Answer: The eternal life which God gives is a promise as long as we live in this world. On the day of the Second Coming of Jesus in Glory, the promise becomes reality. Because the person who is granted eternal life has passed successfully through judgment, to the verdict of which all participants agreed, his eternity is secure. Only by their sins having been forgiven by the grace of God can His brightness be a benevolent light to His people, 1.John 1-5.

Christians know that there is a different relationship between God and the person who accepts His love and His will then there is between God and one who rejects him, Acts 17:28-29. Jesus made a son-ship possible, Jhn. 1:12; Ro. 8:14-16; Gal. 4:1-7. This relationship is made possible by the new birth - a spiritual rather than a physical experience, Jhn. 1:13.

Answer: Our ________ deeds and our ______ deeds.

[100] James H. Hyslop, Contact with the Other World, p. 14. The saying, `God does not condemn,' `man is accountable only to himself', `awaking the giant within you', are also of spiritualistic origin.

[150] Some adore Satan and are known as Luciferians, meaning they turn the truth on its head in that they worship Lucifer rather than Jesus. Satan, working through people, by using sly slogans and concepts of which Hegelian Dialectic is one, produces error by wanting to put together a `thesis' (the truth) and mix it with the `antithesis' (error) you end up with the synthesis (a mixture of truth and error), which, they hope, will be accepted by the biblically illiterate, gullible public as a new truth. [Juan Maler, Sieg der Vernunft, The model of free masonry. The book also reveals certain secret signs of those involved.] These appear to be wicked plans being put together.

[500] Because we always have time for what we really want to do (things like watching tv, or going to shows, but we ought not too) no matter what, but when it comes to Bible study weariness can set in right away, which can also be a sign of sleep deprivation, triggered by the action of reading small letters in a quiet setting. Therefore, Bible study also requires getting your daily sleep. Besides that, for God to guide you, we are called to also remove everything from around our habitat (house, car, office) which reminds of Satan and sin (pictures, music, magazines, books, etc.) so Satan will not have left a toe hold in our life anymore, for once we decide to believe God's Word, only one can dwell in our heart - therefore, we clean up everything around us down to the last little picture, slogans on clothing, jewelry, statues, everything.

[570] The descendants of Ishmael were: Nebajoth, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. Apparently their towns bore these names, had castles and twelve princes, Gen. 25:13-16.

[600] What do the "dry bones" of Ezekiel 37:5 mean?
"The souls (living people) of those whom we desire to save are like the representation which Ezekiel saw in vision, - a valley of dry bones. They are dead in trespasses and sins, but God would have us deal with them as though they were living. Were the question put to us, "Son of man, can these bones live?" our answer would be only the confession of ignorance, "O Lord, Thou knowest." To all appearance there is nothing to lead us to hope for their restoration. Yet nevertheless the word of the prophecy must be spoken even to those who are like the dry bones in the valley. We are in no wise to be deterred from fulfilling our commission by the listlessness, the dullness, the lack of spiritual perception, in those upon whom the Word of God is brought to bear. We are to preach the word of life to those whom we may judge to be as hopeless subjects as though they were in their graves.
Though they may seem unwilling to hear or to receive the light of truth, without questioning or wavering we are to do our part. We are to repeat to them the message. "Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. 5:14.
It is not the human agent that is to inspire with life. The Lord God of Israel will do that part, quickening the lifeless spiritual nature into activity. The breath of the Lord of hosts must enter into the lifeless bodies. In the judgment, when all secrets are laid bare, it will be known that the voice of God spoke through the human agent, and aroused the torpid conscience, and stirred the lifeless faculties, and moved sinners to repentance and contrition, and forsaking of sins. It will then be clearly seen that through the human agent faith in Jesus Christ was imparted to the soul, and spiritual life from heaven was breathed upon one who was dead in trespasses and sins, and he was quickened with spiritual life.
But not only does this simile of the dry bones apply to the world, but also to those who have been blessed with great light; for they also are like the skeletons of the valley. They have the form of men, the framework of the body; but they have not spiritual life. But the parable does not leave the dry bones merely knit together into the forms of men; for it is not enough that there is symmetry of limb and feature. The breath of life must vivify the bodies, that they may stand upright, and spring into activity. These bones represent the house of Israel, the church of God, and the hope of the church is the vivifying influence of the Holy Spirit. The Lord must breathe upon the dry bones, that they may live. {4BC 1165.3-6}

[650] The word "turned" (Hebr. `haphak'). What does the Bible say about the `evil' or `wicked'? Study Mt. 12:35, 39; 13:49; 22:10; 24:48; Hebr. 10:22; Rev. 2:2; 22:11. - to point out a few. We learn, the evil or wicked: (1) produce evil deeds, they trespass God's law as if it does not exist, (2) they want visible proof that God exists, when we must be saved by faith only, so God's universe can be sure His people are serious, (3) in the end only two groups exist on earth, the evil and the good, which God will separate, (4) all were invited (to the wedding, Christ's Second Coming), (5) even those with an evil conscience, which, if repented of and forgiven, can be washed clean with the blood of Christ, (6) but God's people must bear the evil in the world until (7) the final judgment separation. They know that the resurrection of Christ itself is a sign of the judgment of the world. His empty tomb is full of significance. He will return. His judgment of the world is as sure as His resurrection, which makes it a point of interest. Which Christian does not believe in the reality of the resurrection? And yet, but few Christians see any significance in the reality of the judgment. God's judgment arriving in the person of Jesus Christ in the clouds will take billions by surprise. - Please remember, when we speak of `Christians' we mean those who are followers of Jesus Christ. They do not break the commandments of God, they obey the health laws (eat not forbidden foods), do not drink alcohol, smoke, use illicit drugs or violate any of God's laws.

[672] Is there electricity in the human body? Well, not the type of electricity as we receive from the power plants. The fact is we do have what we call electrolytes and conductive nerves. We can obtain electro-cardiograms and read brain waves, so we do have low currents which man made instruments can measure and express in man devised units of power measurements. Not only that, if in contact with an electrical source we can get shocked, perhaps even die from it, depending on the load received. That means our body can conduct electrical currents.

[674] To ask about the `Tree of Life' and that Adam and Eve had no access to it after the fall, is a logical question. Many would like to know: If man goes to heaven at death, how can that be possible, after man was denied immortality since Adam, and so too later, during the time of the reign of sin in the world.' What is the answer? It is not possible for man to live forever without access to the `Tree of Life,' Rev. 2:7. We should say, logic should require that a nebulous soul without a physical body cannot eat.

[700] But doesn't the Bible say, "He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption", Acts 2:31; ? Certainly. The bodies `corruption' refers to a more advanced stage of decomposition. Jesus' was not long enough in the grave for that to occur. But we may say that internal, microscopic changes should have occurred for Christ was certainly dead for a time. This may be demonstrated by the fact when the Roman soldier pierced the side of Jesus on the cross, it says, "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water." John 19:34.

[800] The emphasis is on the article "the" as I heard once correctly explained by Spiro Zodhiates on radio. Hopefully the minister will learn the truth about death and dying sometime soon.

