Is Soul Sleep Biblical?
Copyright © 2016
All right reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed written permission of the author and/or publisher.
All right reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed written permission of the author and/or publisher.
The alleged origins of the modern day soul sleep doctrine
Understanding a doctrine means first knowing where it came from. So, how did the modern-day doctrine of soul sleep arise? What is its source? The soul sleep adherents would have you believe that their doctrine originated from the Scriptures. Their often cited scriptural passages include:
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt…But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:2 and 13
“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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15
“…whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” 1 Thessalonians 5:10
“For the living know they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” Ecclesiastes 9:5
Soul sleep proponents teach that when a person dies, the soul “sleeps” until a future resurrection. This state of soul “sleep” means the person is unaware, they have no consciousness, and they are dormant awaiting their reanimation. They believe the body and soul hears nothing, sees nothing, thinks about nothing and experiences nothing. Basically, they believe the person is in a spiritual coma until the resurrection.
What needs to be understood is that the Bible uses descriptions based on appearance
A deceased person's dead body in a casket does seem to be asleep. At modern funerals, you hear how the deceased looks peaceful, and how they look at rest. Why do people say these things? Because no matter what we claim we believe, there is something deep within us that knows death is not the end of our existence. We all have a deep instinctive belief in immortality. It’s hard for people to believe that a loved one that just died and is now lying in the casket, has ceased to exist, so people describe the deceased as “resting” or “asleep.”
Therefore, it must be understood that the biblical terminology of “sleeping” (as it pertains to the dead) is not a literal soul sleep, but just a description that people have used for centuries to describe how the dead body appears to be asleep. However, the spirit and soul of the person lives on absent from the body. The Bible proves the immortal soul/spirit continues fully aware, fully alert, and fully awake after death, while waiting for the resurrection of the body, when the person will become an immortal spirit, soul, and body again, unified in a perfected state.
Jesus himself makes it clear to us that the terminology of “sleep” does not mean the soul is asleep, as the soul sleep crowd teaches.
“…He (Jesus) saith unto them, our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’” John 11:11-14
Jesus said Lazarus sleeps, but when his disciples did not understand what he meant, he then spoke plainly to them and said: “Lazarus is dead.” If soul sleep was a true biblical doctrine, this would have been the ideal time for Jesus to solidify that doctrine. However, instead of solidifying the doctrine of soul sleep, Jesus actually disproves it by his clarification, which shows that the biblical term “sleep,” as it pertains to the dead, is nothing more than a description of their appearance, not a state of their soul.
How can we know that the soul and spirit of Lazarus lived on after his body died? Look at John 11:20-27. In this passage of scripture, Martha ran out to meet Jesus to discuss her brother’s death. Jesus told Martha that Lazarus will rise again. Martha understood this to mean her brother’s body will rise again at a resurrection far in the future, but Jesus corrected her, by telling Martha that he is the resurrection and he is the life. Jesus further explains that anyone who believes in him will never die. A believers body may die physically, but yet their spirit and soul continues to live after the death of the body. Notice Jesus did not say he was just the resurrection of the body, but that he is The Resurrection and Life.
“For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” Luke 20:38
If soul sleep was true, then Jesus could have easily stated to Martha that Lazarus’ body and soul are just sleeping waiting for the resurrection. Instead, Jesus declared that the body of Lazarus was actually dead. Yet, Jesus also promised Martha that even if her brother’s body died, her brother is still alive because Jesus is both resurrection and life.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the rising again, and the life; he who is believing in me, even if he may die, shall live.” John 11:25 YLT
Jesus did not say “even if your brother died, your brother is just asleep.” No. Jesus said even if your brother died he is alive. Martha believed it would be a future event (in the resurrection) that her brother would live again, but Jesus corrected that error by saying he is not only the resurrection (for the body), but he is ALSO LIFE and through him, we live even after our bodies have died.
We will look at additional scriptures later to clearly see that the Bible does not teach soul sleep. However, what we can see by the preceding, is that the term “sleep” can be used to describe death, which can confuse people as it did with the disciples. Yet, Jesus has made it clear that the term “sleep” really means physical death and not a literal sleep of the body or the soul.
So if we can prove the Bible does not teach soul sleep, then where did the modern belief in soul sleep originate?
