I think a better question would be what does the Bible teach. According to the creation account, man received the gift of life from God:
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. Genesis 2:7
God thus formed man of the dust of the ground, and then He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. This union then became a living soul.
The Hebrew word for "breath" in Genesis 2:7 is "neshamah" or the life-giving principle. The breath is equivalent to life itself (Isaiah 2:22). Another Hebrew word which is translated 28 times as "breath" in the KJV is "rûach" which can also mean "wind", "disposition" or "Spirit". It is translated 237 times as "Spirit" in the KJV. In Genesis 2:7, it is the breath of life from God that makes the inanimate material come to life, and transforms it into a living soul. The Hebrew for soul is "nephesh", and both the terms "rûach" and "nephesh" have frequently been misapplied to suit doctrinal positions not inherent in the Scriptures. Both the concepts of soul and spirit are used to describe spirit entities, which can exist independently of the body. Indeed, most religions in the world today teach that death is the transition of one state of consciousness to another state of consciousness. They propose that physical man is subject to death, but that the "soul" continues to live, and is indeed immortal. According to this doctrine, the soul is a separate entity, and resides in the body of the living. To make matters even more confusing, most Christian denominations believe that this dichotomy is to be found only in humans, and that animals do not have souls.
The text of Genesis 2:7 clearly states that God breathed into the formed man the "breath of life" and man became a living soul. He did not receive a living soul; he became one. The New King James Bible states that "man became a living being". Of the 1700 references to soul and spirit in the Bible, never once is either the soul or the Spirit declared to be immortal, imperishable or eternal. Indeed only God has immortality (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:16). The doctrine of the immortality of the soul is a doctrine of false hope which negates the message of death. Moreover, if man continues to live, albeit in an altered state, then there is no need for a Saviour, or indeed the atoning death of Christ. Christ died to restore life to those who had forfeited it through sin.Job correlates the usage of breath and the spirit, saying:
All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils. Job 27:3
Moses reported that the breath of life was in Adam’s nostrils, whereas Job refers to both terms and says that the spirit of the Lord is “in my nostrils.” Hence, the Hebrew terms of "neshamah" and "rûach" are used here in a similar context - namely life itself! According to the Scriptures, all living creatures received life in the same way from God, and are subject to the same fate.
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field . . . wherein is the breath of life. Genesis 2:19; 7:15
Both man and beast ...have all one breath, so that a man hath no preeminence above the beast. Ecclesiastes 3:19
Since man and beast have one breath, they also die the same way.
For that which befalleth the sons of men, befalleth beasts; ... as the one dieth, so dieth the other. Ecclesiastes 3:19.
Both man and animals were created from dust. So, when they die they then return again to dust; just the reverse of creation.
...for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return. Genesis 3:19
The second thing which happens when a man dies, is that the spirit, or breath of life, returns to God;
...and the spirit shall return unto God, who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7
Man was never meant to die, but death came into the world as a consequence of sin.
For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23
As death is non-life, it merely means that God takes the life ("rûach" spirit, breath) that He granted on condition of obedience back and man ceases to live. It is the life that was given that returns to God, and not a transformed version of man in the form a spirit being. When God said that man would "surely die" (Genesis 2:17) if he transgressed God's requirements, He meant that man would cease to live, and would return to dust.
Far from being a conscious state, death is thus the ultimate state of non-being or unconsciousness, and is described as such in the Scriptures.
His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Psalms 146:4
For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything. Ecclesiastes 9:5
The dead are oblivious to what is happening on earth they know nothing. The next verse states:
Also their love, and their hatred and their envy is now perished. Ecclesiastes 9:6
For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give you thanks? Psalm 6:5 NKJV
So their feelings perish also.
The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. Psalms 115: 17
This state of unconsciousness is equated with sleep. Job says,
So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more; they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. Job 14:12 (Emphasis supplied).
Man lies in the sleep of death until the resurrection at the end of time. Then, and only then, will he awake and be raised out of sleep. David called it the “sleep of death” (Psalms 13:3).
The resurrection of Lazarus is a good example of what will happen when we are ressurected when Christ returns, for those who die before the Second Coming. While speaking to His disciples about Lazarus, Jesus said:
Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, if he sleep he shall do well. Howbeit, Jesus spoke of his death; but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:1114
The disciples were confused and thought Christ meant natural sleep, but He meant the sleep of death.
Verse 17 of the chapter says:
On His arrival Jesus found that Lazarus had already been four days in the tomb.
While conversing with Martha, He tried to comfort her by saying,
'Thy brother shall rise again.' Martha saith unto him, 'I know that He shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.' John 11:23,24
Martha knew that life would be restored to Lazarus only in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus demonstrated through the resurrection of Lazarus that He was the One who could resurrect the dead according to His claim:
I am the resurrection and the life. John 11:25
The Scriptures in both Old and New Testaments are very clear on this issue. Life to the dead will be restored in the resurrection on the last day. (1 Corinthians 15:51-55, Job 19:25-26; Job 14:10-15; Psalm 17:15; Daniel 12:13) There will be separate resurrections for the righteous and for the wicked. John 5:28-29 states:
Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.1 Thessalonians 4:16
But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Revelation 20:5
That same voice that raised Lazarus from the grave will be heard on that last day of this world's history, calling forth those who have slept in the graves of the earth. Christ will recreate the righteous dead, or "dead in Christ", and breathe into them the breath of eternal life, and they shall enter Heaven. Revelation 20:6:
Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.
