Sleep as a metaphor for Death proves life after death

Sleep as a metaphor for Death proves life after death

Neo-Sadduceeism Refuted!!!	The fact that death is likened unto sleep proves that man continues to exist after death. False teachers wrongly define death as extinction, annihilation, non-existence or unconsciousness. Man has no conscious existence apart from the body after he dies
	Death as "non-existence" is a member of "Domino Theology" (Refute one element & refute the whole system!)

It would be appropriate at this point to deal with the doctrine of "soul sleep," which is continually surfaced by the annihilationists in order to refute conscious torment in both the intermediate and eternal state.

First, it is always argued that the mere fact that the Bible refers to death by the word "sleep" is absolute proof that there is no conscious life after death. That this is an erroneous argument is seen from the following facts l. The word "sleep" is a metaphor describing the appearance and posture of the body. Even Froom admits that it is a metaphor. 2. The word was also used by the Greeks, Egyptians, etc., to describe their dead. Since these surrounding cultures indisputably believed in a conscious afterlife, their use of the word "sleep" to describe their dead obviously cannot mean that they believed the dead were unconscious. Thus, the mere presence of the word "sleep" in scripture as a metaphor for death cannot logically be used as an argument for soul sleep. As Jeremias stated: " The notion of soul-sleep is just as foreign to the N.T. as to Judaism; the image of sleep is introduced simply...as an euphemistic description of death.

Second, the Scriptures clearly teach that after death, man is conscious either in the bliss of heaven or the torments of Hades. Since the second death is patterned after the first death, both deaths refer to separation, not annihilation. (Death and The Afterlife, Robert Morey, Dualist, p. 205-206)
Sleep, in describing death, is nothing more than how the living view the dead. Yet even still, we exist, think, dream and experience consciousness when we sleep!

Bible verses that use sleep, as a metaphor for Death:

"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Dan 12:2

"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep." The disciples therefore said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. Then Jesus therefore said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead". Jn 11:11-14

Ps 90:5 Thou hast swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep

Mt 9:24 He began to say, "the girl has not died, but is asleep." And they began laughing at Him.

Mt 27:52 tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

Mk 5:39; Lk 8:52 The child has not died, but is asleep

Ac 7:60 "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" And having said this, Stephen fell asleep.

Ac 13:36 "For David ... fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay

1 Co 15:6,18,20,51 some have fallen asleep ... those who are asleep, we shall not all sleep,

1 Th 4:13-15 those who are asleep ... have fallen asleep in Jesus

2 Pe 3:4 ever since the fathers fell asleep

Sleep, as a metaphor for Death, proves conscious life after death and refutes Arians:

	We exist when we sleep
	We are conscious when we sleep
	Dreaming is a conscious activity while asleep. In fact the Bible warns that we can even sin while asleep! "Yet in the same manner these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh" Jude 8 "Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night." Ps 16:7

Examine closely these three parallel verses:

"whether we are awake or *asleep, we may live* *together* with Him." 1 Th 5:10	How do you live together with the Lord when you are dead? Obviously there is conscious existence after death!
For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the *dead* and of the *living*. Rom 14:9	Jesus Christ is the Lord of the dead who must consciously exist!
He is not the God of the *dead, but of the living; for all live* to Him." Lk 20:38	Jesus refuted the Sadducees by proving that the dead are not extinct, but continue to exist. God is the God of Abraham right now, because Abraham consciously exists!

Notice how awake corresponds to living and asleep corresponds to dead:

Jehovah is the God of both	living	dead	Lk 20:38
Jesus is Lord of both	living	dead	Rom 14:9
We live together with Him whether	awake	asleep	1 Th 5:10

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