Many believe the origin of soul sleep came about from the Sadducees, because they denied the afterlife, but if soul sleepers want to associate with this Jewish sect, then they picked some bad company to align with, because Jesus rebuked them for their beliefs about the afterlife. (Acts 23:8 and Matthew 22:29)
Others believe the soul sleep doctrine began in 305 AD from Arnobius of Sicca. However, Arnobius only stated in Against the Heathen (Book 1), 38: “What the soul, whether it flew to us of its own accord, or whether it was generated and brought into existence with our bodies themselves; whether it sojourns with us, partaking of death, or whether it is gifted with an endless immortality; what condition awaits us when we shall have separated from our bodies relaxed in death; whether we shall retain our perceptions or have no recollection of our former sensation or past memories..”
Arnobius was not teaching soul sleep, but only questioning what happens to the soul after death, “whether it sojourns with us, partaking of death… what awaits us when we shall have separated from our bodies relaxed in death.” However, the modern soul sleep doctrine goes beyond questioning. The modern soul sleep doctrine believes when the body dies, the soul sleeps with the body and does not “separate from our bodies relaxed in death” as Arnobius questioned. Therefore, I don’t believe the modern soul sleep doctrine began with Arnobius.
I believe we can point to a later source as the foundation of the modern soul sleep doctrine. To be more exact, the modern soul sleep movement is the result of the Millerites, a movement that began with William Miller in 1833.William Miller was a Baptist lay preacher that believed, through his studies of the Book of Daniel, and his use of the Karaite Jewish calendar, that Jesus would return between 1843-1844. However, this prediction did not come true. Therefore, according to scripture, this classifies Miller as a false prophet.
“If you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?’ when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn't follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:21-22
Jumping on the Millerite bandwagon, was former Methodist preacher George Storrs. Storrs resigned from the Methodist church in 1840 to join William Miller’s so-called end time movement, and became a leader in the movement. While William Miller pushed his belief that Jesus was returning between 1843-44, it was George Storrs who pushed his belief in soul sleep among the Millerites, which he developed by his personal revelation of the scriptures. The Millerites quickly adopted Storrs soul sleep beliefs along with a denial of a literal hell.
The Millerite movement gathered a large following until 1844 came and gone like any other year, thus proving the Miller prediction of 1843-1844 being the period of the Second Coming, a false prediction. When the Miller prediction did not occur, many of the Millerite leaders and followers were left generally bewildered and disillusioned. Some even returned back to their former churches. This event is known as the “Great Disappointment.”
In order to take advantage of these disappointed Millerites, many groups branched off to form their own movement based on similar Millerite beliefs or added a few new spins to the Miller prediction. Even long after the 1844 Great disappointment, several 20th-century movements admit they were influenced by Millerite teachings. Many of these groups that came out from or were influenced by Millerite teachings are categorized as cults, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bahai Faith, Christadelphians, and fringe Adventist groups.
Clearly, the soul sleep doctrine is a 19th-century invention from a movement which misinterpreted scripture, taught errors, and made wild predictions that never came true. This is why to this day; the doctrine of soul sleep is still predominate among modern cults. Why do the cults embrace this false teaching? The scriptures make it clear:
“A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:18
The errors of the Millerite movement cannot produce good fruit, which is why so many religious groups that are plagued with bad fruit and false teachings also embrace the doctrines of soul sleep, the denial of hell, and annihilationism. Others blend soul sleep with the error of universal reconciliation (everyone will be saved).
The bottom line is that the teaching of soul sleep is a scriptural error and nothing good will come out of it. So many who are caught up in this false teaching, will often adopt even more errors and plunge further into complete heresy.
Proving Soul Sleep is not Biblical
The Bible says that the Spirit/Soul of the Old Testament Saints departed their body and they were gathered to their fathers:
God said to Abraham: “but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age.” Genesis 15:15
“Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 25:8
"These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 25:17
“Isaac gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.” Genesis 35:29
“When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 49:33
“and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [to his people], and shall die there." Numbers 20:26
"Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and see the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession; and die on the mountain where you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people… So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh. He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor: but no man knows of his tomb to this day.” Deuteronomy 32:49-50; 34:5-6
“Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who didn't know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel.” Judges 2:10
“He [David] said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:22-23
What does it mean when the Bible says “they were gathered to their fathers”, or “gathered to their people”?
