Immediately after death

[friend of]

The witnesses are not spectators of us , they are not onlookers at all watching us.
They are the faithful witnesses of faith mentioned earlier in Hebrews, et al

The verse literally says that we are surrounded by these witnesses.

if you witness something, you are an onlooker. You are one who is viewing someone or something.

 

[timothyu]

Or.. an idea is surrounded by testimony to back it or deny it

 

[friend of]

Witnesses = Observers = Spectators

The scripture (Heb 12:1) can read like so--

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of observers---"

Greek is unnecessary when the meaning is so obvious.

 

[timothyu]

Time will tell.

 

[sandman]

[Before you read my detailed rebuttal, know that before I posted this, I got down on my knees and prayed for your full recovery.]

I appreciate your prayers ….we may stand miles apart on doctrine, but caring for those in the body of Christ truly demonstrates the quality of person you are … I am the same way …I would lay down my life for any member if it came to that …

It may take me few more days to respond but I hope to soon …right now I can only type short riffs … primarily because I push my self-directed therapy beyond what is suggested ……. not smart

 

[returntosender]

Absent from the body present with the lord.

 

[CoreyD]

I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to expand on my thread. Thank you. But I am finished with the conversation. Please go back and re-read post #78 until something clicks.

God bless

In case you are interested in what the scriptures - both Hebrew and Greek - say on the dead; where they are, and the state of the dead.