There are many conflicting ideas concerning the state of the dead so that most everyone is very confused as to what is the truth. God has given us His Holy Word for instruction and correction, II Timothy 3:16, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." And has told us He would not have us ignorant on this subject. I Thessalonians 4:13. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
Many believe the departed loved ones have gone to their reward; others that they are in purgatory, a place where they must be cleansed by prayers of the clergy (for which their loved ones pay) before they may enjoy the Heavenly home, and that the wicked are being punished with fire in a place called “Hell”. All religious doctrine is supposed to be founded on the Bible so let us search the Bible for the true answer, as God has told us “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” I John 4:1.
We learn in Acts 1:9 that Jesus ascended into Heaven "9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." But He told His disciples "33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you." John 13:33. He also said: "27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Hebrews 9:27. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." I Corinthians 15:22. The question is, when shall all men be made alive? So, at death, we cannot go to Heaven as Jesus did, but He has promised us we will live again. David remarks on the state of the dead many times. He tells us the dead do not praise the Lord for their thoughts have perished, Psalm 30:9. "9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?" The dead go down in silence Psalm 115:17. "17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence." And Psalm 146:2. "2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being." And in death there is no remembrance of the Lord, Psalm 6:5. "5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" and Psalm 88:11. "11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in destruction?" Death is compared to a sleep, and just as those who are sound asleep are wholly unconscious of what goes on around them, so the dead know nothing of what transpires on the earth or in Heaven. Their love and hatred is dead and they have no portion in anything that is done under the sun, Ecclesiastes 9:6-10. "6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun. 7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. 8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment. 9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun. 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." They know not any thing, Ecclesiastes 9:5. "5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten." And Job 14:21. "21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them."
David did not expect to go to Heaven at death, Psalm 104:29. "29. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust." He said in Psalm 17:15. "15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness." David said God would redeem his soul from the power of the grave so he did not think his soul would go to Heaven at death, Psalm 49:15. "15. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah." According to Acts 2:29-35 David is in the grave. Acts 2:29-35. "29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35 Until I make thy foes thy footstool." By study of the book of Job we find Job did not expect to go to Heaven at death as he said he would wait till his change come, Job 14:14. "14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come." He would wait in the grave till the redeemer comes again, Job 17:13. "13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the darkness." And Job 19:25-26. "25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God."
Jesus told His disciples many times that He would come again and so the angels told them at the ascension, Acts 1:11 “11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Paul tells us I Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” As in I Corinthians 15:42-54 "42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown is dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from Heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." So is the resurrection of the dead when the mortal shall put on immortality: corruptible, incorruption: be raised a spiritual body, etc. when the trumpet sounds and the dead arise. Revelation 22:12. "12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." and Isaiah 40:10. "10 Behold, the Lord God will come with a strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him." The Lord will come and His reward is with Him. From all this we must come to the conclusion that the dead remain in the grave until the coming of the Lord, and not until then will the righteous receive immortality.
In the light of the above taken from the inspired Word of God how can anyone believe the dead are either in Heaven or purgatory? We can search the Scriptures through but can find no such place as purgatory mentioned, but to the contrary the Bible plainly tells us Psalm 49:7. "7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him." We can do nothing to redeem a brother or give to God a ransom for him, and in Isaiah 38:18. "For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth." The purgatory theory is purely a man made invention for the purpose of increasing the wealth of those teaching it. There is nothing man can do to change the status of the dead, for when the books are opened they shall be judged according to their works Revelation 20:12. "12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
Their works do follow them Revelation 14:13. "13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." Man's work is finished at death and everyone shall give account of himself to God, Romans 14:12. "12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." He will render to every man according to his deeds, Romans 2:6. "6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds." The wicked also are reserved to the day of destruction and shall be brought forth for punishment, Job 21:30. "30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? They shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." The Bible plainly teaches that both the righteous and wicked dead await the judgment day in the grave. The belief in purgatory is absolutely false and contradictory to all God's Word.
Now what does the Bible say concerning Hell? Reading carefully Acts 2:7-31. "7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. 29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepuchre is with us unto this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption." We learn that Jesus' soul was in Hell or the grave but was raised up and did not see corruption or decay.
Jonah spoke of the whale's belly as Hell, as it came near to being his grave. Jonah 2:2. "And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice." Hell is cast into a lake of fire in Revelation 20:13-14. "13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." See margin reading: Hell and grave are used interchangeably and Hell does not become a punishment or place of torment until it is cast into a lake of fire. And if the Lord does not deliver us from the grave (Hell, Hades) and reward us with eternal life when He comes, we will be reserved for the Day of Judgment and cast into the lake of fire. Jesus has the keys of Hell and of death, Revelation 1:18, "18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." And all the wicked shall be destroyed, Psalm 37:20. "20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away." But we know that now they are in the grave awaiting the Judgment Day, Ecclesiastes 9:10. "10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." When Jesus will unlock the graves of the wicked.
We thank God for the promise that Jesus will come again to claim His own and reward the faithful as the angels told the disciples in Acts 1:11. "11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." Repeatedly in the Old Testament we find the promise that the Lord will reign on earth and there will be a wonderful time of peace and joy, Isaiah 11:1-16. "And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the lord; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. 10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. 11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. 13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. 14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them. 15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. 16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; Like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt." And Daniel 2:44. "44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." And Isaiah 26:19-21. "19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain."
The Lord shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom, II Timothy 4:1. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom."
Jesus said those whom the Father had given Him He should raise up again at the last day, John 6:39-40, 44. "39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." And Revelation 20:6. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." Remember we read in Hebrews 9:27. "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." But here we have a promise of freedom from a second death and life eternal with Jesus if we belong to Jesus at His coming, Revelation 20:6. "Blessed and holy is he that part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." But the rest of the dead, the wicked dead, lived not again until the thousand years were finished, Revelation 20:5. "5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."
The second death is punishment by fire, Revelation 20:14-15. "14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." This is the punishment of the wicked, I Corinthians 3:17. "17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." And Isaiah 1:28. "And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed."
The parable of the wheat and tares, Matthew 13:40. "40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world." teaches us that the wicked shall be burned up in the end of the millennium. Malachi 4:1-3. "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts." The day cometh when all the proud-the wicked- shall burn as stubble-shall be ashes. All unbelievers, murderers, idolaters, liars shall have their part in the lake of fire, which is the second death, Revelation 21:8. "8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
So at this final judgment the wicked are raised from their graves to receive this terrible punishment but the righteous, God’s people, will dwell with Him, and He will wipe away all tears and there will be no more sorrow, pain nor death, Revelation 21:4. "4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
They that do His Commandments may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city, Revelation 22:14. "14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Now, dear reader, let us believe God’s Word and live by it alone; let us prove all things by His Scriptures, I Thessalonians 5:21. "21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." And believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God, I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." For many false prophets and deceivers are in the world, Mark 13:22. "22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect." And II Timothy 4:3-4. "3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." Let us not believe the traditions of men which have crept into the churches of the world and displaced God’s truth, for we know, if they speak not according to the law and to the testimony, there is no light in them, Isaiah 8:20. "20 To the law and to the testimony: If they speak not according to this word, It is because there is no light in them."
CHURCH OF GOD, BODY OF CHRIST
Oakland, OR