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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | goodnewsminister | 85485 | ||
Dear Matt, I couldn't agree with you more, and I also wish for you to know that the Scriptures agree with you as well! Yes, the DEAD are truly dead, not alive in some other form, DEATH is our ENEMY, robbing us of conscieness and life, not a FRIEND or a DOOR to the next life...let us review some history here about this view: The History of the Immortal-soul Teaching Several times we have mentioned the words immortal soul, but the phrase is found nowhere in the Bible. Where did the idea of an immortal soul originate? The concept of the soul’s supposed immortality was first taught in ancient Egypt and Babylon. “The belief that the soul continues in existence after the dissolution of the body is . . . speculation . . . nowhere expressly taught in Holy Scripture . . . The belief in the immortality of the soul came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought and chiefly through the philosophy of Plato, its principal exponent, who was led to it through Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries in which Babylonian and Egyptian views were strangely blended” (Jewish Encyclopedia, Funk and Wagnalls, New York, 1941, Vol. VI, “Immortality of the Soul,” pp. 564, 566). Plato, the Greek philosopher who lived 428-348 B.C., as a student of Socrates taught that the body and an “immortal soul” separate at death. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia comments on ancient Israel’s view of the soul: “. . . We are influenced always more or less by the Greek, Platonic idea, that the body dies, yet the soul is immortal. Such an idea is utterly contrary to the Israelite consciousness, and it is nowhere found in the [Old Testament]” (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1956, Vol. II, “Death,” p. 812). Early Christianity was influenced by Greek philosophies even as the gospel of Christ was preached to the Greek and Roman world. By A.D. 200 the doctrine of the immortality of the soul became a controversy in the established church. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology notes how Origen, an early and influential church theologian, was influenced by Greek thinkers: “Speculation about the soul in the subapostolic church was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy. This is seen in Origen’s acceptance of Plato’s doctrine of the preexistence of the soul as pure mind (nous) originally, which, by reason of its fall from God, cooled down to soul (psyche) when it lost its participation in the divine fire by looking earthward” (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1992, p. 1037, “Soul”). Secular history reveals that the concept of the immortality of the soul is an ancient belief embraced by many pagan religions. But it is not a biblical, Hebrew or apostolic teaching. For further information about this, I recommend you visit the following sites: http://www.ucg.org http://www.lcg.org Although these churches both are Sabbath-keeping churches, they have more truth than the vast majority of Churchianity that promotes such pagan ideas as immortal soul and eternal torment for the wicked. |
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2 | No, the dead are still DEAD...not alive! | Bible general Archive 1 | Morant61 | 85530 | ||
Greetings Goodnewsminister! I am afraid my friend that Scripture disagrees with your assessment. For instance, consider the following Scripture passage: Luke 16:19 - "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man?s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham?s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' 25 But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.' 27 He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father?s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' 29 Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" Now, I know from experience that those who deny the reality of Hell and the consciousness of the human soul will usually claim that this is only a parable. However, before you attempt that tactic, please point out to me the Scripture verse which says that this is a parable. Baring that tactic, how do you explain the content of this account? The rich man was conscious. He asked for things. He was in torment. He was not 'asleep'. Now, which are we to believe my friend. Your opinion about what Scripture says on this matter, or what Jesus actually said? Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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