What Is a Soul?
A close study of the soul in the Bible would reveal that it is the essence or embodiment of man. It is not physical but an immaterial part of him and central to his personhood. The soul is the reason why we have life, consciousness, emotions, will, desire and a conscience.
Some compare a body with no soul to a computer without a program or a light bulb without electricity. In other words, a physical body is lifeless without a soul. If you need more illustration, think about a zombie that is motivated only by eating flesh and nothing more.
The soul is the reason why it is not easy to take another man's life. It would take a severe situation and ignite an ordinary person's protective instinct for him to go to the extreme of slaying someone else. Because of his soul, his conscience is triggered to value human life.
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This is where some science fiction movies take their inspiration from — creating a soulless human soldier who would fight without fear and follow commands without question. From this, we have learned that inanimate objects — even the most high-tech artificial intelligence — don't have a soul.
One unique characteristic of the human soul is its immortality — it goes on to live beyond the physical body's demise (Genesis 35:18). It is through the soul that enables God to judge man (Revelation 20:4), which is why the soul needs atonement (Leviticus 17:11). Jesus is described as the Shepherd of souls (1 Peter 2:25), meaning, He alone can save it.
There is an argument whether animals and plants have souls. Both have life, true, but the Bible is silent on the subject. Since animals have consciousness, it can be assumed they may have a soul but not for plants. But even if animals do have a soul, it is not immortal.