[888] Here are some Bible texts: Comfort for Widows and Orphans: Gen. 48:21; Ex, 22:21-23; Deut. 10:14-19; 24:17-22; 1.Ki. 2:2,3; 17:8-16; Psalms 9:10-13; 10:14-18; 23; 27; 37:5,37; 39:10; 55:23; 68:5,6; 70; 82:3,4; 89:27; 102:18; 103:13; 118:8; 146; 147:3; Isa. 1:17; 40:11; 41:13,14; 49:14-16; 54:10; 63:16; Jer. 31:9; 49:11; Micah 7:7-9; Mt. 28:20; Mk. 12:41-44; Lk. 2:36-38; 7:11-16; 18:1-8; Jh. 14:18; 16:22; 1Cor. 10:13; Eph. 3:15; 1.Tim. 5:3-16; 1.Ptr. 5:6,7; Hebr. 10:35,36; James 1:27.
Times of many deaths: Lev. 26 and Deut. 28; 32:35; Num. 21:4-9; Deut. 32:39; 2Sam. 24; Ps. 62:2,3; 68:20,21; 80:4; 85; 90; 91; Jer. 9:20; Lament. 3:22-42; Amos 3:6; Mt. 24:7; Lk. 13:1-9; Rom. 12:19; 14:7,8; Rev. 6:7,8 more.
Times of war: Ex. 14; 15; 17:8-16; Deut. 1:29,30; 20:1-4; 31:6; Judg. 10:15,16; 1Sam. 7; 12:24,25; 2Ki. 6:8-17; 2Chr. 14:10; 20:1-30; Ps. 3; 10; 18; 20; 27; 33:16-20; 44; 46; 60:13,14; 76; 81:14,15; 91; 108; 124; 127:1; 138:7; 143:9; 147:10,11; Prov. 21:30,31; Isa. 25:4,5; 26:1-12; 30:15; 45:5-7; Jer. 8:23; 14:7-9, 19-23; 47:6; Lament. 2; 3:22-24; Dan. 9; Mt. 24:6,7; Lk. 19:41-46; Rev. 6:3,4.;
In Fearful Situations: Ps. 34:4,7; Prov. 18:10;
Guardian Angels- Verses and a Poem: "The angel off the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them." Ps. 34:7. There are faithful angel watchers with their wings above us spread, Shielding us from unseen dangers night and day; Prompting us to seek for guidance when unconsciously we tread in the paths of hidden danger by the way. Could the veil of mist be lifted and our mortal eyes behold silent records being taken of each scene, how we'd guard our words and actions, many tales we'd leave untold, and we'd strive to keep our records pure and clean. - "And the books were opened." Rev. 20:21. For the solemn hour approaches when those books by angels kept, will be opened at the page that bears our name. Do we fear to meet the record - deeds o'er which the angels wept, sins for which our Saviour suffered grief and shame? When our names are called in judgment, will our Advocate appear and confess before the angels, `They are Mine?' Or deny, `I do not know them, they refused My call to hear, and those cherished sins of theirs would not resign'? - "I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, and said, `Cornelius, thy prayer is heard.'" Acts 10:30,31. When we stand for truth mid error and temptation's waves resist, All is noted by these angel friends of ours; and they draw a little nearer, ever ready to assist, And thus weaken by their aid the tempter's powers. When discouragement o'ertakes us, and we sink beneath its waves, looking through the hazy glass of doubt and fear; angel guards press close around us, pointing up to Him who saves, and again our hearts are filled with hope and cheer. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood." Eph. 6:12. Evil angels throng our pathway, as with eager haste they press their temptations and their snares to trip our feet; holding up the world before us in its artificial dress, luring to forbidden pathways by deceit. As the brightness of the candle lures the moth to hidden death, so the glitter of this world appears to charm; but its joys are on the surface, and destruction lurks beneath, blinding eyes to faithful signals of alarm. - "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1:14. But our Father in His wisdom knows the weakness of our frame - knows our adversary's strength and subtle power; and in tender love and mercy sends the angels in His name to sustain and keep us in temptations hour. Angels find their highest pleasure in this work for fallen man, dwelling with us amidst earth's saddest scenes below; working in co-operation with their loved Commander's plan to uplift and save the world from sin and woe." A.M. Williams, Australian Christian Worker.

[890] About Christ as he is now we study 1.Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:7; Rev. 2:7 and 22:14. In essence it appears that Jesus will forever have a body as the redeemed shall have in heaven. As such he, like the redeemed, shall eat of the tree of life which bears fruit every month, and thus live forever. This is the supreme sacrifice which Christ made to save the human race.

[900] The gravestone reads, "Here lyeth the body of Ann Attkinson who departed this life ye 24th day of May 1706 aged 77, `My life is hid in Christ with God when this my Savior Dear dos come again then I with Him in glory Shall Appear.'" - For a Christian, death is but a small matter. Why? To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the life that was lost through sin is restored; for He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will. He is invested with the right to give immortality. The life that He laid down in humanity, He takes up again, and gives to humanity. "I am come," He said, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 10:10; 4:14; 6:54. - Christ speaks here of death as if it were of little moment and then gazes briefly at the time after the final judgment, Jh. 8:50. "If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death," the second death from which there is no resurrection and from which Jesus saves us, "he shall never taste of death." To the Christian, the first death is but a sleep, a moment of silence and darkness. The life is hid with Christ in God, and "when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." John 8:51, 52; Colossians 3:4. The voice that cried from the cross, "It is finished," was heard among the dead, the first fruit, who rested in their graves of the first death. It pierced the walls of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers to arise, Mt. 27:52-53. The resurrection of Jesus was a sample of the first and final resurrection of all who sleep in Him. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard from heaven. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in Christ shall arise. At this time the phrase "I am come that they might have life" is fulfilled. When Jesus came the first time He fulfilled all conditions, because of His perfect life, to overcome the devil, the causer of sin, and give His people spiritual strength to likewise overcome and not do the evil deed because Jesus dwells in our heart. At the Saviour's resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice, and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come. According to the Bible, the second resurrection, after the millennium, is that of the wicked who then appear before the Lord and die the second, eternal death which Jesus died on the cross and from which He saves His people. This second death could not hold Him in the grave for He was without sin. Therefore we have assurance that the death of Christ did not stop the Word of God and what it taught, instead, His death provided an atoning sacrifice of sufficient value to call forth the blessing of divine power to change people. Jesus' life in place of ours means He makes a substitutionary atonement legal. Then He sends the Holy Spirit to allow a regenerative work to take place inside those who choose to be among the redeemed, for you see, the resurrection is a legal matter. This is how we are not only accounted right before God in the heavenly judgment taking place since 1844, but are also made right.

[930] Comments on 1 Timothy 6:16 have been written in a context which runs as follows. "The supreme concern of the Christian pastor must ever be that of purity and sanctity of his own motives. Thus when Paul has warned Timothy against the vanity and avarice which controlled the false teachers in Ephesus, he brings his epistle to a climax in a solemn charge to shun these evils and earnestly seek the things of the highest good, not to set his heart upon selfish and worldly gain, but to be looking for "the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." [Erdmans, The Pastoral Epistles.]
Adam Clarke wrote: "All beings that are not eternal must be mutable; but there can be only one eternal Being, that is, God; and He only can have immortality. Dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto." NT Commentary, p. 1247. Other commentators like Jamieson, Fausset and Brown speak briefly on Verse 16 with no inference to the subject of the immortality of the soul of man.
Adventists believe the following may explain the biblical position. We read, "To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life." Romans 2:7. Why should believers seek for what they already have? In other words, if we have immortality already, why do we need to seek it as Paul councils the readers of his Letter to the Romans?

