Every bit humans we know that physical decease is inevitable. Nosotros all eventually die. And, as believers, nosotros have a hope that death is not the finish. At some time in the future we look frontward to a resurrection of believers where nosotros volition be reunited with our bodies and live forever in the new heavens and earth.

But what about that catamenia between the expiry of our bodies and our resurrection? Where are nosotros during that time and what, if anything, are we doing?

Soul Sleep

There is ane school of idea on this topic that holds to something oftentimes called "soul sleep." This is essentially like suspended animation. Our bodies lie rotting in the footing while our souls slumber, unaware of the passing of fourth dimension. This "sleep" comes to an cease at the trumpet telephone call of the archangel when our souls are reunited with newly resurrected bodies.

At that place are a few Scriptural passages that hint at this land. In John eleven:eleven, after Lazarus expiry, Jesus tells his disciples that Lazarus is merely asleep. In one Thessalonians four:xiii Paul gives comfort and education to the church concerning those who had fallen asleep. And, in 1 Corinthians 15:51, in his discussion of the resurrection, Paul says that we will not all sleep. In all three of these passages the reference to sleep is referring to physical death.

The main trouble with this view, at least in my mind, are the passages that refer to our being with Jesus when we die. That would seem to imply a witting state in fellowship with Jesus.

In a Conscious State

One of these passages that implies a witting country comes from Luke 23:43. In this passage Jesus assured the repentant thief on the cantankerous that they would be together in Paradise that solar day. Paradise translates the Greek word used for the Garden of Eden in the Greek Old Testament. And it seems to be what is referred to every bit the bosom of Abraham in Luke 16:22, the dwelling of the righteous dead awaiting the judgement day. Information technology is a place of conscious awareness and feel.

In two Corinthians 5:1-ix, Paul contrasts his earthly life with what is to come. In verse half-dozen Paul says, "that as long as we are at home in the torso we are away from the Lord." And in verse 8 he goes on to say that he "would prefer to be away from the torso and at home with the Lord." The contrast here is between being at home in the body and at dwelling house with the Lord; we are either living in our bodies or living with the Lord. This very much seems to be a conscious state. Poesy ix emphasizes that point when he says that "we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at habitation in the body or away from it." How can nosotros have a goal of pleasing the Lord if nosotros are unconscious?

A 3rd passage that speaks to this issue comes from Paul's alphabetic character to the Philippian church. In Philippians ane:21-24 he shares his feelings near standing to live physically verses dying. He believes that dying will be better for him, because then he is with the Lord. For Paul, the choice is not between concrete life and soul slumber. Instead, the pick is between a physical life of service for the Lord and leaving this life backside and living with Christ.

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Revelation contains a series of visions given to John. These visions were given to John by Jesus "to show his servants what must soon take place" (Rev. 1:1). During one of these visions, Revelation 6:9-11, John saw "under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the discussion of God and the testimony they had maintained." They were crying out for sentence against their killers but were told to wait for a while. This is a picture of saints who have died and are awaiting the last judgement, which comes at the resurrection. Two things to note about them. Starting time, they are conscious and enlightened of what is happening on earth. And secondly, they are under the heavenly altar, in the presence of God.

Ane concluding passage to consider hither comes from Romans 8:38-39. In this passage Paul expresses his conventionalities that nada will be able to split him from the love of God, including death. While this passage does non explicitly limited that we volition be in conscious state between death and resurrection, it does assert that we will experience God'due south love, even while in the grave.

But Not the Final Land

The Scripture is clear that when our bodies die, we are immediately in the presence of the Lord, living with him. Yet it is equally clear that there is more yet to come up. While nosotros are conscious and with the Lord, we are unclothed, disembodied. While some volition hold to us existence spiritual-only beings for eternity, the Scripture teaches that we will feel a actual resurrection. At some point nosotros volition exist reunited with bodies and will continue in that state forever.

In 1 Thessalonians iv:13-18 Paul sought to comfort and instruct the church there apropos some of their members who had died, or fallen comatose, before Christ's return. In this passage Paul assures them that those who have died will be with Jesus at his return. When the trumpet sounds, they will arise from their graves, followed by the transformation of those nevertheless living. And after that, we volition be with the Lord forever.

This resurrection is actual. They are rising from their graves, not as ghosts, simply in physical form. Nosotros tin can enquire many questions about how this actual resurrection occurs and what we might look similar. Only the Scripture does not answer all our questions. What it does do is concord out hope that someday we volition be reunited with our bodies.

The fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is an extensive discussion about the resurrection. Paul starts past affirming the physical resurrection of Jesus. One time he has established that Christ has indeed been resurrected bodily, he goes on to talk over the resurrection of believers. In verse 35 he asks the question "How are the expressionless raised? With what kind of trunk will they come up?" In the verses that follow he answers by saying that our bodies will be different than they are now. What dies is a perishable, dishonorable, weak, and natural body. What is raised is an imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual body.


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The Coming Resurrection

This conscious, but disembodied, state will not last. At that place is coming a fourth dimension when Christ volition return and the expressionless will be raised, some to eternal life (John 6:40), and some to everlasting devastation (2 Thess. i:half-dozen-10). In John fourteen:three Jesus promised his disciples he was going to prepare a place for them, and that he would return for them. This hope was not simply for the eleven in the upper room with him, simply for all his disciples throughout history. All who have believed in him, making him Lord of their lives.

There are several passages in the New Testament that depict this event for the believer, including Matthew 24:30-31 and 1 Thessalonians 4:xvi-17. But the most descriptive is found in 1 Corinthians xv:52-54.

"Listen, I tell y'all a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an centre, at the final trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and nosotros will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, and so the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed upwards in victory.'"

Not every believer will sleep, or experience physical death. Just we will all experience the transformation that comes at the Lord'southward return. Whether in the body, or without a body, we volition be changed and clothed with an imperishable immortality.

Our Slap-up Hope

As believer's we have a great hope. Simply that hope is not found in this life (1 Cor. fifteen:xix). We look forward to Christ's render for united states of america and our condign, in some way, like him (i John 3:two-3). But most of usa will experience physical death before Christ'south return. And simply what will happen to us betwixt then and Christ's render is not well known. Merely the Scripture does assert that we will exist in a witting land and that we will be with the Lord.

And, while nosotros live in the body, we can take comfort in knowing that expiry has been conquered and is nothing we should fearfulness. When nosotros are away from the body, we are with the Lord (two Cor. v:8; Phil. ane:23).

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Ed Jarrett headshot Ed Jarrett  is a long-time follower of Jesus and a member of Sylvan Way Baptist Church. He has been a Bible instructor for over 40 years and regularly blogs at A Dirt Jar . You lot can likewise follow him on Twitter  or Facebook . Ed is married, the father of two, and granddad of three. He is retired and currently enjoys his gardens and backpacking.