hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i want to start a discussion on this topic because on another hand we are told all will be resurrected at the last day and that before that people are 'sleeping'.............. but we see in other parts of the bible paul says he wants to depart and be with the Lord, absent with the body present with the Lord and also we see elijah and moses show up with Jesus and disciples............
what is my opinion? i think soul sleep is false because of the examples i gave above there is no way all the disciples were just hallucinating elijah and moses i think they were really there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,and the souls under the alter say to Jesus,how long Lord will it be before you avenge us,and Jesus said,when all the saints are resurrected to be with them,which Jesus comes back with all the saints,and defeats the world in the future.
Jesus said concerning the kingdom of God,that they will not say here it is,or there it is,but the kingdom of God is within you,which is by being led of the Holy Spirit,and showing the kingdom of God's ways on earth.
If you belong to the kingdom of God on earth,no need for you to sleep until a later date.
If I have not yet purchased a house,I cannot live there,but if I purchase a house,no need to wait to move in,but I can move in right away.Jesus purchased us while on earth,and washed away our sins while on earth,and we receive the Spirit on earth,not after this earth.The kingdom of God is within you.No need to sleep,but you can go to your new home right away,or your first new home,for there is another new home after that for the saints.
We either leave this earth in a saved state,or an unsaved state,it can be only one of the 2,and not a might be saved state,and if you leave the earth in a saved state,no use of you sleeping for you are saved,for you belong to the kingdom already,and do not have to wait until a future date.
Sleeping is only for the people that are not saved,or did not come to the truth of God according to His word,for some can be saved at the great white throne judgment.
1.Old Testament saints slept for the blood of Christ was not shed yet,so they were not saved yet,but when the blood of Christ washed away their sins,up they went to be with Jesus,for then they were saved.
2.People that did not acknowledge the truth when enough information was given them holding them accountable,or never heard the truth,they will sleep until the millennial reign of Christ is over.
Saved people need not sleep,but they go directly to be with Jesus,for sleep is only for the people who are not saved.
When all the dead are raised at the great white throne judgement,some people can be saved at that time,for they never heard the truth,and they will be judged on creation testifies that there is a God that loves people,for He provided food,and the means to make clothing,and shelter,so they should also love people,which love is the fulfilling of the law,and their conscience,and to ask this higher power to forgive them if anything is amiss,in other words they care to do what is right,although they would not understand the strictness as given according to the Holy Spirit,and that is where the asking for forgiveness if they lacked,but of course we understand the basic good and evil concept.