I recently saw the funeral service and thanksgiving for the life of Dr Max Turner on YouTube. I remember Max when he was strict librarian at London Bible College in the 1970s, when I was an undergraduate.
I read much later his theological writings on Luke/Acts, the Holy Spirit and charismatic issues. Spendid scholarship.
As a New Testament scholar Max was magnificent, so I was particularly interested to hear his views on the afterlife when they were shared at the service on 3 September. His daughter read from his message given at a funeral for a relative.
Max believed that when a Christian dies they go to paradise, "the Eden garden of peace...all awaiting our resurrection...before that explosive day of resurrection. " Quoting from Martin Luther, Max believed that we shall rise in a moment and be with Him for ever...not knowing how we came into death in that glorious peace.
Deep serene sleep, that wondrous sleep, total rest would therefore be experienced. Some would call this soul sleep until the Great Day of the Lord, Yom Yahweh.
When we die then we are removed from time and enter eternity. The doctrine of serene wondrous sleep in paradise fascinates me. I have always found it difficult to think of both a new heaven and a new earth coming into existence. This new creation comes after some catastrophic events mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10-13. Some people seem to have their eschatology neatly worked out and claim to be certain about the end times, like the Rapture, and some have had to revise their views in the light of reality.
ReplyDeleteI am not convinced by the doctrine of soul sleep, the loss of consciousness in paradise. Jesus promised the dying thief a place with Him in paradise, and they, I would argue, would be conscious and aware of each other, in fellowship, in blissful peace. When Enoch was taken while walking with God, if he was taken to an Edenic paradise, was this not a conscious fellowship? Was Enoch enjoying eternal life with God, in His presence continuing their walk of fellowship?
ReplyDeleteAbsent from the body, in death, present with the Lord. Is this a conscious fellowship or presence with the Lord?
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