Sean wrote:People still die physically, however Jesus stated:
John 11:26
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
So in some sense we don't die even when our body does.
Did Jesus say, "Whoever lives and believes in me will never die"? If so, He contradicted what He had just finished saying:
..."he who believes in me, though he has died, yet shall he live."
Here Jesus indicated that people believe in Him and die! Or do you suppose that He changed the meaning of "die" in the same sentence?
Did the first "die" refer to the physical death" and the second "die" refer to the death of the soul? I don't think so.
What Jesus actually said was " He who lives and believes [or "trusts"] in me shall no way die into the age." Or let "into the age" mean "forever" if you wish.
He who lives and trusts in me shall no way die forever.
In other words, any living person who trusts in Christ will not die forever (that is "remain dead"). He will be resurrected.
Jesus' whole statement was about
the resurrection!
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who trusts in me, though he has died, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and trusts in me shall not die into the [next] age. Do you believe this?
A disciple of Christ though he dies, will be resurrected. A living disciple of Christ may die also, but will not remain dead right into the next age, but will be resurrected at the beginning of the next age when Jesus returns.
2 Peter 1:13 Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, 14 knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. 15 Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.
Peter seemed to suggest that he was "in" his "tent" and will soon put it off at his decease. Sounds like his tent what something he lived in, not something that constituted his entire self. And when he died he was leaving the tent, to be clothed again one day in the future, of course. This is at very least a possible meaning of his words.
Yes, Peter and Paul both used this figure of speech ---- as if one is occupying his body as a person might occupy a tent. However, I don't think one can use this figure of speech to establish a dichotomous or trichotomous view of man.
As is recorded in I Cor 15, Paul stated that at the resurrection "this mortal must put on immortality." That is the time when Christ's disciples will become immortal ---- not at the moment they trust in Him.
Rick