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SOUL
SLEEP There are those who believe when someone dies they enter a sleep
stage. As the body is put in the ground, so is the soul. They interpret
the word sleep in the Scripture to be a state of silence, inactivity,
unconsciousness for the soul. Since the beginning of the Church those who
have studied the Bible have never come to these conclusions, all have had
the hope of heaven. Has everyone in Church history believed in error and
died with a false hope of being united with Jesus after death? First thing we need to establish is that man has a soul/spirit, and it
is distinct from his body. We have a dual nature, physical (the body) and
immaterial (spirit/soul). Job 32:8: “But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the
Almighty gives him understanding.” The breath is not the same as mans
spirit but that which teaches him, being the Holy Spirit from God. Isaiah 26:9 says this: “
At night my soul longs for Thee, indeed my spirit within me seeks
Thee diligently.”
Zech.12:1: “Thus says the LORD, who stretches out the heavens, lays
the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him:”
Here we see that the physical man is different than the Spirit in him. 1 Cor. 6:20: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God
in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.” Paul
distinguishes the body from the Spirit, both existing simultaneously, yet
both are united to make man. 1 Cor. 2:11: “For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit
of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except
the Spirit of God.” Mans spirit is not the same as Gods Spirit. Our
spirit has certain capabilities to understand the things of man but fall
short in understanding God unless he reveals them to us. The knowledge is
not in our flesh but our spirit, certainly this cannot mean our breath
for it knows nothing. There is a comparison here between mans spirit
knowing the things of man and Gods spirit knowing the things of God. Job.14:22: “But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul
within him shall mourn.” Job makes the distinction saying the flesh is
upon him and the soul is within him. Now lets address the argument that some claim the soul or spirit is
just another word for breath since this is what the Hebrew word Ruach
means. That when someone dies their breath leaves them. Lets substitute
the word breath where Spirit is and see if it makes any sense
scripturally? Job 34:14-15: “If He should set His heart on it, if He should gather
to Himself Spirit (His breath?) and His breath, All flesh would
perish together, and man would return to dust.” Here both breath and
spirit are distinguished otherwise one would be gathering to himself
spirit and his spirit or breath and his breath.
Ps. 19:7: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the Breath,
the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;” The
conversion is to ones soul, their inner being so it can rule over their
body. 2 Cor. 7:1: “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and Breath (spirit),”
Does this mean we take breath mints? Gal 6:8: “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap
corruption, but he who sows to the breath ( Spirit ) will of the
breath (Spirit) reap everlasting life.”
Acts 23:8: “For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection-- and no
angel or breath (spirit); but the Pharisees confess both.” Is
there no breath or were they speaking about a spirit that is intelligent
(a type of angel). What we will see is that Spirits do exist outside the
vehicle of the body as does mans. V.9”Then there arose a loud outcry. And
the scribes of the Pharisees' party arose and protested, saying, “We find
no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to
him, let us not fight against God.” Certainly they are speaking about a
corporeal entity that communicates not just breath. What of Jesus, did he use this definition? Matt. 12:43 “When an
unclean Breath, (spirit) “goes out of a man, he goes through dry
places, seeking rest, and finds none.” Certainly he did not mean bad
breath. Just as man can have the Holy Spirit live within him alongside
his human Spirit so he can have a unclean spirit live in him. Luke 4:36: “What a word this is! For with authority and power He
commands the unclean Breaths, (spirit) and they come out.”
Acts 5:16: “Bringing sick people and those who were tormented by
unclean Breath,” (spirit), and they were all healed.” I guess some
peoples souls need breath freshener! Jesus cast out spirit entities not
peoples breath, and if he did they would certainly die on the spot. Luke 12:19: “And I will say to my Breath, “ Breath,”(spirit),
you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink,
and be merry.” Can ones breath eat and drink. James 5:20 “ let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of
his way will save a Breath, (soul) from death and cover a
multitude of sins.” Can breath be saved or a person.
2 Pet. 2:8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his
righteous Breath, (spirit) from day to day by seeing and hearing
their lawless deeds)-- Ezek. 18:4: “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Can breathe die? Obviously this means something than just air in the lungs. 1 Sam 30:6 “ because the soul of all the people was grieved.”
Num. 21:4 “ and the soul of the people became very discouraged on
the way.” Prov. 21:10 “The soul of the wicked desires evil”
Can breath do any of these things, or does it communicate emotion,
intelligence and personality? Gen. 34:8 But Hamor spoke with them,
saying, “The soul of my son Shechem longs for your daughter. Please give
her to him as a wife.” Is Shechem's breath desiring a wife?
