[continued from previous message]   
      
   conscious suffering. The imagery uses earthly pictures to communicate   
   truths that remain consistent with the picture, not contrary to it.   
      
   So literal means actual, not symbolic-only. It means the fire truly   
   inflicts torment, even though it belongs to the spiritual order and does   
   not rely on earthly chemistry.   
      
      
   > Churches: At death, **soul survives body and is immortal.   
   > Bible: A soul can die. (Eze 18:4) Man IS a soul. (Gen 2:7)   
   > **Soul can also mean "life". (Gen 35:16-18)   
      
   Bible: Men can kill the body, but not the soul (Matthew 10:28).   
      
   Church: Men can kill the body, but not the soul (Matthew 10:28).   
      
   Watchtower: Men can kill the soul, but God can revive it ("Do not be   
   	    afraid" 2016).   
      
         “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.   
          Rather fear him who can destroy the soul in ‘hell’ [Gehenna]”   
          (Matthew 10:28, ESV).   
      
   	Jesus separates body and soul and teaches that the soul   
            remains beyond bodily death.   
      
         “The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns   
          to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7, ESV).   
      
   	The verse distinguishes body and spirit and shows conscious   
            return to God after physical death.   
      
         “As her soul was departing (for she was dying)” (Genesis 35:18,   
          ESV).   
      
   	Death involves the soul’s departure, not its extinction.   
      
         “…the life of the child came into him again, and he revived” (1   
          Kings 17:22, ESV).   
      
   	The term rendered “life” refers to the soul. The soul left and   
            then returned, showing distinction from the body.   
      
         “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see   
           corruption” (Psalm 16:10, ESV).   
      
   	Soul and body follow different paths; the body faces   
            corruption, the soul does not.   
      
         “…as when a sick man wastes away” (Isaiah 10:18, ESV).   
      
   	The Hebrew idiom contrasts flesh and soul, treating the soul   
            as distinct from the perishing body.   
      
         “I saw the souls of those who had been slain…” (Revelation 6:9,   
          ESV).   
      
   	These souls remain conscious after bodily death.   
      
         “…my desire is to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23,   
          ESV).   
      
   	Paul expects conscious fellowship with Christ immediately   
            after death.   
      
         “…away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians   
          5:8, ESV).   
      
   	Being “away from the body” means the person continues in   
            conscious presence with Christ.   
      
         “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43, ESV).   
      
   	Jesus promises immediate conscious presence after death.   
      
      
         “…the rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades he lifted   
          up his eyes…” (Luke 16:22–23, ESV).   
      
   	Conscious existence continues after the body dies and is   
            buried.   
      
         “…He is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32,   
          ESV).   
      
   	Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob continue as living persons after   
            bodily death.   
      
         “…the spirits of the righteous made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23,   
          ESV).   
      
   	The spirits of departed believers remain conscious and   
            perfected in God’s presence.   
      
      
   Works Cited   
      
   *The Watchtower*, July 15, 1898, p. 216; *The Watchtower*, October 15,   
   1945, p. 313.   
      
   (*The Watchtower*, November 1, 1964, p. 671; *The Watchtower*, May 15,   
   1978, p. 31; *The Watchtower*, March 1, 1986, p. 5).   
      
   Watchtower, April 1, 2001, p. 14   
      
   Watchtower, July 1, 1962, p. 389   
      
   Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. “Do Not Be   
   Afraid—You Are Worth More Than Many Sparrows.” The Watchtower Announcing   
   Jehovah’s Kingdom—Study Edition, 15 July 2016, pp. 9–13.   
      
   --   
   Have you heard the good news Christ died for our sins (†), and God   
   raised Him from the dead?   
      
   That Christ died for our sins shows we're sinners who deserve the death   
   penalty. That God raised Him from the dead shows Christ's death   
   satisfied God's righteous demands against our sin (Romans 3:25; 1 John   
   2:1-2). This means God can now remain just, while forgiving you of your   
   sins, and saving you from eternal damnation.   
      
   On the basis of Christ's death and resurrection for our sins, call on   
   the name of the Lord to save you: "For 'everyone who calls on the name   
   of the Lord will be saved'" (Romans 10:13, ESV).   
      
   https://christrose.news/salvation   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)