What Is The Condition Of The Dead?

What is the condition of the dead?  Seems like a subject you would pass up immediately, but a very appropriate subject today at a funeral discourse.

Our dear relative is now gone...so, where is he now? There are so many diverse opinions, but to stick with the facts, the bible says they are "conscious of nothing at all". What a relief for those who may have thought he was suffering a torment or enjoying bliss in the heavens. Ecclesiaster 9:5. They are simply unconscious...asleep..feeling nothing at all. He certainly will be sadly missed, but he is not suffering nor feeling anything at all!  Why do we die in the first place?

It wasn't meant to be that way....the problem started with the first human pair. Their disobedience to God's law to stay away from one fruit tree cost them their lives and those of their offspring. Genesis 2: 15-17 So the very first mention of death was in Genesis. However, we were meant to live forever!

But some say "I have seen a dead relative..she is not dead at all..I spoke with her". Actually the person is not alive. You may definitely have seen something, but remember that 2 Corinthians 11:14 says that  "Satan keeps transforming himself into an angel of light". We may need to read the above text in Genesis again to see how we are all affected by the first disobedience. We die..plain and simple, and isn't it wonderful that our Creator tells us what the condition of the dead is. Without that knowledge, we may think up many possibilities and not be comforted at the time of our loss.
We will miss our relative but we have the assurance that we will see him again in perfect health here on this earth. John 5: 28,29