Pnuema means wind in Greek it also means breath and spirit. Ruach in
Hebrew means wind, it too also can mean breath and spirit. Since Hebrew
and Greek have only one word for wind breath and spirit one needs to
discern what is meant by certain passages, the context defines the
meaning. Jesus breathed on his disciples in John 20 saying receive the
Spirit, the rushing wind in Acts is certainly to be interpreted as the
Spirit. When Jesus breathed on the apostles the Holy Spirit in Jn.20:22
he wasn't giving them Breath for life but the Holy Spirit in
some capacity.
If Spirit is breath and God is Spirit is He breath to? We can see how
ludicrous this position of interpretation is. Certainly when
Jesus spoke to the Father into your hands I commend my Spirit he was not
speaking of his breath.
I think the point is clear, Spirit does not mean breath although at
times it is used metaphorically. There is a difference
between man's breath and spirit
Isaiah 42:5: “Thus says the Lord, who created the heavens and
stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives
breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk in it.” Two
things are given the breath and the spirit if they were one thing it
would not be written like this. 1 Cor. 2:11-12: “ For what man knows the things of a man except the
spirit of the man which is in him? “ Could we ever substitute breath for
Spirit? Mans center of knowledge is not in their physical human nature,
neither in the brain which is just a vehicle. It is our spirit that has a
will and recalls. When one dies it is because the spirit leaves this is
why one cannot hear nor see our spiritual nature has left.” Even so no
one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” Now we have
received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God,
that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”
Could we substitute breath and have the scripture read “No one knows the
things of God but the breath of God?” “Now we have received, not the
breath of the world, but the breath who is from God! Does God
need breath to live? The Bible tells us God is Spirit (breath?) and that
he has all knowledge, perfect knowledge of the past present and future. James. 2:26: “the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.” Meaning only the body dies, as James uses the
example that faith animates our works so the Spirit animates the body.
The relationship between the material and immaterial when broken means we
die physically. Our spirit is not dead like the body. The Spirit is just
as alive outside the body as it is inside the body. The resurrection only
applies to the body. When our spirit returns, our bodies come alive
again. The correlation made is that real faith (which is invisible) is
displayed to others by having works to show it is alive .
Abraham died and was gathered to his people. Gen.25:8 Jacob said the
same thing Gen.49:29 Rachel dying said her soul was departing and
she died in Gen.35:18.
The description of what occurs at death is described in both the Old
Testament and the New Testament as giving up the ghost, Abraham Gen.25:8.
Isaac gave up the ghost Gen.35:29. Jacob breathed his last Gen.49:33. Even Jesus Lk.23:46, and Sapphira
in Acts 5:10. This is a common phrase to signify one is dying not that
their soul goes to sleep. In I Kings 17:20-22: “When the widows son died Elijah cried out three
times to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray, let this child's
soul come back to him.” Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and
the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. Luke 8:54-55: “he, however, took her by the hand and called, saying,
'Child arise!' And her spirit returned , and she rose immediately; and He
gave orders for something to be given her to eat.” This shows without the
spirit to animate the body we are dead. This does not mean the spirit is
dead or sleeping. In all these instances we find the spirit entering the
body again but never reviving or resurrecting because it already is
alive. The Bible speaks of two different kinds of death… 1 Tim 5:6: “But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she
lives.” This does not mean one is a walking corpse in the
physical body but they are dead in their spirit from sin and trespasses.
This is remedied by a new birth, Jn.3 being born again by the Spirit. The term “death” which is “thanatas” in Greek, does
not mean to be non-existence or unconscious, it rather means to be
separated. Some examples:
Colossians 2:13: “And when you were dead (separated
form God--NOT “unconscious”) in your transgressions and the
uncircumcision of your flesh...”
Ephesians 2:1: “And he made you alive, who were dead
in trespasses and sins.” this is addressing the spiritual state of
someone who was in sin and then made alive spiritually in Christ. (also
Revelation 3:1)The unregenerate are dead but they are not unconscious or
non existent. The prodigal son in Lk.15:24 is said by the Father “This my son was
dead and is alive again.” Jesus was not talking about a bodily or soul
resurrection but of one who left fellowship with the father.
