Soul-Sleep...
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down - when we
die and leave these bodies - we will have a home in heaven, and eternal
body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our
present bodies, and we long for the day when we will put on our heavenly
bodies like new clothing. For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we
will put on new heavenly bodies. Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh,
but it's not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip
into our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by
everlasting life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he
has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are always confident, even though we know
that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord.
That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident,
and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home
with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
And now, brothers and sisters, I want you to know what will happen to
the Christians who have died so you will not be full of sorrow like people
who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to
life again, we also believe that when Jesus comes, God will bring back
with Jesus all the Christians who have died. I can tell you this directly
from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise
to meet him ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself
will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of the
archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians
who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we
who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air and remain with him forever. So comfort and
encourage each other with these words.
Philippians 1:21
To live is Christ, and to die is gain.
i had someone email me regarding my what happens when we die article...she
suggested i read 2nd corinthians 5:1-8 so i did...then i looked in the reference
part of my bible under "death"...it has several topics under death...this one
was titled "what happends to dead believers when Jesus returns"...now this is
slightly different than the original question about what happens when we die...
but i thought i would put it in there...then i remembered one of my most favorite
verses...no i would have to say it is my favorite verse at this point in my
life...philippians 1:21 - to live is Christ and to die is gain...
so after reading all of these i still think there is no way to know what
happens...but i do have to say that why would paul say that death is gain if
he was not going to see Jesus in heaven as soon as he died...i mean it is not
much of a gain if you die and have to wait until Jesus comes back...but if you
are in "Soul-Sleep" then you would not know time...hmmm...
i think i will have to keep reading...see if something else comes up about death...
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