It cannot mean they were buried together, because all of those previously mentioned weren’t buried together. It also can’t refer to their burial, because their death (giving up the spirit), being gathered to their fathers, and their actual burial are all listed as different events.
Proof:
Genesis 25:8-9
1. “Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age”
2. “And was gathered to his people.”
3. “Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah”
Genesis 35:29
1. “Isaac gave up the spirit, and died”
2. “And was gathered to his people, old and full of days”
3. “Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him”
The scriptures state:
“For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit” (Acts 23:8), and Jesus rebuked the Sadducees for their denial of these things: “On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him.” In order to test him with a riddle, but Jesus answered them back with the following statement: “But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God…'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’." (Matthew 22:23-32)
Like the soul sleepers today, the Sadducees lacked understanding of the scriptures. The Sadducees believed when a person dies then they cease to exist. They denied man had a spirit that lived on after death, they denied a resurrection of the body and did not believe in angels. However, Jesus corrected their false beliefs by pointing to the scriptures which state God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (present tense), which means the dead are alive, active, moving and talking, not asleep.
Jesus taught that the righteous dead were gathered to a place called Abraham’s Bosom, which is also known as “paradise” (Luke 16:19-31). This is most likely what is meant when the scriptures state “and they were gathered to their fathers.” Jesus never stated this account in Luke chapter 16 was a parable, so we cannot dismiss it as a fable or untruthful. We can also see by his teaching that there is a literal hell and there are additional scriptures that confirm the teaching of Jesus found in Luke 16:19-3, which proves there is a gathering place for the righteous. Therefore, we have a place for the unrighteous spirits/souls of the dead and a place for the righteous.
“The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.” Proverbs 21:16 KJV
How can the so called “sleeping souls” join with the congregation of the dead? They can only do so if they are fully awake and alive. Some versions call this place, the assembly of the dead or the company of the dead.
“But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.” Proverbs 9:18
Here again, we see that there is a gathering of the dead. The Jewish Publication Societies 1917 translation of the Tanakh (Old Testament), translates Proverbs 9:18 as follows: “But he knoweth not that the shades [spirits] are there; That her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.”
The dead in the Old Testament went to the “Nether-world”? Does that sound like soul sleep? I think not.
Here is one more scripture for additional confirmation:
“The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell…” Ezekiel 32:21
How can the mighty speak in the midst of hell to welcome the new arrivals if their soul is asleep? These scriptures prove the dead do not sleep, which exactly lines up with the teachings of Jesus.
The spirit and soul of a person departs the body, but does not fall asleep
We already viewed scripture which showed the Old Testament saints “gave up the spirit” and died, which indicates the spirit/soul of the person left the body at death. These scriptures alone refute the soul sleep doctrine, which in error believes the soul stays with the body and goes to sleep. Here are additional scriptures which show the soul and spirit of a person leaves the body at death, and does not stay with the body asleep.
"It happened, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.” Genesis 35:18
“He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come into him again’. Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." 1 Kings 17:21-22
“Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.” Luke 8:55
“We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
Jesus also died in the flesh, but his spirit and soul lived on after death. His soul did not sleep in the grave.
“…being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison…” 1 Peter 3:18-19
“having foreseen, he did speak concerning the rising again of the Christ, that his soul was not left to hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.” Acts 2:31
The Soul Sleep doctrine is wrong about the human spirit.
Soul sleepers claim that the spirit that departs from the body is just God’s breath and is not part of the person. They claim the human spirit is some unknown entity that God breathed into mankind to produce life. However, this belief is not scriptural. The human spirit is just as much a part of the person as the soul and body are. The spirit of men and women belong to them and makeup who they are.
If the human spirit was not part of the person, but just a breath of God that animates the body as the soul sleeper’s claim, then why did the Apostle Paul say the following?
“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
God cannot be defiled, therefore the spirit mentioned here has to be the spirit of the person. Paul also provides additional insight that the spirit of man and God’s Spirit are different:
“For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:11
Here are additional scriptures that prove that there is a human spirit and soul that make up a person along with their body.
“The spirit of man is Yahweh's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27
“An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says.” Zechariah 12:1
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Acts 7:59
Humans have a soul and a spirit
“For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit…” Hebrews 4:12
The book of Hebrews teaches that the human soul and spirit are two different things and so does the Prophet Isaiah.