[1000] `Made fit' for heaven is a short way of describing the path of a Christian. How a Christian first hears the gospel, is converted, confesses his sin and repents, is baptized and becomes a follower of Jesus Christ. How God's grace works in him and keeps him in a co-operative attitude to keep growing in Christ and considers the attractions of this world as nothing and God's promises as everything. The `natural' body is not designed to live in the heavenly realm. The `spiritual' body is not ours until after the resurrection at the Second Coming of Christ, Job 19:25-27. However, we can be spiritually minded today on earth.

[1003] Will we be able to recognize family and friends in heaven? All the sons and daughters of God will recognize each other for God is a God of love who created human families, therefore it can not be otherwise for He is not a God who would alter our mind at a whim, for then man would be just a pawn in His hand. God gave man a powerful mind to use for His glory, not to limit man and perform alterations in his brain and pigeonhole him into loneliness. Not at all. Those who teach that, teach a Satanic view which claims that God makes man forget all his friends and family in heaven. It is anticlimactic and would lead people not to advance God's cause on earth, for it makes God out to use draconian measures, Satan's way of doing things. Do not heed those teachings.

[1100] Here follows a description of the great day of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds. It is the mass resurrection and seeing Jesus in the clouds which evokes a great shout of joy coming from the lips of the now resurrected and living redeemed. If the soul goes to heaven at death, wouldn't this day be more so an anti-climax? That is why the teaching of the Second Coming of Christ has not been a strong doctrine among these churches.
"The King of kings descends upon the cloud, wrapped in flaming fire. The heavens are rolled together as a scroll, the earth trembles before Him, and every mountain and island is moved out of its place. "Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that He may judge His people." Psalm 50:3,4. [GC 641.2]
"And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Revelation 6:15-17. [GC 642.1]
The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed into silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, "with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood" (Isaiah 9:5), is stilled. Nought now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping and lamentation. The cry bursts forth from lips so lately scoffing: "The great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" The wicked pray to be buried beneath the rocks of the mountains rather than meet the face of Him whom they have despised and rejected.[GC 642.2]
That voice which penetrates the ear of the dead, they know. How often have its plaintive, tender tones called them to repentance. How often has it been heard in the touching entreaties of a friend, a brother, a Redeemer. To the rejecters of His grace no other could be so full of condemnation, so burdened with denunciation, as that voice which has so long pleaded: "Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?" Ezekiel 33:11. Oh, that it were to them the voice of a stranger! Says Jesus: "I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof." Proverbs 1:24, 25. That voice awakens memories which they would fain blot out--warnings despised, invitations refused, privileges slighted. [GC 642.3]
There are those who mocked Christ in His humiliation. With thrilling power come to their minds the Sufferer's words, when, adjured by the high priest, He solemnly declared: "Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." Matthew 26:64; Lk. 2:11-15. Now they behold Him in His glory, and they are yet to see Him sitting on the right hand of power. [GC 643.1]
Those who derided His claim to be the Son of God are speechless now. There is the haughty Herod who jeered at His royal title and bade the mocking soldiers crown Him king. There are the very men who with impious hands placed upon His form the purple robe, upon His sacred brow the thorny crown, and in His unresisting hand the mimic scepter, and bowed before Him in blasphemous mockery. The men who smote and spit upon the Prince of life now turn from His piercing gaze and seek to flee from the overpowering glory of His presence. Those who drove the nails through His hands and feet, the soldier who pierced His side, behold these marks with terror and remorse. [GC 643.2]
With awful distinctness do priests and rulers recall the events of Calvary. With shuddering horror they remember how, wagging their heads in satanic exultation, they exclaimed: "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He be the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him." Matthew 27:42, 43. [GC 643.3]
Vividly they recall the Saviour's parable of the husbandmen who refused to render to their lord the fruit of the vineyard, who abused his servants and slew his son. They remember, too, the sentence which they themselves pronounced: The lord of the vineyard "will miserably destroy those wicked men."Mat. 21:41. In the sin and punishment of those unfaithful men the priests and elders see their own course and their own just doom. And now there rises a cry of mortal agony. Louder than the shout, "Crucify Him, crucify Him," which rang through the streets of Jerusalem, swells the awful, despairing wail, "He is the Son of God! He is the true Messiah!" Mt. 26:63; 27:40,43,54; Mk. 3:11; 15:39; Lk. 1:35; 3:23,38; Jh. 1:49; 5:25. They seek to flee from the presence of the King of kings. In the deep caverns of the earth, rent asunder by the warring of the elements, they vainly attempt to hide.Lk. 23:30; Rev. 6:15-17. [GC 643.4]
In the lives of all who reject truth there are moments when conscience awakens, when memory presents the torturing recollection of a life of hypocrisy and the soul is harassed with vain regrets. But what are these compared with the remorse of that day when "fear cometh as desolation," when "destruction cometh as a whirlwind"! Proverbs 1:27. Those who would have destroyed Christ and His faithful people now witness the glory which rests upon them. In the midst of their terror they hear the voices of the saints in joyful strains exclaiming: "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us." Isaiah 25:9. [GC 644.1]
Amid the reeling of the earth, the flash of lightning, and the roar of thunder, the voice of the Son of God calls forth the sleeping saints. He looks upon the graves of the righteous, then, raising His hands to heaven, He cries: `Awake, awake, awake, ye that sleep in the dust, and arise!'Daniel 12:2. Throughout the length and breadth of the earth the dead shall hear that voice, and they that hear shall live. And the whole earth shall ring with the tread of the exceeding great army of every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. From the prison house of death they come, clothed with immortal glory, crying: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55. And the living righteous and the risen saints unite their voices in a long, glad shout of victory. [GC 644.2] This shout is like their personal testimony to their faith, 2.Cor. 2:14.
All come forth from their graves the same in stature as when they entered the tomb. Adam, who stands among the risen throng, is of lofty height and majestic form, in stature but little below the Son of God. He presents a marked contrast to the people of later generations; in this one respect is shown the great degeneracy of the race. But all arise with the freshness and vigor of eternal youth. In the beginning, man was created in the likeness of God, not only in character, but in form and feature. Sin defaced and almost obliterated the divine image; but Christ came to restore that which had been lost. He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto His glorious body. The mortal, corruptible form, devoid of comeliness, once polluted with sin, becomes perfect, beautiful, and immortal. All blemishes and deformities are left in the grave. Restored to the tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed will "grow up" (Malachi 4:2) to the full stature of the race in its primeval glory. The last lingering traces of the curse of sin will be removed, and Christ's faithful ones will appear in "the beauty of the Lord our God," (Ps. 90:17) in mind and soul and body reflecting the perfect image of their Lord. Oh, wonderful redemption! long talked of, long hoped for, contemplated with eager anticipation, but never fully understood. [GC 644.3]
The living righteous are changed "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye." (1.Cor. 15:52) At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air. Angels "gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (Mt. 24:31) Little children are borne by holy angels to their mothers' arms. Friends long separated by death are united, nevermore to part, and with songs of gladness ascend together to the City of God. [GC 645.1] - Well, some say, but what about these words, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39. - These words by the Apostle Paul certainly are authoritative, but he himself was later, toward the end of his ministry, led into sin by Jewish fellow believers when he like they, shaved his head in order to offer the blood of a red heifer at the Temple of Jerusalem; a task which was not needed anymore after Christ died on the Cross, Acts 21:19-26. The text in Romans says, that nothing can "separate us"; it does not use the word soul (however the whole living human being is a soul). Every saint of God is represented in heaven by his record in the heavenly book, not as an immortal ghost. Romans 8:38-39 is another example where Paul builds on a priori knowledge among the Christians in the churches. They know already when man dies, all of him is dead until resurrection day, but God keeps an exact record of every person who ever lived and based on those records will first judge and then, on resurrection day (Dan. 7:9,10; Rev. 20:12), recreate them all according to the heavenly records (genetic information). - In our scientific age we can understand this viable option a lot better, how the Creator God can recreate a person. The evangelicals are fighting this understanding, they are way behind in coming to grips with certain Bible truths.
On each side of the cloudy chariot are wings, and beneath it are living wheels; and as the chariot rolls upward, the wheels cry, "Holy," and the wings, as they move, cry, "Holy," and the retinue of angels cry, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty." (Rev. 4:8) And the redeemed shout,"Alleluia!" as the chariot moves onward toward the New Jerusalem."[`Great Controversy', p. 641-645.]