Jesus in Matt. 26:38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly
sorrowful, even to death. He was not saying his soul was going to die and
go to sleep. What of Jesus in Lk.23:46 said to the Father into your hands “I commit
my spirit,” isn’t this clear he is having his spirit received into the
Fathers hands while his body is to be laid in the tomb. This is the very
same thing Stephen states in Acts 7:59 Stephen cried unto the Lord saying
“receive my spirit.”
Revelation 6:9-11: “And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath
the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of
God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they
cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true,
wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell
on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they
were told that they should rest for a while longer, until the number of
their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as
they had been, should be completed also.” Notice the timing is at the
fifth seal, God gave them white robes and they are told to wait for their
brethren who will be killed. This consummates in Rev.7:9-15 where they
are gathered before the throne of God serving him day and night in his
temple (v.15). This would be hard to do if one is asleep or out of
existence.
The Bible teaches death is not a cessation of existence, but a
separation of existence.
The soul is our intellect,
our personality, our identity. The real person will live on. All the Old Testament passages need to be interpreted through
the New Testament revelation. Without the New Testament teaching what was
unrevealed in the Old Testament would stay a mystery as Paul states in 1
Cor.15:51: “behold I tell you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed.” Speaking of the resurrection of the body. Matthew
13:11, 35; Rom.16:25; I Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:4-5 and 3:9 – these
Scriptures give us a definition of a mystery as something that was
unrevealed in the Old Testament and now revealed for the first time in
the New Testament. Heaven was not explained in the Old Testament , the
immortality of man, the resurrection to eternal life, the forgiveness of
sins as permanent. There is the New Testament mystery of the revelation
of God in Christ, 1 Tim. 3:16 “And without controversy great is the
mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh,” None of these
were explained until we had New Testament revelation. Likewise so is the
revealing of what actually transpires after death through the teaching of
Christ and the apostles. PROBLEMATIC OLD
TESTAMENT PASSAGES Ps.6:5: “In death there is no remembrance of you.” Ps.146 :4:
“the thoughts perish at death, the preceding words put this in context.
“His spirit departs he returns to earth in that day his thoughts (plans)
perish at death.” Eccl.8:8 “there is no man that has power over the
Spirit to retain the spirit; in the day of death.” This describes the
spirit departing from the body, that no one can hold it back not man nor
the ground. Ps.115:17: “The dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into
silence.” But it then says “But we will bless the Lord from this time
forth and FOR EVERMORE.” Wouldn't this by necessity mean to be alive and
conscious.
Eccl.3:19: “For what happens to the sons of men also happen to the
animals, one thing befalls them, as one dies so dies the other, surely
they all have one breath, man has no advantage over animals, for all is
vanity.” Solomon is not describing the afterlife but that we all die, man
is not eternal in the body. When we stop breathing we die like any other
creature. Eccl.9:5,10: “in Sheol there is no work or device or wisdom.” These
passages that seem to imply a dead soul are really describing the normal
functions of the body while one lived on earth are not the same
afterwards. When one dies these are no longer possible, it ceases. Memory
of them is forgotten” is not referring to those who die but those still
living will no longer think of them. Ecclesiastes should be kept in its
context. Solomon was engulfed in human philosophy and he was backslidden,
although there are times rays of truth break through. It was written from
a human perspective and the theme of the book is said over and over when
a person dies he has no more portion under the sun
as in vs. 10 of Eccl.9 (used 29 times). This is an idiom of in this
world, where ones functions on earth are no longer possible. These
were put in the Bible for an example of how far one can go away from the
truth they once knew so well. Just as Satan's lie was recorded to Eve in
saying “you will not surely die” so are the words of Solomon in his
backslidden state that are not a revelation concerning truth. Gen.3:19 gives us the report of mans design. “Dust thou art and unto
the dust shalt thou return.” It was mans physical nature that was made
from the dust not his spiritual nature. God breathed into man the spirit,
the spirit was not taken from the ground. It came from God. Likewise Solomon writes a similar narration. Eccl.12: 6-7 describes in
poetry the shattering of life, that the dust returns to earth, and the
spirit returns to God who gave it. Yet, earlier, in verse 5, he
writes a man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the
streets. So Solomon is speaking about those who turn to God as he started
off this chapter, stating remember your Creator in the days of your
youth, before difficult days come. And then he speaks about our eternal
home. If it is sleep in the grave, as people are claiming, then
that means we are going to stay in the grave, the ground, forever, if our
soul actually sleeps. One will never read of a soul being resurrected from a physical death.