“With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Isaiah 26:9
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23
As we can see, a complete person is made up of their spirit, their soul, and their body. Therefore, when we see scriptures that show a person’s spirit and soul departed from their body and went to another place, then we cannot honestly validate soul sleep as a legitimate scriptural teaching.
When the scriptures speak of a dead person who is asleep, this is only referring to the body, which appears to be asleep. The spirit and soul of the person never sleeps but remains alive and aware long after death.
“But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect…” Hebrews 12:23
“Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1
Conclusion
How could we be surrounded by the witness of past saints, and the spirits of just men made perfect if they are asleep in their graves? (Hebrews 12:23) How could Moses who has died, appear before Jesus (Matthew 17:3) if Moses was asleep in his grave? If Jesus brings back the dead with him, then that must mean they are with him now (1 Thessalonians 4:14). How do the souls of the martyred saints at the 5th Seal of Revelation talk if they are asleep?
We have seen the ancient saints giving up the spirit and being gathered to their fathers. We also see that the scriptures teach a gathering of souls in a nether-world according to the Jewish translation of the scriptures.
Over and over again, we see scriptural teachings that confirm that the soul and spirit depart from the body and live on immediately after death. The soul and spirit do not die, neither do they fall asleep.
We can go into much more detail about this subject, but we believe the facts as stated in this study, makes it clear that soul sleep is not supported by scripture and should be rejected and never considered a legitimate biblical teaching. Soul sleep is a teaching that began with a man and a movement that made false predictions about the second coming, which the scriptures classify as a false prophet. This movement also gave birth to many cults that continue to embrace the soul sleep doctrine. Soul sleep is far from biblical.
“For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” Luke 20:38
Understanding a doctrine means first knowing where it came from. So, how did the modern-day doctrine of soul sleep arise? What is its source? The soul sleep adherents would have you believe that their doctrine originated from the Scriptures. Their often cited scriptural passages include:
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt…But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” Daniel 12:2 and 13
“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.” 1 Thessalonians 4:15
“…whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” 1 Thessalonians 5:10
“For the living know they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” Ecclesiastes 9:5
Soul sleep proponents teach that when a person dies, the soul “sleeps” until a future resurrection. This state of soul “sleep” means the person is unaware, they have no consciousness, and they are dormant awaiting their reanimation. They believe the body and soul hears nothing, sees nothing, thinks about nothing and experiences nothing. Basically, they believe the person is in a spiritual coma until the resurrection.
What needs to be understood is that the Bible uses descriptions based on appearance
A deceased person's dead body in a casket does seem to be asleep. At modern funerals, you hear how the deceased looks peaceful, and how they look at rest. Why do people say these things? Because no matter what we claim we believe, there is something deep within us that knows death is not the end of our existence. We all have a deep instinctive belief in immortality. It’s hard for people to believe that a loved one that just died and is now lying in the casket, has ceased to exist, so people describe the deceased as “resting” or “asleep.”
Therefore, it must be understood that the biblical terminology of “sleeping” (as it pertains to the dead) is not a literal soul sleep, but just a description that people have used for centuries to describe how the dead body appears to be asleep. However, the spirit and soul of the person lives on absent from the body. The Bible proves the immortal soul/spirit continues fully aware, fully alert, and fully awake after death, while waiting for the resurrection of the body, when the person will become an immortal spirit, soul, and body again, unified in a perfected state.
Jesus himself makes it clear to us that the terminology of “sleep” does not mean the soul is asleep, as the soul sleep crowd teaches.
“…He (Jesus) saith unto them, our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead.’” John 11:11-14
Jesus said Lazarus sleeps, but when his disciples did not understand what he meant, he then spoke plainly to them and said: “Lazarus is dead.” If soul sleep was a true biblical doctrine, this would have been the ideal time for Jesus to solidify that doctrine. However, instead of solidifying the doctrine of soul sleep, Jesus actually disproves it by his clarification, which shows that the biblical term “sleep,” as it pertains to the dead, is nothing more than a description of their appearance, not a state of their soul.
How can we know that the soul and spirit of Lazarus lived on after his body died? Look at John 11:20-27. In this passage of scripture, Martha ran out to meet Jesus to discuss her brother’s death. Jesus told Martha that Lazarus will rise again. Martha understood this to mean her brother’s body will rise again at a resurrection far in the future, but Jesus corrected her, by telling Martha that he is the resurrection and he is the life. Jesus further explains that anyone who believes in him will never die. A believers body may die physically, but yet their spirit and soul continues to live after the death of the body. Notice Jesus did not say he was just the resurrection of the body, but that he is The Resurrection and Life.
