On Christian physicalism

  We are Christian physicalists. Why? Because as those who believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of the Holy Scriptures we are convinced that the bible ,properly understood, holds to this view of earthly life including human life.

ecclesiastes ch.3:19,20KJV"19For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.".

Now we do not hold to a reductive physicalism. We do not e.g believe that left alone matter and the laws of physics would eventually produce life,consciousness,intelligence or free moral agency or that there is no meaningful difference between living and nonliving matter. You can tell that the Lord JEHOVAH distinguishes between living and nonliving matter by his law regarding the way that we are to deal with even subhuman lifeforms.

Deuteronomy ch.5:14NIV"but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do."

Proverbs ch.12:10KJV"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." 

Matthew ch.10:29KJV,"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." 

 It's important to understand that the beasts are souls(Greek psyche/Hebrew nephesh) like man 

Genesis Ch.1:20KJV"And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature(Nephesh/psyche) that hath life"

Indeed all life is to be regarded as sacred:

Leviticus ch.17:11KJV" the life(Nephesh/psyche) of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul." 

Even the lifeblood of the brute beast is to be distinguished from any nonliving substance indeed regarded as sacred. 

Christian physicalism is necessary for a proper understanding of the atonement. 

Blood would not be necessary for the sustaining of a spirit self. And hence could not redeem such a nonphysical self. 

Hebrews ch.2:14-16NIV"14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels(Spirits) he helps, but Abraham’s descendants(physical souls dependent on flesh and blood). "

This is the only way that a truly substitutionary atonement can be effected by means of blood.