Rather, bodies are resurrected from physical death (Matthew 27:52).Why?
Because a soul does not literally die. Many of these are languages of appearances related to the body only.
(usually from mans view point. Showing the inability to function as we
once did with the body. Soul-sleep' which pertains to the deceased, is defined as silence,
inactivity and an entire unconsciousness. That once death occurs it
affects the spirit of man just as it does the body. This would mean the
spirit is only alive when it has a body. We know this is not true and is
contrary to the Bible. In Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus he was
was not giving disinformation or representing them falsely. The
rich man was very much aware of his misfortune as he suffered in Hades he
had his thoughts (that temporary abode of the departed spirits of the
wicked). While Lazarus enjoyed the blessedness of Paradise (Luke
16:19-31) It is obvious that the rich man is conscious, as Lazarus is
conscious, and Abraham is conscious, though they are all dead. All the
stories Jesus told always illustrated truth not something false. These
two have recently died and one has been long dead. Indeed, their physical
bodies are asleep but not their souls. Obviously, the Hadean realm, where
all departed spirits remain until the final judgment, is experienced by
those dwelling there. (Now excluding Abraham's bosom: Paradise). In Jn.11:11-14 Jesus says of Lazarus that he sleeps referring to his
body. Jesus then says “I will wake him out of his sleep.” He then raised
his body from the dead.
In Mt.27:52 the Scripture tells us that at the time of of the
resurrection “many bodies of the saints which slept
arose.” The specific mention of bodies makes the meaning clear of what
actually slept. It was not the saints themselves that slept but their
bodies. The term “sleep” when it is used of death is in reference to the body.
Whenever the Bible speaks of death in the sense of sleep it is always
used of the physical body and not the soul, because the appearance of a
sleeping body and a dead body look very
much the same. The term “sleep” is never applied to the soul or the
spirit , but only the body. The soul and the spirit continue to exist
after death. whenever the Bible uses the term “sleep” in reference to
death of the body. It is never used of the unbelievers in the New
Testament. It is a term used only of believers which shows God's
viewpoint of the death of a believer. From God's perspective the death of
a believer is a temporary suspension of physical activity. For example,
in physical sleep there is a temporary suspension of physical activity
until one wakes up, but there is no suspension of the activity of the
mind, the soul or spirit, and the sub-consciousness keeps operating (as
in Lk.16:19-36 death is not a cessation of existence for either the rich
man or Lazarus.) Jesus' own word's teach that there is an existence of rest and reward
for the faithful and certain types of punishment and torment for those
who are evil. In Lk.16 the story of the rich man and Lazarus, which is
not a parable. The Lord would begin by saying he spoke to them in a
parable, he did not use proper names as he did in this story (There was a
certain man named Lazarus). However even if we were to grant this to be a
parable, do we find any parable that did not tell the truth about the
subject matter using illustrations for a real event? When the rich man
died and was buried he spoke of being tormented in flame. It describes
some type of heat that did not destroy him but made it extremely
uncomfortable as he is existing in some type of form. He had his
intelligence emotions and he could see, hear and speak as he asked for
his family to be warned. He was still alive as he spoke, thirsted and
remembered his family asking Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them so they
would not end up in this PLACE of torment. (This word torment is used 5
times in the thirteen versus certainly making the point of how real it
is). So how can a spirit be able to do the same things he does in the body?
Angels (both good and bad) are spirits and they certainly can see, hear,
speak. The Bible does not give us much information about man after he
dies. What we do know is that communication even among those in heaven
requires much like we have here on earth, so any argument refusing this
capability is going against what Christ said as a reality.
Mt. 10:28: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill
the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and
body in hell.” (Also Lk.12:4-5) After he has killed the body but not the
soul? How is this possible if they are the same? If the soul and
the body refer to the same thing then wouldn’t the soul die when the body
does? God distinguishes the dual natures in man.
