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Does the Bible Teach Soul Sleep?
Could you help me refute the teaching of soul sleep?
Here are some evidences that come to mind:
- Moses and Elijah talking with Christ on the mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3-4 [3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
[4] Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
See All...). - Samuel appearing to King Saul right before his death (1 Samuel 28) The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16). Unless Jesus is just making up stories.
- The argument of Christ that God is presently the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 22:31-32 [31] But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
[32] I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
See All...). He is presented as God of the living and not of the dead. They must be presently alive according to the teaching of Christ. - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
See All... - Those who are asleep in Jesus (v.13) are also up in heaven with God since God brings them with Him when He returns (v.14). Their sleep refers to the temporary state of the body. - Joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repents (Luke 15:10Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
See All...). - Abraham seeing the day of Christ and being glad (John 8:56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
See All...). - Hell full of people where their worm dies not and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:44Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
See All..., 46, 48). This is not eternity because hell will be emptied into the lake of fire in eternity (Revelation 20). - The repentant thief was to be with Christ in paradise "To day" (Luke 23:43And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
See All...).This would not be possible if the soul were asleep. - The souls under the altar that were slain were crying out to God (Revelation 6:9-11 [9] And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
[10] And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
[11] And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
See All...). They were not sleeping. - Paul being a strait between life and death because, though he had a work to do on earth, death would be much better. To live is Christ but to die is gain. (Philippians 1:20-24
See All...). Let me ask. How would dying be better than life, if to live was Christ but to die is to sleep until the resurrection? His desire was to depart and to be with Christ. I believe that only a Bible-denier would find this inadequate proof. - That still leaves 2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
See All....
Which brings me to this comment: Every time I have dealt with someone advocating soul sleep, I have found someone who went to the Greek and Hebrew in a Bible-denying way and who exalted the limited, earthly viewpoint of the Old Testament over the clear and fuller revelation of the New Testament. Be careful about these people. If they are not seventh-day adventists, they are teaching their doctrine.
Proverbs 22:17
Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.