NO IMMEDIATE EXISTENCE
BEYOND DEATH
The intention of this article is to encourage people to study the Bible for themselves and acknowledge God's book as the source of all truth.
The Bible, God’s word, is infallible, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (1 Timothy 3:16). By definition God cannot and would not deceive us. Thus God has given us enough information in his writing that would leave us in no doubt that there is no immediate form of existence beyond death. This goes against the grain to most Christians.
The alleged so-called sciences that we hear about are pseudo-sciences, a figment of people's imagination. Unfortunately the greatest delusion in human thinking is the false idea that we possess an immortal soul that continues to have some kind of existence after death. Some of these false sciences are: out of body and near death experiences, any communication or mediumship with the dead, spiritism, poltergeists etc.
The belief in an immediate after-life has given rise to the idea of spirits, souls and ghosts. The pseudo-sciences are simply the end-result of man’s desire for a comfort zone for the dead. In other words, man’s ways and means of trying to hold on to the perception that our beloved departed ones or their souls have continued to live somewhere and somehow in a different dimension to our own existence.
Let us not be deceived by such grandiose untruths and misconceptions. As the Bible clearly indicates, the dead are dead, "For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beast; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea they all have one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast" (Ecclesiates 3:19-20). "For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, 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 portion for ever in anything which is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:4-6). My emphasis THE DEAD KNOW NOT ANYTHING! We cannot find simpler words than these about the state of the dead which is described in no uncertain words as follows, "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together: they hear not the voice of the oppressor" (Job 3:17-18). Also, "For the grave cannot praise you [God], death cannot celebrate you; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth. The living, the living, he shall praise you as I do this day" (Isaiah 38:18-19). When we are dead, we are absolutely, undeniably, assuredly and irrefutably dead. It must be mentioned here that whosoever distorts, takes out of context, adds to God's word their ideas will be condemned and punished. A sobering thought indeed, "For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18). Although this condemnation refers to Revelation specifically, it certainly would apply to all Scripture.
God teaches us in his book that there is no irnmediate life after death The good and faithful people of the Bible never received their reward for, "These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:40).
Certainiy there will be life after the resurrection when Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). And what will be the reward or punishment ? Simply put, eternal life or everlasting death, as we read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans6:23).
The apostle Paul was ecstatic when trying to describe this future event when the righteous will receive their reward, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
May our departed loved ones rest in peace until the Lord returns as we continue to remember them with deep affection.
The intention of this article is to encourage people to study the Bible for themselves and acknowledge God's book as the source of all truth.
The Bible, God’s word, is infallible, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (1 Timothy 3:16). By definition God cannot and would not deceive us. Thus God has given us enough information in his writing that would leave us in no doubt that there is no immediate form of existence beyond death. This goes against the grain to most Christians.
The alleged so-called sciences that we hear about are pseudo-sciences, a figment of people's imagination. Unfortunately the greatest delusion in human thinking is the false idea that we possess an immortal soul that continues to have some kind of existence after death. Some of these false sciences are: out of body and near death experiences, any communication or mediumship with the dead, spiritism, poltergeists etc.
The belief in an immediate after-life has given rise to the idea of spirits, souls and ghosts. The pseudo-sciences are simply the end-result of man’s desire for a comfort zone for the dead. In other words, man’s ways and means of trying to hold on to the perception that our beloved departed ones or their souls have continued to live somewhere and somehow in a different dimension to our own existence.
Let us not be deceived by such grandiose untruths and misconceptions. As the Bible clearly indicates, the dead are dead, "For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beast; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yea they all have one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast" (Ecclesiates 3:19-20). "For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, 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 portion for ever in anything which is done under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 9:4-6). My emphasis THE DEAD KNOW NOT ANYTHING! We cannot find simpler words than these about the state of the dead which is described in no uncertain words as follows, "There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest. There the prisoners rest together: they hear not the voice of the oppressor" (Job 3:17-18). Also, "For the grave cannot praise you [God], death cannot celebrate you; they that go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth. The living, the living, he shall praise you as I do this day" (Isaiah 38:18-19). When we are dead, we are absolutely, undeniably, assuredly and irrefutably dead. It must be mentioned here that whosoever distorts, takes out of context, adds to God's word their ideas will be condemned and punished. A sobering thought indeed, "For I testify unto every man that hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book" (Revelation 22:18). Although this condemnation refers to Revelation specifically, it certainly would apply to all Scripture.
God teaches us in his book that there is no irnmediate life after death The good and faithful people of the Bible never received their reward for, "These all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect" (Hebrews 11:40).
Certainiy there will be life after the resurrection when Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead, "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2). And what will be the reward or punishment ? Simply put, eternal life or everlasting death, as we read, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans6:23).
The apostle Paul was ecstatic when trying to describe this future event when the righteous will receive their reward, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God had prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
May our departed loved ones rest in peace until the Lord returns as we continue to remember them with deep affection.
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