Man's
body is clearly not the same as
his soul. Jesus himself taught
in Mt. 10:28 there is a
difference between the body of man and his soul by using the word
both. When a person dies
physically his soul lives. Jesus is distinguishing the material
and non material and says although the body can be killed the soul
cannot. “But are NOT ABLE to kill the soul.” Neither is the
soul the body or the body the soul, they are different components of the
same person. So if the body is killed the soul is not dead, it continues
in its life. So then what does he mean by “fear Him who is able to
destroy both soul and body.” The Greek word here is Apollumi it
does not mean to bring to utter destruction or ceasing to exist. This
same Greek word is used of those living in Mt.10:6 (lost), Mt.15:24 the
lost); Lk.19:10 (that which is lost). So this means to be in a lost
condition, in context those in Hell that are in a eternally lost state,
separated from God for all eternity. Moses' appearance at the Mount of transfiguration proved one exists
after they die. Mt. 17:1-8 and Luke 9:28-36 are just a few of the
passages on the transfiguration where we find Moses and Elijah appearing
on the Mount with Jesus. Moses who died and was buried has his spirit
speaking to Christ along with Elijah who never died. Elijah was taken to
heaven alive while Moses died a physical death, yet, Moses is consciously
alive just like Elijah. Moses couldn't have been resurrected, because
Christ is to be the firstfruits of the resurrection and he had not risen
yet. He had to die first. So this proves that Moses' spirit continued to
exist after he died.
In response to those that teach the soul sleeping doctrine, the
existence of angels shows that spirits can and do live and function apart
from bodies. One of the reasons that people come to the conclusion that
soul sleep is true is because they believe that disembodied spirits
cannot function without a body. The existence of angels shows that spirit
beings can and do live and exist apart from physical bodies (Hebrews
1:14). Man is both Body and Spirit. God is Spirit we are told man was created in his image and likeness.
Jesus said we would worship the Father in Spirit and truth. We need a
spiritual nature to do this, only man was created like this and has this
ability. When Adam was warned of the day he ate of the tree he certainly
would die. He didn’t die physically but spiritually. He still existed but
it meant a break, a separation in his relationship. If we read such
passages as the Ezek. 18:4: “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the
father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sinneth, it
shall die (which is to sleep according to those who hold to the soul
sleep doctrine). This means that it is spiritual death a separation- not
non existence, otherwise they would cease to exist as soon as they sin.
There are many scriptures that say the soul is dead even when someone is
alive.” Rom. 8:10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of
sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” Are we really
dragging a dead body around? Can we actually believe that if someone
sinned their soul went to sleep or out of existence when they were alive?
Were they walking around with a dead soul and an alive body. How did the
soul revive? The body “sleeps” and goes back to dust. The term "sleeping" is
a New Testament term used only of believers, showing a rest, a temporary
cessation of physical activity. We see this when Jesus said of the
girl who was dead “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping
“ The following verses refer to the state of the body in death as
sleep: Rom. 8:23 It is the body we wait to be resurrected not our spirit or
soul. Just as in 1 Cor.15 :3 15-20 speaks of Christ as the first fruits
that slept, Referring to his body vs.35-38 speaks of how the dead are
raised up. What you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere
grain…but God gives it a body as he pleases and to each seed its own
body. Paul goes on to explain in vs.42-54 that the natural will be
transformed to a spiritual type of body (for more on this
> flesh
and blood cannot enter the kingdom of heaven) A promised was made to the converted dying thief by Jesus when he was
on the cross (Lk. 23:42). “Verily I say unto you, today shalt thou
be with me in Paradise.” Some claim this is not correct in its
punctuation and the comma should be before the today as if Jesus is meant
“today I'm saying this to you.” But there are no commas found in the
Greek writing to give weight to this. Besides Jesus is answering the
thief who was asking to remember him when he comes into his
kingdom. This would mean Jesus went into soul sleep as well. Did
Jesus lie when he said to the thief today you will be WITH ME in
paradise? For if either Jesus or the thief went out of existence then his
statement was not true. Then the question is who was resurrected? Then those who hold to the deity of Christ and soul sleep at the same
time have to really stretch the Scriptures. For it was Jesus who said in
Jn.2:19 He would raise up his own body, an impossible task to do if you
no longer existing after death. For the Scripture states after he died he
went and proclaimed his victory to the spirits in prison who were there
since the time of the flood (1Pt.3:19-20). Jesus meant that very day he and the thief would be united together in
paradise otherwise there is no significance to the statement if it is
left to some unknown future time. Abraham's bosom (Paradise) is no longer located in the earth as it was
in the Old Testament prior to Christs ascension. We find Paul was caught
up to paradise (2 Cor.12:4) the third heaven. In Scripture there are
three heavens described, as in Gen.1:1 God made the heavens and the
Earth. God is called the possessor of the heavens (plural) and the
earth. 1) Acts 14:17 “God gave you rain from heaven.” This is our
immediate atmosphere surrounding earth (Gen.1:20; Mt.5:20).
