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What is the soul?

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Ammi2	What is the soul?	Lead	[-]
Posts: 3480 (03/05/09 03:59:35) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None An Amazing Fact: In March 1997, 39 members of the Heaven's Gate cult took their own lives by swallowing a fatal concoction of prescription drugs and alcohol. The members believed they would be raptured up to a spacecraft that was trailing by the bright Hale-Bopp comet. Death is probably one of the most misunderstood subjects in the Bible - enshrouded with mystery and corrupted by medieval myths. The Heaven's Gate cult leader, Marshall Applewhite, was able to seduce his members about life after death by quoting selectively from the Bible. It's the same way that Satan deceived Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. Yet the Bible's real message about "life after death" is surprisingly simple and straightforward, yet widespread belief in confusing distortions continues today. Popular culture, with such TV shows as Medium and Ghost Whisperer, certainly don't help either. But you can begin to uncover the truth with this week's Fact Tract ... Question: How did people get here in the first place? The Bible says: "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). To understand what happens when a person dies, we need to start with how God gave life in the beginning. God made man from the elements of the earth at the beginning of earth's history. Notice it does not say God gave man a soul, but that man "became" a soul after God combined the body with the breath of life. Question: What happens when a person dies? The Bible says: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7). At death the reverse of creation occurs: the body returns to dust, and the spirit goes back to God. Pay careful attention here: The spirit of every person who dies - whether righteous or wicked - returns to God at death. Nor is there anything mysterious about this spirit-nowhere in the Bible does it say this spirit has life, wisdom, or feeling. "The spirit of God ["the breath which God gave him,"] is in my nostrils" (Job 27:3), which means it is the "breath of life," and nothing more. Question: Then what is a "soul," and doesn't it live on after we die? The Bible says: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:20). "Every living soul died in the sea" (Revelation 16:3). A soul is a living being - a combination of two things: body plus breath. A soul cannot exist unless body and breath are combined. God's Word teaches that we are souls, as well as the animals! And according to God's Word, souls do die - they are not immortal. Man is mortal (Job 4:17). Only God is immortal (1 Timothy 1:17). Immortality is a gift God gives to the saved (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54). Question: You mean people are unconscious when they die? The Bible says: "The dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest" (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10). "His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish" (Psalms 146:4). Yes, the dead know absolutely nothing! Nor can the dead communicate with the living! The dead person's thoughts have perished (Psalm 146.4). Though millions think it is possible, the dead cannot communicate with the living. The Bible shows that it is impossible. Question: Don't all good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell as soon as they die? The Bible says: "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth" (John 5:28, 29). "David ... is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. … For David is not ascended into the heavens" (Acts 2:29, 34). The Lord knoweth … to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2 Peter 2:9). No, good people do not go immediately to heaven at death, and there is not one single soul burning in hellfire today. The Bible is very specific about this: All go to their graves to wait for the resurrection and judgment day (Job 21:30, 32). God reserves, or holds back, the wicked until the Day of Judgment to be punished. They will enter hellfire at the end of the world, and not one day sooner (John 12:48). Until then, they sleep in their grave (John 11:11-14). Think about it: Would God punish a person before their judgment - their day in court? Or would He burn a petty thief who died 5,000 years ago 5,000 years longer than a cruel murderer who died today? ~ If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead ~ ~ Truth has to be absolute, eternal, and unchanging or it is not truth ~
thevibesguy	Another SDA copy/paste	#1	[-]
Posts: 191 (05/03/09 19:53:16) Moderator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	This info on "soul sleep" is another post from an SDA (seventh day adventist) website. One of the issues it raises is what happens to our soul upon death. Ask yourself this question: When Jesus spoke of lazarus and the rich man, was it a parable, or a true story? If you say it's a parable, then why is it the ONLY parable where Jesus uses a real name? It's not a parable, it's a true story. If the story of Lazarus and the rich man are true, then of what are they speaking? How can Lazarus be in Abraham's bosom if he is completely and totally dead? Yet does not Jesus give two direct accounts of the fact that we do not enter "soul sleep" as the SDA believe? First, Jesus tells us in Luke 16 that there was a rich man and Lazarus who died. He mentions Lazarus by name, and declares that the angels carried him to Abraham's bosom. Does this sound like what you quoted above? Second, Jesus said in Luke 23, while hanging on the cross to the criminal next to him, that TODAY you will be with me in paradise. I would implore you to do what you will with those Scripture passages above. Read up on the SDA as well and see how abberant their beliefs are. This man that you are quoting from is twisting the scriptures, taking them out of context, and using them to make arguments that run contrary to the orthodox beliefs of Christians since the early church fathers and Scripture itself. I would have no problem with you deleting this whole thread, or else keep it here as a warning against imbibing the doctrines of the SDA. Blessings! Rob Visit my new Blog: www.vibist.com/ Focus is on Christ, apologetics, the Bible, Scripture, and Christian News.
Ammi2		#2	[-]
Posts: 3516 (05/07/09 21:46:31) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	First could you to clear up the verses below so others will be able to make up their own minds? Dan 12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Act 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1Co 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 2Pe 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. ~ If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead ~ ~ Truth has to be absolute, eternal, and unchanging or it is not truth ~
Ammi2		#3	[-]
Posts: 3519 (05/07/09 23:06:50) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. Rev 6:9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: Rev 6:10 and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? Rev 6:11 And there was given them to each one a white robe; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little time, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, who should be killed even as they were, should have fulfilled their course. ~ If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets They will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead ~ ~ Truth has to be absolute, eternal, and unchanging or it is not truth ~
I Ruhamah		#4	[-]
Posts: 1116 (05/08/09 07:08:38) Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Ok, I don't believe in soul sleep. In the greek from Revelation 6 the word 'rest' is of resting from works and such. The souls of the saints are awake and awaiting the joining of the body and spirit at the first resurrection. In 1 Thess 4 the word for sleep is basically the same definition as found in revelation. Death in this case is of the body but the soul is alive and waiting for the first resurrection.

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