Bible Discussion Thread

When people die some come back to tell us about there loved ones are there and how they feel so lovedthey don't want to reture to earth , but yet it has been said that when we die we go sleep till jesus comes back

I've had several close to death experiences. The 1st I recall clearly was about 5 or 6 yrs old. I was being held by gentle being, clothed in white & no pain, back to unbearable pain & suffering. I heard myself speak as an adult outside of the situation. That may have been the closest I've ever been to Heaven itself, the place. 2nd time I was electrically shocked while in water, I saw a black hand cover the sky, enormous, I could only see light through the bend of two fingers & only a portion, it was so huge. 3rd & 4th time I was young adult, it was all black around, I could feel darkness & closeness to judgement. I begged for another chance. 5th time I could hear & see the EMTs I had a different view. I was at peace not struggling, no pain. Then as they put the heart zapper thing on 3rd time I think it was. I felt difficult pain again, coldness, struggle. Luke 23:43, Luke 16:15-31, Luke 20:35-38, Psalms 91:11, Matthew 4:11, Matthew 13:39,41,49, Luke 4:10, 2Thessalonians 1:6-12, 1Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1, Psalms 97:2, * Hebrews 2:14,15, Genesis 5:24, 2Kings 2, Matthew 17:1-5, if GOD has allowed Ezekiel, John & others in the Scriptures to see Heaven then I cannot argue they did or not. * Acts 7:55, Jeremiah 52, Revelation 7, Isaiah 6:1, Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 10,

Matthew 24:3-51, Matthew 25:31-46, we will all give account so may our Words be faithful.

Present-day defenders of soul sleep include the Seventh Day Adventist church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christadelphians, and others.

In regards to the portion of your question regarding death=sleep. We must be careful in understanding what is really meant and not fall into the belief of "Soul sleep." Soul sleep is a belief that after a person dies, his/her soul "sleeps" until the resurrection and final judgment. The concept of "soul sleep" is not biblical. When the Bible describes a person "sleeping" in relation to death ( Luke 8:52; 1 Corinthians 15:6), it does not mean literal sleep. Sleeping is just a way to describe death because a dead body appears to be asleep. The moment we die, we face the judgment of God ( Hebrews 9:27). For believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). For unbelievers, death means everlasting punishment in hell ( Luke 16:22-23).

Until the final resurrection, though, there is a temporary heaven-paradise ( Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4) and a temporary hell-Hades ( Revelation 1:18; 20:13-14). As can be clearly seen in Luke 16:19-31, neither in paradise nor in Hades are people sleeping. It could be said, though, that a person's body is "sleeping" while his soul is in paradise or Hades. At the resurrection, this body is "awakened" and transformed into the everlasting body a person will possess for eternity, whether in heaven or hell. Those who were in paradise will be sent to the new heavens and new earth ( Revelation 21:1). Those who were in Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire ( Revelation 20:11-15). These are the final, eternal destinations of all people-based entirely on whether or not a person trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Main part of this answer from gotquestions.org

Hello Kuhnemd,

It seems like you labeled people who believe the Bible as being in one of these groups, which could be perceived as an disrespectful attack. You wrote "The concept of "soul sleep" is not biblical. ", but sleep while awaiting Jesus's return and judgment is Biblical if that's what the Bible says. And this is what the Bible says:

Daniel 12:2, Job 14:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The scripture you quoted about sleep and awaiting judgment supports it, and the scripture you used to support your belief of going immediately to heaven doesn't actually support it. You then misquoted Paul 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 when he said he would "rather" be in heaven than on Earth. Philippians 1:23 says he has a "desire" to depart, not that 100% of all people go immediately to be with the Lord. Thought I would explain that for the benefit of others who may be viewing this so they are not mislead. This is not a salvation issue, but it's hard to see scripture being distorted and not mention it. Normal Bible readers who aren't in any of the groups you mention can believe what God's Word says about sleep. If it says it, and it does, then I believe it. I do not believe man's different ideas about the subject, only God's. God bless.

Hi Patty. "Sleep" is sometimes used as a euphemism for 'death'. You can look at the account of Lazarus in John 11:1-14, particularly verses 11-14, where Jesus clearly said that Lazarus had died, though He referred to it as sleep. And so it is, that death is like a sleep: not only are we not aware of anything around us, but there will be a time of awakening out of sleep. Also, see 1 Corinthians 11:29,30.

Then in 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, the Apostle Paul tells us that there will be a time coming that "we shall not all sleep", meaning that not all living on Earth at Christ's coming will have to die first. First, the dead (called 'asleep' in 1 Thessalonians 4:13) will awake out of sleep, & then those alive at that time, together with the dead, will be changed into new bodies. But these bodies that are asleep are just that: bodies in the ground, where their spirits have already returned to the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:14, tells us that "those who sleep in Jesus, God will bring with Him". So, at Christ's coming for His Church, the dead (those 'asleep') arise first & then those who have not died will then together go upwards to meet the Lord & forever be with Him. Some have questioned that most of the dead at Christ's coming will have little or no evidence in the ground, or even scattered or burnt, and so how are they asleep or will be resurrected? The Lord only knows what He will do - it may be that a part of the meaning of this 'resurrection' is the removal of anything of the Christian from the Earth. So if there's nothing left here, nothing is retrieved, since our spirits are already with the Lord.

I can't speak of those who've had 'near death experiences' & such encounters, but again we know that our spirits cannot be destroyed & we return to the Lord Who gave it. Though to be with the Lord, we must first know the Lord. And only those who have been washed, sanctified, justified by the Lord Jesus, will live again with Him forever ( 1 Corinthians 6:11).