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The State of the Dead

From: Answers to Correspondents

By: John Thomas Mawson

• 1 min. read • grade level: 13

W.T.M. — It is evident that the spirits of those who die in the Lord are immediately present with Him (see Phil. 1:23²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: (Philippians 1:23); Acts 7:59⁵⁹And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. (Acts 7:59); Luke 23:43⁴³And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)), and this must mean bliss for them, even though they remain in the disembodied state until the coming of the Lord, when their bodies will be raised in glory (1 Cor. 15:43, 51-53⁴³It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: (1 Corinthians 15:43)
⁵¹Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:51‑53)).

It is also clear that those who die without Christ are in the place of torment (Luke 16:23²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) and 24), though they await the last resurrection when at the great white throne they receive their final sentence to the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15¹¹And 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. ¹²And 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. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11‑15)).

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