The State of the Soul Upon Death in Light of Resurrection

When addressing the resurrection of the Lord, many teachers fail to mention that the resurrection is an undoing of the curse. That is so foundational, it’s disappointing, but not surprising, that it is often left out. Yet the omission strikes at the very foundation of the faith and reduces what Christ accomplished on our behalf as we hope to show you.

The fact that the Lord did not decay in the grave is mentioned 5 times in the Acts. 

What many will do is run immediately to 2 Cor 5:8 (the most misquoted verse in scripture). We have covered that elsewhere on this blog and briefly in video.

• The Most Misquoted Verse
• Larry Ollison Misquotes Scripture (Among Other Errors) -Video

As Tyndale argued, by putting “souls” directly into heaven, we diminish the resurrection; his and ours. The Reformation from Tyndale to Luther started with this foundational truth, yet it was abandoned by the state churches (see: King James, etc.) and the doctrine of the “immortal soul” was reinstated.

And ye, in putting them [the departed souls] in heaven, hell, and purgatory, destroy the arguments wherewith Christ and Paul prove the resurrection. … And again, if the souls be in heaven, tell me why they be not in as good case as the angels be? And then what cause is there of the resurrection?'

The true faith putteth [setteth forth] the resurrection, which we be warned to look for every hour. The heathen philosophers, denying that, did put [set forth] that the souls did ever live. And the pope joineth the spiritual doctrine of Christ and the fleshly doctrine of philosophers together; things so contrary that they cannot agree, no more than the Spirit and the flesh do in a Christian man. And because the fleshly-minded pope consenteth unto heathen doctrine, therefore he corrupteth the Scripture to stablish it.'

-William Tyndale

In sum, we make the resurrection an asterisk when we put bodiless souls anywhere. And by diminishing our own hope of resurrection (the undoing of the curse as laid out in 1 Cor 15), we diminish what Christ did on our behalf by dying in our place. The Lord Jesus took the curse, and then undid it! Others (like Lazarus) were raised from the dead, but Christ alone was resurrected.

So they kept this word to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

-Mark 9:10

Israel (the Pharisees, etc.) understood the hope of resurrection (Acts 23:6, John 11:24, etc.). They knew nothing of anything else. So, when scriptures tells us they were confused when the Lord said he would rise from the dead in resurrection (Mark 9:10), we miss the point in English. The Greek speaks of a resurrection “out from among the rest of the dead.” Ek-anastasis (or ex-anastasis). The Lord said in Mark, “ek nekron anaste.” This is what they did not understand.

Two Greek words are employed in connection with resurrection that must be kept distinct, otherwise gross error will result.  The words are anastasis and its cognate words exanastasis and anistemi, and egeiro and its cognate egersis.

-Charles Welch (An Alphabetical Analysis, excerpt Vol 4)

This helps explain the statement by Paul in Philippians concerning the “attaining” of resurrection.

that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Paul is not striving to “attain” the free gift of redemption or “life through his name” (John 20:30-31). Paul had absolute assurance of that (1 Thess 4:14-17, 1 Cor 15:51-56, etc.). He is teaching us to strive for the “exanástasis,” a resurrection “out from among the rest of the dead.” It is a resurrection of reward at the judgment seat.

There is an order and rank in resurrection (1 Cor 15:23). As of today, no one but Christ has been raised into his celestial body. There are only two bodies (1 Cor 15:40), terrestrial (earthly, subject to death & decay) and celestial (resurrection body, free from death & decay).

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.

-1 Corinthians 15:39-41

Paul notes in 2 Timothy that he had finished the race given him and he knew there was a crown that awaited him (2 Tim 4:8). He didn’t suddenly realize he was redeemed. Again, free gift versus an attaining of reward. 

Resurrection (free gift), Resurrection out from among the rest of the dead (reward).

Luther reminds us that death is like sleep in that we have no idea of time passing. The dead in Christ will rise as though no time has passed.

