All my life as a Christian, having been brought up predominately in a Baptist church, I was taught that humans are not just physical but also have a spiritual entity that can continue to live beyond our phyisical death. However, recent study of the Bible teaches me that this is untrue.
I believe that we have been interpreting and using the word spirit as if that word means the same thing of given the same classification.
The bible does tell us, and I am sure most will agree that God is spirit. I also believe God exists as God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Other created spiritual beings are the angels, both holy and fallen angels, including Lucifer, plus the Beasts mentioned in Revalation.
Now, when it comes to humans, Adam being the first created human, the bible states Gen 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. This verse is plain and simple stating the two ingredients of which humans are made/created. What we are told by bible teachers that this verse is saying we received a 'soul' or 'a spiritual entity' that now never dies. Why do they interpret that the breath of life or spirit of God that makes us alive as being an actual spiritual entity? God clearly states to Adam that due to his disobedience to God, that Adam would, Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. While we are alive, Job 27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;. Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. This clearly says that the spirit of God is the breath of life that sustains us as living human beings, not a separate spiritual being!
The bible does teach us that we (believers) will become spiritual beings in the future as Christ did after he died on the cross as a human being. The Son of God became a sinless human being through the union of the seed of Mary and the Holy Spirit. Jesus lived in complete dependence on the Father, Greek term Kenosis. Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:. Jesus emptied himself, however not completely cut off from divine knowledge. Jesus still read peoples thoughts and performed miracles, through the will of the Father. John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
When we read the whole chapter of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul fully explains the resurrection. Yet most Christians use, misquote and take out of context, 2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord., to explain away every other verse and the entire chapter Paul wrote on the resurrection. I would describe 2 Cor 5:8 in this way... Imagine you have a wonderful holiday booked in a month's time, however you are still stuck at your mundane job. You could quite easily think, 'Oh, how I would rather be enjoying that holiday now rather than being here at work!' It will happen, but I still have work to do first. Yes, we would rather be in heaven with Christ, however we still have many 'not yet Christians' to show them who Jesus is, the way, the truth and the life.
! Cor 15:
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1 Cor 15:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
When did Jesus rise from the dead and become a spiritual being after living on earth? On the first day of the week, the third day after he died on the cross.
When did he return to God the Father? John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
When do believers become spiritual beings and go to heaven? 1 Cor 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
What does Job say about what happens when we die? Job14:
10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he?
11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up:
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.
13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!
14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.
Where is the theif on the cross? According to Job, awaiting until his change comes. 1 Cor 15:
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Please explain how any of these bible verses mean anything different? All die and do not awaken until, first the believers, when Jesus returns at the second coming and then non-believers after satan is released after the 1000 year period.
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
Many try to use other verses to contradict the verses mentioned above. We know the Gods word is all truth. Man chooses to interpret to suit what he believes is the truth. I want people to explain each or any of these verses to mean something else that what they appear to say quite plainly.
The bible only mentions, besides Jesus, three humans that were treated differently before death or at death. Enoch, Elijah and Moses. What is the purpose of the Book of Life? Is it to record the names of the faithful? God told Adam and Eve you shall surely die. Satan alluded to Eve that she wouldn't die. I believe all believers go to heaven at the same time. Not before Christ returns. What do you believe the bible teaches? Not what man teaches; what does the Word of God tell us?
