aside for service in connection with the temple but were not reckoned as one of the 12 tribes. See Numbers 1:4-16.)
Rom. 2:28,29: He is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code.
Gal. 3:26-29: You are all, in fact, sons of God through your faith in Christ Jesus. .. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one person in union with Christ Jesus. Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abrahams seed, heirs with reference to a promise.
The Hebrew word "olam" used in Psalm 37 is usually used to indicate a long period of time, rather than literally "forever", and verse 29 is probably a reference to God's covenant with Abraham anyway. There are dozens of verses in the Bible which teach that the earth will be destroyed (Psalm 102:25-26, Isaiah 51:6, Matthew 5:18, 24:35, Hebrews 1:10-12, 2 Peter 3:7-12).
In an effort to support their belief that all good people go to heaven, translatorsor theologians who review their workmay also endeavor to conceal what the Bible says about Gods purpose for the earth. At Psalm 37:11, a number of versions read that the humble will possess the land. Land is a possible rendering of the word (ʼe′rets) used in the Hebrew text. However, Todays English Version (which has provided the basis for translations into many other languages) goes further. Although this version renders the Greek word ge as earth 17 times in the Gospel of Matthew, at Matthew 5:5 it replaces earth with the phrase what God has promised. Church members naturally think of heaven. They are not honestly being informed that, in his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ said that the mild-tempered, meek, or humble ones will inherit the earth.
And i wasnt just refering to verse 29. Verses 9-11 " For evildoers themselves will be cut off, But those hoping in Jehovah are the ones that will possess the earth. And just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; And you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."
What about the verses that say the earth will never be destroyed and remain forever? Could it be that the word earth doesnt always mean the literal planet? The term earth is used in more than one sense in the Scriptures. . It may also may be used in a figurative sense, referring, for example, to people living on this planet or to a human society that has certain characteristics.
What does the Bible show to be Gods purpose regarding the earth? Matt. 6:10: Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.
Ps. 37:29: The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.
Ecclesiastes 1:4
Psalm 104:5. King James Bible - "Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever"
Does 2 Peter 3:7,10 and Revelation 21:1 indicate God himself destroy the earth by fire?
the explanation of these verses must agree with the context and with the rest of the Bible. If these texts (2Peter 3:7,10 and Revelation 21:1) mean that the literal planet Earth is to be consumed by fire, then the literal heavens (the stars and other heavenly bodies) are also to be destroyed by fire.
Such a literal view, however, conflicts with the assurance contained in such texts as Matthew 6:10, Psalm 37:29 and 104:5, also Proverbs 2:21,22. Furthermore, what effect would fire have on the already intensely hot sun and stars? So the term earth in the above-quoted texts must be understood in a different sense.
At Genesis 11:1, 1Kings 2:1, 2, 1 Chronicles 16:31, Psalm 96:1, etc., the term earth is used in a figurative sense, referring to mankind, to human society. Might that be the case at 2Peter 3:7,10 and Revelation 21:1?
Note that, in the context, at 2Peter 3:5,6 (also 2:5,9), a parallel is drawn with the Flood of Noahs day, in which wicked human society was destroyed, but Noah and his household, as well as the globe itself, were preserved.
Likewise, at 2Peter 3:7 it says that the ones to be destroyed are ungodly men. The view that the earth here refers to wicked human society fully agrees with the rest of the Bible, as is illustrated by the texts cited above. It is that symbolic earth, or wicked human society, that is discovered; that is, God will sear away as by fire all disguise, exposing the wickedness of ungodly human society and showing it to be worthy of complete destruction. That wicked society of humans is also the first earth, referred to at Revelation 21:1
Consistently, Jesus expression at Luke 21:33 (heaven and earth will pass away, but ...) must be understood in the light of the parallel statement at Luke 16:17 (it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than ....), both of which simply emphasize the impossibility of the situations presented.See also Matthew 5:18.
Rather than taking a single verse out of context, read the whole of Daniel 2. The prophesy refers to the Babylonian, Persian, Greecian and Roman empires and the spiritual kingdom of God, which is frequently referred to in the New Testament.
I know the whole chapter and prophecy well
The initial fulfillments of these two propheciesone about the destruction of Babylon and the other pertaining to the succession of world powersright up to our day, assure us that what remains to be fulfilled will happen on time. This will include the destruction of the prophetic dream image (world powers) by the interference of Gods Kingdom - a kingdom is a government.
Its a pretty deep subject but ill be brief.
The prophecy at Revelation 17:10 complements the prophecy found in the book of Daniel. Daniel wrote about an immense image that Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar saw in a vision given him by God. (Daniel 2:28, 31-43)
Daniel revealed to the monarch that the sections of the body of the image represented the succession of political empires that began with Babylon, the world power at the time. (Egypt and Assyria had already come and gone.) History now confirms the following:
The head of gold represented the Babylonian Empire.
