Study of the Book of the congregation, Week of November 28 to December 4, 2022, Is there life after death?, Lesson 29, Points 1 to 5, Answers.

Study of the Book of the congregation, 28-November-4-December -2022, Lesson 29, Points 1 to 5, Answers.

Is there life after death?

Has a loved one died? In that painful moment, you may have wondered “Is there life after death? Will I be able to see my loved ones again? In this lesson and the next we will explore the comforting answers the Bible gives.

1. Is there life after death?

Of course not, Jesus compared death to a deep sleep and when one is sound asleep he knows nothing of what is happening around him, and even the Bible in Ecclesiastes 9:5 says that the dead know nothing at all. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

This question is answered very well by Ecclesiastes 9:5. Where it says that the dead know nothing at all. That is to say, when someone dies, he ceases to exist and it is as if he were asleep. So. they do not feel, nor think, nor act.

There is no life after death. That is why Jesus compared it to a deep sleep. Because when we are asleep. we cannot know what happens and when we die. We also do not feel and do not know what is happening in our environment.

2. Why does knowing the truth about death help us?

It helps us a lot, because we are no longer afraid of death or the dead, since we know that, like the dead, they know nothing and cannot do us any kind of harm. In addition, knowing the truth about death protects us from demons. because there are those who believe that they are communicating with their deceased relatives, when in reality they are communicating with the demons. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Because that way we avoid being afraid of the dead because of the damage they can cause us. In addition, we avoid being deceived into believing that we can help them or into thinking that they can help us.

Also in this way we will avoid being deceived by the traps of satan making us believe that our relatives are the ones who act and fall into error, since being at the mercy of demons is very dangerous. 

Knowing the truth helps us eliminate our fears about death and the dead. For example, there are people who think that the dead can harm them, but knowing that when one dies ceases to exist, we do not have that fear, since the dead cannot feel or do anything as John 8:32 says, the truth. it will set you free.

Also knowing the truth about death helps us not to fall into the error of thinking that we have an immortal soul. After death there is not a soul that continues to live and therefore, that person who has died no longer suffers because they are asleep or unconscious and knowing this reassures us. 

And another important aspect is to know the truth, so let's not fall into the occult. Since there are people who go to these media with the intention of communicating with their loved ones. But they are actually communicating with demons posing as dead people, so knowing the truth protects us from demons' traps.

 LET'S DEEPER INTO THE SUBJECT

Let's learn more details of what the Bible teaches about death. Let's also see how you can strengthen your trust in a God who loves us and who does not torment those who have died.

ILLUSTRATION

A man seated with his two children at the funeral of his wife and mother of his children. Friends and family are there comforting and supporting them.

3. What really happens when you die

All over the world there are different beliefs about what happens to us when we die. Of course, not all of those beliefs may be true.

What beliefs about the dead are common where you live?

There are many theories, for example, there are those who think that we go to heaven or hell depending on our trajectory in life. Others believe that we become spirits that continue to live on when we die. And some even believe in reincarnation.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

In the place where we live, people believe that the dead continue to live in the heavenly region. In addition, many ask them for help and protection and think that they can also help them through religious acts.

For example, where you live, many believe that the dead are scary and others believe that they can ask for help and that they can send signals from the afterlife.

According to this verse, what happens to people when they die?

How well we have read in Ecclesiastes, all return to dust. And in the video he also explains very well. Adam did not exist before God formed him from the dust of the ground. When he died, he returned to dust and ceased to exist. Well, the same thing happens today, both to human beings and to animals.

We return to the place where Jehovah formed us, we become dust. 

According to what this verse says, when we die we return to the dust from which we were created. 

When a person dies, does their soul or spirit still live somewhere?

When a person dies, he ceases to exist completely, as we said before, and returns to the ground from which he was taken.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

There is nothing that separates from our body at death and continues to live somewhere else.

No, that person simply ceases to exist. It's like when someone is asleep and can't interact with the rest of the people. Similarly, the dead are not aware of anything either.

And proof of this is what Jesus said about his friend Lazarus. When he died, Jesus said that he had fallen asleep in no time, he said that he had gone to heaven.

What did Jesus compare death to?

Jesus compared death to being asleep.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Jesus compared death to a deep sleep. Those who sleep soundly do not know what is happening around them. In the same way the dead are not aware of anything.

What does this comparison teach us about the dead?

We learn that they are resting, like in a very deep sleep.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

That just as a sleeping person can be awakened from a dream in the same way with the favor of Jehovah people can awaken from death. 

It teaches us that the dead are not aware of anything. So there is no reason to fear pain and suffering after death. There is also no reason to be afraid that the dead will try to harm the living.

And Jesus did not say that Lazarus was in heaven with his relatives who had died. He also did not say that Lazarus was suffering in hell or that he ascended reincarnated as another person or an animal. So he also teaches us that the dead do not go to heaven or hell according to their behavior, but simply already rest as if they slept.

Does what the Bible says about death seem logical to you?

Of course it is logical. Jehovah created us from dust and to dust we return as the Bible says in Genesis 3:19. This makes a lot of sense and the answers that the Bible gives on this subject are very clear and logical. In addition, the promise of the resurrection, to bring us back to life, makes more sense if the dead have completely ceased to exist. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Of course, because it is the most logical that when being created from dust we return to the same state when we die.