Salomon judgeth that the dead are asleep, and feele nothing at all. For the dead lye there accompting neyther dayes nor yeares, but when are awaked, they shall seeme to have slept scarce one minute…

But we Christians, who have been redeemed from all this through the precious blood of God's Son, should train and accustom ourselves in faith to despise death and regard it as a deep, strong, sweet sleep; to consider the coffin as nothing other than our Lord Jesus' bosom or Paradise, the grave as nothing other than a soft couch of ease or rest. As verily, before God, it truly is just this; for he testifies, John 11:11; Lazarus, our friend sleeps; Matthew 9:24: The maiden is not dead, she sleeps. Thus, too, St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, removes from sight all hateful aspects of death as related to our mortal body and brings forward nothing but charming and joyful aspects of the promised life. He says there [vv. 42ff]: It is sown in corruption and will rise in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor (that is, a hateful, shameful form) and will rise in glory; it is sown in weakness and will rise in strength; it is sown in natural body and will rise a spiritual body.' …

Thus after death the soul goes to its bedchamber and to its peace, and while it is sleeping it does not realize its sleep, and God preserves indeed the awakening soul. God is able to awake Elijah, Moses, and others, and so control them, so that they will live. But how can that be? That we do not know; we satisfy ourselves with the example of bodily sleep, and with what God says: it is a sleep, a rest, and a peace. He who sleeps naturally knows nothing of that which happens in his neighbor's house; and nevertheless, he still is living, even though, contrary to the nature of life, he is unconscious in his sleep. Exactly the same will happen also in that life, but in another and a better way

-Martin Luther (excerpts)

The lost do not have life. They remain under the curse by their own choosing. That is, they shall die and return to dust (Gen 2:17; Gen 3:19; 1 Cor 15:21-23). There are a few verses that can be interpreted to mean that some of the dead are “raised from the dead,” but none of the lost will experience “resurrection.” Lazarus was raised from the dead, but he died again. he will experience “resurrection” “at the last day” (John 11:24).

Lazarus was both dead and not dead. This is how we are to understand believers when they die.

These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”  Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.”

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

We sleep in death, yet we “never die.” We are “dead,” yet still alive.

The lost do not have life, thus they do truly die.

As an aside, the Pope declared the immortality of the soul and condemned any notion (and any person arguing) that it is not. The Reformers objected to that position noting it is pagan and not biblical.

Quick Take:

Heaven or Hell, Saved or Lost Bad Theology

Quick Take:
The Simplistic Heaven/Hell Theology and Immortal Soul Paganism

Pope Leo, Gates of Hell, Lord's Day,

Weeping and Gnashing on Social Media

The Political and Religious Aftermath of the Charlie Kirk Assassination

 I do not pretend to know a lot about Charlie Kirk. This post is not directly about the man. While I was certainly aware of him and his college interactions, I did not follow him terribly closely. I would say I did admire him, though. After over a quarter of a century in higher education, working at three different schools, I know the lion's den he chose to enter.

So this is not about Charlie Kirk directly. I could also say a few things about his wife, Erika Kirk but after an initial response (video below) I will let things play out for her future at this point. In this entry, what I will refence regarding Erika is simply the doctrines of the church that she claimed for most of her life and how that relates to my concern.

My concern is that in the aftermath of the horrible murder of Charlie Kirk, a political movement has been spawned. To whatever degree Charlie was an Evangelical believer (and it seems like he was a strong believer in the finished work of Christ), political movements cannot be sustained merely in strong Christian beliefs alone.

There are simply not enough committed, Evangelical (Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Bible alone) believers to take over American institutions (governmental, educational, social, etc.). Political movements are made up of coalitions. Political movements need allies. We see this far more clearly in European politics where nations have multiple political parties spanning the ideological landscape and coalitions are formed to gain a majority. Certain differences must be put aside to achieve unity.

If the new movement that some want to build on Charlie's legacy wants to gain strength, it must necessarily compromise foundational Christian beliefs. We have seen this already in the Charlie Kirk memorial event in Arizona. Four of the most prominent speakers (all with large followings), are not Bible-believing Christians.

• President Trump has questionable beliefs about Christianity.
• Vice President J.D. Vance is Catholic
• Social media influencer Jack Posobiec is Catholic
• Tucker Carlson leans Catholic and is openly anti-Israel

Others prominent in the growing movement who will surely capitalize on this moment also have ties to Rome. Then there are those like Ben Shapiro, Michael Savage, and Benji Gershon who are Jewish conservatives.

All of these people have their right to speak freely on the issues of the day. That is not the issue. The issue is the political "movement" rising out of Charlie Kirk's legacy. If it were to remain a purely Evangelical Christian movement, it might be influential, but never powerful. For it to become powerful, it can no longer be Christian.

Political movements need allies, they tend to take whatever allies they can get. Not enough Evangelicals in America for a political surge, so they're adopting "adjacent" allies who "have a form of godliness, but deny its power." (2 Tim 3:5). And as we saw in our last entry, that is one of the signs of the last days.

