Hebrews 12:22-23

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“But you are come unto…the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”

Does this passage teach that immortal souls of “just men made perfect” are in heaven?

The Bible does teach that Christ, the Father, many angels and the spirits of men are in heaven! We saw that God’s Word plainly says that there is a spirit in every person—but, as we have seen, this is not an immortal soul. Once again, humans do not have immortal souls—reread Genesis 2:7, Ezekiel 18:4 and 20, Matthew 10:28, Romans 6:23, and other verses.

When a converted man dies, God returns his human spirit to Himself. Through this spirit—within it—He has preserved a complete, detailed record of all that pertained to that person’s life. This is the plain teaching of scripture. Notice: “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless…” (I Thes. 5:23). The verse referenced here has been explained. The spirit, soul and body represent all that was the person. The personality, experiences, accumulated knowledge and character of each human being is stored in the human spirit. This is why it returns to God at death.

Now notice these passages: “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ec. 12:7). And Ecclesiastes 3:21 states, “Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?” Certainly, it is very few who know that there is a spirit in man that returns to God at death.

Stephen understood. As he was being martyred for preaching a powerful sermon, the Bible records, “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60). Stephen fell asleep (died) knowing that God would receive his spirit and that it would reunite with him at the resurrection.

Hebrews 12:22-23 reveals that the God “of the spirits of all flesh” (Num. 27:16), of all “just men made perfect,” keeps all these spirits with Him.

In conclusion, the “spirits of just men made perfect” are human spirits containing the stored character, knowledge, personality and experience of every person who has ever lived, with the spirits of converted people—those who had God’s Spirit—awaiting the resurrection. Heaven—the “heavenly Jerusalem”—is where the spirits of all God’s saints from the last 6,000 years are held—preserved intact—awaiting the “coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Thes. 5:23). The subject of man’s spirit is large, and the first booklet below thoroughly explains what it is.