🕊️ Absent from the Body — Present With the Lord.

Today, my brother, Bill, his wife, Kim, and I discussed Soul Sleep, Rip or Rest in Peace, and this statement, which was quoted in a post online:

"Referring to Pope Francis,' He has died. And like every other human being who dies, Francis has entered into a state of unconsciousness known in the Bible as sleep (Ecclesiastes 9:5, John 11:11-14).

A Grace-Based Response to the Idea of “Soul Sleep” by Pastor Terry | docbmedia.com

There’s been talk lately suggesting that when a believer dies, they enter a state of unconscious "soul sleep" — that they do not immediately go to be with the Lord, and that phrases like "He returned to the Father's House" or "Rest in Peace" are somehow unbiblical.

Let's address this with grace and no compromise out of deep respect for God's Word and compassion for the grieving.

The body indeed rests in the grave, but the soul lives on, fully conscious and present before God. Scripture never teaches that the soul goes to sleep. It teaches the exact opposite.

When Jesus spoke of Lazarus sleeping (John 11:11–14), He clarified plainly: “Lazarus is dead.” He used sleep as a figure of speech for the body, not the soul. Just moments later, He called Lazarus out — showing His power over life and death.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 — often used to support soul sleep — speaks from the perspective of life “under the sun.” It’s Solomon’s poetic reflection on earthly experience, not eternal destiny.

A few chapters later, the same writer declares: “The spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). That doesn’t sound like unconsciousness — that sounds like homecoming.

And let’s not forget the thief on the cross. Jesus didn’t say, “You’ll be with Me eventually.” He said, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

That’s immediate, not delayed. Conscious — not sleeping. Alive — not idle.

Paul said it best: “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8). He didn’t mean at some distant future date. He meant immediately.

Now, about judgment — absolutely, we will all stand before Christ (Romans 14:10, 2 Corinthians 5:10).

But for the believer, that judgment is not condemnation — it's reward and accountability. Our sins were judged at Calvary. What remains is an evaluation of how we served Him. As for those who reject Christ, their judgment comes at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11–15).

So yes, we say “Rest in Peace” — not because the soul is unconscious, but because the battle is over and the victory is won. Revelation 14:13 says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord… they rest from their labors.” That's peace — not sleep.

Here’s how I see it: Death is not the end — it’s the departure gate. If a soul is in Christ, Heaven is not some future dream. It’s a present reality. They’ve gone on ahead. You may not see them here, but they’ve never been more alive.

Let us comfort one another with truth, not tradition. With Scripture, not speculation. With hope, not hesitation. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life — not someday, but right now.

With love and truth, Pastor Terry

One Truth at a Time