It is very logical since the dead do not go anywhere and that with the power of Jehovah they can resurrect, because in the Bible there is evidence of people who returned to life.

4. The truth about death sets us free

Can the dead hurt us?

Of course not, because in the grave we can no longer do anything, no activity or plans. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

This text encourages us that if we have something to do, let's do it now while we are alive, because when we die there is no activity, plans or knowledge. Therefore, this argument shows us that the dead cannot do anything. They cannot harm us because they have simply ceased to exist. 

They cannot harm us, as Ecclesiastes says, when one dies, their thoughts also perish and if they do not have thoughts, neither do actions. 

How do you think Jehovah feels when someone worships the dead or seeks their help?

He feels that we do not serve him with a complete heart, since in his word the Bible tells us the condition of the dead and when we seek help from the dead despite knowing the truth we show our lack of trust and just like it happened in the past with Adam and Eve we see him as an uncultivated God who hides something good from us. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Jehovah is a God who demands exclusive devotion. Therefore, God dislikes us worshiping our ancestors. Also, as verse 19 of Isaiah 8 says, what sense does it make to consult the dead? Jehovah gives us the answers to our questions in his word, the Bible. So why would we have to consult someone about death other than Jehovah.

And people who seek to venerate the dead usually turn to the occult, and we know that Jehovah hates these practices too. It is also interesting that there is no point in venerating the dead because since they do not feel anything they cannot realize whether we are honoring them or not. So we have every reason not to do this.

It must feel like it is something secondary in the lives of these people, because as the texts read previously say, the only one we should consult is God, since he is the creator of everything and deserves to receive all our attention and honor.

The truth about death frees us from customs that Jehovah does not like.

5. The truth about death comforts us

As the Bible says, death absolves or frees a person from their sins. So do you think the dead are suffering to pay for their past mistakes?

They are not suffering to pay for their mistakes, because as the text says, the one who dies is absolved of sin. That is, they have already paid with their lives for the sins committed. 

In no way, because as we have read in the Bible when we die all our sins have been absolved.

Would a God like the one described in these verses allow dead people to be tormented?

Not because he is a God who does not commit injustice, because he is just and upright. Besides that we know that God is love.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Of course I would not allow it, because Jehovah is a just God and it would be unfair if he torments us in an eternal place even after suffering death.

Well, we know that Jehovah is impossible to act like this. He is a God of love and hate all kinds of cruelty, such as the false teaching that the dead are tormented in hell.

And Deuteronomy emphasizes that Jehovah is just and upright. All of Jehovah's activities are perfect in the sense that his attributes of justice, Wisdom, Love and Power are manifested in perfect balance. Therefore, a God with these precious qualities cannot torment people who have died.

Do you think that the truth about death comforts us? Why?

Of course it comforts us, because many of us may have been afraid of the dead before, or perhaps we are afraid of dying.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

If it comforts us because we know that they are not suffering in another place because of what we live in, we worry about them.

Of course it does comfort us a lot, because we know the truth about a very serious matter such as death. We are calm knowing the real state of the dead and that frees us from a lot of fear that people usually have.

What verses could you use to comfort someone who says that to you?

For example we could use Ecclesiastes 9:5 where it says that the dead know nothing at all. That is, the dead are unconscious and do not know what is happening around them. And they cannot feel pain or suffer in any way.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

Also those people who believe in a hell where God torments the dead, we can read Romans 6:7 there it says that the dead are absolved of their sin. That is, they have already paid for their sins at death and do not continue to suffer after death.

ABSTRACT

When someone dies, their life ends. The dead do not suffer nor can they harm anyone.

Review

Is there life after death?

Of course not, because Jesus compared death to a deep sleep and when one is sound asleep he knows nothing of what is going on around him, and even the Bible in Ecclesiastes 9:5 says that the dead know nothing at all.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

When the person dies, he ceases to exist. This person can no longer feel, cannot suffer or act. Since we were created from dust and to dust we will return as mentioned in Genesis 3:19.

Why is knowing the truth about death freeing us?

Because this way we avoid being afraid of the dead because of the damage they can cause us, we also avoid being deceived into believing that we can help them or thinking that they can help us.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It frees us because that way we are no longer afraid of the dead, since we know that they cannot harm us and also that way you will see the belief that the dead must be appeased or honored.

It frees her because it helps us not to fall into false beliefs about death and not to be afraid related to this issue. For example, the Bible teaches us that when one dies they no longer have activity or plans or wisdom. This frees us from false beliefs that the dead can harm us. And you don't have to calm them down either because they don't find out anything.

Why is it comforting to know the truth about death?

It comforts us because we now know that after death we are absolved of the bad things we have done while we were alive.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

If it comforts us because we know they are not suffering elsewhere, so we avoid worrying about them. 

It comforts us a lot because we know that when a person dies he doesn't suffer anymore. And we also know that the dead are simply unconscious. And this also comforts us because we know that Jehovah and Jesus have the power to resurrect these people, as if it were a deep sleep.