Sleep of the Dead part 2

The Hope the Christian Holds

A study of significant passages of the Word will enable us to see the Care of our great Hope as Christians.

• The Place of the Dead
  • A variety of views
    • Materialists – at death when physical disintegration takes place – nothing left
    • Tradition – subterranean place where soul awaits resurrection (several pagan religions and Catholic faith)
    • Modern – ascent of soul to Heave – Gnostics
    • Unconscious view
• The State of the Dead
  • The words
    • Sheol in the Old Testament.
      • Grave – Genesis 37:35
      • Contrasted with life – Proverbs 15:24
  • Hades
    • Without form
    • The realm of the dead
    • Six distinct occurrences of the word
      • Matthew 11:23
      • Matthew 16:18
      • Luke 16:19-31
      • Revelations 1:18
      • Revelations 6:8
      • Revelations 21:13
  • The State of the Dead – unconsciousness
    • Both Old Testament and New Testament use “sleep” as an expression of death
    • Does it mean only of the body? It speaks of the total person.
    • If only the body is asleep we should be able to substitute the word “body” for the person.
      • Daniel 12:2
      • John 11:11
• The Hope of the Dead
  • The hope of resurrection
    • I Thessalonians 4:13-18
  • The need of resurrection
    • I Corinthians 15:16-18

Justin Martyr to Trypho

“If you encounter any Christians who dare to blaspheme God by asserting that there is no resurrection of the dead, but that their souls are taken up to Heaven at the very moment of their death, do not consider them to be real Christians.”