[1300] "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.
4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
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:
4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words." 1.Thessalonians 4:13-18
Verse 17 reveals the real hope of the apostle Paul and his often unspoken rule which we must apply to understand him correctly, and which all early Christians understood, when he writes about being absent from the body and present with the Lord. In such scriptures he disregards the time spent dead in the grave, since then a body is oblivious to time, and rather talks about the moment of waking up from the sleep of death, to first, see Jesus coming together with those who are alive on that day, and then be with Him forever.

[1500] As Matthew Henry commented on this word `formed', "Of the other creatures it is said that they were `created' and `made'; but of man that he was `formed', which denotes a gradual process in the work with great accuracy and exactness." [The Bethany Parallel Commentary of the Old Testament]

[1510] When God created man he did not use dry dust but wet clay, Isaiah 64:8. Adam came forth without a character. Character is formed as an accumulation of impressions and information entering the brain.

[1600] How the error of an `immortal soul' is implanted in verse 7 as a foregone conclusion can be seen by a remark of Adam Clarke [Ibid., ref. 1500] who wrote, "In the most distinct manner God shows us that man is a compound being, having a body and a soul distinctly separately created, the body out of the dust of the earth, the soul immediately breathed from God himself." This in contrast to viewing the meaning of verse 7 not to be one of distinctness but rather as a union, one cannot exist without the other. Physical life (body) and mind are one in the same body. We read that the breath of life was breathed into Adam's nostrils, to reach his lungs, not into his heart or brain. While God breathed the first breath for Adam into his lungs, when Eve was created we read nothing about God breathing the first breath into her. We assume that is what happened. Strictly speaking, however, we do not know that to have been the case. Therefore, is it fair to ask, do women have an immortal soul? What is the answer? The answer is that neither man or woman has an immortal soul. Those teaching the immortality of the human `soul' may state that, yes, the soul can die, and, yes, the soul is immortal at the same time citing the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and some Paulinian verses in which Paul in his sweeping way talks about departing and being with the Lord leaving the conditions in between a bit open but explains them in other verses.
For the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is a parable because not all its parts are meant to be understood literally, that ought to be a no brainer. Dear reader, when the Bible says that only God is immortal, that is all we need to know, with that statement we should gage such erroneous teachings as the immortality of the soul.

[1700] A manuscript written in Coptic in the manner of an `enconium' or `homily' on Elijah the Tishbite is attributed to John Chrysostom (ca. 1199 AD), bishop of Constantinople, but with some doubts. See TSBA, Vol. IX, June 1893, pp. 355-404. Enconiums on Elijah appear to have been much sought after and esteemed among Copts, and there is little doubt that several such works existed in Egypt. Elijah and John the Baptist, misunderstood but revered by ascetics whose example the latter blindly followed, and whose lives were closely imitated by hosts of monks, recluses and solitaries often living in desert environments. This particular enconium uses the word "soul" as referring to a living human being, "The soul that shall build a house of prayer for thee upon earth shall live in the heavenly Jerusalem ...", p. 394.

[1850] Where does it say that in the Bible? It aludes to that in Hebrews 11:8-14, that ever since Enoch and Abraham, the patriarchs `looked for a city whose builder is God.' `they died in faith ... of promises ... having seen them afar off ... they seek a country,' namely Israel and Jerusalem and eventually the heavenly Jerusalem in Zion given them from God for they walked in harmony with the divine principles of God, Gen. 5:24; John 8:56.
The story is told that, when David Livingston died on complications of Malaria, he exacted the promise from his two servants to bury his heart in Africa but his body in England. One day they found him. He had died praying on his knees. These two servants, Shula and Sissy, kept their promise and did just that. They embalmed him with salt and sowed him into cloth, then carried his body on their shoulders a thousand miles to Sansibar where the British identified him by his lion attack wounds and were dumbfounded for that dedicated effort.

[1900] There is at least one Bible version which renders this verse as given here, it is the 1930 Revised Edition of the Concordant Version. The `Today's English Version' which is the same as the `Good News Bible' renders this verse, "I promise you that today you will be in Paradise with me." The problem is not a comma, but the word "that" which should be placed to read, "I promise you today that you will be in Paradise with me." In effect it is the same problem as the comma, the word "that" could have been left out, therefore, denominational views determined where the translators put it.
We should also know that commas were not used in the early manuscripts. They were not invented until 1490 AD. For these reasons we can be quite certain that the comma in Luke 23:43 has been misplaced. However, my Greek Bible by Nestle-Aland, `Novum Testamentun', does have a comma but it is a heavily edited Bible with all kinds of annotations and it seems like the publisher wanted to make sure his beliefs are brought before the reader.
As a rule we should never base a doctrine on a comma. There is another misplaced comma in the KJV of the Bible. We read, "So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." Acts 19:12. Read this slowly to realize that there is a missing comma after the word `sick.' Just on basic English grammar it should read, "So that from his body were brought unto the sick, handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." After all they didn't use sick handkerchiefs, did they!
On this topic consider also this about the word `paradise.' According to Revelation 2:7 the `tree of life' is in paradise and from Revelation 22:2 we know that the `tree of life' is located in the `New Jerusalem' which is described as descending from heaven after the 1000 years, the millennium, Revelation 21:2. From this we learn that the thief on the cross would join Jesus in heaven, in paradise, in the New Jerusalem for the millennium and that this has not yet taken place but will take place on the day of His Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead. Sadly this scripture has been used for centuries in a wrong way to present a false gospel. When people find out the truth and ask their spiritual leaders about it, what will happen? Well, they usually are very surprised and ask, `where did this come from?' They expect their flock to be like sheep, follow them unquestionably, act like they are blind and can't think and read for themselves. So, when you recognize this truth, you have grown up in maturity in original Bible truth, and decide your faith based on that.

