The WTBTS teaches that, " the soul that is sinning..will die." This was re-hashed in the What is Truth talk at the DC. So I got to thinking about the WTBTS's doctrine. They made it very clear that Jesus said, " Lazarus is sleeping." So....death is likened to a sleep like state of inactivity. Here's the thing, when you are asleep, you are not dead. There is still activity going on. If GOD's word says that death is like sleep, then that is what it means.
Follow me so far? The WTBTS also uses a weasel word when talking about immortality. They often say " inherent " immortality. That changes things a bit in my opinion. What about the first humans? Whether you think that is allegory, or factual, even if you belive that God used evolution to make man, there is still something to consider. Where does the Bible say that man was meant to live forever as a physical creature? Nowhere.
The WTBTS assumes that man was originally created " not dying " because the Bible doesn't say anything about death until the " Forbidden fruit " incident. We don't really know anything, except that GOD said to fill the earth. For the sake of argument let's assume that the WTBTS is right, and ADAM and EVE were real and not an allegory or whatever. They sinned and brought death to themselves and their offspring. Fine.
So what if they had never sinned? What then? Christ changed everything. He was to set matters straight and break up the works of the Devil, right? So what is the Christian Hope in the scriptures? When your physical life ends you begin a heavenly, spiritual existence. Some would never see death at all. Some would be transformed in the blink of an eye, others would need to wait and carry out their compulsory service like Job.
Still, the gift that GOD gives is everlasting life by means of Christ Jesus. So perhaps Adam and Eve lost the right to everlasting life beyond the physical through sin, and then Christ regained that for us? Anyone who " died " before Christ just had to wait, in a sleep like state. Sleeping does not mean you cease to exist as the WTBTS says. Jesus says that death is like sleep, a nap. Surely if GOD meant that death was oblivion and you cease to exist then he would have said so.
I think the WTBTS leaders know that man is " immortal " through the free gift through Christ Jesus. They just use the word " inherent " to throw you off the scent. Not having " inherent " immortality just means that it has to be given to you. According to GOD, it has been!
So thinking of death as sleeping in the truest sense, really uncomplicates things, especially Christ's resurrection. He did not cease to exist. He did not need to be re-created.
Anyway, I am just spit-balling here. That death=sleep got me thinking. So did the use of " inherent." Saying that man is not immortal and that man does not have " inherent " immortality are two different things. I think the GB know this and suppress it. After all, how would you continually motivate millions of people to work for free, as the try to gain life on " paradise earth?" The weasel words, the power grabs, the nu-light, the denigrating of anyone who feels they should partake, death being the opposite of life ( sleep is not the opposite of life ), it's all there to keep you in the hamster wheel until the next " generation " takes over.
Any thoughts?!
Peace,
DD 