Man's Condition in Death
By Charles Thompson
Life Depends on Organization — “Our Friend Lazarus Sleepeth”— The Resurrection Essential to Life Beyond
THE question of man's condition in death is answered in the third chapter of Genesis. The Lord, speaking to Adam after he sinned, said, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return." Gen. 3: 19. When God created man, the record is, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Gen. 2: 7. The Scripture, speaking of man in death, says, “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." Eccl. 12: 7. NO LIFE INDEPENDENT OF ORGANIZATION
From these statements it is clear that there is no life independent of organization. God organized man, and he became a living soul. Death disorganizes him, “and in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146: 4. As the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it, evidently if man is conscious after death, he was conscious before birth. Experience teaches us that this is not true, and the Scriptures also affirm that “there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." Eccl. 9: 10. When the Saviour was upon earth, and was abiding for a time in Bethabara, where John first baptized, Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus, sent word to Him, saying, “He whom Thou lovest is sick." After two days, Jesus prepared to “go into Judea again." His disciples protested, but Jesus said, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well." “Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead." John 11: 1-4. When Jesus said, “Lazarus sleepeth," He meant just what He did when He said, “Lazarus is dead." Therefore, Jesus plainly teaches the sleep of the dead, and every normal mind knows there is no consciousness in a sound sleep. Job testified that such is the condition of man in death: “His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them." Job 14: 21. The apostle Paul, in his argument on the resurrection of the dead, says: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished." 1 Cor. 15: 16-18. This clearly shows that the only hope of a future existence is through a resurrection of the dead. This is promised to all men: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." Verse 22. The next statement tells when this will be: “But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming." Verse 23. This is why the second coming of Christ is spoken of as “that blessed hope." Titus 2: 13. From these scriptures, we learn that man in death is absolutely unconscious, and will remain so until the resurrection at the second coming of Christ. Therefore we can join in the final response to the benediction of God's word, and exclaim, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Rev. 22: 20.