[2000] "The Egyptians ... were also the first people to put forward the doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and to maintain that after death it enters another creature at the moment of that creature's birth. It then makes the round of all living things - animals, birds, and fish - until it finally passes once again, at birth, into the body of a man. The whole period of transmigration occupies 3000 years. This theory has been adopted by certain Greek writers, some earlier, some later, who have put it forward as their own. Their names are known to me but I refrain from mentioning them." Herodotus, The Histories, Book II, Sec. 123, S. 131. The publishers reference states (assumes) these `writers' to be the Pythagoreans and Orphics. But the last part of the emphasized sentence produced here in italics and color is noteworthy with respect to the `Cultural Foundations of the Western Civilization'.
A reference to soul was apparently found on a basalt stele found in south-eastern Turkey which is attributed to Kuttamuwa/Kilamuwa of the 8th century. It has been translated to read, "I, Kuttamuwa, servant of Panamuwa, am the one who oversaw production of this stele for myself while still living. I placed it in an eternal chamber and established a feast for this chamber: a bull for [the storm-god] Hadad ... a ram for [the sun-god] Shamash ... and a ram for my soul that is in this stele." [`World Archaeology,' Vol. 3, No. 9, Issue 33, Feb/Mar 2009, p. 12.] This represents another example of the pagan origins of the believe in an immortal soul.
In Jewish services in the synagogue at times the `Kaddish' may be read. In it we get a glimpse what Jews believed about death, "May his great name be magnified and sanctified in the world that is to be created anew, when he will revive the dead, and raise them up unto life eternal ... ." "... as soon as he dies he is restrained from the Torah and good deeds, and the Holy One ..." [Joseph Heinemann with Jakob Petuchowski, Literature of the Synagogue, N.Y., 1975, p. 84, 145.] As we can see, there is no thought on immortality found in their long held understanding on this subject. From the NT we know that the Pharisees believed in the resurrection, but not the Sadducees, Acts 23:7-8. But Martha knew that the dead will rise again in the resurrection at the last day, Jh. 11:24. Even King Herod believed in the resurrection of the dead, Mark 6:16. After the Maccabeans drove the Syrians out of Palestine, the Helenistic Jews went into hiding. It was no longer safe for a Jewish scholar to endorse Greek ideas. Yet these Jewish intellectuals continued to apply their logic to the problems of the day, and they formed a new Jewish sect of the Sadducces. [See also, Josephus, Antiquities, Bk. XIII, chap. X, Sec 6.]

[2025] Additional Bible texts how the word `today' is used are these: Zechariah 9:12; Hebrew 3:7,15; 4:7; 5:5. Three days after the death and burial of Jesus on Friday, resting in the grave on Sabbath and rising from death on Sunday. In Jewish thinking a portion of a day is counted as a whole day, not necessarily a 24 hour period.

[2026] Of course some try to get around this scripture by saying, to them paradise is the place where the good souls are waiting until the resurrection, meaning to say that is where Christ did go on that Friday, that is where he descended to according to some priests. They think when Christ died on Friday he went to this paradise and brought several souls back from the grave on Sunday in a special resurrection (Mt. 27:52); then, according to them, Christ, the thief and these souls together went to heaven which now is paradise. But all of this happens in a mysterious background which is not explained to us in the Bible. - So they speak of two types of "paradise", one a sort of waiting place for good souls and the other the heavenly paradise.
When that happens we can refer to context which is a more difficult route to take. The more important lesson from this event is the great concern Jesus had at this terrible moment for this one thief as He also had for Mary at the foot of the cross, Jh. 19:27.
In the end, those who rely on scripture only recognize that context hardly admits for such a scenario of two types of paradise and the whole idea of Christ doing things affecting His doctrines without explaining even one iota of such happenings (the word paradise occurs only in Lk. 23:43; 2Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7).

[2029] Explaining the contrasts: In Mark 9:43 "life" is set forth in contrast with `the fire that never shall be quenched.' So we want to let the Bible explain itself on these scriptures, how they use such contrasts, since many stumble over them without understanding. In Romans 6:23 and many other scriptures "life" stands in contrast with "death." That is easy enough to remember. In John 3:16 the contrast is between "everlasting life" and "perishing." It ought to be obvious for us to recognize that Jesus is drawing some contrasts. These contrasts show that "the fire is not quenched" stands in opposition to "their worm dieth not," and is an equivalent expression, yet it seems incongruous that maggots should pursue their work in the presence of fire. There is nothing in the word `skolex' (worm), that even remotely justifies the popular explanation equating `worm' with `soul' (as in Isa. 66:24).
So let us read the Greek text. In the `Nestle-Aland' NT Greek Bible, Mark 9:44 and 46 are not given. These repeated verses read, "Where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched." Why is that? Because they are quotes of Isaiah 66:24 and already given in Mark 9:43 & 45 last part. We also notice that Mark 9:43 is a parallel text to Matth. 5:30. Here is the comparison. Remember that the author, `Markus' (Latin), uses more often Latin expressions in place of Greek (ex. centurion for major). So it is said that he wrote his gospel late but still before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and that he wrote it for the gentile Christians of his days. For this reason we ought not to be surprised that some phrases are part of it, which are not found in Matthew.

1. `koine' means the `received text';
   
2. the `D' stands for a particular way of reading;
   
3. the `Theta + pl' means, the main representative text from Caesarea (`pl' means most of them);
   
4. the phrase `lat' means the Latin Vulgate version;
   
5. the `sy' means `all or the most important Syriac versions';
   
6. ^P means (if it shows up) that the extant Papyri were consulted.

In order to show that the KJV has some words added which are not there in the standard, `koine' Greek text, namely the words "never shall", in Mark 9:45. That means these words were added because they are found in some versions, but more minor ones. That seems to indicate that Mark's phrase in 9:43,45, `... into the fire that never shall be quenched' is not supported by some major Greek text versions of Mark 9, and we ought to tread carefully and probably not build a doctrine on just these phrases. In the German translation by Martin Luther these words are not found but the word "eternal" (aionios) is used which is found in the Greek of Nestle- Aland (underlined in blue). The often dependable German language Zürcher translation has a note stating that some Bibles use `unquenchable fire', meaning not all do.
For this reason, this writer believes Luther's translation to be a better one on this text for it lets us know that the fire is the "eternal fire", which, the Bible says, is God's glory. God's glory is described as a consuming fire ("kai gar o theos hemn pur katanaliskon", "... God is a consuming fire", Hebr. 12:29 (where hemwn = `spear throwing', as if God throws `pur', fire.), which was used to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah ("the Lord rained ... brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven", Gen. 19:24), Jacob saw it ("... he was afraid ... how dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God ...", Gen. 28:17), it was exhibited on Mt. Sinai ("thunders and lightening ... and ... Sinai was altogether on a smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire ...", Ex. 19:16-18), the experience of Nadab and Abihu, "... there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them ...", Lev. 10:2.
Conclusion: I apologize for this lengthy and detailed footnote, but it seems important given that some important doctrines are depending on a correct and defensible interpretation of these scriptures. So, if we accept that the `unquenchable fire' is that coming from God as it did at Sodom and Gomorrah, to devour the wicked at the end of time, how would that influence the understanding of these verses? It would mean that the fire can never be quenched because it is the Glory of God (Lk. 21:27) which is the source of this fire (Ps. 50:3; Isa. 66:15). It is not unquenchable because it is some separate fire, not originating from the Glory of God, burning in hell. That interpretation would demand the conclusion that hell fire goes out when nothing is left to burn because it is not a fire designed to burn sinners for eternity. Why, if they cannot change or correct their life, why would that have to be such a punishment for a short human life in sin? It must be man's view that wants to see offenders punished to fulfill their feelings of hatred toward those. We ought to know and remember that the Bible teaches that the sheep in Matthew 25:41 represent believers and the goats, unbelievers. In this scripture Jesus is saying that the fire, which will consume and destroy unbelievers, was not prepared for them, but "for the devil and his angels." As to what happens when we die we must remember that only God has immortality, not man. Man dies and all of him is in the grave until Jesus comes again and resurrects His faithful people who were judged before His coming in the heavenly judgment based on their record in the Book of Life. The wicked will be judged by the saved during the Millennium and receive their sentence after that, before they pass out as dry bones or dry branches and the fire of God burns them so nothing will remain that could remind of sin. - If we left anything unclarified write to us.

