What is meant by Unity Of The Spirit?

I.   WHAT IS The Unity Of The Spirit?

        1.   Unity itself is well described in psalm 133.

     "How good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity."

                    Psa. 146:2-4;        Eccl.3:19,20
                    Job 34:14,15;       Eccl.12:1-7
                Death is a return of the person, of the body, and of the spirit.

         2.   Unity is the opposite of discord, or the absence of strife, a place where
                love reigns and truth is valued.
               

                    2 Ki.20:1    "thou that die and not live"
                    Rev.20:4-6  "the dead live not until"
                    Num.4:19    "that they may live, and not die"

         3.    Death is like a sleep.

                     Psa.13:3    "lest I sleep the sleep of death"
                    1 Th.4:13-18    "them that are asleep"
                    Dan.12:2    "them that sleep in the dust"
                         Both the righteous and the unrighteous are said to be asleep
                         when they are dead.
        4.    Death is an enemy.

                     1 Cor.15:26    "the last enemy abolished is death"

II.  WHERE ARE THE DEAD?

        1.   They are all in one place (Eccl.3:19,20).
                    Psa.22:15;        Job 7:21
                    Gen 3:19   compare  Gen.2:7
        2.   Their place is one of silence and repose.

                    Job 3:11-22      Psa.115:17
                    Psa.88:10-12    Eccl.9:10

        3.   They are not with Christ in heaven.
                    John 3:13;        Acts 2:34

     The statement that David ascended not into the heavens is made after 

the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ.
    The only way believers get to be with the Lord is by His coming for them. 

See 1 Thes.4:16-17, "so shall we ever be with the Lord." Also John 14:3, 

"I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there ye may

 be also." Death is never said to take one to be with the Lord.

        4.    THE DEAD ARE IN THEIR GRAVES.

                    John 5:28-29    "all who are in their graves"
                     Dan.12:2          "them that sleep in the dust"
                    Isa.26:19           "ye that dwell in the dust"

In the Word of God the dead are always said to be where their bodies are.

III.   WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE DEAD?

        1.   They sleep and rest.
                    1 Thess.4:13-18    1 Cor.15:51-57
                    Acts 7:60  compare  Acts 8:2
                    John 11:11  compare  John 11:14
                    1 Cor.15:3-20        Dan.12:2

    The Scriptures never speak of the sleep of the soul, nor of the sleep of the body. 

They always speak of the sleep of the person with reference to death. The sleep of

 death obliterates the interval between this life and the next, in so far as consciousness is concerned.

        2.   They praise not the Lord nor exercise mental powers.
                 Psa.6:5         Psa.115:17     Psa.8:10-12
                 Eccl.9:4-6     Psa.146:4     Isa.38:18,19

        3.   They do not live until the resurrection.

                 Rev.20:4-6     1 Cor.15:12-21

IV.   WHAT COMFORTING ASSURANCE DOES GOD GIVE
.         CONCERNING THE DEAD?

        1.   That they will all be resurrected.
                 John 5:28-29     Rev.20:11-15

        2.   That they will all ultimately receive fulness of life through the saving work
              of Jesus Christ.

                 1 Cor.15:22-28     1 Tim.2:3-6
                 Rom 5:18,19         1 Tim.4:9-11

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