What is the state of the dead in the afterlife?

[walter]

In my view, the afterlife is not the same as "eternal life".
When does life begin, and when does it end?

If one has eternal life (in the here and now) will they ever die?

But to address your question:
The eternal life that Jesus offers begins in the here and now and carries over into the afterlife.
That's why Jesus offers it. There are eternal blessing on this earth before we pass away physically.

[

thank you for explaining your view, i hope for the day when we all will be more united in our thinking.

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

 

[St. SteVen]

thank you for explaining your view, i hope for the day when we all will be more united in our thinking.

I long for the day when we accept each other as we are without concern about doctrinal unity.

Embracing Doctrinal Diversity - Unity in diversity​

The tyranny of doctrinal unity - "Join or die."​

Would you surrender your own beliefs in the cause of doctrinal unity?​

[

 

[Aunty Jane]

I long for the day when we accept each other as we are without concern about doctrinal unity.

I don’t think it’s ever been about believing whatever you want….it always been about doing as you are told.
Right from the beginning, it has always been about obedience. This is all God has ever asked of us.

There is truth and untruth, and the Bible clearly states that God hates lies and liars….so if you hold beliefs that are in opposition to what God says is truth (not man’s preferred version) then you will be among the “many“ who claim Jesus as their “Lord” but who do not obey him by their beliefs which govern their actions and attitude. (Matt 7:21-23) It will be an unexpected and stinging rejection for the majority who have turned God into an a image of themselves.

Embracing Doctrinal Diversity - Unity in diversity​

There is no such thing in Scripture as “believe whatever suits your version of God”.
Its his way or the highway…like it or not…he makes the rules, not us. Our destiny is in his hands, not our own.

The tyranny of doctrinal unity - "Join or die."​

That does not exist in Scripture either. You can’t “join“ Christianity…..you have to choose of your own free will to obey Christ as a servant of God. It’s a decision that requires ongoing commitment to follow Jesus in all the ways he advocated. It’s not something you “join”…it’s who you “are” and choose to be.
Labels mean little to God.

​

Would you surrender your own beliefs in the cause of doctrinal unity?​

The answer to that is….NO WAY! Our beliefs define who we are….to surrender to the beliefs of others just for peace would be a betrayal. The truth is a divider as Jesus said….

Matt 10:34-39…
”Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth; I came to bring, not peace, but a sword. 35  For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36  Indeed, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and whoever has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me. 38  And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me. 39  Whoever finds his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it.”

God doesn’t want those who will bend for the sake of peace with others…..even members of our own households…..but those who will stand up and fight for the truth, (passively) no matter how unpopular it may be to anyone else. It’s about proving ourselves “worthy” of Christ’s sacrifice…how? By our obedience, no matter how much opposition results from it.

This is the stuff of martyrdom….it’s worth dying for…..if you don’t think so, then you don’t have the truth….
….Jesus died in vain.

 

[quietthinker]

What is the state of the dead in the afterlife?​

hmmm, after having had a good look, even a smell, even a substantial prod, there was no life after life, even when a wad of cotton went up the proverbial. In fact a rigid cold chicken held more promise, at least I could put that one into my domestic oven....
....but I guess the word 'dead' can be understood in a few ways. It appears one 'dead' can be resurrected....even a smelly one. It seems Jesus called that 'dead' sleep.....and that all who have ever lived will be awakened from this 'sleep' at one point or the other.
.....then there is the another 'dead', one from which there is no resurrection. The scripture calls this 'the second death'. It even tells me, this will disappear off the universal scene. Revelation 20:14

One could of course dismiss all of this and invent whatever the imagination can cobble. Cultures from immemorial have their cobbling.....all having their anecdotes.

 

[Jack]

Dead ahead for BILLIONS of humans who don't believe in Hell:

Matthew 13:49-50
49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
50 and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Jesus said so!

 

[St. SteVen]

One could of course dismiss all of this and invent whatever the imagination can cobble. Cultures from immemorial have their cobbling.....all having their anecdotes.

Dismiss?
Aren't you being dismissive as well?

It appears to me that there is more than one opinion on all this.
And those of differing opinions have provided their scriptural support.
But to you, that's just invention, "whatever the imagination can cobble."

[

 

[quietthinker]

Dismiss?
Aren't you being dismissive as well?

It appears to me that there is more than one opinion on all this.
And those of differing opinions have provided their scriptural support.
But to you, that's just invention, "whatever the imagination can cobble."

[

As you know SteVen, 'scriptural support' is relative to one's paradigm. Have a paradigm which is out of line with its intent and 'scriptural support' will have you crucifying the Lord of Glory.

 

[St. SteVen]

As you know SteVen, 'scriptural support' is relative to one's paradigm.