[2035] The account of the fall in Eden is written in a way which makes unsuspecting readers think that it intends to say that the snake in the `tree of the knowledge of good and evil' could talk. That is not the case in reality. We know already that all animals were created by God and only man could communicate with God. We read also, that God had already warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil." That means our first parents were aware of the presence of evil in the universe. They knew that the "evil" was a spirit being and they must be on guard. The account of the fall seems to say that Eve approached the forbidden tree, which means that illicit thinking took already place in her mind, which, once entertained led her deeper and deeper into falling for deceptions. There happened to be a snake in the tree and wily Satan used that snake as a medium and made it appear as if it was talking to Eve when it was not. Snakes cannot talk, Satan can. Eve basically knew that but she was alone. She made the mistake of leaving the side of her husband, who let it happen. From here on out the "snake" is used as the medium by which Satan tempted, succeeded in doing so and thereby earning another title of his evil existence, Satan was now referred to as a snake, Gen. 3:15. - In our world today, many videos, especially for children, deceive our young ones at an early age to (at least for a while) think that animals can talk. These lies are driven by Hollywood and mass media. They are the cause of much perplexity and lies to be passed around, drawing people away from understanding the Word of God which can pass all critical thinking.

[2050] Dr. William Temple, former archbishop of Canterbury, in a Drew lecture on `Immortality', October 1931 at Sion College in London, England. The beliefs of the Hebrews are well put by the words of Jesus when he said, "... I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2-3) and the thief on the cross when he said, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke 23:42. In other words, when Jesus says, `I will come back and take you to be with me,' there is no one of the human family with Him until that day when He comes back - of course in His glory, that of His Father, and of the holy angels and all of heaven for why should our Saviour do anything in secret when He even suffered death on a Roman cross in public?

[2080] An archaeological discussion with many color images and illustrations of the City of David, including the wandering of his tomb in later period times, can be read in Bargil Pixner, Church of the Apostles Found on Mt. Zion in BAR, May/June 1990, p. 16-35,60. The last person, said to have positively known its location was Rabbi Akiva who was executed during the 2nd Jewish Revolt against Rome (132-135 AD) which was suppressed by emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD). Today no one knows exactly where it was located but the eastern hill is the favored locality.

[2100] On the question of where the dead go, what about the parable of the rich man and poor Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)? This parable is one of a series of parables which are not to be understood literally. Why?
1. `Abraham's bossom' is figurative, not literal.
2. `one drop of water' is not enough to cool man in hell.
3. `people talk back and forth' from heaven to hell which is absurd in a real setting.
Therefore: The Bible teaches that sinners are not punished until the day of judgment, 2.Peter 2:9; Rev. 20:15, and that the righteous are not rewarded until the resurrection of the dead at the Second Coming of Christ, John 5:28-29; Rev. 22:12.
In the parable, the words: "They have Moses and the prophets" (Luke 16:19-21), show that the writings of the Old Testament give the true teaching on the question of `where are the dead', for the rich man's brothers were referred to them. As we showed already, the Old Testament teaches: the dead are not conscious (Ps. 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10). Conclusion: The parable of the rich man and Lazarus is not intending to teach the answer to `where are the dead' but was given by Jesus to underscore that in this life we settle our eternal destiny; after death, the great gulf is fixed and no man is valued merely for his possessions. It rebukes the covetousness of the Pharisees as stated in Verse 14. Compare related parable like scriptures: Lk. 16:19-31; Judges 9:8-15; 2.Ki. 14:9; Lk. 15:11; 16:1. It is an accepted principle of Bible interpretation that a doctrine of faith is not to be built on a parable or allegory alone. This is especially true when details of the parable contradict other scriptural teachings. Only the fundamental teaching of a parable as conformed by its context and supported by the general teaching of the Bible may be considered as a basis for doctrine. It is dangerous to base Christian doctrine on parables. To check try also other Bible versions. I tried the 1961 Oxford NEB, it seems to be ok on 1.Thess. 4:17. You can get various versions in used bookstores for less.

[2150] `Be risen with Christ' could be a reference to the day of baptism of Paul's converts, since at baptism, the baptismal candidate is buried in memory of Christ in the water and lifted out of the water, as a symbol of the resurrection. The phrase "... your life is hid with Christ in God." should be put through the biblical screening procedure and we would find out that the word `hid' in its 125 occurrences, without exception, always means that something is being `secreted away' in the sense of not wanting to be noticed. In the 3rd chapter of Colossians `hid' means the same as in Colossians 2:3. In context with verse 2, the word "`mystery' has its usual New Testament meaning. It describes something once hidden but now disclosed, ... they are hidden in Christ as in a treasure house ...". [Charles Erdman, `The Epistles of Paul to the Colossians..', p. 68.]
Should we then assume that immortal souls are existing under such secretive, hidden conditions in heaven? This idea of an immortal soul is a rather ill conceived, erroneous doctrine. What the apostle wants to say by using the word `hid', that only God knows where all the graves of his faithful people are and only He can raise them from their first death-sleep. In fact, when God raises His saints, they do not come forth with exactly the same body cells, warts and all, they had when they died. Nay, they come forth with cells made by God on the basis of their genetic records kept in heaven minus all the things sin did to their bodies during their life on earth.

[2152] A 2nd century letter may illustrate the pagans view of death. "Irene to Taonnophris and Philo good comfort. I am sorry and weep over the departed one as I wept for Didymas. And all things, whatsoever were fitting, I have done, and all mine, Epaphroditus and Thermuthion and Philion and Apollonius and Plantas. But, nevertheless, against such things one can do nothing. Therefore comfort ye one another." Thus this letter closes like Paul where he writes, ".... sorrow not, even as others which have no hope ... Wherefore comfort one another with these words." - With these words that were written in the previous verses, of course. 1.Thess. 4:13, 18. (The blue part quoted in Adolf Deissmann, Light From the Ancient East, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1927, p. 176.) This letter seems to confirm that pagans in the Greek realm in those days had no hope for life after death; remember, we are not to pray for the dead.

