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LIFE AFTER DEATH: "A DIFFERENT VIEW."
Nearly all Christians believe in life after death. The most common view is that while people's bodies go to the grave at death, they have immortal souls that remains conscious and either to heaven or hell.
We, Seventh day Adventist view death somewhat differently. We understand the Bible to teach that the body and soul are essentially one of the same thing, and that death is a state of total unconsciousness. Jesus in fact called death a sleep....
John 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."
Let us first get something straight, shall we? What is the best advice anyone can give you? How about this: "Never, ever take the words of man or men, for the word of God, learn this for yourself"?
Why is this?
WHO, can save Y O U, for eternal life, man or God? Man can't even save himself, let alone Y O U! o lets begin at the bottom shall we?
Genesis 2:7 "And 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."
Put all that into steps and find: 1. Humans are made from and with earthly elements.
2. Made by God, into flesh and blood.
3. God then "Breathed" into us HIS breath of Life and,
4.. Humans BECAME living souls.
5. therefore our souls are NOT an added on extra, right?
WHAT IS DEATH? NO IT IS NOT THE OPPOSITE OF LIFE, BUT ONLY THE ABSENCE OF LIFE! From the above list, it's easy to understand that death, is the absence of God's Breath of Life, right?
Many say: "But what about absent from the body , and present with the lord?
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."
I want to be with Jesus right now as well, but that's not our call, is it? Paul is saying He's rather be dead and be with Christ, at His return! On verse can NOT counter another, or one must reconsider their understanding, for the Bible is self-interpreting, it proves itself within itself! WE should not, indeed MUST not use one verse to build our faith upon!
You see dear reader, The Word of God, often interchanges the words, Breath of Life, with soul, or with spirit., although each differs, generally each can be used in place of the other.
Remember the story of Lazarus? Read, again John 11:11 above, but look..
John 11:12 " Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well."
John 11:14 "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead."
This should bring a few questions to mind agree? Especially if you've bothered to read John 11th chapter.
1. Why did Jesus wait the four days?
A; With the old customs of the time, people believed that the "Soul/Spirit," stayed with the body for three days after death, then off to the "reward".
2: Why did Jesus shout, " Lazarus , come forth"? Why not come down if in heaven, or come up, if in hell?
A: His body was still, as are all, still in the graves. If we go to heaven or hell at death, why was Lazarus still bound up in his funeral attire, have they no scissors in heaven? Would he be a "Happy Camper" after being in heaven for four days, and now finds himself back on this sin-filled earth?
3. The most important question for this story is the WHY?
A: That's easy, it was for our learning to set an example before us of what God is able to do! He and HE has the LIFE within Him, only The Father and son, can do this, as each can create life, as they have life within them, Eternal Life.
Genesis 3:4-5 "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
This is Satan's first recorded lie, and most of mankind has accepted this as truth, to this day! YET...
Genesis 3:19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 "For the living know that they shall die: but 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."
All humans, would be best served, if they studied the Bible, not read, but study it. why?......
1 Timothy 6:15-16 "Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen."
We ALL are able to receive eternal life ONLY through Jesus Christ ...
1 John 5:12 "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
Which is another way of saying, "All those who reject Christ, reject life and accept death, as both shall be eternal!
The Holy Bible tells us that we shall receive eternal life at His Second coming...
1 Corinthians 15:50-54 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit in-corruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. For this corruptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on in-corruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory."
It for the above passage we have the stories if Enoch, and Elijah , Genesis 5:24 and 2 Kings 2:11, and then Moses in Jude 9. plus the 24 resurrected with Jesus, and Lazarus(?), are humans, already in heaven. Not a hint for Mary being there also, man's traditions......
Revelation 22:12 "And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."
Therefore, IF, [and it does indeed]f eternal life comes ONLY through Jesus, by our knowing and accepting and having faith/trust in Him, there can be no such a thing as an ever-burning hell, for those who refuse to know Him. The Bible simply does not teach that. It does teach that both this world and sinners will be destroyed by fire at the end of the Millennium ....
2 Peter 3:10 "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."
That's earth being cleansed from all pollution, and all traces of past human works. Ready for a new Eden.
Revelation 20:14-15 "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."
God, will after this, re-create this earth's surface, and humans will see God's creative powers at work, as earth will become all Eden again, and home for those redeemed.
Revelation 21:22 "And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."
What the Holy Bible teaches Adventists believe. Sadly most "Christians" know not God's Word, only as other teach them! But Christ only will Judge all, including the false teachers!
Thanking Y O U for your time. Questions? Comments? John at www.servant@frontier.com
Need more info? Visit your Seventh day Adventist Church, any Saturday/Sabbath @ 9:15 AM. You just might be glad that you did.
Other sites: www.blbn.org www.itiswritten.com www.servantsite@wordpress.com
Do you remeber the story of Lazzarrus? se se
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