Agree.

Have a paradigm which is out of line with its intent and 'scriptural support' will have you crucifying the Lord of Glory.

That sounds serious.
So, who decides what the correct paradigm is?
Would you surrender your beliefs to the one who chooses?

[

 

[quietthinker]

Agree.


That sounds serious.
So, who decides what the correct paradigm is?
Would you surrender your beliefs to the one who chooses?

[

The Spirit's enlightenment will without fail point you to Jesus (who is the real Word of God)
When it come down to pronouncements of scripture and what Jesus adjusts/ clarifies or even contradicts I take Jesus' position over Moses' position.

 

[St. SteVen]

The Spirit's enlightenment will without fail point you to Jesus (who is the real Word of God)
When it come down to pronouncements of scripture and what Jesus adjusts/ clarifies or even contradicts I take Jesus' position over Moses' position.

Does Jesus contradict Moses in some instances?
Like concerning the law, for instance?

[

 

[Jack]

Does Jesus contradict Moses in some instances?
Like concerning the law, for instance?

Always attacking the Bible!

 

[quietthinker]

Does Jesus contradict Moses in some instances?
Like concerning the law, for instance?

[

yes he does

 

[Jack]

Satan loves it when his messengers attack the Bible!

 

[amigo de christo]

1 John 3:15 NIV
Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer,
and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.

[

Ye shall not hate your neighbor in your heart
You shall NOT HATE your neighbor in your heart you shall in any way CORRECT him and NOT ALLOW sin upon Him .
May that SINK IN REAL deep .
For many now cling to universalism and allow false religoins and sadly teach even christendom
a lie . A lie that all religoins are coming to GOD differently . BELEIF on JESUS to be saved HAS BEEN DENIED .
And embracing and allowing sins to be praticed , BAD NEWS TOO its hate also .
SO yeah it is CORRECTION time . Time to be sincere , time to be grave because many decievers
do abound and are decieving this people .

 

[Marvelloustime]

Ye shall not hate your neighbor in your heart
You shall NOT HATE your neighbor in your heart you shall in any way CORRECT him and NOT ALLOW sin upon Him .
May that SINK IN REAL deep .
For many now cling to universalism and allow false religoins and sadly teach even christendom
a lie . A lie that all religoins are coming to GOD differently . BELEIF on JESUS to be saved HAS BEEN DENIED .
And embracing and allowing sins to be praticed , BAD NEWS TOO its hate also .
SO yeah it is CORRECTION time . Time to be sincere , time to be grave because many decievers
do abound and are decieving this people .

@amigo de christo

 

[amigo de christo]

@amigo de christo
View attachment 72428

spotted

 

[walter]

What are your thoughts? Doesn't everybody come from their own unique experiences and reasons for believing what they believe?

Mark 12:30-31

IMO Even if we believe differently than the other person, but we ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ wouldn't that be a powerful and positive foundation for the world?

 

[St. SteVen]

What are your thoughts? Doesn't everybody come from their own unique experiences and reasons for believing what they believe?

Wrong topic.

Can you separate yourself from your doctrines? - Who are you really?

A key indicator: You are offended when anyone disagrees with your doctrine. What defines you? Who are you really? ]

www.christianityboard.com

 

[walter]

Wrong topic.

I was referring to any topic anyone could think of.

 

[lforrest]

On another topic this discussion below was happening.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
St. SteVen said:
Everyone who passes into the afterlife is physically dead.
They leave their physical body behind. Everything else goes with them into the afterlife.
The dead have spiritual bodies. The souls of the dead.

That sounds like more work than I care to do on this.
And I know you won't buy it.

Might be worth a topic though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let's go over this, point-by-point.

- Everyone who passes into the afterlife is physically dead.
Not sure where the counter-argument would be for this.
Unless it was an objection to the term "afterlife". ???

- They leave their physical body behind.
Again, where would the counter-argument be for this?
Would anyone argue that the physical body went into the afterlife?
The dead, give up the ghost, as the saying goes. (that's telling)

- Everything else goes with them into the afterlife.
Like what? The spirit and soul of the individual. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
The physical body is left behind. The soul inhabits an incorruptible spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:52)
The soul contains the mind, will and emotions of the individual.
Their life's memories, for which they will be judged.

- The dead have spiritual bodies. The souls of the dead.
Pretty well covered in the point above. (Revelation 20:4)

[ cc: @Aunty Jane

I'm curious on how the breath of life sustains people who are considered as spiritually dead. Like in the valley of dry bones. In that valley were bones of people who may still have been walking the earth but they were spiritually dead. Are all people basically on something like spiritual life support from God to keep them from just dropping dead on the spot like Ananias?