The Dead are Unconscious

As we noted earlier, the sentence on the first pair and its inevitable outcome fell upon them and all their descendants. That is, they would all eventually die. Death marks the end of man’s existence, the end of all his pain and anguish as well as all his hopes and aspirations. The state of the dead is very clearly declared in the Bible, as the following references show.
Eccl.3:18-20. I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, God tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust.
Eccl.9:4. But for him who is joined to all the living there is hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.
Eccl.9:10. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
People generally do not like this outcome and many religions, both ancient and modern, have invented concepts of a spiritual state of conscious existence after death in some realm or other. As appealing as this concept may be, it has no basis in the Bible’s teaching. Those references taken from the Bible that are often used to support the idea, are bent or twisted to fit another meaning other than their original context or the greater context of the Bible’s message. Most arguments assume rather than prove this idea.

The Promise of Resurrection and of Eternal Life
The Bible does contain the promise of life, but it is only to be obtained in the fullest sense after what is called in the Bible ‘the resurrection of the dead’. This teaching is implied and spoken of in the OT, and since the resurrection of Christ, was boldly proclaimed in some detail by the Apostles of Christ all through the NT.
Job.19:26-27. (Job said) And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Dan.12:2.  And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
Luke.14:13- “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. “And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke.20:34-38. Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.”
Acts.24:15. (Paul said) “I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.
This resurrection of the dead has not yet occurred (2.Tim.2:18), but is to happen on the day appointed of the Father in heaven. On that day, Christ is to return to the earth to raise the dead, and those who are found worthy will be given life eternal. Resurrection quite literally means ‘to raise up / to stand up again’, and contextually it almost always speaks of raising the bodies of those who are long dead, back to life again.
The apostles who followed Christ and witnessed his words, often at the cost of their own lives, were given a special promise to be fulfilled when the kingdom of God is set up. That promise involved sharing in Christ’s (earthly) throne and ruling over the restored Kingdom of Israel, which will be the nucleus of God’s kingdom on earth. This is a key part of the gospel message (cf. Acts.8:12, 28:31)
1.Thes.4:16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
2Tim.4:8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Matt.19:28. So Jesus said to them (the 12 Apostles), “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Bible’s teaching on the resurrection of the dead is quite contrary to other belief systems. Most teach that we humans, have an immortal soul or spirit in us which lives on consciously after we die. This is one of the reasons the Apostle Paul’s message was at times mocked and rejected in the first century. It was quite contrary to what people expected. Acts.17:17:31-33 is a good example of this. We also see it in the way some first century Christian’s erroneously bent the Apostle’s words, and tried to spiritualize the resurrection, by saying that is was already past, or even denying it all together.
2.Tim.2:17-18. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.
1.Cor.15:12. Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  .
Although these teachings on the hope of resurrection may at first seem foreign to us, they seamlessly compliment the rest of the Bible’s testimony. The great hope of the people of God, since the very beginning, has always been founded upon the certainty of the resurrection and the coming kingdom of God. It is only by physical resurrection that God’s purpose with man and with the earth can find completion. There is no denying the overwhelming weight of scriptural evidence that testifies to this. It is a sad fact that so many who call themselves religious have little or no understanding of this aspect of God’s plan and purpose with man and with the earth. They have not been taught faithfully.
The outcome of what is called ‘the resurrection of the just’ (Luke.14:14, Acts.24:15) is that they will be given eternal life. This is speaking of both the quality and quantity of their new life. This idea is seen in many scriptures, such as the following, which speak of the hope of sharing in God’s Divine Nature (God’s attributes of power and life). That does not mean that men become equal with God, but that people share in God’s undying and sinless nature. This is what Jesus meant when he spoke of being made equal to the angels (Luke.20:36).
2.Pet.1:3-4. … as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

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You Don't have to Fear Hell ! - True Christian Bible Teaching

The Law of Sin at Work in us

The Law of Sin at Work in us
As their descendants we inherit this law of sin and death, and it is experienced in many ways. One of which is through the contrary impulses that work inside of us. The whole context of Romans chapter seven deals with this experience and is well worth reading carefully.

