When the Lord changed my life dramatically (about 18 years ago), I was of the idea that death meant being transformed into the new eternal life. "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise" and "he who believes in me shall not die."
In the last couple of years, I've seen several discussions claiming that death means we sleep, and then we are awakened sometime down the road. "Jesus Christ, the only one with immortality" (I don't remember the exact verse and "he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
I'd love to hear where you all stand on this issue (if it hasn't been discussed already).
Thanks!
Love to all,
Brian
Here's my take on eternal life.
We know that we have eternal life thru Christ, right.
So that means that this very moment is a moment of that eternal life.
You are living your first years of your eternal life right now.
Live them just as you would as if you could see God standing in the Heavens watching you.
He is watching :happygrin:
Our goal should be to do the things right now that please him, just as when we are ressurected we shall do also. We love to please our Father. :Sparkletooth:
Quote from: arcticmonster2003 on February 10, 2008, 08:17:51 PM
Here's my take on eternal life.
We know that we have eternal life thru Christ, right.
So that means that this very moment is a moment of that eternal life.
You are living your first years of your eternal life right now.
Live them just as you would as if you could see God standing in the Heavens watching you.
He is watching :happygrin:
Our goal should be to do the things right now that please him, just as when we are ressurected we shall do also. We love to please our Father. :Sparkletooth:
if eternal life is NOW, and yet you have a goal (something to be accomplished in the future, the end toward which effort is directed), then how can you be living in the present, when always working to the future?? Goals imply that the now isn't good enough, yet that is where eternal life is??
I was reading from Philippians today: "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.."
Yet we see that when Stephen was martyred, he "fell asleep."
?
Bri
QuoteI've seen several discussions claiming that death means we sleep, and then we are awakened sometime down the road.
I think thats right. At first death is like sleep:
Job 14:12 "so man lies down and does not rise; till the skys are no more, men will not awake or be roused from their sleep"
Ecc 9.5 "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing ..... 10 .... where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom. "
But in due time God will raise us from the dead:
Romans 4:17 "God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were."
Also see Luke 20:37-38, Psalm 13:3; 6:5; 146:4; Job 3:11-19; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; 1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Thessalonians 4:14.
It seems quiet likely God will wake everyone up together. So in the next life all our loved ones will be there and none of us will have had to wait for each other!
Well, seeing we exit time based into non time based, it will all happen at death anyway.
We shall all experience the same in a twinkling.
Blessings
It seems that eternal life describes quality of life while immortality describes quantity of life. We have eternal life now because we know God. It seems we put on immortality when the corruptible puts on the incorruptible.
I was also thinking about whether there is a link between "tasting death" and death being "swallowed up into victory." First a taste, then a swallow. Strange that the two analogies are of the same type..
Bri
Taste
and
swallow
Interesting
QuoteTaste
and
swallow
Interesting
Holly I think you are such a sweet lady. :Urock:
But no English woman would be able to say what you just did with a straight face :happy3:
Reminds me of this old classic:
Quote from: adam on February 16, 2008, 07:34:27 PM
But no English woman would be able to say what you just did with a straight face :happy3:
Reminds me of this old classic:
:Sparkletooth: My face is hardly ever straight! :bigGrin:
About "falling asleep"... I think it is a matter of perspective.
Paul said he wanted to depart and be with Christ, and he DID.
From OUR perspective, Paul is dead, sleeping, and has been for almost 2 millennia. "The dead know nothing..."
BUT from PAUL's perspective, he closed his eyes that moment, and for him the very next experience he will have is re-awaking unto his celestial inheritance, which from our perspective, has yet to come to pass.
And when we ourselves are killed, or caught up at Christ's return, we will all join them in the spirit together and at one time, our perspective experiences all united into one time and event together.
Eirinikos:
That's an interesting perspective. I'm just getting so curious about this part of things that sometimes I feel like I understand what Paul meant when he said that he preferred to depart. He wanted to die!!
I just wonder when it will be "my turn!" It's kind of exciting!..
Bri
Quote from: whyiloveitaly on March 27, 2008, 03:46:16 PM
Eirinikos:
That's an interesting perspective. I'm just getting so curious about this part of things that sometimes I feel like I understand what Paul meant when he said that he preferred to depart. He wanted to die!!
I just wonder when it will be "my turn!" It's kind of exciting!..
Bri
To me its kinda scary. Maybe my lack of faith.. I dunno.