The Dead Are Not Alive! Rick Branch Watchman Fellowship Arlington, TX In the 1929 book "Life", the statement "The dead are not alive in any sense; they are dead, and know not anything," is set forth as the view of the people lost in the movement known as Jehovah's Witnesses. Since its inception, their view of death and of those who have died has been, "... that the dead are actually dead, unconscious, in the tomb, and know not anything until God's due time to awaken them," (Creation, p.271). That is, all who have died throughout history are still in their graves awaiting the resurrection. No one who has died over the centuries of time is conscious. This view leads the Witnesses to the inevitable conclusion that the soul of man is not immortal. "Now these scriptures show that man is a soul; that he is subject to death; that he is, therefore, not immortal; and these things being true, it must follow that a man when he dies could not immediately go to heaven... or eternal torment," (Ibid, p.268). The Witnesses continue in the heretical theology with the statement, "The result of such a thorough search will be that you cannot fined a single text in which either of those original words for 'soul' is connected or associated with such words as 'immortal, everlasting, eternal, or deathless.' There is not one Bible text that states the human soul is immortal." (Let God Be True, p.69; 1953 ed.). While it is true, the Bible no where states, "the soul is immortal," with such a forceful, clearly defined statement, it is erroneous to assert the heretical teachings which the Watchtower has set forth. Paul's desire was "...to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord," (2 Corinthians 5:8). If Paul did not expect to be with the Lord he would have not been so eager to "be absent from the body." Further, Paul expressed, "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better," (Phil. 1:23). It would be of no advantage to "depart" if one simply expected to become unconscious! In fact, Ralph Martin states, "this future 'being with Christ' is far better, lit. 'much rather better,' a triple comparative meaning 'by far the best." "Any idea of an unconscious state following death or of a purgatorial disciple in the next world is denied by the sheer simplicity of Paul's expectation," (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Philippians, p.79). In speaking of those who have died, John the Revelator proclaims, "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth" (Rev. 6:9-10). It is obvious that those who were crying to the Lord, had once lived on earth and are now conscious and at the same time in the presence of the Lord. Again the commentaries denounce the Jehovah's Witnesses false theology. "Attention has previously been directed to the important promise made to the martyr-designate that he will go directly to heaven when he is slain..." (The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 12, p.414). Regardless of the fact that the Bible does not use the words, "The soul is immortal," or that one is "Unconscious immediately after death," the Bible plainly teaches this to be true. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Copied with permission from the Watchman Expositor. * * For a free subscription to this monthly newspaper * * write the Watchman Fellowship office nearest you: * * * * W A T C H M A N F E L L O W S H I P, I N C. * * P.O. Box 13251 P.O. Box 19416 P.O. Box 7681 * * Arlington, TX 76094 Birmingham, AL 35219 Columbus, GA 31908 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ CHRISTIAN BBS ABBA II ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ» º º º Where Christians find Fellowship, Information and Resources, º º and where non-Christians find honest, reasonable answers to º º their questions about what (and why) Christians believe. º º º º ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ Providing High-Quality, Christian Files ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ º º º º þ Up-To-Date Christian News þ Bible Studies & Discussions º º þ Abba II's Christian Magazine þ Ministry Newsletters º º þ Active Message Area þ On-Line Christian Directory º º þ Specializing in Apologetics þ Christian Events Calendar º º º º ³ Immediate Access - No Ratios ³ º ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ͵ 619-487-7746 - up to 14,400 baud ÆÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍͼ ³ 619-487-6391 - up to 2,400 baud ³ -------------------------------------------- file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw: jw-073.txt .