Answer to: Isn't it true that the dead know nothing?

Dear Philip,

Thank you so much for your question. You wrote:

I am studying the doctrine of whether or not we go to heaven when we die. In one of your articles relating to heaven you write 'David was saved and went to heaven'. Yet we read in Acts 2:34 it clearly states that David (a man after God's own heart) did not ascend to heaven. Isn't it true that the dead know nothing (Eccles 9:5) until the resurrection? So the dead (even the righteous dead) are not in heaven but in the grave awaiting a resurrection?

Or am I missing something?

I think that the first thing that you are missing is that the soul and the body are two different things.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

In this verse we see two things. First you can be absent from the body. This is talking about when you die your soul seperates from the body.

The second thing we learn from this verse is that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Of course the qualifier there is if you are saved.

When you die your body goes to the grave awaiting a resurrection and your soul goes either to heaven or to hell.

Your soul does not sleep. We see this over and over again in scripture. A good example is in Luke Chapter 16. Two men die and look what happens to them.

Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

In verse 22 we read that their bodies were buried.

Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

In verse 16 it is obvious that we are not talking about their bodies because they are still in a grave. What we are reading about is the soul that is seperated from the fleshly body. And we see that after you die your soul does have bodily form even though it is not the new glorified body. That happens at the last trump.

Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Lazarus was still recognizable as Lazarus and he still had a finger. The rich man could feel and was tormented.

Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Lazarus is in Paradise and the rich man is in torment.

Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence.

And after you die you can not get out of torment.

In verse 12 notice the order.  1st they believed what Philip preached about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ.  So Philip preached salvation and they believed it.  Then they were baptized after that.

ACTS 8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

We see the same order in verse 13.  Simon believed and then he was baptized.

ACTS 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

In verse 36 the eunuch plainly asks what doth hinder me to be baptized.  And in verse 37 he gets a plain easily understood answer.

ACTS 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The answer to his question (can I get baptized) is If thou believest.  You can't make it any simpler to understand than that.  You can get baptized if you believe.

Belief always comes first.  Baptism does not save.  You can only get baptized if you believe; if you are already saved.

ACTS 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Then in verse 38 Philip baptized him because the eunuch already believed and made a profession of it.  He said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 

This is the Biblical order:

1. You get saved by faith in Jesus alone.

2. You make a profession of that faith.

3. Then you get baptized.

If you were baptized before you got saved, then you were not baptized biblically.  If that is you, then it is a very easy thing to fix.  Just tell a Bible believing pastor and he will get you biblically baptized.

Some people will not follow this clear Bible teaching on baptism.  Usually it is because of pride.  But they are missing out on a wonderful opportunity to obey the Lord, to show forth that they love God's Word, to show forth the death and the burial and the resurrection of Christ, to have the joy that comes from doing what the Lord commanded.  Just to name a few.

If you have not been biblically baptized, I urge you to fix that this week.

The exact wording of the Bible is important.  All too often we just read over it too fast and do not take the time to stop and really think about it.

In this verse God did not say I was the God of thy fathers.  He said I am the God of thy fathers.

God stated it in the present tense.  This means that He is still their God.  For this to be they must still be living.

Mat 22:32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

This shows that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob received eternal life.

God using their names shows that they retained their identities after they died.  Abraham is still Abraham.  Isaac is still recognizable as Isaac. 

You will not loose your identity when you go to heaven.  You will just loose your awful sin nature.

This should be a great comfort.  We all have loved ones who have went on before us who we long to see again.  We will indeed know each other in heaven.  I have a grandmother there that I miss dearly.  And one day I will get to see her again.

How am I so sure?  Because my grandmother had accepted Jesus as her personal savior.  She trusted in Him and Him alone to save her.  And so have I.  How about you?

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

ACTS 6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

In verse one we are given the reason why deacons exist.  It was to tend to the widows so that the pastors could concentrate on the ministering of the Word of God.

The deacons were not called to run the Church.  The purpose of a deacon is to serve the Church.

A deacon has no business telling a pastor what to do.  In fact it is the other way around.  We see this in verse 3.

ACTS 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

The pastors are the ones who appointed the deacons over this business.

A deacon is to support the pastor by filling the role of a servant.  This frees up time for the pastor to be in prayer and in study of the Word of God.

