How were you using the phrase "the Church Triumphant"? Were you saying that those from your church whom are deceased have gone to be with Jesus in Heaven? If so, how does that square with 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 (NASB):
"15For this we say to you (A)by the word of the Lord, that (B)we who are alive and remain until (C)the coming of the Lord, will not precede (D)those who have fallen asleep.
16For the Lord (E)Himself (F)will descend from heaven with a (G)shout, with the voice of (H)the archangel and with the (I)trumpet of God, and (J)the dead in Christ will rise first."
It sounds to me, and I could be wrong here, wouldn't be the first time, that when we die, we sleep and remain asleep until the second coming of Jesus and it is at that time that we are raised to life in Him and go to be with Him forever in Heaven.
Scripture teaches us that those who pass on in the faith are at rest with their Lord. The passage in Revelation 7 is but one example. (Time prohibits my expounding on this ad nauseum.)
The events of 1 Thess 4 occur on the Last Day. This is the Resurrection of the dead, which we declare in the Creed. Those who are at rest with the Lord spiritually are resurrected with a glorious body and spend eternity with our Lord on the New Earth.
Scripture absolutely does not teach "soul sleep" that the Adventists teach.
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