The State of the DEAD!

Religion today in America is of such confusion that none (not one) denomination has all truth but a mixture of truth with error as their doctrines. Example: Most church denominations today teach that as soon as the believer dies, that they are immediately ushered into the presence of God and are in heavens bliss before their funerals are preached and noting about this doctrine is bible truth. It's what man wants to believe but it is not biblical, yet everyone sitting in the pews at the funeral is told this lie from a man who is supposed to be following God and should know the biblical truth concerning the state of the dead. Yet, if he does know and still preaches a lie concerning the state of the dead, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing and not a man of God and not to be trusted as a minister.

What does the bible say about the dead? Ecc 9:5,6 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun. They are dead and incapable of remembering, nor loving, nor hatred, nor envy and their human life with all of its actions are gone from the Earth and their bodies are suffering corruption i.e. decay in the grave.

When the scripture says Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is "Ruach" and means "breath" it is the human life force that returns to God, the breath that sustains human life. It also involves the mind of the person which ceases when the breath leaves the body upon their death.

One of the questions that is uppermost in the minds of many is "What happens when one dies?" This is especially true if we have lost a loved one. Death is the "grim reaper," and as such every one of us has to face it. According to the Bible, all members of humanity are born slaves to the fear of death (see Hebrews 2:15). One main reason for this is that we do not know what our destiny is or what happens to us when we die. The common belief is that the soul of the righteous goes to enjoy the bliss of heaven while that of the wicked goes to hell to burn forever. But is this what the Bible teaches? According to the most favorite text of Scripture, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish (die) but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). This eternal or everlasting life is God's supreme gift to mankind. Many pagan religions and especially Greek mythology teach that the soul of man is immortal. Unfortunately, this idea of an immortal soul was borrowed from the Greeks by the early Church Fathers and made a part of Christianity. However, it may surprise you that nowhere in the Bible is this idea found. What then does the Bible teach about the soul and the state of man in death? Further, if man does not have an immortal soul where does one go after death? This lesson will answer these important questions.

1. What did man become after God breathed into him the breath of life? Genesis 2:7

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

2. What warning did God give Adam about eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Genesis 2:17But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. The word "die" means to say good-bye to life. The life or soul that God created in Adam was not naturally, but conditionally, immortal. As long as our first parents obeyed God, they were given the privilege to live forever. But the moment they sinned, their life came under the sentence of death.

3. Where did the idea of an immortal life or soul first come from? Genesis 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. The idea that sin does not deprive us of life came from Satan, the enemy of souls. That was his first lie, which he has perpetuated since the Fall.

4. What is (1) the wages of sin, and (2) God's gift to mankind in Christ? Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Please notice that "the wages of sin" is the opposite of "the gift of God." The former is good-bye to life forever while the latter is eternal life.

5. Who only has natural immortality? 1 Timothy 6:12-16 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

The "Who" is referring to Christ, the Son of God. Only God has natural immortality. But because God "so loved the world," He offers mankind the gift of immortality through His Son Jesus Christ.

6. What two things did Christ accomplish in His death and resurrection? 2 Timothy 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

7. What happens when we believe in God's Son, Jesus Christ? John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

8. In whom only does a believer have eternal life? 1 John 5:11,12 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

When we by faith receive Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, the gift of eternal life becomes ours. Apart from Christ, the only life we have is the mortal life we inherited from Adam. Because of sin, this life is condemned to eternal death.

9. For whom did God prepare the everlasting fire? Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

According to the clear teachings of the Bible, the word "everlasting fire" does not mean that the fire itself is everlasting but rather its effect is eternal. This fire is prepared only for the devil and his angels. By rejecting the gift of life in Christ, the lost have chosen to be eternally destroyed with Satan and his angels.

10. What example does Scripture give of this eternal or everlasting fire? Jude 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Today Sodom and Gomorrah lie in ashes. The destruction of these two wicked cites by eternal fire has been recorded as a warning to mankind that all who turn their backs on God's gift of life in Christ will experience the same fate.

11. What happens to the soul that sins? Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. Here is a clear statement of Scripture, that if a soul sins, it will die.By the word "soul," the Bible means the total person. Then, the wages of sin is death or good-bye to life of the total person.

12. When a person dies, is he or she conscious of anything? Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. In death all our thoughts and feelings end. The Bible is absolutely clear that a dead person is totally unconscious and is incapable of communicating with the living. Any other manifestation is from the devil.

13. What is accomplished when a person's faith in Christ is restored? James 5:19,20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. The death James is talking about is the eternal death that is the wages of sin. Again, the only hope of eternal life for anyone to experience is through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Apart from Him we must all face eternal death.

14. When will the believers experience immortality? 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. It is only at the Second Coming of Christ that believers will experience immortality as a tangible reality. This is the blessed hope of all believers

15. How did Christ describe the death of Lazarus to His disciples? John 11:11-14 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Jesus described the death of Lazarus as a sleep. The Bible describes this as the first death since everyone experiences this death. It is only at the Second Advent of Christ that believers will experience the joy of eternal life.

16. What claim did Jesus make to Martha, the sister of Lazarus? John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: The blessed hope of a Christian is not realized at death but at the resurrection. Eternal life will only be experienced at the Second Coming of Christ

17. What hope does the Bible give to those who have died in Christ? 1 Thessalonians 4:13,14 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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Just as Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, so also will be the experience of all who have died in Christ. That is why as Christians we do not mourn over our dead, as unbelievers do who have no hope of the resurrection.

18. What is implied when a person denies the hope of the resurrection? 1 Corinthians 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

19. How does Paul describe the resurrection of Christ? 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

20. When will the resurrection of believers take place? 1 Corinthians 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. There were some in Corinth who did not believe in the resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:12). But Paul makes it very clear, in 1 Corinthians 15:13-19, that if we deny the resurrection of believers, we have to deny the resurrection of Christ. According to this passage, the hope of believers is not going to heaven at death but going at the resurrection which will take place at the Second Coming of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-54).

21. When did Jesus promise His disciples He would take them to heaven? John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Jesus promised to take His followers to heaven at His Second Coming, not at the time of death. This is the blessed hope (see Titus 2:11-13).

22. On whom does the second death have no power? Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. The Bible speaks of two resurrections, just as it does of two deaths. The first death is referred to as a sleep because it will be followed by a resurrection. The second death is the wages of sin, good-bye to life forever. This death the believers, who will rise first, will not experience (see John 5:28, 29)

23. Who will experience the second death? Revelation 20:14,15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Those who have rejected the gift of salvation in Christ have refused to have their names recorded in the Book of Life. Consequently, they will have to join Satan and his angels in the lake of fire that will completely destroy the wicked (see Matthew 25:41-46). May this never become true of you.

RESPONSE: According to Scripture, only God has immortality. But through the cross, He offers immortality to mankind. Believers will experience this gift at the Second Coming of Christ. Do you believe this?

The WATCHMAN !!!