2) There is the celestial heaven, the place of the sun the moon and stars
(Gen.1:14) and the place where principalities and powers are (Eph.6:12,
Eph.2:2 possibly some overlapping in this with the first heaven.)
3) is called the heaven of heavens where Gods throne is and where He
dwells (Heb.8:1). Jesus prayed to the Father in heaven (Mt.6:9). This is
the place Paul called Paradise and where John was taken to (Rev.4:1).
Lk.24:51; Acts 1:9-11, Heb.7:55-60 show us Christ is in heaven, Paradise
and the righteous dead are all associated with this place as well.
It is the current place where believers go directly into his presence at
death (Eph. 4:8-10; 2 Cor. 5:8).
We find in Eph.4 Jesus descended first into “the lower parts of the
earth he then ascended on high” bringing a multitude with him
(upward to be with him). So since Christ ascended all go upward to be
with HIM. This is the Scripture that is consistently neglected by those who
promote soul-sleep. As in Phil.1:23 Paul states to be with Christ is far
better and to die is gain. But I live in the flesh… For I am hard pressed
between the two having a desire to depart and be with Christ
which is far better nevertheless, to be in the flesh is more needful for
you.” What does Paul mean by I live in the flesh if he is not referring
to the body... To die is gain. This would hardly be so, it would be a
loss if one ceases to be alive. How could this be far better, is non
existence better than existence? How could this be better if one does not
continue to live after. And notice he says he departs to be with
Christ. This would be impossible if we go to sleep in the ground
with the body, unless Jesus is in the ground too. When a believer dies
their spirit goes to be with the Lord in heaven.” In Phil. 1:23-24, Paul
states that he desired to depart to be with Christ, which is far
better. Christ is in heaven, He's not in the ground, so if this
was soul-sleep, he being with Christ, Christ would have to be in the
ground.
2 Cor. 5:1-8 V.5 Paul writes
He sums it all up in verse 8 saying, “we are always confident
knowing that while we are home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
and he goes on to say to be absent from the body is to be present
with the Lord.” Obviously something survives that has life
after the body dies. What is absent when one dies? The soul. It becomes
separated. Where is the Lord? In heaven. And that is exactly where Paul
said all who die in Christ are headed. When all our earthly tent is
dissolved, we can be assured that we will be in the presence of the One
we serve and we love here on earth. We will be further clothed. We
are immediately ushered into our new home like moving from one city to
the next. in 2 Peter 1:13, Peter talks about putting off his tabernacle,
or tent, calling it a temporary dwelling place. The person who is the
spirit (soul -personality) leaves the body. The very meaning of death
means that the believer enters immediately into the God's presence. That
is the clear teaching of Scripture, that upon death, the believer enters
where Christ is. So to be absent from the body is to be present with the
Lord, death to the righteous means to be WITH Christ. Unfortunately there
are some who are not confident. Christ is in heaven and so all believers
go by his grace to be where he is. Stephen in Acts 7 when he was stoned states he fell asleep.
Does this mean his soul became unconscious? The term sleep is used only
of believers not unbelievers. As death is a temporary suspending of our
physical activity on earth but not of our Spirit. V.59 Stephen looked
upward and cried out Lord receive my spirit. How can he receive it if its
going to sleep in the ground? The Bible says this he said truthfully,
being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Greek is explicit in that there is
an urgency as in, receive it right now. There was no temporary stop over
for Stephen. Just as Jesus committed his Spirit to the Father, Stephen
committed his Spirit to the Son. Heb.11 has the hall of the faithful who died Heb 12:1 tells us we are
surrounded by a great crowd of witnesses. What kind of witnesses are
these? Living ones who went before us. V.23 “to the general assembly and
Church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of
all, to the spirits of just men made perfect.” (the word for
witnesses means those who are able to testify which certainly mean living
ones). Jesus taught that he is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God
of the living, not of the dead, referring to Moses at the burning bush.
The purpose was to prove life exists beyond death, that God is still (not
was) the God of the living. That the Saints of old were still alive “for
all live unto Him.” This silenced the Sadducee’s who challenged Him on
this matter because they did not believe in an afterlife and it should do
the same for those Sadducees today who say that a soul cannot live after
the body dies. Acts 23:8: “For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels
or spirit.” In other words not in body or spirit. Jesus
refuted their teachings saying he was the God of the living not the dead.