If the Charlie Kirk movement grows, its Christian message will weaken more and more as more as  more allies are sought and needed to attempt to reach its political goals.

The true faith has always suffered persecution. But that persecution has come from pagans, false religions, and sacramentalist false Christianity. The end times persecution (as I see it forming) will come from professed Evangelicals aligned with the enemies of Christ, all in the name of Christ.  We will be called names and be accused of being "judgmental" or "unloving." All the pejoratives the Left and other enemies of the true faith have used for a century will be adopted by political Christianity.

I can see even the Reformed churches aligning with a political ecumenism. After all, in my experience, some Reformed are more repulsed by dispensationalism than they are by Romanism. The late Reformed theologian R.C. Sproul was a great admirer of the Catholic theologians Aquinas and Augustine. 

An intellectual and political Christianity will arise and those who cling to Christ alone, especially those who seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth, will be cast out and further marginalized, all in the name of Christ.

Perhaps it's not just a coincidence that the man they will use to build their beast is named "Kirk." 

The name "Kirk" is of Scottish and Northern English origin, derived from the Old Norse word "kirkja," meaning "church." (Wikipedia) 

 

The experience of the Apostles will be seen again in an age to come. 

They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

-John 16:2-3

How the Persecution of the Last Days Will be Unique

In Matthew 16, the Lord chastises the Pharisees for not understanding the signs of the times.

The Pharisees and Sadducees came and, testing Him, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and overcast.’ O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” So He left them and departed.

-Matthew 16:1-4

And the Lord also chastises his own for not understanding scripture: 

From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day. Then Peter took Him and began rebuking Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord! This shall not happen to You.” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things that are of God, but those that are of men.”

-Matthew 16:21-23

As this is Matthew 16, I’m inclined to believe it is a warning to the disciples as the future kings in Israel ruling over the restored Kingdom of Israel (Mt 19:28, Ac 1:6). This is also the chapter in which the Lord tells them he is going to Jerusalem to be put to death. They don’t believe him (BONUS: this is another reason we know “the gospel of the Kingdom” is not the gospel we preach today). They missed the signs of the coming Messiah. They didn’t understand the suffering servant. They didn’t see the death, burial, and resurrection until their understanding was opened after the resurrection (Luke 24).

They were chastised for missing all that.

We are told by Paul to look for the “epiphenea", (the sudden appearing of the Lord. This is not connected directly to the return of the King (the biblical event or the movie). Although, some things might occur simultaneously (the “falling away,” for example, could begin any time in earnest and keep growing). But that’s a matter of opinion… the greater point is that Paul did give us some things to look for:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding the form of godliness [piety] but denying the power of it. Avoid such people. For among them are those who make their way into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and swayed by various impulses, who will listen to anybody and can never arrive at a knowledge of the truth. As Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of corrupt mind and counterfeit faith; but they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men. 

-2 Tim 3:1-9

I like this translation of verse 5:

They act as if they worshipped God, yet they do not let God's power work in their lives.

-2 Tim 3:5 (Worldwide English) 

So many professed Christians think God is impressed with their acts of piety. Yet God desires faithfulness. Many think God is pleased with their religious activities and fervor merely because they are religious acts. Yet God desires faith.

I believe the distinguishing characteristic of the last days in terms of the spiritual will be the rejection of those who hold to the true faith… and that rejection will come from those who claim they have the true faith.

It’s one thing to be persecuted by pagans or Muslims or communists… it’ll be quite a different thing when the persecution of those who hold to Christ alone will be done by those who claim the name of Christ and who claim to believe the same gospel. I believe we are already seeing this. I believe this is historically new and has never been seen on this scale in history. And it will only get worse.

The Catholic Church slaughtered its thousands (and celebrated those deaths with great pomp). A day is coming when many professed Christians, who claim the gospel of grace alone, will be in league with Rome to persecute and execute the few who will hold onto the gospel of Christ alone.

Dealing With Promise Passages Such as Mark 16

We must remember when reading the gospel accounts that the Lord Jesus' earthly ministry was to the lost sheep of the House of Israel alone (Matthew 15:24). Of course, we always note that the Lord has always been the Lord of the Gentiles. 

Adam, Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, etc. all found redemption from the curse of sin and death while in uncircumcision. Adam looked forward to the restoration of Paradise lost (which will be restored on the new earth).