Rom.7:14-24. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

When reading these words we are not reading the experiences of a uniquely conflicted individual, but the shared experiences of all those who are aware and sensitive to the things of God. When a person sets their heart to seek and know God, and do his will, he or she will find this internal conflict at work. Why is this so? It is because our natural instincts are set for self-preservation and self-advancement, whereas God’s ways are often not to our personal short term advantage.

This is the conflict that knowledge of the truth of God brings. It is seen graphically in the basic layout depicted in Diagram 2 when our beliefs begin to align with God’s will. The human/animal instinct for survival is very strong, and our instinctive urges and impulses are at times very domineering. Sin occurs when these impulses and desires are contrary to God’s will and we accede to them in thoughts, words or actions. These responses are natural, and are simply the manifestations of sin in action.

Sin is defined by its basic meaning in the reference shown above from Rom.3:23. The word ‘sin’ quite literally means ‘to miss the mark’ and in its scriptural usage it carries the idea of falling short of God’s intended purpose with man – i.e. that we should think and behave as God would have us think and behave – ‘being in His image and likeness’ (Gen.1:26). Interestingly, the word ‘sin’ is used in two principle ways. The most common of which is as a verb that relates to ‘behaviour or actions’, as in a person engaged in an act of sin. The second way the word ‘sin’ is used is as a noun, where it refers figuratively to the human condition, and particularly to the ‘law of sin’ that exists in each of us, and which produces all manner of lust, desires and rebellion against God, and His declared moral principles (Rom.6:10-12, 7:17, 20-25).
The Law of Moses was given to fully reveal the true nature of the human condition. This is the point that Paul makes about the Law in Rom.7:11-13.  “Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not!  But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.”

The human condition is fully affected by this condition. The Law of Sin pervades every part of us. The reality of this is summed up in the Law by the tenth commandment, which said “You shall not covet”. To covet is to feel strong desire towards something that does not belong to you. It is one of the most common of all the human characteristics and it is completely natural to us. Yet this tenth commandment of the Law makes us aware of Gods thinking and our natural condition, which causes a reaction in us. “But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire” (Rom.7:7-8).
Paul’s example in Romans chapter seven is that of an enlightened man. Another example of this conflict is seen in Jesus himself. Although a man who never sinned, he nevertheless experienced the same fears, passions and impulses that are common to us all. He was tempted in all points like we are (Heb.4:15, Phil.2:8, Heb.2:10, Heb.5:9). We can see this particularly and graphically when we consider Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. This is the night of his betrayal by Judas, at a time when he knew he would shortly face a most humiliating and horrifying torment, torture and death. Jesus felt the pressure of the situation as well as the enormous burden of responsibility that was resting upon him. In prayer to his Father in heaven he said the following.

Matt.26:39. Then He (Jesus) said to them (his apostles), “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me”. He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Part of the pressure that he felt came from his natural or instinctive impulses which he shared in common with all humanity. These instincts were asserting themselves, and yet they were at war with what he knew was His Father’s will. He knew what was to shortly come to pass in all the pain of the crucifixion. The natural human instinct is to protect and preserve the flesh and its life, whereas it was His Father’s will that he should die this way in order to accomplish this essential part of God’s plan for the redemption of mankind and the completion of God purpose. We are told these things in many places in the Bible, but a quick review of (Act.2:23) will show this.

In considering these things, we need to continually remind ourselves that only God is able to provide the solution to the human condition. Even Jesus himself sought and received God’s help in this most dire of situations (Luke.22:42-43, Heb.5:7). The obvious lesson is that only God is able to deal with this ‘law of sin and death’ that exists in each of us.

Humans have been developing philosophies and religions since the beginning of human existence as remedies for the human condition, yet none of these have any power. They are all just the outcome of human rationale that seeks for a human solution based on humanistic philosophy. Only God can provide the solution for the problem of sin and mortality. God’s solution has been revealed and demonstrated in the offering up of His Son Jesus Christ upon the cross. For this man Jesus was the one typified in all the sacrifices and offerings made since the beginning, including those seen in the Law of Moses (Heb.10:1-14). For they were all offered as types and patterns in prospect of his ‘once for all time’ sacrifice upon the cross.

