Okay, so what is soul sleep?
The Seventh-day Adventists believe, along with the Jehovah's false witnesses, which
are a very similar religion, they believe that when a person dies, that person is just
asleep.
Body, soul, and spirit, you know, all asleep.
They don't believe that they go to heaven, they don't believe that they go to hell, they
just believe that they're asleep and that's it.
Okay, this is a false doctrine.
Go to Philippians chapter number 1.
Let's see what the Bible says about this doctrine.
Philippians chapter number 1.
Philippians chapter 1, while you're turning there, I'll read for you from the statement
of faith of the Seventh-day Adventists on Adventist.org.
Under point 26, it says, the wages of sin is death, but God who alone is immortal will
grant eternal life to his redeemed.
Until that day, death is an unconscious state for all people.
Did you hear that?
Until that day, death is an unconscious state for all people.
Look at Philippians chapter 1 and verse 21 and see if that's true.
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor, yet what I shall choose I want
not.
In the straight betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is
far better.
Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.
Why did Paul say that for him to live was Christ and to die is gain?
Because he said if I die, I would depart and be with Christ.
He didn't say I have a desire to just die and then just be asleep.
No, he's saying I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
Go to 2 Corinthians chapter number 5, 2 Corinthians chapter number 5.
There's a lot of scripture that we could use to show that this is false.
I'm just showing you a few.
But in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 6, the Bible reads, therefore we are always confident
knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present
with the Lord.
Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Now let me ask something.
Does that teach that the mind, body, and spirit are inseparable?
No.
Because they're saying, look, right now we're at home in the body.
But one day we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
That's when our bodies physically die.
We will give up the ghost and the spirit will return to God that gave it.
And we will be in heaven consciously awaiting the day of judgment and all the different
things that are going to come.
But we're not going to be asleep.
Now you say, well, but the Bible does talk about those who are asleep.
Right.
But here's the thing.
It's the body that's asleep.
The body sleeps.
That's why the Bible says many that sleep in the dust of the earth shall arise.
Some to, I don't have it off the top of my head right now, but in Daniel chapter 12,
it says some are going to be raised unto everlasting life and others are going to be raised unto
everlasting shame and contempt.
But what you have to understand is that the body remains here when we die.
But the soul is going to go to one of two places the moment we die.
You're either going to depart and be with Christ.
You're either going to be absent from the body and present with the Lord or you will
lift up your eyes in hell being in torment.
In Luke chapter 16, it says the rich man also died and was buried and in hell he lift up
his eyes being in torment.
So it was that fast.
And a lot of people say, well, how can they go to hell?
They haven't even been judged yet.
No, the Bible says he that believeth not is condemned already doesn't need to be judged
at the great white throne to be sent to hell.
No, hell is going to deliver up the dead that are in it and they'll be judged every man
according to their works.
You go to hell before the great day of judgment if you're unsaved because you're condemned
already, the Bible says.
And the moment that an unsaved person breathes their last breath, the soul will go to hell.
And the moment that a believer breathes their last breath, the soul will be in heaven.
That's why John in Revelation, before the rapture took place, before the first resurrection,
before the trumpet sounds, he says, I saw the souls of them that were slain for the
word of God and for the testimony which they held.
And he said, I saw the souls that were up there.
And they cried out saying, how long, O Lord, holy and true, does that not judge and avenge
our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
So they're not unconscious.
They're not asleep.
They're up there saying, how much longer do we have to wait?
They're not being just warped forward to that moment as the Seventh-day Adventist, Jehovah's
false witnesses and others teach.