Subject: Soul sleep? |
Bible Note: Greetings Beau and Okhoppy: The Lord Jesus speaks of hell or "hades" which is the place of departed spirits in Luke 16:19-31. In this account he makes it clear the man who is lost is in conscious torment in contrast to the man which is saved who is comforted. I agree that our bodies sleep in the grave until the resurrection. However, as has been pointed out from 2 Cor. 5:8 "that we are absent from the body and present with the Lord" I believe the word "present" means more than sleep. Paul in writing to the Philippians says "I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful to you" (Phil. 1:23-24) Again "to be with Christ" is something Paul is longing for. In Rev. 6:9-11 we read about the souls who were martyred for the word of God. In verse 11 they cry out to God for justice. It does appear that they are aware of what is going on around them. We do not look for the undertaker, we look for the uppertaker. Robert |