Chesser, Obviously me and you disagree on this issue. But I will just say this concerning ECC, hopefully we can be civil about it (that includes me as well).
The context of this portion of scripture is referring to the abilities of the dead in the realm of the living, i.e. those still on earth. Otherwise, none dead will ever have a reward, accoding to what is says below:
This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
4 For to him that is joined with all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. 5 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.
Who has the memory of the dead? The living. This is showing their existence among the living is no more. Eventually they will be forgotten, their deeds, their words, all things, forgotten, they know nothing among the living. This is the context. This is not to teach us about the condition or state of the dead, this message is about the dead fading away in all area's of the living.
IF this was to teach us of their condition, then the dead have no reward, this would exclude heaven from anyone. We cannot say this was ONLY concerning the wicked, because verse 4, this "event that happens to ALL" again ALL would include ALL who die.
6 As well their love, as their hatred and their envy, is perished long ago; neither have they any more a portion for ever in anything that is done under the sun
"done under the sun" indicates our lives here on earth, and the dead will not have anything to do with it. Again not speaking of their state among the other dead, but pertain ONLY to the living and how they fade away from everything done under the sun. This is not where we go to learn about the state of the dead, it context is clear this is about the impact of the dead left among the living.
Excellent positing, feed, and, yes, just because the dead know nothing this,does by no means,explain in any way the state,of their eternity, it just speaks to the dead being, as feed deftly said, being remembered no more in God's coming world for the saved.
Heathr, too, people try to make anargument that our dust goes into The earth when we die and our 'spirit returns to God.'
O k,, this said, many then translate spirit = breath . So , merely, our 'breath' returns to God.
Now, I don't believe this, our spirit is more than just 'breath,, much MORE,, ETERNALLY more
our breath is,wih power for one thing. Afterall, scriptures are God-breathed,, or, 'inspired' through the pens,of Paul, Moses, etc. , talking of all books in the Bible. 'Inspired,' = 'breathed,' so....
But, I want to present concrete evidences from God's inspired Word
, that when we die, WE, who WE are of mind, goes to God, and, YES!, we will be judged too, just like The unsaved but our judging will be with salvation secured, as, I believe, our rewards, like 'our mansions' will be awarded by God each, according to that individual's works. Please, don't accuse me of not understanding Christ's finished work on cross saved us, because I fully understand that sacrifice that saved us all whom believe.
Anyway, two more verses, one is saying, we are to 'worship in spirit and in Truth.
Another, and notice this verse's small 's' for spirit, too.
18”For Christ also suffered once for since the just for the end just that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit”
Peter said this and.....
19 ” by whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison.”
Notice the contrast of 'spirit' and 'Spirit.'
'$pirit' of us, who we are, is more
than meets the eye.
There's a mysterious witness in Peter's above words , breathed to him by Christ
And, where were these 'spirits' preached to?
In prison.
So did Christ speak to 'breaths' in prison? Or, spirits who could listen to.Christ's preaching.
Huh, what green, wow! those spirits sure did do a lot for being just breath, and, if I were to say one more thing, those spirits Jesus preached to seem to have souls....
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I'm ediring what I said but read but christianlion said..... Amen !