Mikecpking
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- Aug 29, 2005
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The soul is immortal, the Bible clearly states that man was made in the image of God, hence he is an eternal being. The end result of every human living an eternity in either Gehenna or the New Jerusalem is a Biblical certainty. Not only that, but taking two small, isolated passages and extorting them to prove your point is in itself bad theology, as Psalm 146:4 and Psalm 115:17 do not prove unconsciousness whatsoever in any way or form. You can waste time beating around the bush with theological writings, but the final authority is ultimately dictated by the Word of God. I would also assume you would consequentially be advocating the "annihilation" of the human soul, whereby they cease to exist at some point. This is so blatantly and horrendously contradictory to the scriptures, and if that is the case then I would simply leave you to your belief if you'd still be willing to hold to it.
Scripture isn't ambiguous when it comes to revealing the consciousness of the after life. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is an absolutely clear reference to a conscious after life. Aside from that, I am going to repost something I had previously posted...
"9 “ Hell from beneath is excited about you,
To meet you at your coming;
It stirs up the dead for you,
All the chief ones of the earth;
It has raised up from their thrones
All the kings of the nations.
10 They all shall speak and say to you:
‘ Have you also become as weak as we?
Have you become like us?
11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,
And the sound of your stringed instruments;
The maggot is spread under you,
And worms cover you.’"
(Isaiah 44)
This passage is in reference to Sennacherib, the deceased king of Babylon. Those in Sheol are conscious of their state and can even perceive those who enter.
" 14 ‘So that no trees by the waters may ever again exalt themselves for their height, nor set their tops among the thick boughs, that no tree which drinks water may ever be high enough to reach up to them.
‘ For they have all been delivered to death,
To the depths of the earth,
Among the children of men who go down to the Pit.’
15 “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘In the day when it went down to hell, I caused mourning. I covered the deep because of it. I restrained its rivers, and the great waters were held back. I caused Lebanon to mourn for it, and all the trees of the field wilted because of it. 16 I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I cast it down to hell together with those who descend into the Pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the depths of the earth. 17 They also went down to hell with it, with those slain by the sword; and those who were its strong arm dwelt in its shadows among the nations.
18 ‘To which of the trees in Eden will you then be likened in glory and greatness? Yet you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the depths of the earth; you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised, with those slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord GOD.”
(Ezekiel 21)
Graves are not made in the depths of the earth but its surface, hence this is Sheol (hell). Men are brought down to the Pit (Sheol) and are found with others around them. A similar passage is found in Ezekiel 32 and speaks specifically of Egypt sharing this same fate.
"So Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his loins and mourned for his son many days.
35Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, "Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son." So his father wept for him."(Genesis 35)
Jacob acknowledges his son is in Sheol and despite his perceived death, Jacob still referred to Joseph as his son (a person continuing to exist). He even expresses a desire to reunite with him..."surely I will go down to Sheol".
The hebrew word "rephaim" is also a term that refers to the actual residents of Sheol, see Isa. 14:9, 26:14,19; Ps. 88:11; Prov. 2:18, 9:18, 21:16; Job. 26:5.
Also, the Hebrew equivalent for grave “kever” is never equated with “Sheol” and these two are consistently portrayed as opposites, hence “kever” being the state of the physical body and “sheol” being the state of the soul. One represents unconsciousness (grave) while the other represents consciousness (after life). Same goes for the greek counterparts, “mneema” meaning grave is consistently contrasted with “Hades” in the septuagint, which is the NT word for Sheol, the conscious state of the after life. There is a very big significance to this distinction, if there truly was no conscious state at death then there would not exist a distinction between kever/mneema (grave) and Sheol/Hades."
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Also, make note that your biblical evidence is limited to two misappropriated verses, with the rest being mere theological opinions, whereas I use 100% scripture to prove my point and provide anything but meager evidence. This fact speaks volumes.
Edit: Two additional items. Christ promised the thief next to him that he would be with Him in paradise. Since we know Jesus is not a liar, this would imply a conscious after life the thief would experience. Paul in Philippians also expresses the desire to depart and be with Christ, automatically implying that upon death he would not only be conscious but would also be in the presence of Christ.
Then I guess we have to agree to disagree.
Theree is no notiuon of asoul outside a body and the Jewish encyclopedia showss this.
There are 3 verses to prove a soul dies.
EZ 18:4
Numbers 23:10
Judges 16:30
The nephesh dies.
Immortality is a gift ffrom God (romans 6:23)
and there is only one immortal being and that is God
1 Timothy 6:16 (New International Version)
16who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.
So much for your speculation, but if you can find 'immortal soul' or 'erternal soul' or the 'soul does not die' in the bible, you will be the first!
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