I have heard arguments for both sides. The bible talks a lot of people 'sleeping' or 'resting' when they physically die, which would indicate a period of unconsciousness. But, the bible also says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, which indicates an immediate, conscious existence away from the body.
Any thoughts?
The dead are reposing. As far as their consciousness is concerned, from the moment they die, the very next thing they will know is that they are alive with Christ regardless of how long they've been dead. There is no consciousness in death.
"The living know that they shall die, But the dead know nothing whatsoever." (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
The rich man and Lazarus is part of a five part parable in which Christ uses the false teachings of the Pharisees against them.
Immortality of the soul is the philosophy of Plato, adopted as church doctrine, that originally came from the serpent's lie in the garden of Eden.
"And saying is the serpent to the woman, 'Not to die shall you be dying'" (Genesis 3:4)
The soul is the conscious sensation resulting from the combination of the body and spirit.
"And forming is Yahweh Elohim the human of soil from the ground, and He is blowing into his nostrils the breath of the living, and becoming is the human a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)
Death is a return.
"I know that You are turning me back to death, To that house appointed for all the living." (Job 30:23)
The body returns to the soil.
"In the sweat of your face shall you eat your bread, till you return to the ground, for from it are you taken, for soil you are, and to soil are you returning." (Genesis 3:19)
The spirit returns to God. Spirit is the imperceptible power of action, life, and intelligence.
"And the soil returns to the earth just as it was, And the spirit, it returns to the One, Elohim, Who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
And the soul returns to the "unseen." The Greek "hades," literally means "unseen," which refers to the "unseen" state of a dead soul.
"The wicked shall return to the unseen, All the nations, forgetful of Elohim." (Psalms 9:17)
"For Thou wilt not be forsaking my soul in the unseen, Nor wilt Thou be giving Thy Benign One to be acquainted with decay." (Acts 2:27)
"perceiving this before, he speaks concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither forsaken in the unseen, nor was His flesh acquainted with decay" (Acts 2:31)
Scripture says the soul dies.
"The soul that is sinning--it does die." (Ezekiel 18:4)
"The soul that does sin--it does die." (Ezekiel 18:20)
Christ alone has immortality.
"He is King of kings and Lord of lords, Who alone has immortality, making His home in light inaccessible, Whom not one of mankind perceived nor can be perceiving, to Whom be honor and might eonian! Amen!" (1 Timothy 6:15,16)
Believers will be immortalized when Christ returns, and unbelievers condemned to the second death will be immortalized when death is abolished at the consummation of the eons.
"The last enemy is being abolished: death." (1 Corinthians 15:26)
"Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:51-54)
biblical studies: What Is The Soul?
biblical studies: What Is Death?
biblical studies: The Soul and the Unseen
biblical studies: The Rich Man and Lazarus, Part One
