Does
the Bible teach Soul Sleep?
Soul
sleep is the belief that the souls of
the dead are u
nconscious
until the Second Coming Of Christ.
When the Bible speaks of the death of a
saint as being "sleep" it
is speaking of their BODY, not their
soul.
In the Old Testament the saints were not
in an unconscious state while in the "paradise"
section of the underworld. In
Luke 16:22-31 Abraham was fully
alert. Paul said, "For I am in a
strait betwixt two, having a desire to
depart, and to be with Christ; which is
far better." In
II Corinthians 5:8 Paul said, "We
are confident, I say, and willing rather
to be absent from the body, and to be
present with the Lord."
Then in Revelation 6:10 the souls of
some martyrs cry out and ask God, "...How
long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou
not judge and avenge our blood on them
that dwell on the earth?"
The Following Question Comes From
Mr. Ripton,
I have never heard of the heresy of
soul sleep before. But I have always a
bit confused about what Paul wrote in 1
Corinthians 15:52, "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."
I've always believed the souls of the
sleeping saints are with Him in His
glory. Why then does the corruptible
body, the dead body need to be raised?
Those of His elect (living at the time
of His coming) will be gathered from the
four corners and be changed I can
understand. Aren't the dead already
changed? I appreciate your advice
Sincerely, Mr. Ripton
Dear Ripton,
The dead in Christ are in heaven with
Christ as noted in 2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing
rather to be absent from the body, and
to be present with the Lord.
The bodies of those who died in Christ
are left here in a state of sleep. It is
when Christ raptures the Church that
each body will be united with the soul (1
Thessalonians. 4:13,18). Death and
the grave has lost it's victory (1
Corinthians. 15:54b-55). The gospel
of Christ is the provision of the defeat
of death and the grave.
When a Christian dies (before the
rapture), they are immediately in the
presence of Christ. Death has lost it's
sting. When Christ returns, our bodies
will rise incorruptible. The Grave is
DEAD.
Biblically speaking, Soul sleep is
heresy.
Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger
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Is
Soul Sleep Heresy?
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