Of the State of Men after Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead
The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them.
I do not believe the soul is, by nature, immortal, or inherently immortal. The soul is immortal by the grace of God. The Christian’s hope is not centered on the immortality of the soul, but rather on the resurrection of the dead. “And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God.” (Job 19:26)
Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body, until the appointed time of the resurrection. “The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” (John 5:28-29)
When Jesus refers to death as “sleep”, He does so phenomenologically. “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up….However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.” (John 11:11,13)
“We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8) Hallelujah for that, whatever it means!
“I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.” Nicene Creed
