BD.6541
May 6, 1956

THE WRONG DOCTRINE CONCERNING THE SLEEP OF THE SOUL

It is definitely wrong to think that the soul of a departed will be in an eternal sleep until the coming day of judgment. Such thoughts show that you are in total ignorance concerning the development process of the soul. It is also proof of man's wrong attitude towards ME, otherwise, he could not have such wrong thoughts. It also indicates that man has no faith in the soul's life after death, because an eternally sleeping soul could never be described as "life after death".

This wrong thinking is therefore a great disadvantage for all departed souls, because prayers for them will not be offered and so they do not receive the help they need so badly. Those who have made this their doctrine will not accept teaching, they have been wrongly taught and hold to that teaching as the gospel. This is the work and influence of MY adversary. He hinders man's prayers for souls because prayers are able to help set them free, which he wants to prevent.

But even when the Truth is brought against this wrong teaching, people will still not accept it. They choose not to travel the only road to enlightenment. All that is required is for them to come earnestly to ME for an explanation, if they do not believe those who teach them the Truth.

They need only come to ME, which they refuse to do and are therefore not open to reason and refuse to leave their error. These departed souls are in great need if they are not remembered in prayer. Also, man on Earth cannot be instructed about the spiritual Kingdom because they do not believe in a relation between the realm of Light and the Earth. They will therefore not yield their thinking to powers that have the knowledge. They are only concerned about their earthly life as human beings until death. Their concept of everlasting sleep of the soul until the "Judgment day" proves their lack of knowledge about the development of all spirituality, about MY nature which is Love, Wisdom and Might, and about the work of redemption through JESUS CHRIST.

Their knowledge is very limited and does not agree with the Truth. When the Truth is brought to them, they resist it. But they still try to prove their point of view with the "Word of God" and with the scriptures. But it is not their "awakened spirit" that finds those places in scriptures, but MY opponent who makes use of MY Word when he wants to cause confusion. However, he succeeds in this where only the intellect of man is active and not where I MYSELF am asked for an explanation and enlightenment through the Spirit.

The letter kills but only the Spirit gives Life. Those who do not surrender to ME so that I can guide their thinking will be lead by the letter of a spiritual death. Because indeed, MY adversary can use the letter, which he explains in a much different sense, making the biggest error seem acceptable to the people.

The doctrine of the sleep of the soul is truly an erroneous teaching. It causes great indignation with those in the beyond who need help, who are alive but so weak that they are thankful for every gift of strength that can be given to them through earnest prayers and Love. So, people should think of those souls often in their prayers, whose family members on Earth live in this wrong belief, so that they may receive the strength to rise upward, and can influence the thoughts of other souls as well.

A life in Love on Earth will soon give the soul clear insight. But they have to free themselves first from that erroneous teaching before they can receive a mission field for themselves…. Because every work in the Spiritual Kingdom consists of spreading the pure Truth. Blessed there- fore are those souls who live in a life of Love on Earth. They will be able to loosen themselves much easier from wrong opinions and wrong beliefs. But others are in great trouble because such wrong conceptions will have a harmful influence on their soul. The doctrine of the "sleep of the soul" in particular can really lead to a darkness, which is similar to death, and at the same time the possibility for help is diminished by the belief that prayers are futile. However, those who earnestly turn to ME will clearly understand how wrong this teaching is.

AMEN