[2200] Describing the Second Coming of Jesus Christ this way, accompanied by throngs of heavenly beings, or, as the Bible says, in the clouds of heaven is sometimes criticized. Critics point to Isaiah 19:1:
"Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt ..."
The metaphor of the Lord riding upon a cloud in this passage of Isaiah is usually understood to mean, the arrival of the Assyrians in Egypt which causes "... the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it."
Isaiah's description is something that happened in the past, an event on earth among nations and people. Does that mean whenever we read about `the Lord coming in the clouds' we should think of it as a symbol for political, earth bound events? The image of `a cloud' is frequently used in various ways in the Bible including the Book of Daniel. The type of interpretation with an immediate historical fulfillment is used by Daniel and illustrates the effectiveness of God's sovereign dominion over history. The second type of interpretation with distant historical fulfillments is more often found in the Book of Daniel and most often relates to the very end of time. The Bible employs a common sense approach and presupposes the overall goal of God is understood, namely, the resolution of the sin problem in His universe. All scripture relates somehow to this overall goal to cleanse all of God's creations from the influence of sin. The culmination toward this goal will begin when Christ returns the second time as king of kings.

[2210] Belief in the indestructibility of the soul can be further considered why it should be true. To believe that condition of man invites several problems. It seems to put into question a future judgment. Taking for granted a belief in punishment and reward, we would first conclude that no human being's record can be complete at death. His life has ended, but his influence continues, his "works do follow" him. "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." Rev. 14:13. Earthly courts do await the final outcome of a crime, in case of a wounded victim. If the victim dies after the arrest of the perpetrator, it definitely influences the final sentence. Therefore, a human being is responsible for more than the immediate outcome and judgment must be delayed to some more remote point in time than the death of a person. This implies that no soul could justly be admitted into heaven or hell at the time of death.(See also: Luke 12:48; 2.Pet. 2:9)

[2290] Discussing some more 2.Cor. 5:9, "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him." 2.Cor. 5:9.
In Paul's words, "whether present or absent", that is be alive at the time of His coming again or dead, "... we may be accepted of him ...", means Paul having run a good race in faith to God knows that some may not have and may be found out to be unworthy, in which case they have neither body (their birth or their resurrection body), as a result of rejecting God's way. From other scriptures we know the Bible teaches that those who did not run a good race will be resurrected after the 1000 years. They have been judged to die the eternal, second death for they desired not to be part of God's kingdom.

[2300] When Adam and Eve sinned, their physical body changed. Having no access to the `Tree of Life', their body cells began to age and over many years led to their death. The brain is part of the physical body just like the heart, lungs, liver and intestine are. When our organs begin to experience loss in functionality with age, so does the brain. The brain, seat of our mind, is an organ. In it resides what we know and who we are. It is our `spirit', our personality. There is no immortal part to it, as the whole body of Adam and Eve sinned, so all of their body also died. We are 100% mortal. At the moment of death, microscopic events, starting decay, set in right away, exemplified by cessation of breathing and blood circulation. And so it is that Lazarus and Jesus were dead. But God knows our genetic code and therefore can recreate us on resurrection day. Tracing the origin of belief in an immortal soul we may mention the following spread of evidence:
01. The concept of `winged serpent spirits' signifying the soul of the departed as represented in the Egyptian `Book of the Dead' where the `ka' is spoken of as "ever living." [See PSBA, March, 1879, p. 27.] While the written information on the "ka" or soul, genius, man's ghostly double, in the Book is rare, the painted illustrations are not.
02. `Winged serpent guardians' as artfully constructed on the throne of Tutankhamon, Cairo Museum.
03. The Mayan serpent sun god, Quetzalcoatl', is shown to come out of the mouth of a dragon. Art work from 1000 A.D., Cozumel Island.
04. In art work found in Rome, we can find a winged serpent on a chariot carrying the soul to heaven.
05. We would like to remind our readers of the forward carved head on Scandinavian `serpent boats' testify to their believe in the afterlife.
06. In India we see the lord Nrsimshadeva represented with a hydra (multi-headed cobra) behind his head.
07. In Assyrian art we can see eagle headed genie representing their views on the afterlife.
08. Many ancient churches are filled with coffins of dead church leaders who are often given a saintly veneration.
09. A tomb stone from the home of the Fox sisters reads; "The Birthplace of Modern Spiritualism, Upon this site stood the Hydesville Cottage, Home of the Fox sisters through whose mediumship communication with the `spirit world' was established March 31, 1848. `There is no death, There are no dead.' Placed here by M.E. Cadwallader, Dec. 5, 1922."
Comment: Such are the origins of the belief in an immortal soul repeating the falsehood of the "snake" from Eden. They are so deeply engrained in this worlds populations, that, in the Christian Era, people began to search the scriptures with a view to make it support their traditional believes in this pagan doctrine (`cremation'). We show that the Hebrews faith did not support the idea of an immortal soul, neither does the Bible.

[2320] An old `Messiah' Hebrew text (4Q521) from Qumran contains the phrase, "... resurrect the dead" and no hint of an immortal aspect of human death. See here the entire text.

[2350] The Old Testament understanding of where the dead are is particularly well expressed in this passage if we just let these words speak for themselves, "He will swallow up death in victory ... and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth ... And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us ..." and "O Lord ... 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." Isaiah 25:8-9; 26:17,19. The Bible teaches the resurrection of the righteous patriarchs, Mark 12:26-27. The Sanhedrin and the scribes knew that the fathers of Israel were still in their graves. The Jews taught their sons,

"He will send the Messiah at the end."
"God will raise the dead according to the multitude of His mercies."

1. the class which died before Christ's return of whom is written, "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death." Hosea 13:14; 1.Cor. 15:55.
2. the class which is alive when the Lord returns - they were translated, "These were redeemed from among men, being the first fruits unto God and the Lamb." Rev. 14:4.

[2360] Does this scripture mean that the `good' and the `evil' will be raised up together at the same time? At first it may seem that way. To find the answer we must study the other Bible passages which contain information on this subject. In Luke 14:14 we read only of the resurrection of the `just'.
The same writer, John, the author of his gospel of John and the Book of Revelation, answers the question in his `Revelation', Rev. 20:4-6,

When we assign the last sentence shown in red to verse 6, we get the following meaning:

"This is the first resurrection. 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." A revised reading of Revelation 20:6 for illustration only and to underscore that the red sentence belongs context wise to verse 6, not verse5.

We should say though, when Christ comes, a select few of the wicked will be resurrected to witness His Coming in glory to this earth. Who are they? They are those who put Him on trial, delivered Him to be crucified and those who pierced his body, Matth. 26:64; Mark 14:62; Rev. 1:7. While these men will see Jesus come, they will not survive and die 3 times - first their natural death, next the death after they see Him in the clouds, and then the death which is for all other of the wicked the second death, but for these `witnesses' it will be the third. - Dear reader, life in this world without God is without hope unless we belong to God. Just observe these man who had gained their riches dishonestly and how they, now at the eve of their life, have to pay a heavy price enforced by human laws, and then again, unless they convert, the price all must pay who disregarded God's claims on our life.
Let us be faithful Christians and dig for all the truths about God and free us from the clutter of all that is false.