He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life. 

-Genesis 3:24

Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. On each side of the river was the tree of life, which bore twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall be no more curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 

-Genesis 22:1-3

God has plans for the earth which includes a restoration of the Kingdom in Israel (Acts 1:6; Acts 3:21). God promised Abraham and his descendants a land, on the earth (Gen 15:18). He promised the Lord Jesus, as the Son of David, a future kingdom, on the earth (Luke 1:32). The Lord told the 12 they would one day sit on twelve literal thrones jusdging the literal 12 tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

When the twelve go out in the Book of Acts they are obedient to their calling in Matthew 10. That is, they go to Jews only. Even after Gentiles are grafted in (to Israel's promises, not into salvation by grace) in Acts 10, the 12 go to Jews only in Acts 11.

The apostles and the brothers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God... When they heard these things, they were silent. And they glorified God, saying, “Then God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life.” Now those who were scattered by the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, preaching the word to no one except Jews.

-Acts 11:1, 18-19

 

When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, understood the grace that was given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised [Jews].
-Galatians 2:9

We just note here that Peter addressed his epistles to the "Dispersion" and James to "the twelve tribes scattered abroad," this is, also to the Jewish dispersion.

These are all from after the Lord ascended from the earth in the clouds (Acts 1:9). The Lord will return to the earth the same way in the future (Rev 1:7). The Lord sent his disciples to Israel. The idea of preaching the Kingdom to Gentiles was forbidden in Matthew 10 and continued until the grafting in (for the sake of making a real, live, relevant Israel jealous, Rom 10:19; 11:11).

When we back into the gospel of Mark, obviously before the ascension of the Lord, and well before the grafting in of Gentiles in Acts 10, we must understand to whom these things were given.  

Afterward He appeared to the eleven [twelve minus Judas who would be replaced in Acts 1] as they sat at supper, and He reprimanded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

-Mark 16:14-18

We saw the beginnings of all these things in the Acts age. These were earthly promises connected to the hope of an earthly kingdom and an earthly plan. They were a picture of what was to come when the Kingdom is restored in Israel and a believing, redeemed, cleansed Israel comes into her inheritance. We note that Peter preached in Acts 3 of things promised "since the foundation of the ages" (Acts 3:1). Even if you use the traditional translation "since the world began," this is something revealed from Creation and not before.

But as with all promises and commands, we must note the age and hope and purpose at hand. Just as the Lord taught Israel in Matthew 24 that a terrible time was ahead ("For then will be great tribulation, such as has not happened since the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be." - Matt 24:21), and just as Paul warned the Corinthians of hard days ahead, the full blessings of Mark 16 and other Kingdom passages will not be realized until all be fulfilled which must be fulfilled.

Those in the tribulation who stand against the forces of evil will be slaughtered. They will not be "claiming" Mark 16 or Jeremiah 29:11 or other promises in the Psalms. They can have hope in those passages for the future, but they will face terrible times before they see any fulfillment. Times so awful for Israel, the Lord offers a "woe" for women with child (pregnant or nursing) in that day (Matt 24:19). 

I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly.

-Revelation 17:6 

Imagine telling those saints that if they only believe hard enough they would be wealthy and all things would work for them. Then chastising them for lack of faith! 

God “can” is very different than God “must,” no matter how much faith we have. A promise of God for one purpose (or to one person, or to one group, or to one nation, etc.) teaches us that God is able to do certain things, but it does not mean the promise can be claimed by any believer in every age. We should pray that God would heal, etc., but not every promise is to us.

In regard to the promises and conditions of Mark 16, I would suggest you don’t drink anything poisonous expecting to not be harmed.

I know this could come off as harsh to some, but we must "rightly divide the Word of Truth." The atheist challenges the believer with this (and with other promise passages such as the healing teaching in James) concerning the sick and asks him why we aren’t visiting children’s hospitals healing sick kids. 

When we read this in James' epistle (addressed to the twelve tribes, 1:1), we must note that this is surely not a promise for the current hour.

Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. 

-James 5:14-15

It’s not that it doesn’t “always” happen, the truth is that it rarely happens (almost never happens). We still pray because God can heal and may choose to heal. But no amount of faith will obligate God to honor every promise in scripture to every believer in any age.

