Nice to have you here, Alex!
I believe to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I do not believe in grave sleeping.
Do you believe some of the Bible authors took out a patent on that belief which prevents you from following them?
On the issue of Hell: My dad used to get so mad at Adventist preacher Rick Odle and his interpretation of hell. Adventist believe you just burn up.....that is tottally unbiblical.
I still remember Rick. I met him and heard him preach. I recall him telling us he accepted the invitation to work at 3ABN because that would give him the opportunity to straighten those Adventist out in their wrong understanding of hell. He'd make notes, and it seems like he took some of the videos home so he could know how to beat those Adventist preachers. He studied all of the texts in the Bible and found things there he'd never noticed before.
Do you know what he found?
The Bible teaches that the time is coming when all sin and even death is burned up forever, and does not exist any more in our Universe. It is a total cleansing.
Do you really believe that sin and death will always exist to haunt people forever?
Adventist believe in a total salvation. You seem to believe only in a limited salvation coexisting with evil throughout all eternity? Where do you get such ideas from the Bible?
Another question: Did your father's anger with Rick do either of them any good? Isn't it the LOVE of God which brings us the TRUTH and eternal salvation? What does that have to do with anger?
Jesus brings me a total salvation. Why should He only give you a partial salvation? Are you too great a sinner for Him to love you so fully that He will give you a home in a sinless Universe?
I am a member of the S.B.C. I believe slavation is eternal and it cannot be taken away. Some call this "once saved always saved". I agree with that! My dad who was a Free Will Baptist minister believed you could lose your salvation- I do not.
There are MANY differences between Adventist and the SBC.
What good does an eternal salvation do for you if it has to coexist with sin still in the Universe through all eternity? Scripture gives me the hope and joy knowing that sin and death will be no more in the Universe - it is gone forever and throughout all eternity, never again to bring death and sorrow to me. Only Jesus brings me this hope and joy.