The Law of Sin and Death

According to the Biblical record, after the disobedience of the first pair they found themselves under a different set of conditions. The circumstances surrounding this is found in Genesis chapter three. The background involves the reasoning of a serpent, who spoke falsely suggesting that God was not entirely on their side, as He had restricted them from reaching their full potential. The implications of the serpent’s reasoning was that God was not being fully honest with them and therefore his word was not to be trusted. He was holding them back, keeping from them a wonderful benefit of equality with God and His angels.

This form of reasoning has ever since been the spirit of those who misrepresent God. They claim to know better, and that what God says is either not true or not to be taken too literally. On examination, the lie of the serpent was actually a mixture between what was true and what was false. By mixing the two together, he was able to deceive the woman. This is the common challenge of deceptive speech and ideas. It takes real discernment and critical thinking to see through the charade of false ideas.

Diagram 8. The Serpent in ancient times represented life, enlightenment and power. It is sometime seen in current religious art, and in modern emblems.

The outcome of their rejection of God’s counsel and the adoption of foreign ideas had three principle consequences, all linked together in one unifying experience. This is described in the Bible as a life of sin and of vanity that eventually ends in death. 

This is not a very bright future at all, and it is one that is quite contrary to that purpose we have already seen alluded to in Gen.1:26-28. We will now expand on these three primary consequences or outcomes from their sin. 

 The Immediate Consequences: Gen.3:7-11. They now felt lust and pride in a way they had not previously experienced. They now saw the world with different eyes, for their eyes were now open. Their sin caused them to feel lust and uncleanness, with its associated feelings of guilt, shame and fear. These were feelings that they had not previously experienced. They were subsequently ejected from the Garden and all the benefits and advantages that it gave to them (Gen.3:23-24).

 The Life Time Consequences: Gen.3:16-19. The physical earth was cursed with thorns and thistles, and it would involve a lifetime of hard labour to extract a livelihood. The woman herself was cursed with increased fertility and pain in childbirth, and probably as a consequence of this, subjection to her husband who would often mistreat her.

 End of Life Consequences: Gen.2:17, 3:19. Death would be the final end of a life of hard labour, pain, trials and vanity. They would return to the dust from which they were made.

There appeared to be no hope for them. Death would be the final outcome of a life filled with hard labour. This has subsequently been the sad experience of all people who have ever lived since that day. This is mankind’s natural inheritance. But how was God’s purpose to be fulfilled if Sin and Death ruled all humanity? Speaking metaphorically, sin now reigned over all (Rom.6:12), and its dominion was seen universally in weakness and death (Rom.5:12, 21). 

Originally God had promised to the man, dominion over the earth and over all God’s creation. This promise was to the man (& woman) who was made to be like God (in thinking and behaviour). As a result of their choice to ignore and disobey God, sin now reigned in man. In this sense then, man was not like God at all. Yet God was not about to give up on His purpose with man and with the earth, therefore God provided a way that men and women might find redemption from the inevitability of their natural condition of sin and death. 

John.8:34. Jesus answered them, Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

Rom.3:23 … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Rom.5:12-14. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

Rom.8:2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

1.Cor.15:22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Although some of these references have to do with redemption, they firstly explain from what we need to be redeemed. It is important for us to understand this situation, for until we do we will not fully appreciate the extent to which God has worked to deliver and save us. From these references it is clear that we need to be redeemed from what is called in the Bible, ‘the law of sin and death’. This is the condition that we all inherit from Adam, our common father. That is why it says, ‘as in Adam all die’. We inherit the consequences of his sin because we are related to him, not because God is angry at us for Adam’s sin. It is important to appreciate this difference. This situation is our common misfortune, our shared natural heritage. We have no choice in this as we are born into it. Yet God offers us the choice and opportunity to exit this natural state.

