Hades:  Debate Notes

PROPOSITION; "The Scriptures teach that the soul or spirit of man is not dissolved by death, but goes into "hades" to await the resurrection."

I. Rachel's soul departed, for she died. Gen. 35:18.

1. James said that the body without the spirit is dead. James 2:26.

2. Therefore, Rachael's soul or spirit departed her body for she died.

II. John saw the souls of those who were beheaded. Rev. 6:9; 20:14.

1. These were alive.

2. These were conscious.

3. These remembered what happened on earth.

4. These spoke.

5. These were spoken unto, therefore they could understand.

III. God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Mark 12:26-27.

1. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had died.

2. God is still their God.

3. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

4. Therefore they had a soul or spirit that didn't die.

IV. Moses and Elias on the Mt. of Transfiguration. Mt. 17:1-5.

1. Elijah had been translated without seeing death.

2. Moses had died.

3. Both appeared together.

4. Both were alive, conscious, and talked with Jesus.

5. In death, Moses was apparently equal with Elijah who had been translated.

V. "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: But rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Mt. 10:28.

1. Man is able to destroy animal's life.

2. Man is able to destroy man's life.

3. Man has a soul that man cannot destroy.

VI. When man dies, his body returns to dust, but his spirit returns to God. Eccl. 12:7.

1. This shows clearly that the body and spirit or soul are not the same and that the spirit or soul is not dissolved at death.

2. Stephen. Acts 7:59-60.

3. Jesus. Luke 23:46.

VII. Man is made in the image and likeness of God. Gen. 1:26-27.

1. God is not flesh and blood. John 4:24; Luke 24:39.

2. Our likeness to God is not in regard to attributes such as love, kindness, etc.

3. But, Man was given a soul or spirit of which God is the Father. Eccl.12:7; Heb. 12:9.

VIII. Christ was in the form of God. Equal with God. Phil. 2:6, Yet Christ was made in likeness of men.

1. Christ was Spirit. (in form or likeness of God) John 4:24.

2. Christ took upon himself likeness of men. He had a fleshly body. A body hast thou prepared me. Heb. 10:5.

3. Christ being in the likeness of men involved his taking to Himself a complete humanity involving a human soul or spirit. Psa. 16:8-9; Acts 2:27,31; Luke 23:46; Mark 15:37-39; Mt. 27:50; John 19:30.

4. This soul or spirit did not die, or was not dissolved at death, but went into the hadean realm and returned to the body of our Lord at His resurrection. Psa. 16:8-10; Acts 2:27, 31.

IX. "For we are also His offspring." "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God." Acts 17:28-29.

1. God is not flesh and blood, not made out of lthe dust of the earth. John 4:24; Luke 24:39.

2. Simply "life and breath" does not make us the offspring of God. Dogs, cows and beasts have life or breath, but are not considered in the scriptures as the offspring of God in the sense that man is.

3. Therefore, man has a soul or spirit in likeness of God that never dies.

X. The seed illustrates the point. John 12:24; 1 Cor. 15:35-38.

1. The seed, wheat, corn, etc., is made up of the body and the kernal or germ which contains life.

2. When the seed is buried the body decays, but the germ is quickened and brings forth a new body.

3. So likewise, when man dies the body is buried and decays and returns to the dust from whence it came.

4. But the soul or spirit does not return to dust but to God. Eccl. 112:7.

5. And in the day of the resurrection shall come forth with a new body as it pleases God.

XI. Paul desired to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Phil. 1:23-24; 2 Cor. 5:1-8.

1. Paul understood that at death the soul or spirit lived on. That it was not dissolved or did not cease to exist.

XII. King Saul, The woman with a familiar spirit and Samuel. 1 Sam. 28:13-15.

1. Samuel was alive, and conscious.

2. Samuel spoke.

XIII. "Sorer punishment" than physical death was promised to those who do wickedly. Heb. 10:27-28l

1. cf. Mt. 10:28.

XIV. The Rich Man and Lazarus. Luke 16.

A. 

1. The rich Man was dead and buried, but lift up his eyes in "hell".

2. Hades - defined.

3. The Rich Man was conscious.

4. The Rich Man recognized Abraham and Lazarus.

5. The Rich Man was represented as speaking.

6. The Rich Man could feel pain.

7. The Rich Man remembered conditions of earth.

8. The Rich Man thought of his brothers.

B. 

1. Lazarus' soul or spirit went to "Abraham's bosom.

2. Jesus died, but his soul was in "Hades", Acts 2:27, 31.

3. Christ's soul or spirit was in "the place of departed spirits."

4. Jesus said to the thief, "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Luke 23:43.

5. Christ was not in heaven. John 20:17.

6. Abraham's bosom and paradise correspond to the same place.

7. It is the place of the souls under the altar. Rev. 6:9; 20:4.

C. There is a Great gulf that separates the two parts of the "hadean" world so that there is no crossing over.

 

D. It is called a parable by some.

1. It is not identified as a parable.

a. Most parables begin - "Another Parable put he forth unto them" Mt. 13:31.

b. or "he added and spake a parable." Luke 19:11.

c. or "The kingdom of heaven is likened unto".

d. This has nothing to identify it as a parable.

2. It is associated with real characters.

a. Abraham.

b. Lazarus.

c. A certain Rich Man.

3. If it should be considered a parable. It should be observed:

a. That the parables of Jesus never introduce fictitious conditions.

b. The parables of Jesus never violate the order and course of

nature.

c. It was the Jews (Pharisees) who believed these very things about life after death. I would have been contrary to every principle and example of Jesus' teaching to lend support and credence to a false theory, or allow a false impression to pass

without correction.

d. Jesus accepts and confirms the doctrine of the Pharisees on this point of life separate from the body - and never gives one word of correction to it.

e. It is inconceivable that Jesus would have endorsed error in this case and not given us any instructions to the contrary.

1. The events occured between death and the resurrection while the "brethren" of the Rich Man are still on earth. Luke 16:28.

a. Hence, immediately after death and before the resurrection the Rich Man is in hell (hades) and Lazarus is rewarded.

b. All are conscious - Abraham, Rich Man, Lazarus. This is a death blow to soul--sleeping.

c. Both think and talk.

d. Therefore, the dead know something - Their souls or spirits are not asleep.

e. Man, therefore, is not wholly mortal.

f. This story of Christ is recorded by the Holy Spirit for all time, forseeing the infidelity of men.

g. It lays an axe at the root of all soul-sleeping and hell-annihilation, for it shows that one can suffer separated from his body.

I have about 20 pages more of notes on this subject and other related subjects on Jehovah Witness and Seventh Day Adventist doctrines. Time will not allow me to retype all of these. But they will be in my debate notes when I can finally get around to getting them ready for publication. These should give those who have not made a study of this

subject a beginning point for further study. That is the main thing that I'm interested in at present. Hope they are helpful to that end.

- - Howard See

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