And it not only makes the atheist a mocker, many have lost the faith because they never see these things. They see loved ones sick and dying, they see the righteous struggle as the wicked prosper. We see the Fortune 500 list full of the wicked as poor believers in Nigeria rea rounded up and slaughtered.

In Matthew 10, the Lord promised his disciples they would not only heal the sick but also raise the dead. We can claim none of these promises nor obey any of these commands. The Lord’s earthly ministry was to Israel and he was dealing with an earthly hope and an earthly kingdom. Many things will only come to pass when God establishes that Kingdom in a cleansed and redeemed Israel, in the land, on the earth.

I only ask that we consider the full implications of promises we claim or commands we believe are for us. The unbeliever is watching and he is ready to mock. The weak believer is watching and may walk away when he doesn’t see the promises he was told are for him fulfilled.

What we can look forward to are promises, not "since the foundation," but promises sealed from "before the foundation." These are blessings, not of the earth, but set apart in the far above the heavens where Christ sits at the right hand of the Father. Tremendous blessing indeed. So we are not discouraged by the sparse physical blessings in the current age, rather we rejoice that God has even greater things utterly sperate from his plans for the earth.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world [ages], to be holy and blameless before Him in love; He predestined us to adoption as sons to Himself through Jesus Christ according to the good pleasure of His will... 

-Ephesians 1:3-5

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the incomprehensible riches of Christ, and to reveal for all people what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created all things through Jesus Christ

-Ephesians 3:8-9

The vast majority of scripture is about the earth. From the restoration of the garden and access to the Tree of Life to the restoration of the Kingdom in Israel and the throne of David. So much of the Bible is built on that plan. We must rightly divide that which is for us today and follow the Lord according to our own calling.

We have no use for earthly ordinances in this age. We have covered this elsewhere on the blog and also on the video podcast. But suffice to say, we must "rightly divide the Word of Truth" (2 Tim 2:15) as best we can. God knows we are limited creatures, but that does not free us from the obligation to try.

The necessity of rightly dividing the Word of Truth

What it means to lose the inheritance in Ephesians 5

The Children vs The Sons of Israel and the Weakness of the King James Version

Deuteronomy 32:8 in the King James Bible and in the English Standard Version

A "King James Only" YouTube channel has posted a video accusing the English Standard Version of horrific error (its primarily crime, consistent with the channel, is that it's not the KJV). The host goes after its translation of Deuteronomy 32:8 which we will address shortly. Here is a quick blurb about the ESV from BibleStudyTools.com

The ESV is an "essentially literal" translation that seeks as far as possible to capture the precise wording of the original text and the personal style of each Bible writer. It seeks to be transparent to the original text, letting the reader see as directly as possible the structure and meaning of the original.

At issue is the ESV's use of "sons of God" as opposed the KJV's use of "children of Israel." in the verse.

Here is the KJV version of Deuteronomy 32:8

When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

It's very important to understand why God inspires the idea of "children" or "child" in some passages and "sons" or "son" in others. As always, we are careful to note context where we are in scripture. If scriptures notes someone had a "son" (a male child) it may not carry the full weight it does in other passages, for example. 

Before we get lost in the weeds, we are talking about similar phrases and certain promises when we look to distinguish "sons" from "children," not merely a male child (e.g. Gen 32:22). That is, "son" referring to simply a male child does not carry the weight or figure "sons" carries when juxtaposed against "children," as we hope to establish.

Let's take a quick look at Deuteronomy 32:8 in other translations. I'm not a huge fan of the ESV (while I acknowledge it does have its good points), but it does list in its notes on this verse that the Textus Receptus (TR) reads "sons of Israel." It translates, then, from a minority text the phrase as "sons of God" and then acknowledges the TR reads "sons of Israel." Both depart from "children of Israel" as  the KJV reads. 

The ESV most likely is quoting the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. There we have "angels of God," which are also referred to a "sons of God" in scripture (e.g. Gen 6:2).

Let's first tun to the Geneva Bible and Wycliffe translation (TR) and NAS and NIV just FYC:

When the most high God divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he appointed the borders of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel. [Geneva]

When the highest parted folks, when he separated the sons of Adam, he ordained the terms of peoples by the number of the sons of Israel. (When the Most High God divided the nations, when he separated the sons of man, he ordained the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.) [Wycliffe]

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, When He separated the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the sons of Israel. [NAS]

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel. [NIV]

Again, I don't think the ESV is particularly egregious here. We also note that John Wycliffe, "the morning star of the Reformation," uses "sons of God." This is due to his access only to the Latin texts .