As the natural descendants of Adam, from the day we are born we are guided by our innate natural lusts. That is, to survive and prosper we come to depend upon obeying our native instincts, otherwise called lusts in the Bible. These generally work to preserve our lives and are part and parcel of the natural order of things. We share these instinctive responses in common with all the lower creatures. However, as we grow into adulthood many of us come to realise that serving our instincts in all situations is very often a selfish response to circumstances, which often does not take into account the needs of others, let alone God’s will and purpose. 

Once we become enlightened by God to the His reality and holiness, we come to realise the enormity of this problem and the general awfulness and uncleanness of the human condition (Rom.7:9). We come to understand that the human condition is basically selfish. We further come to realise that man on his own is powerless to fully overcome this situation. Basic acknowledgement of this situation has given rise to many religions and theories, who each offer their own solution to the feelings of guilt and inadequacy associated with the human condition. Unfortunately, the solution to the human condition is not found in any of these. None of them really gets to the root cause of the problem. The down side to wrong concepts is that they mostly misdirect us away from what God has said and revealed on the matter. The Bible tells us that only God is able to solve the dilemma faced by man, and His solution is unlike any human concept or theory.

As negative as this subject appears, it is important to accurately understand it. For in fully understanding it we can begin to comprehend the importance of the offer God has made to us out of His love and kindness, and of the reason why He has called us to walk in His ways. By following His ways we will, in the end, find life and not death.

This ‘law of sin and death’ came because of man’s original transgression and rebellion. God is always true to His word, and as we would expect, He passed sentence upon them for their rebellion and defiance of His laws (Gen.2:16-17). The first pair’s own sinful actions defiled them and changed their relationship with God. The fellowship and oneness with God that they had previously experienced was spoiled by the consequences of their choice. 

Mortality was God’s just sentence upon them, and the full impact of this sentence became a daily struggle for them as the reality of mortality caused a fearful grasping for life which increased the feeling of guilt, shame and inadequacy. In this way the sentence also defiled them, as it influenced their thinking and moral sentiments. This weakness, sin-proneness and mortality was passed on to all their posterity by the natural laws of inheritance. 

As we noted earlier, this sentence was not only given as punishment for sin, but also that men and women might, in faith, look for that better day that God has promised when He restores to repentant man even more than he lost at the fall. That is, to look to the promised day when God completes His purpose with man and with the earth. These concepts are a major theme of the Bible, both OT and NT. 

Rom.8:20.   For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

Rom.5:15. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

Rom.5:18. Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.

After the first pair had sinned they hid themselves from God, and to further hide their shame they also covered themselves with a clothing of their own manufacture, made of fig leaves. This was their attempt to cover their sins. It was to prove inadequate. Man has ever since tried to construct coverings (both metaphorically and literally) to cover his sins and inadequacies. None of these are of any value, for all God ever wanted from man was a faithful and loving response, and an open and trusting relationship. For He knows our frame, how weak we are. He already knows our sins and our mortality (Psalm.103:14). 

After their sin was discovered God called upon them to give an account of their actions. After this they were sentenced by God, who subsequently provided a covering for them. So we read in Gen.3:21 that God clothed them in tunics of skins. This can only mean that an animal was slain to provide the required covering. Their feeling of nakedness represented their new found lusts and their sin, and the covering stood as a type of the covering for their sins that God alone could provide. Only God can deal with sin, as we shall see. It is significant that the covering involved ‘death’, for it was to be by the death of one specially provided by God that the covering for sins and new life would come.

Basic Bible Teaching Lesson 11 The Kingdom of God on Earth

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3) Man

The origin of man as well as the reasons for his present condition are of great importance to all of us, for what exists today is the outcome of what went before. Like so many other things, there is generally a lot of misconception and misunderstanding surrounding this subject. Some believe this and some believe that concerning these things. Although we live in an age of science, there are many people, philosophies and religions that believe that spirituality and meaning can be found either in the world, in themselves or in or through some other source other than what God has revealed in the Bible. Rather than explore all the various concepts and opinions on this subject, we will follow our earlier method and seek to find what the Bible says on these matters.