“For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” Luke 20:38
If soul sleep was true, then Jesus could have easily stated to Martha that Lazarus’ body and soul are just sleeping waiting for the resurrection. Instead, Jesus declared that the body of Lazarus was actually dead. Yet, Jesus also promised Martha that even if her brother’s body died, her brother is still alive because Jesus is both resurrection and life.
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the rising again, and the life; he who is believing in me, even if he may die, shall live.” John 11:25 YLT
Jesus did not say “even if your brother died, your brother is just asleep.” No. Jesus said even if your brother died he is alive. Martha believed it would be a future event (in the resurrection) that her brother would live again, but Jesus corrected that error by saying he is not only the resurrection (for the body), but he is ALSO LIFE and through him, we live even after our bodies have died.
We will look at additional scriptures later to clearly see that the Bible does not teach soul sleep. However, what we can see by the preceding, is that the term “sleep” can be used to describe death, which can confuse people as it did with the disciples. Yet, Jesus has made it clear that the term “sleep” really means physical death and not a literal sleep of the body or the soul.
So if we can prove the Bible does not teach soul sleep, then where did the modern belief in soul sleep originate?
Many believe the origin of soul sleep came about from the Sadducees, because they denied the afterlife, but if soul sleepers want to associate with this Jewish sect, then they picked some bad company to align with, because Jesus rebuked them for their beliefs about the afterlife. (Acts 23:8 and Matthew 22:29)
Others believe the soul sleep doctrine began in 305 AD from Arnobius of Sicca. However, Arnobius only stated in Against the Heathen (Book 1), 38: “What the soul, whether it flew to us of its own accord, or whether it was generated and brought into existence with our bodies themselves; whether it sojourns with us, partaking of death, or whether it is gifted with an endless immortality; what condition awaits us when we shall have separated from our bodies relaxed in death; whether we shall retain our perceptions or have no recollection of our former sensation or past memories..”
Arnobius was not teaching soul sleep, but only questioning what happens to the soul after death, “whether it sojourns with us, partaking of death… what awaits us when we shall have separated from our bodies relaxed in death.” However, the modern soul sleep doctrine goes beyond questioning. The modern soul sleep doctrine believes when the body dies, the soul sleeps with the body and does not “separate from our bodies relaxed in death” as Arnobius questioned. Therefore, I don’t believe the modern soul sleep doctrine began with Arnobius.
I believe we can point to a later source as the foundation of the modern soul sleep doctrine. To be more exact, the modern soul sleep movement is the result of the Millerites, a movement that began with William Miller in 1833.William Miller was a Baptist lay preacher that believed, through his studies of the Book of Daniel, and his use of the Karaite Jewish calendar, that Jesus would return between 1843-1844. However, this prediction did not come true. Therefore, according to scripture, this classifies Miller as a false prophet.
“If you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which Yahweh has not spoken?’ when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn't follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.” Deuteronomy 18:21-22
Jumping on the Millerite bandwagon, was former Methodist preacher George Storrs. Storrs resigned from the Methodist church in 1840 to join William Miller’s so-called end time movement, and became a leader in the movement. While William Miller pushed his belief that Jesus was returning between 1843-44, it was George Storrs who pushed his belief in soul sleep among the Millerites, which he developed by his personal revelation of the scriptures. The Millerites quickly adopted Storrs soul sleep beliefs along with a denial of a literal hell.
The Millerite movement gathered a large following until 1844 came and gone like any other year, thus proving the Miller prediction of 1843-1844 being the period of the Second Coming, a false prediction. When the Miller prediction did not occur, many of the Millerite leaders and followers were left generally bewildered and disillusioned. Some even returned back to their former churches. This event is known as the “Great Disappointment.”
In order to take advantage of these disappointed Millerites, many groups branched off to form their own movement based on similar Millerite beliefs or added a few new spins to the Miller prediction. Even long after the 1844 Great disappointment, several 20th-century movements admit they were influenced by Millerite teachings. Many of these groups that came out from or were influenced by Millerite teachings are categorized as cults, such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bahai Faith, Christadelphians, and fringe Adventist groups.
