Do you believe the dead are conscious?

ImAllLikeOkWaitWat

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I'm curious what everyone believes about the dead and if they are conscious or if you believe they are sleep until the resurrection?

I read a book called are the dead alive now? Which says the dead are sleep until Jesus returns. So I just accepted that but recently I've had experiences that pretty much confirm to me that people are conscious pretty much instantly after they die. I don't really want to get too deep into those experiences but I'm wondering what you all believe?
 

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I'm curious what everyone believes about the dead and if they are conscious or if you believe they are sleep until the resurrection?

I read a book called are the dead alive now? Which says the dead are sleep until Jesus returns. So I just accepted that but recently I've had experiences that pretty much confirm to me that people are conscious pretty much instantly after they die. I don't really want to get too deep into those experiences but I'm wondering what you all believe?

John 2:24 "Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life."

Eternal life begins for us the moment we die to the lie and find new life in His loving truth, so when a person who is a child of God physically dies they live on in their eternal life unhindered by the flesh. The only difference is that they are conscious in Heaven and not any longer on earth.

Peace.
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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I'm not completely sure. I haven't really studied it too much.

The OT talks about sheol which is the holding place of the dead. I would imagine something similar. I almost think there is something like a good place and a bad place that are holding places until the judgment. In other words, Abraham's bosom would be the good place and Hades would be the bad place but these places are different than the new heavens and new earth and the lake of fire.
 
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timothyu

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I think the most honest answer you will get is "I dunno". Realistically it could go either way although I lean towards the asleep until awakened in resurrection idea. But that would depend on whether we are a projection of this body or are someplace else but working through it. Does the data in a computer stay alive when the computer dies? It can be revived if put in a new machine. But even if in the cloud, is it active or dormant? How are we that much different? Dreams are a matter of processing the activities of the day or further back unresolved issues. But that is part of a functioning body so I doubt it could be used to justify activity for millennia until resurrection. After all, to the dead thousands of years would only be a blink of an eye from death to resurrection. Speaking of dreams, a split second can seem like hours in a dream, so who is to say that a few seconds of consciousness could not be interpreted as a life after death experience? While the body may seem rigid or decomposing, there are still cells that have not died weeks later. Is our consciousness in them? Would they scream in pain upon cremation?
 
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HTacianas

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I'm curious what everyone believes about the dead and if they are conscious or if you believe they are sleep until the resurrection?

I read a book called are the dead alive now? Which says the dead are sleep until Jesus returns. So I just accepted that but recently I've had experiences that pretty much confirm to me that people are conscious pretty much instantly after they die. I don't really want to get too deep into those experiences but I'm wondering what you all believe?

It is the Christian belief that the dead are in fact conscious. The story Jesus told of Lazarus and the rich man, that Jesus "preached to the souls in prison" of 1 Peter 3:19, and Revelation 6 describing the righteous dead as being under the throne of God and speaking.

The idea of the dead being asleep, or "soul sleep" is something recent.
 
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CMDRExorcist

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Could that be a version of the Cloud?

Store your files in the cloud, it's just on someone else's computer...

Store your soul in the cloud, it's just in someone else's afterlife...

I'm not sure I like the sound of that one. :D
 
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Tigger45

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Hebrews 12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow wearyand lose heart.

All of those being referred to are of the faith and what good is a witness that’s sleeping? Makes no sense with that perspective.
 
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timothyu

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All of those being referred to are of the faith and what good is a witness that’s sleeping? Makes no sense with that perspective.
Once this physical life ends, we await judgement. We develop no more or less. What purpose do the waiting serve the living still involved in this game of wills?
 
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Job3315

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I'm curious what everyone believes about the dead and if they are conscious or if you believe they are sleep until the resurrection?

I read a book called are the dead alive now? Which says the dead are sleep until Jesus returns. So I just accepted that but recently I've had experiences that pretty much confirm to me that people are conscious pretty much instantly after they die. I don't really want to get too deep into those experiences but I'm wondering what you all believe?
I used to believe they were asleep until my mom died and I had experiences myself. The Lord allowed me to see her so I could be at peace.
 
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Der Alte

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I'm curious what everyone believes about the dead and if they are conscious or if you believe they are sleep until the resurrection?
I read a book called are the dead alive now? Which says the dead are sleep until Jesus returns. So I just accepted that but recently I've had experiences that pretty much confirm to me that people are conscious pretty much instantly after they die. I don't really want to get too deep into those experiences but I'm wondering what you all believe?
From the POV of the dearly departed, yes. From the POV of those who remain, no. Similar to one's POV when they sleep. They are not aware of any passage of time when they are asleep.
 
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timothyu

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Tigger45

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Once this physical life ends, we await judgement. We develop no more or less. What purpose do the waiting serve the living still involved in this game of wills?
Not sure how that addresses us being surrounded by witnesses in the faith who have gone before us.
 
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Jesse Dornfeld

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@Tigger45, I'd be interested what you think of my alternative seen here.

I'm not completely sure. I haven't really studied it too much.

The OT talks about sheol which is the holding place of the dead. I would imagine something similar. I almost think there is something like a good place and a bad place that are holding places until the judgment. In other words, Abraham's bosom would be the good place and Hades would be the bad place but these places are different than the new heavens and new earth and the lake of fire.
 
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