Wycliffe supervised a handful of scholars at Oxford in the translation of the Latin Bible into the English language. This was the very first translation of the entire Bible into the English language. The only source that Wycliffe’s translators had to work with was a Latin hand-written manuscript of a translation made 1000 years previously.  

-ReformationSA.org

But we would never stand in judgment of Wycliffe who was condemned by the Catholic Church (as was his translation), yet unlike Tyndale later, he escaped imprisonment and death.

As a result of these activities and teachings, one pope issued five bulls against John Wycliffe for “heresy.” The Catholic Church tried him three times and two popes summoned him to Rome. However, Wycliffe wisely refused each summons and the political protection of the Duke of Lancaster and Queen Anne kept Wycliffe alive and free. He was never imprisoned. However, his followers were hunted down, expelled from Oxford and mercilessly persecuted.

        -ReformationSA.org 

The irony for the KJV-only people is that the 1611 KJV (or Authorized Version) contains most of the the extra-biblical books known as the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha is the backbone of several Roman Catholic doctrines including Purgatory and praying for the dead and indulgences. These extra books were not removed from the KJV for over two centuries.

The KJV Translation Choices in the New Testament are of a Far Greater Concern  

The KJV, even while relying on the Textus Receptus, makes an egregious error in its translation of the Greek words for "sons" and "children" from the Greek New Testament Textus Receptus texts. I find these far more serious to our understanding of God's plan for the ages and a source of confusion for those who may seek to rightly divide the Word of Truth (2 Tim 2:15).

Let's take a quick look at translations and the Greek source in regard to children/sons in the Gospels:

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-Matt 8:12 [KJV]


while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-Matt 8:12 [ESV]

Let's ignore for the moment that many preachers skip the first half of this verse and apply the "weeping and gnashing" to unbelievers in some fiery torture chamber and concentrate on the word translated "children" and "sons" respectively in this verse. The Greek word used is huiós.

In its strictest sense, the word should be translated "sons." The context of this verse is a comparative of uncircumcised and non-law-keeping Gentiles in the future kingdom on earth juxtaposed against the "heirs" of the Kingdom (Israel). "Sons" is better in regard to heirs. All sons are children, but not all children are "sons."

Now let's look at the opposite translation choice of a different word in John 1:1

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name [KJV]

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God [ESV]

Here the Greek word is "téknon" which better rendered "children," which is exactly how the KJV renders it in John 11:52. There, God prophetically gathers "the whole nation" (11:50), all the children. But, again, not all "children" are "sons."

We must separate the earthly program for the Kingdom in Israel with its promises and requirements from the program for the far above the heavens  (as revealed to Paul alone and taught in Ephesians and the seven post-Acts epistles). 

Salvation (redemption from the curse of death and decay) is, and has always been, by grace alone through faith alone. But there are rewards, crowns, a prize, etc. that are earned. There is a house to be built upon the foundation. There is a judgment of service.

For no one can lay another foundation than that which was laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble, each one’s work will be revealed. For the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. 

-1 Cor 3:11-13 (MEV)

The "sons of the kingdom" in Matthew 8 are the Jews who were to inherit the full blessings of Abraham and David by covenant, but failed. So where are they cast? They are cast out of the kingdom. The comparative is to "recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom" in that passage. That is what they lose. These are not tortured by fire. They had an inheritance, but by LACK OF FAITH, they lose that inheritance (not the gift of life) in the earthly Kingdom (and they lose the New Jerusalem).

When Jesus heard it [the faith of a Gentile], He was amazed and said to those who followed, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel. And I say to you that many [Gentiles] will come from the east and west and will dine with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven [in the land]. But the sons of the kingdom [Israelites] will be thrown out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 

-Matthew 8:10-12

All in faith are children of God, but only sons have the inheritance. One becomes a child by faith alone (John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 20:30-32; etc), but one can lose an inheritance while still remaining a son. Again, that "inheritance" concerns the promises to and covenants with Israel (Romans 9).

For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brothers, my kinsmen by race, who are Israelites, to whom belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises, to whom belong the patriarchs, and from whom, according to the flesh, is Christ, who is over all, God forever blessed. Amen. 

-Romans 9:3-5

I speak to your [BELEIVERS'] shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren [BELIEVERS]? ... Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren [BELIEVERS]. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

-1 Cor 6:5, 8-10 (KJV)

We are running an individual race and we may be disqualified from rewards, crowns, etc.