Clearly, the soul sleep doctrine is a 19th-century invention from a movement which misinterpreted scripture, taught errors, and made wild predictions that never came true. This is why to this day; the doctrine of soul sleep is still predominate among modern cults. Why do the cults embrace this false teaching? The scriptures make it clear:
“A good tree can't produce evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:18
The errors of the Millerite movement cannot produce good fruit, which is why so many religious groups that are plagued with bad fruit and false teachings also embrace the doctrines of soul sleep, the denial of hell, and annihilationism. Others blend soul sleep with the error of universal reconciliation (everyone will be saved).
The bottom line is that the teaching of soul sleep is a scriptural error and nothing good will come out of it. So many who are caught up in this false teaching, will often adopt even more errors and plunge further into complete heresy.
Proving Soul Sleep is not Biblical
The Bible says that the Spirit/Soul of the Old Testament Saints departed their body and they were gathered to their fathers:
God said to Abraham: “but you will go to your fathers in peace. You will be buried in a good old age.” Genesis 15:15
“Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 25:8
"These are the years of the life of Ishmael: one hundred thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 25:17
“Isaac gave up the spirit, and died, and was gathered to his people, old and full of days. Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him.” Genesis 35:29
“When Jacob made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the spirit, and was gathered to his people.” Genesis 49:33
“and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered [to his people], and shall die there." Numbers 20:26
"Go up into this mountain of Abarim, to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and see the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel for a possession; and die on the mountain where you go up, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor, and was gathered to his people… So Moses the servant of Yahweh died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of Yahweh. He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor: but no man knows of his tomb to this day.” Deuteronomy 32:49-50; 34:5-6
“Also all that generation were gathered to their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, who didn't know Yahweh, nor yet the work which he had worked for Israel.” Judges 2:10
“He [David] said, "While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, 'Who knows whether Yahweh will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:22-23
What does it mean when the Bible says “they were gathered to their fathers”, or “gathered to their people”?
It cannot mean they were buried together, because all of those previously mentioned weren’t buried together. It also can’t refer to their burial, because their death (giving up the spirit), being gathered to their fathers, and their actual burial are all listed as different events.
Proof:
Genesis 25:8-9
1. “Abraham gave up the spirit, and died in a good old age”
2. “And was gathered to his people.”
3. “Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, buried him in the cave of Machpelah”
Genesis 35:29
1. “Isaac gave up the spirit, and died”
2. “And was gathered to his people, old and full of days”
3. “Esau and Jacob, his sons, buried him”
The scriptures state:
“For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit” (Acts 23:8), and Jesus rebuked the Sadducees for their denial of these things: “On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him.” In order to test him with a riddle, but Jesus answered them back with the following statement: “But Jesus answered them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God…'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’." (Matthew 22:23-32)
Like the soul sleepers today, the Sadducees lacked understanding of the scriptures. The Sadducees believed when a person dies then they cease to exist. They denied man had a spirit that lived on after death, they denied a resurrection of the body and did not believe in angels. However, Jesus corrected their false beliefs by pointing to the scriptures which state God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (present tense), which means the dead are alive, active, moving and talking, not asleep.
Jesus taught that the righteous dead were gathered to a place called Abraham’s Bosom, which is also known as “paradise” (Luke 16:19-31). This is most likely what is meant when the scriptures state “and they were gathered to their fathers.” Jesus never stated this account in Luke chapter 16 was a parable, so we cannot dismiss it as a fable or untruthful. We can also see by his teaching that there is a literal hell and there are additional scriptures that confirm the teaching of Jesus found in Luke 16:19-3, which proves there is a gathering place for the righteous. Therefore, we have a place for the unrighteous spirits/souls of the dead and a place for the righteous.
“The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.” Proverbs 21:16 KJV
How can the so called “sleeping souls” join with the congregation of the dead? They can only do so if they are fully awake and alive. Some versions call this place, the assembly of the dead or the company of the dead.
“But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.” Proverbs 9:18
Here again, we see that there is a gathering of the dead. The Jewish Publication Societies 1917 translation of the Tanakh (Old Testament), translates Proverbs 9:18 as follows: “But he knoweth not that the shades [spirits] are there; That her guests are in the depths of the nether-world.”
The dead in the Old Testament went to the “Nether-world”? Does that sound like soul sleep? I think not.