The breasts and arms of silver depicted Medo-Persia.
The belly and thighs of copper pointed to ancient Greece.
The legs of iron pictured the Roman Empire.
The feet, an amalgam of iron and clay, symbolize the politically and socially incohesive state of affairs during the time of the Anglo-American world power.
According to Revelation 17:10, the seventh world power must remain a short while. (current world power)
Describing the image, Daniel wrote: A stone was cut out of a mountain not by hands, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and of molded clay and crushed them. (Daniel 2:34)
Daniel continued: In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these (earthly) kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite. - clealry this hasnt happened yet as world powers are still ruling.
(Daniel 2:44,45) Note these important points:
 1. The victorious Kingdom, represented by a large stone, is set up by God himself, not by human hands. Hence, it is rightly called Gods Kingdom.
 2. Gods Kingdom will crush all human rulerships, including the seventh world power because all these will refuse to relinquish power and will face off against God in a final great war at a figurative place called HarMagedon, or Armageddon. The Bible makes clear that this war involves the kings of the entire inhabited earth.Revelation 16:13, 14,16.
 3. Unlike transitory human governments, including the seven world powers, Gods Kingdom will never be brought to ruin. Also, it will rule over the entire earth.Daniel 2:35,44.
The Bible often uses "sleep" to describe death, but always referring to the physical body and never the soul. For example, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describes how Christ will return with the souls of those who are asleep (dead) and then their bodies will be raised.
1Cor. 15:50: I tell you this, brethren: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Physical bodies cannot go to heaven. This verse is speaking of the anointed (144,000) that will rule with him in heaven.
They are caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air, These are anointed Christians who are alive during Christs presence in Kingdom power. They meet the Lord Jesus in the invisible heavenly realm. To experience this, though, they first need to die and be resurrected as spirit creatures. (Rom. 6:3-5; 1Cor. 15:35,44) Christs presence has already begun, so anointed Christians who die today do not remain dead. They are caught away, or raised instantly.1Cor. 15:51,52.
The Greek word "sheol" and the Hebrew word "hades" are sometimes translated as "grave", but the context indicates that it is a literal place. For example, in Matthew 23:33 Jesus talks about "escaping the damnation of hell", which wouldn't make sense if hell was merely the grave. See also Psalm 9:17, 139:8, Isaiah 5:14, Mark 9:45-46, Luke 12:5, 16:23. Regarding the lake of fire, 2 Peter 2:4 and Revelations 20:13-15 explain that hell is where the unsaved go until the final judgement, after which they will be cast into the lake of fire.
Matthew 23:33 makes perfect sense that its just the grave. Eternal death isnt a pleasant prospect is it?
2 Peter 2:4 - ? Tartarus is a prisonlike condition to which only spirit creaturesnot humansare consigned. It is a state of dense mental darkness regarding Gods bright purposes. Those in Tartarus have no hope for the future. God threw the disobedient angels into Tartarus in Noahs day, and they will remain in that abased condition until they are destroyed.
Dense darkness results from their being cut off from spiritual light by God as outcasts from his family. As those reserved for his adverse judgment, they have only a dark outlook. Tartarus is a precursor of the abyssing that Satan and his demons will experience before the start of Christs Thousand Year Reign. Their destruction will occur after Jesus Millennial Rule.Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10,14.
Revelations 20:13-15 - Emptying hell (the grave) will mean restoring to life all those whom God judges worthy of a resurrection. (John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15) The judgement period on earth will be 1000 years as indicated by Revelations
The Bible teaches that God is holy, righteous and just. He cannot allow sin into heaven and all sin must be punished, either through the atoning death of Christ or by eternal death in hell.
Eternal death in the grave yes - how is it etrnal death in the sense you believe it if they are still alive - feeling eternal tourment? They are not really dead then are they? Like i said the bible says several times that the "dead are conscious of nothing". Really then they are still receiving eternal life but just in a forever burning fire?
Again, Romans 6:7 needs to be understood in context. Paul is saying that when we are dead we will be free from the temptations of sin.
True because we are asleep knowing noithing but, have also paid the price. Romans 6:23 "For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord."
I must admit I find it confusing that Jehovah's Witnesses call themselves Christians (although not so much here in the UK) and yet reject almost every major Christian doctrine.
We are christians full stop. We only reject on a biblical basis what we believe are unbiblical teachings. We let the bible guide our thinking, cross reference a subject in all its occurrences in the scriptures. Im happy to answer / reason on any scripture.
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