Following the Bible plan for deacons will have a great result.  We see this in verse 7.

ACTS 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

What a wonderful result.  The load that the deacons took off of the pastors resulted in many souls getting saved.

When a Church follows man's plan for deacons and lets the deacons run things you get a different result.

When the deacons rule instead of the pastor:

• You will have a pastor whose hands are tied.

• A pastor that cannot lead the Church in the direction that God would have the pastor lead it. 

• You will have a Church that is not following God's vision that He gave to the Pastor. 

• You will have conflict in the Church. 

• You will have a loss of God's power.

Deacons were only created because there was a need for them in this church.  If your church does not have a need for men to serve the people so that the pastor will have enough time in prayer and study, then your church would do well to get rid of the office of a deacon until the need arises.

It is always better to follow God's plan instead of man's.

ACTS 5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

These two verses are a very good text to show that the Holy Ghost is God.

Verse 3 says that Ananias had lied to the Holy Ghost.  Verse 4 says that Ananias lied to God.

The only conclusion that you can come to is that the Holy Ghost is God. 

The Bible teaches the Trinity.  One God manifested to us in three distinct personalities. 

• God the Father

• God the Son

• God the Holy Ghost

• And these three are one.

1Jo 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

The Holy Ghost is not some force to get a hold of and use as a tool as some would teach.

Instead the Holy Ghost is God who is to get a hold of us and use us.

We are to following His leading and be witnesses for Jesus.

Peter was arrested after preaching.  The priests (who hated Jesus) asked Peter by what power have ye done this.

ACTS 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,

Peter is filled with the Holy Ghost.  Pay close attention to what Peter does while he is filled with the Holy Ghost.

ACTS 4:10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

ACTS 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

ACTS 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Being filled with the Holy Ghost Peter did NOT flop around on the floor or foam at the mouth. 

We see here that the filling and power of the Holy Ghost was used to let Peter preach, and preach boldly with power.

Peter was able to tell the priests that they were responsible for killing Jesus.  Peter told them that the man they killed God raised from the dead.  Peter told them that because of Jesus the lame man had been healed.  Peter told them that there is no other way to be saved.  He told them that there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

That is witnessing with boldness.  Peter got the power to witness that way from the Holy Ghost. 

You will see over and over in the book of Acts that the power of the Holy Spirit is for witnessing and not for a side show.

If you want to be able to be a bold witness for Jesus, God has the power available.

Please visit my websites

http://www.thewordpodcast.com

http://www.thewordteaches.com

 Thanks Bryan

And check out this great link site.

ACTS 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Peter preached a powerful sermon after healing the lame man and in chapter four we see that about 5,000 souls were saved!

Because the Bible had not yet been finished, God used healing to validate the message of the preacher. 

God does not work that way today.  He does not use healings to validate the preachers message because God has given us His Word.

It is the Word of God that is to be used to validate the message of the preacher.

Since we have the Word of God to know if a preacher is telling the truth, why are so many people led into error?

The answer should be obvious.  It is because the people don't know what the Bible teaches.  So they are easily led into error.

This is why Bible study is so important for each individual Christian. 

If all the Bible you are getting is at church, then you are not getting enough.  You also need to be a student of the Word yourself.

ACTS 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

ACTS 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?

ACTS 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

These verses explain very clearly what tongues were.  Verse six says that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Verse eight attaches a man's own tongue to the land they were born. 

Verses 9 - 11 tell us the different countries involved. 

This is what tongues were.  They would preach and the Egyptians heard them in the Egyptian language.  The Arabians heard the same man preach in Arabians language and so on. 

One man preaching and a multitude all hearing in his own language is what tongues were.  This never happens today.  The jibberish that people claim are tongues today are not Biblical tongues.

ACTS 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,

ACTS 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

In these verses you have one of the qualifications of being an apostle.  The context of these verses is that they are choosing a new apostle to replace Judas.

Listed in these two verses are several qualifications to be an apostle:

• A person must have companied with them all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among them.

• A person must have begun from the baptism of John.

• A person must have continued until the day that Jesus was taken up from them.

• A person must have witnessed the Resurrection of Jesus. 

No one today meets any of these qualifications.  In fact no one has met them since the original apostles all died.  To meet these requirements a person would have to be almost 2,000 years old. 

Anyone who teaches that there are still apostles are teaching against the word of God.