Here is one more scripture for additional confirmation:
“The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell…” Ezekiel 32:21
How can the mighty speak in the midst of hell to welcome the new arrivals if their soul is asleep? These scriptures prove the dead do not sleep, which exactly lines up with the teachings of Jesus.
The spirit and soul of a person departs the body, but does not fall asleep
We already viewed scripture which showed the Old Testament saints “gave up the spirit” and died, which indicates the spirit/soul of the person left the body at death. These scriptures alone refute the soul sleep doctrine, which in error believes the soul stays with the body and goes to sleep. Here are additional scriptures which show the soul and spirit of a person leaves the body at death, and does not stay with the body asleep.
"It happened, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.” Genesis 35:18
“He stretched himself on the child three times, and cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘Yahweh my God, please let this child's soul come into him again’. Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived." 1 Kings 17:21-22
“Her spirit returned, and she rose up immediately. He commanded that something be given to her to eat.” Luke 8:55
“We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8
Jesus also died in the flesh, but his spirit and soul lived on after death. His soul did not sleep in the grave.
“…being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison…” 1 Peter 3:18-19
“having foreseen, he did speak concerning the rising again of the Christ, that his soul was not left to hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.” Acts 2:31
The Soul Sleep doctrine is wrong about the human spirit.
Soul sleepers claim that the spirit that departs from the body is just God’s breath and is not part of the person. They claim the human spirit is some unknown entity that God breathed into mankind to produce life. However, this belief is not scriptural. The human spirit is just as much a part of the person as the soul and body are. The spirit of men and women belong to them and makeup who they are.
If the human spirit was not part of the person, but just a breath of God that animates the body as the soul sleeper’s claim, then why did the Apostle Paul say the following?
“Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” 2 Corinthians 7:1
God cannot be defiled, therefore the spirit mentioned here has to be the spirit of the person. Paul also provides additional insight that the spirit of man and God’s Spirit are different:
“For who among men knows the things of a man, except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so, no one knows the things of God, except God's Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 2:11
Here are additional scriptures that prove that there is a human spirit and soul that make up a person along with their body.
“The spirit of man is Yahweh's lamp, searching all his innermost parts.” Proverbs 20:27
“An oracle. The word of Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh, who stretches out the heavens, and lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him says.” Zechariah 12:1
“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" Acts 7:59
Humans have a soul and a spirit
“For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit…” Hebrews 4:12
The book of Hebrews teaches that the human soul and spirit are two different things and so does the Prophet Isaiah.
“With my soul have I desired you in the night. Yes, with my spirit within me will I seek you earnestly; for when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.” Isaiah 26:9
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23
As we can see, a complete person is made up of their spirit, their soul, and their body. Therefore, when we see scriptures that show a person’s spirit and soul departed from their body and went to another place, then we cannot honestly validate soul sleep as a legitimate scriptural teaching.
When the scriptures speak of a dead person who is asleep, this is only referring to the body, which appears to be asleep. The spirit and soul of the person never sleeps but remains alive and aware long after death.
“But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable multitudes of angels, to the general assembly and assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect…” Hebrews 12:23
“Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” Hebrews 12:1
Conclusion
How could we be surrounded by the witness of past saints, and the spirits of just men made perfect if they are asleep in their graves? (Hebrews 12:23) How could Moses who has died, appear before Jesus (Matthew 17:3) if Moses was asleep in his grave? If Jesus brings back the dead with him, then that must mean they are with him now (1 Thessalonians 4:14). How do the souls of the martyred saints at the 5th Seal of Revelation talk if they are asleep?
We have seen the ancient saints giving up the spirit and being gathered to their fathers. We also see that the scriptures teach a gathering of souls in a nether-world according to the Jewish translation of the scriptures.
Over and over again, we see scriptural teachings that confirm that the soul and spirit depart from the body and live on immediately after death. The soul and spirit do not die, neither do they fall asleep.
We can go into much more detail about this subject, but we believe the facts as stated in this study, makes it clear that soul sleep is not supported by scripture and should be rejected and never considered a legitimate biblical teaching. Soul sleep is a teaching that began with a man and a movement that made false predictions about the second coming, which the scriptures classify as a false prophet. This movement also gave birth to many cults that continue to embrace the soul sleep doctrine. Soul sleep is far from biblical.
“For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.” Luke 20:38