Question: Where in the Bible does it talk about the second resurrection and who are those resurrected?

Answer: From Matth. 25:31-46**, 2.Thessalonians 1:7-9; chapter 2:8 and Rev. 6:14-17 we know that the implication is that the wicked will be slain by the brightness of the Lord Jesus' coming while the (first) resurrected (1.Cor. 15:22,23) and living redeemed will be translated and taken into heaven. These slain "wicked", those who did not accept God's offer of salvation (Rev. 6:15-17), will be dead for the 1000 year period at the end of which that "second" resurrection takes place for we read that Satan will be loosed out of his prison, namely 1000 years with no one to tempt into sin (Rev. 20:3 the "bottomless pit" is the destroyed earth as it appeared before creation), for all the wicked are dead (that prison is not a literal prison but one of circumstanes) - but Satan will now go out and deceive the nations, namely "the rest of the dead" (Rev. 20:5), all those wicked people now resurrected in the second resurrection; their condition is described in Isa. 20:4,5. [** Please notice that Jesus does not yet detail that the "everlasting punishment is that at the very end, after the millennium and the second resurrection.] We learn from Rev. 20:6 that the righteous have come forth from their graves and are now immortal, 1.Cor. 15:51-53. Another death is going to take place, 1000 years after Christ's Second Coming, still ahead for the wicked, but it has no authority over the righteous. - Therefore, when we accept Christ as our Saviour now, when He then comes in the clouds on that last day of this old world's history we will not react by running away from Him because we think He is coming to punish us - for we accepted Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, confessed our sins, repented, and began a live of willing obedience to all that God's word teaches and reveals to us in diligent Bible study - try to find well construted study guides like those of the `AmazingFacts' for an organized set of topics. No, we will be able to stand and welcome Him with open arms.

After Satan, and the now in the second resurrection made alive wicked, are together again, the devil begins immediately his deceptive work. He gets them to try and take the city of God, Rev. 20:8,9, culminating into their second death and the end of the reign of sin.

Let us show these events in a table a bit different than above because of many questions.

"Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do ... For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. (Jeus could raise the dead) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (as did the raising of Lazarus to demonstrate the power of God in Jesus Christ) For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John 5.

[2368] Walter Bauer (author 1877-1960), William F. Arndt (editor, 1880-1957); F. Wilbur Gingrich (editor, 1929-1972), Arndt-Gingrich, Greek Lexicon, p. 901.

[2369] C.L.Wilibald Grimm (1807-1891), Joseph Henry Thayer (1828-1901), Greek Lexicon, p. 677.

[2380] "Now, if one should say that Abraham's soul lives with God but his body is dead, this distinction is rubbish. I will attack it. One must say, 'The whole Abraham, the whole man, shall live.' The other way you tear off a part of Abraham and say, 'It lives.' This is the way the philosophers speak: 'Afterward the soul departed from its domicile,' etc. That would be a silly soul if it were in heaven and desired its body!" Theodore G. Tappert, ed. & tr., Luther's Works, vol.54, Table Talk [Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967], p.447). Actually this error is loudly proclaimed today. They say, when Jesus died, his body was dead but not his spirit. Where was his spirit then? After His resurrection Christ said to Mary "touch me not" Joh. 20:17, since He had not yet presented Himself to His Father. That should mean Christ's `spirit' had not ascended to heaven after He died on the cross. Why? Because `spirit' means a living human being, a thinking mind, not some ghostly entity. - However, later the same day, when Christ appeared to his disciples in the upper room, the `doubting Thomas' was allowed to touch Christ. That means that from the time Christ met Mary to the time when He met Thomas, Christ had ascended to His Father and His sacrifice was accepted.

[2400] Albert Barnes, Notes on Revelation, pp. 190-191, comment on Revelation 6:9-11: "We are not to suppose that this literally occurred, and that John actually saw the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar - for the whole representation is symbolical; nor are we to suppose that the injured and the wronged in heaven actually pray for vengeance on those who wronged them, or that the redeemed in heaven will continue to pray with reference to things on earth; but it may be fairly inferred from this that there will be as real a remembrance of the wrongs of the persecuted, the injured, and the oppressed, as if such prayer were offered there; and that the oppressor has as much to dread from the divine vengeance as if those whom he has injured should cry in heaven to the God who hears prayer, and who takes vengeance."

[2410] Famous names of martyrs are recorded in John Fox's book of `The Martyrs'.

[2450] We are fully aware that some interpreters (Adam Clarke at al.) tried to place these events into the time before the destruction of Jerusalem. That view would crowd a lot of prophecy into a narrow space of time with dubious fulfillments and leave large eras of history blank and without guidance by the prophetic Word of God. It is the Preterist viewpoint, invented to free the persecuting power from its unflattering, condemning involvement of the events described in the Book of Revelation. See The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the Old/New Testament, Minneapolis, 1983.

[2500] The pre-existence of Jesus Christ is taught in the Old and New Testament: John 17:5, Micah 5:2, John 1:1-4,15, John 8:58, John 17:24, Philippians 2:6-8, Colossians 1:17 and Hebrews 1:8.

[3000] Herbert Douglass, `Messenger of the Lord', pp. 256-263.
Ellen White's view of death and resurrection: "Our personal identity is preserved in the resurrection, though not the same particles of matter or material substance as went into the grave. The wondrous works of God are a mystery to man. The spirit, the character of man, is returned to God, there to be preserved. In the resurrection every man will have his own character. God in His own time will call forth the dead, giving again the breath of life, and bidding the dry bones live. The same form will come forth, but it will be free from disease and every defect. It lives again bearing the same individuality of features, so that friend will recognize friend. There is no law of God in nature which shows that God gives back the same identical particles of matter which composed the body before death. God shall give the righteous dead a body that will please Him." {6BC, 1093; } About the state of the wicked she wrote: "Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy. While deprived of his power and cut off from his work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. The wicked are Satan's captives. In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. . . . In that vast throng are multitudes of the long-lived race that existed before the Flood; men of lofty stature and giant intellect, who, yielding to the control of fallen angels, devoted all their skill and knowledge to the exaltation of themselves; men whose wonderful works of art led the world to idolize their genius, but whose cruelty and evil inventions, defiling the earth and defacing the image of God, caused Him to blot them from the face of His creation. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell.
Now Christ again appears to the view of His enemies. Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son. The brightness of His presence fills the City of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance.
Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs.
The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and re-echoes through the vaults of heaven: "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Verse 10. And angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration. As the redeemed have beheld the power and malignity of Satan, they have seen, as never before, that no power but that of Christ could have made them conquerors. In all that shining throng there are none to ascribe salvation to themselves, as if they had prevailed by their own power and goodness. Nothing is said of what they have done or suffered; but the burden of every song, the keynote of every anthem, is: Salvation to our God and unto the Lamb.
In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government and executes justice upon those who have transgressed His law and oppressed His people. Says the prophet of God: "I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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." Revelation 20:11, 12.
As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. On judgment day, they stand before God, not in person, but through their records, Rev. 20:12-15. After they are raised, they see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart--all appear as if written in letters of fire." {GC 664-666}