I was approached by a Jehovah's Witness and through our conversation we got into a discussion on what happens to the spirit of a person after one dies?
 
   I was given a book called Reasoning from the Scriptures (a Jehovah's Witness publication which supposedly explains many different doctrines) and was told to read it. I did not agree with it's complex explanations concerning the body, the soul, the spirit, death, hell, and the grave.

 

 

 

  I believe in the simplicity of the Word of God. I believe that everything in God's Word fits together perfectly. There are no contradictions. If there are, it's because we are the one's that "see through a glass, darkly;…. now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (I Cor. 13:12 KJV). One day when all is revealed and our understanding is opened, we shall see just how perfect God's Word really is.

  God in His infinite, awesome wisdom has fixed it so that His Word can be divided to explain TRUTH, apart from any human logic and reasoning, by comparing spiritual things with spiritual (I Cor. 2:13 KJV & NWT).

  I love the King James Version of the Bible, it is my choice when searching the Scriptures. Through the King James Version of the Bible, you can see clearly what happens to the body, soul, and spirit when an individual dies.

 

  Many Jehovah's Witnesses have a problem with the King James Version of the Bible. Therefore, for the sake of this brief study, we will push it and all other books aside and use ONLY the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures to see what happens to the spirit after death.

 

 

 

  When interpreting Scripture, we are told to, " Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the Word of the Truth aright" (2 Tim. 2:15 NWT).
   

 

 

 

 

  "And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man come to be a living soul." Gen. 2:7 NWT

 

 

 

  The dust of the ground formed man's body, and the breath of life from Jehovah caused man to live.

♦ Is man a three-part being???
 
 "May the very God of peace sanctify you completely. And sound in every respect may the spirit and soul and body of you [brothers] be preserved in a blameless manner at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Thess. 5:23 NWT

♦ At death is there a separation of this three-part being???

 Old Testament – "Then the dust returns to the earth just as it happened to be and the spirit itself returns to the [true] God who gave it." Ecc. 12:7 NWT  

 New Testament - "Indeed, as the body without spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead." James 2:26 NWT

 At death, the grave gets the body, but the human spirit separates from that body.

♦ Is there a Bible example of this actually happening???
 
  Jairus's daughter was dead – "But He (Jesus) took her by the hand and called, saying:
"Girl, get up!" And her spirit returned, and she rose instantly, and He ordered something to be given her to eat." Luke 8:54,55 NWT

♦ Did this also happen to Jesus when He died on the cross???

  Jesus knew that His body would be placed in a tomb for three days and three nights, but He spoke of His spirit not being there with it.

  Conversation between the thief on the cross and Jesus – "And he went on to say: "Jesus, remember me when You get into Your kingdom," And He said to him: "Truly I tell you today, You will be with Me in Paradise." Luke 42:43 NWT

 Their bodies were about to die, but not their spirits.

 "Again Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and yielded up [His] breath." Matt. 27:50 NWT

 "When, now, He had received the sour wine, Jesus said: "It has been accomplished!" and, bowing His head, He delivered up [His] spirit." John 19:30 NWT

"And Jesus called with a loud voice and said: "Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit." Luke 23:46 NWT

♦ Is there any record of what may have happened to the departed spirit of Jesus during those three days and three nights of death???

 "For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights." Matt.12:40 NWT

 Jesus never wasted words. There is a big difference between lying in a tomb and the heart of the earth.

   Peter tells us more – "Why, even Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous [person] for unrighteous ones, that He might lead you to God, He being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit. In this [state] also He went His way and preached to the spirits in prison." I Peter 3:18,19 NWT

♦ Does Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 - agree with other portions of Scripture???

 Yes it does!! The body is the the temporary house of the eternal spirit!
The body which is dust, goes back to dust and is unconscious. It knows nothing at all.

 "For dust you are and to dust you will return." Gen. 3:19b NWT

♦ But what about the rest of me???

 Well, that place is determined by your relationship with Jesus Christ! Through the offering up of Himself, JESUS has provided a way of full pardon from all sins, and eternal life to all who will receive Him as Savior and Lord!

 "However, as many as did receive Him, to them He gave authority to become God's children, because they were exercising faith in His name." John 1:12 NWT

 "For if you publicly declare that 'word in your own mouth,' that Jesus is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised Him up from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation." Romans 10:9,10 NWT

 Don't take chances with your eternal spirit – RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST TODAY!

 This was to be an ongoing discussion with the Jehovah's Witness, but after I sent this letter, she didn't want to have any more discussions. How sad for so many to be so sincere and yet be so sincerely wrong concerning basic Bible doctrines. I pray for them all.

  Upon careful examination of Scripture (using only the New World Translation), and not a host of other confusing books, still all the great doctrines of the Christian faith can clearly be shown.

  It's my prayer that you may use these words to show many Jehovah's Witnesses how wrong they are by interpreting the Word of God to say that when one dies they cease to be. Even the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures disagrees with that interpretation!

  How awesome is the Word of God, not to leave us in the dark concerning life after death.

  Physical death is not the end, but only a comma in the story of life.

   "But we are of good courage and are well pleased rather to become absent from the body and to make our home with the Lord." 2 Cor. 5:8 NWT