Answer
The idea of a soul link is a New Age belief that finds its roots in Hindu mysticism and Greek mythology. A soul link is often called a soul mate, soul twin, or twin flame. A soul link is supposedly felt by two people who are spiritually connected. Being “linked” indicates that their souls originated from the same spiritual source before assuming physical form. Belief in soul links is tied to reincarnation, as many people believe that the two halves of a soul link will find each other over and over again as they are reincarnated.
Some people point to 1 Samuel 18:1 as mentioning a soul link: “The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David” (KJV). However, this verse is simply saying, in an idiomatic way, that Jonathan and David were “bound together in close friendship” (NET). They were committed to each other, but there was no mystical union of souls.
The concept of a soul link or soul mate comes from Plato. In his work The Symposium, Plato tells a comedic story about the first human beings who had two faces and four arms and legs. Those humans threatened to overthrow the gods, so in response the gods split the humans in two. This would assure twice the amount in tribute the gods would receive from humans, plus it would humble humanity. After the split, though, the humans were so unhappy that they ceased to eat, so the gods sewed up their bodies and healed them. Ever since then, according to the myth, human beings have sought their other half taken from them by the gods, and, when they find that other half, they feel complete. Much romantic literature and art is based on this concept.
Humans often do feel incomplete. Loneliness and the sense that something is lacking is a universal feeling. It is possible to live in the world’s largest cities, surrounded by other people, yet be overwhelmed with loneliness. This feeling of incompleteness is not solved or overcome with romantic love, as anyone who has been in love can attest.
The only truly satisfying “soul link” is the one we can enjoy with our Creator. God has fashioned man to desire a relationship with Him, and when we are “linked” to Him in our souls, we feel satisfied (Psalm 1; John 3:29; 7:38; 16:22). Sadly, sin drives us constantly to find that satisfaction elsewhere (Jeremiah 2:13). Anything from a pagan idol to a glass of wine can become our substitute for God. Lovers, drugs, work, television, sports, and even our own families can become idols when we try to find wholeness in them or when we use them as distractions from the emptiness we feel without God. The Bible tells us to abide in Christ, or we can do nothing (John 15:4), and this is amazingly true, both on a deep, spiritual level and on a practical, everyday level. Personal dysfunctionality is inextricably linked to our distance from God. When we seek a soul link between ourselves and our Creator, all other things we need—including joy, pleasure, satisfaction, security, and wholeness—will be added to us (see Matthew 6:33: Psalm 16).
