Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 4/19/2008

Question
My wife and I teach a Sunday School class and our lesson is, END TIMES. Do you know where we can look in the Bible to back up the fact that our body remains in the grave at death and our soul is with God (Christians)? At judgment, the soul and body reunites.

Thanks,
Tony

Answer
Hi Tony,

Thanks for this great question.  It is actually at the rapture that Christians will be reunited with their bodies in a glorified manor.  The judgment you are speaking of is the Great White throne where unbelievers will be brought up out of hell to be evaluated by their works.... no one will be found in the book of life.

Here are some references:

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.  16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.  

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

1 Corinthians 15:51-55
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

I hope that this is a start for you.  THe other judgment is found in this passage:

Revelation 20:11-15
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.  14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Have a good class!

In Christ
Pastor Don