Sunday, February 12, 2012

Away from the body

I came across this passage in my studies yesterday. It seems to me that these two verses alone disproves the idea of soul sleep being Biblical. 2 Corinthians 5:8 and Phil. 1:23 (I'm putting several versions for each text).

"Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (ESV)
"We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (NIV)
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." (KJV)

"I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." (ESV)
"I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;" (NIV)
"For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:" (KJV)

In the first passage, he is clearly saying that he wants to be away from his body/with God. That concept doesn't fit at all with the belief in soul sleep. Under no circumstances would a believer be with God without their body. The second passages talks about departing. Departing what? Read the previous verses (particularly verse 22) and it is clearly talking about departing his body to be with God. Again, how does the idea of going to be with God AWAY from your body fit at all with soul sleep?

There are many, many more passages that deal with this subject, but these verses are so clear.

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