Josephus wrote in antiquities b.28:4 “The doctrine held by the Sadducees
is this, that the souls die with the bodies.” Exactly what 7th day
Adventists and Jehovah's Witnesses believe. Jesus refuted them by saying,
God is the God of the living not the dead. As Josephus wrote “They take
away the belief of the immortal existence of the soul and the punishment
and rewards of Hades. (War b. 8:14) In Jn.11:25-26 Jesus said “I am the resurrection and the life; he that
believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever
liveth and Believeth in me shall NEVER die. Here is the blessed assurance
that one will live forever, that one possesses a present life that will
continue forever, never die. The early Church upheld the teaching of scripture many of those who
were the apologists spoke out on this issue as they did on others.
Justin Martyr 150 AD
“We have been taught that only they may aim at immortality who have lived
a holy and virtuous life near to God. We believe that they who live
wickedly and do not repent will be punished in everlasting fire” (First
Apology, 21). Second Clement 150 AD “If we do the
will of Christ, we shall obtain rest; but if not, if we neglect his
commandments, nothing will rescue us from eternal punishment” (Second
Clement 5:5). Athenagoras 177 AD
“[W]e [Christians] are persuaded that when
we are removed from this present life we shall live another life, better
than the present one ... Then we shall abide near God and with God,
changeless and free from suffering in the soul ... or if we fall with the
rest [of mankind], a worse one and in fire; for God has not made us as
sheep or beasts of burden, a mere incidental work, that we should perish
and be annihilated” (Plea for the Christians 31). Hippolytus 212 AD
“Standing before [Christ's] judgment, all of them, men, angels, and
demons, crying out in one voice, shall say: 'Just if your judgment!' And
the righteousness of that cry will be apparent in the recompense made to
each. To those who have done well, everlasting enjoyment shall be given;
while to the lovers of evil shall be given eternal punishment. The
unquenchable and unending fire awaits these latter, and a certain fiery
worm which does not die and which does not waste the body but continually
bursts forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will give them
rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from
punishment; no appeal of interceding friends will profit them” (Against
the Greeks 3). To the martyr's that died they had immediate glory in God's presence
in heaven. To teach otherwise is to go against the whole body of
scripture and almost 1500 years of the Church (until of course the
reformation where purgatory was ratified). Did they all die with a false
teaching of being in heaven? In the catacombs of Rome are found inscriptions on tombs such as “In
Christ, Alexander is not dead, but lives-his body rests in the tomb.”
“Gone to dwell with Christ.” “One who is lives with God.” I cannot
find any instance of soul sleep among the writers (both good or bad) in
the first three centuries of the Church.) In agreement Heb. 9:27 states after death, the judgment. In other
words the judgment is that one goes either to heaven or to hell, and it
is determined at death, not afterwards in a resurrection. So we go to
rest and fellowship with the Lord, eventually to receive our rewards or
to punishment and eternal separation, not to sleep.
In Mt.27:52 The scripture writes that at the time of the resurrection
of Jesus many Bodies of the saints
which slept arose. Notice what slept, the bodies. And the bodies
arose, not their souls. The spirit that continues to exists is put back
in the body animating it to life. As Paul states in his teaching on the
resurrection of the body (1 Cor.15:15-20) Christ is the firstfruits
of those that slept. 1 Thess. 4:14-18 “For
if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring
with Him those who sleep in Jesus. Whether one believes this is the 2nd
coming or the rapture, the point is made that there are those who come
with Jesus to be united with their bodies. Since the dead rise first and
those who are alive don’t receive a resurrection but a transformation.
Vs.15 “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are
alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede
those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to
meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord.” Where is Jesus coming from? Heaven. If Jesus is bringing some
people with him and they don’t have resurrected bodies yet, doesn’t
this mean they are immaterial spirits. What dead are rising?
Certainly this are not those who are alive and remain. The dead are those
who bodies are put to sleep. This is exactly what Paul explains in
1 Cor.15:52-54 “the dead
will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed (those who are still
alive) previously Paul explains the body in vs.35-49 vs.42 so is the
resurrection of the dead. The BODY is sown in corruption, it is raised in
incorruption.” So resurrection refers to the human body not the soul or
spirit, it is the body that sleeps and will be resurrected. As we have
seen our hope is to be immediately with the Lord, not wait for some
undetermined future time. In conclusion it is the doctrine of soul sleep that needs to be put to death and out of existence.
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