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

-1 Cor 9:26-27 (KJV)

 

Could Paul "lose his salvation?" as some teach of believers? Absolutely not! Justification is a free gift. But he could find himself "disqualified" from an inheritance (Greek: adókimos = worthless). This is the "going on to PERFECTION (maturity)" spoken of in Hebrews 6:1 versus falling back into PERDITION (waste).

One can lose an inheritance by either wickedness or lack of faith without losing the free gift of reconciliation with God through Christ alone. The reward of the New Jerusalem, possible for inhabitants of the earthly Kingdom, is gained by faith and works. This reward is not speaking of Justification.

By faith [Abraham] sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

-Hebrews 11:10

When James speaks of faith without works (James 2:14), he gives two examples:

• Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
• Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

What works are noted? Abraham's willingness to kill and offer his son upon an altar and Rahab hiding the spies and misleading her own people about their whereabouts. Human sacrifice, treason, lying. Is this what we need to emulate to "maintain" our free gift? God forbid. 

James quotes the same verse Paul quotes in regard to Abraham's gift of life ("Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.") In regard to justification for the free gift, Paul leaves it there. In regard to fulfilling one's purpose unto reward, James states that the sacrifice of Isaac was the mark of faith and obedience. 

Abraham didn't suddenly put God in his debt. His "justification by works" in James 2 was unto his "perfection" (Maturity in the faith). James writes his epistle to the "twelve tribes" (Jas 1:1) who were promised a land and kingdom and awaited "restoration of all things" and "the return of Jesus Christ" to earth, if and when Israel repents and turns to Christ (as Peter offered and promised in Acts 3). 

We move on from the free gift  of justification to perfection and conditional rewards (based on the hope before the believer in the age he lives). Here again is Hebrews 6:1

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection

-Hebrews 6:1

 

ALL the children of Israel came out of Egypt under the blood, but only the faithful were able to step into the blessings of the land. Caleb and Joshua BELIEVED God could give them the land and professed that faith.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me. Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the Lord, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me, doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

-Numbers 14:26-30

Carcasses is the Hebrew word "peger" which is the same word used of those tossed into the fire which is not quenched, on earth, in a future age, from among the children of Israel and those that have transgressed in a future age (Isaiah 66:24 quoted by the Lord in Matthew).

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord. And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord. For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

-Isaiah 66:20-24

Related Translation Failures in the King James Bible

So, while the KJV-only crew focus in on the variation in Deuteronomy 32:8, they overlook far more serious translation choices in regard to the sons and children of Israel in the gospels and elsewhere. This is in addition to the failure of the KJV to translate and rightly divide the Hebrew words "katabolḗ" or "kósmos" correctly.  

God has revealed some things from or since "the throwing down and beginning of the ages" and some things from "before the throwing down and beginning of the ages." As we have noted in other studies, 

Young in his literal translation gives us a clearer view than does the KJV when he renders these verses as "age of the ages" and similar. As just one example, 1 Peter 5:11 (an epistles from an apostle to the circumcision preaching the gospel to the circumcision in the Acts age, addressed to the Jewish "dispersion" which is a parallel to James' "twelve tribes scattered abroad").

to Him [is] the glory, and the power -- to the ages and the ages! Amen. [YLT]


To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. [KJV]

The concept of "for ever" in English causes many problems for those who fail to rightly divide. A number of statutes in the Law of Moses are said to be "a statute for ever" [KJV]. yet we know these are not practiced today and if we did practice them we would be in serious error.  This is covered elsewhere, but we note it here to further show how the KJV should be understood as a translation completed by those with preconceived doctrines and understandings which failed to "rightly divide the Word of Truth."

Just one example:

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: and that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean...

-Leviticus 10:9-10

You might recognize the last part of this passage as it is sometimes referenced to condemn things like  electric guitars. We will leave that there (as it should be understood as silly on its face) and only note that we do not hear the first part of the passage being screamed from any pulpits today. If the "church" is in fact somehow "Israel," then this statute is "for ever."

If the argument is made that the Law was somehow replaced, then we must include in that the Ten Commandments (which is fine by me, but those who ignore some of the law conveniently choose the parts they don't like, but not all).

Those interested in this topic, especially the Greek usage in the New Testament, might find the following link helpful:

[Uses of] Everlasting, Eternal, and Forever

We also recommend the Far Above All translation