Paul Chapman wrote:

>
> What is death? As I said in my previous post, the Bible consistently
> puts forth the idea that death is a state of total unconsciousness--no
> thoughts, no device, no wisdom, no knowledge.
>
Totally unbiblical and unsupportable. Death is alienation. Period.
"In that day you shall surely die." According to you, man is now in a
state of "total unconsciousness" for "death spread to all men."

The totality of scripture declares the dignity of man who was made in
God's image. Man IS immortally conscious by nature. That God "gives
them over" is principle of eternal damnation. Men will be turned over
eternally to their own particular alienation from God. If he be an
adulterer, he will be ever left to his desire to commit adultery
without any means to fulfill that desire. There will be NO communion
in eternal damnation. It will be eternal conscious aloneness with
one's own depravity. That our sensitivity is repelled by this has no
place in adjudicating its reality. As Luther wrote to Erasumus,

"What indignation against God do you not display, because you may not
see the reason and design of His counsel?. . . Why do you not restrain
yourself and discourage others, from prying into matters which God
wills to keep hidden from us, and has not made known in the Scriptures?
Here we should lay our hand on our mouth; here we should revere what
lies concealed and adore the secret decrees of the Divine Majesty and
cry with Paul: 'Who art thou, O man, that contendest with God?"

>
> My own answers to these questions leads me to conclude that, "today"
> modifies "I say." So the response of Jesus to the thief would read,
>
> "Truly to you I say today, you will be with me in paradise."
>
And equally,

Phil. 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

is to be understood "to die is to gain Christ." The thief on the cross
died in the old Mosaic economy. We who are of the "Bride of Christ"
are not called into unconsciousness at death, but are made "alive in
Christ", being "hid in Christ." What a poor gospel you preach.

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1) What events will be transpiring on the earth in the day when the Son of
Man is revealed in his glory?

Reference: Luke 17:26-28, Mat. 24:37-38

A. Men shall be marrying wives
B. All of these things
C. Men shall be eating and drinking
D. Men shall be found buying and selling

2) When shall the Son of Man "reward every man according to his works"?

Reference: Mat. 16:27

A. At one's baptism
B. In this life
C. When Jesus returns
D. At one's death