We have already touched on this subject when we considered the words of God that preceded the creation of man. Unfortunately, this was not the end of the matter. From the record of Genesis chapter three we read of man’s original disobedience and the consequences of his choices and actions.
Paul says that all mankind are sinners, and as such have fallen short of the glory God (Rom.3:23). God originally intended to make man to be like himself - in thinking and behaviour, however men now naturally default to serve their own selfish desires and seek to achieve their own purposes. Unfortunately these are often contrary to God’s intended purpose for man, but they are often encouraged and promoted by a world given over to sin.

We are told that as a consequence of man’s original rebellion, God sentenced him to die. The outcome of this sentence is that humanity are mortal, which basically means that we will all inevitably die. We are also told that death is our natural condition, the outworking of a natural law that we share in common with all the lesser creatures, for “as one dies, so dies the other” (Eccl.3:18-20). In death there is no existence or consciousness (Eccl.9:3-6). Death is what it is, the cessation of existence for man and animals alike. Unfortunately, this simple fact has been resisted by mankind since the beginning, and as a consequence there are numerous theories and beliefs found in all the various religions of the ancient and modern world.
However, the Bible does tell us that death is not the end of the matter, for death itself is contrary to God’s originally declared purpose. For this reason God has offered life on the basis of understanding and knowing Him, for this knowledge can produce saving faith. Importantly, this has always been the basis upon which God has accepted mankind (Prov.3:13-18, John.17:3). Today, the outworking of this promised life begins when we understand and align ourselves with God’s work in the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we confirm this by faith in God and by baptism into Christ (Mk.16:15-16, Acts.8:12).

How and why does this work? The answer to this is simple and yet quite profound. For it is by this means alone that God is prepared to account us as dead to sin, and then as born again to a new type of life. These ideas are more fully explained in the NT as a consequence of being ‘in Christ’. Once we are in Christ, we are now called upon to ‘walk in newness of life’ (Rom.6:1-11, 1.Pet.1:23, 1.Jn.2:29).
However, although this ‘newness of life’ is to be manifested now in our behaviour (ie. How we think, speak and act), eternal life will not be fully realised until that future day that has been promised by God. That is the day promised when Jesus returns to the earth to raise the dead and give eternal life to those who believe and love the things of God (2.Tim.4:1, 8). These things are part and parcel of God’s revelation of His greater purpose with man and with the earth.

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A Table Showing the Different Views on God

A Table Showing the Different Views on God

The Table below endeavours to show the different views that people have of God, and how they differ. This diagram is an extension of the one we used earlier. Each view may be stimulated by a desire to know God, but only one view is in accord with God’s own testimony and revelation. Irrespective of how sincere or dedicated a person may be, unless our understanding is accurately based on what God has revealed then we may end up only believing in an image of what is true, and not the true God. We are not only speaking of physical being, but also of character and purpose. These forms of misconception about God are what is called ‘idolatry’ in the Bible.
The table starts with the human condition of curiosity and self-awareness, and our interaction with the world. The steps to understanding and belief are quite logical and simple to follow. The largest challenge occurs when we seek to find the True God, as so many human inventions mask or otherwise misdirect us from finding the truth about God. There are many images and idols that pretend to be true, and great discernment is needed to see beyond the pretence.

The Table below endeavours to show the different views that people have of God, and how they differ. This diagram is an extension of the one we used earlier. Each view may be stimulated by a desire to know God, but only one view is in accord with God’s own testimony and revelation. Irrespective of how sincere or dedicated a person may be, unless our understanding is accurately based on what God has revealed then we may end up only believing in an image of what is true, and not the true God. We are not only speaking of physical being, but also of character and purpose. These forms of misconception about God are what is called ‘idolatry’ in the Bible.

The table starts with the human condition of curiosity and self-awareness, and our interaction with the world. The steps to understanding and belief are quite logical and simple to follow. The largest challenge occurs when we seek to find the True God, as so many human inventions mask or otherwise misdirect us from finding the truth about God. There are many images and idols that pretend to be true, and great discernment is needed to see beyond the pretence.