>>Please understand. When Paul talks about the “dead who are asleep”, he’s not talking in English.<<
Yeah, I don’t like using the word “asleep” but I thought it would make the point without getting into complex details regarding something none of us has complete knowledge of. I make use of the Greek Lexicon when it is really important and we are trying to get to the heart of something relevant.
For my purposes, using the word “sleep” was close enough.
And regarding “rest” vs “sleep”, as I mentioned in a previous post, my thoughts are that the “rest” is more akin to being put under during surgery. That is, you are 100% out and have absolutely no perception of the passage of time - until the resurrection.
Which is Luther’s argument, word for word.
“trying to get to the heart of something relevant.”
I thought that was what this is about? Unfortunately, beyond one word used twice, there’s nothing to support this view. Protestant bibles can alter the English, but they can’t change the original. All the original says is that Paul said that the dead were resting, and Luther’s opinion has no basis in scripture.
I have been put under, and I don’t think that’s what it’s like at all. I think we are well aware, more aware than we’ve ever been of what is happening and what is going to happen. It’s like the falling away of our binds etc. There have been people who have experienced near death, and their reports have quite a few similarities.