Bible Study Our Body/Our Spirit

[Butch5]

I'm not sure I'm understanding you here. Are you saying that you believe that we have no soul?

No, I’m saying I believe we are a soul. The words Nephesh and Psuche (soul) are used two different ways in Scripture. They are used of living beings, living beings are called a soul. They are used figuratively for life. For instance when a passage says something about saving the soul it is talking about saving the life. They are translated life in Scripture.

So, as a concrete or tangible thing I understand a soul to be a living being. When it’s abstract or something not tangible I understand it to mean life.

Lazarus and the rich man does not say anything about soul or spirit. That's me trying to apply conventional thinking to it. If the body is dead (like it says) then the body is in the grave buried. The spirit returns to God, so what's left to be in Hades or Abraham's Bosom? The soul. Scripture says...that your soul may be saved and so forth. If we have no soul, then there's nothing to save right?

Hades isn't the grave, it's hades. If it were the grave, it would say the grave. There's a distinction made between them because they are different places.

If you do a study of Hades and shoel in the Scriptures you’ll see they are used of the grave. Here are a few passages.

23 "And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be1 brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. (Mat 11:23 NKJ)

A city wouldn’t be going to an underground abode of the dead. However, it could metaphorically go to the grave.

25 "For David says concerning Him:`I foresaw the LORD always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (Act 2:25-27 NKJ)

I don’t think anyone would suggest that Jesus would be in a place of torment for the wicked dead. He was, however, in the grave. Also the Psalms use what is known as parallelisms. Here we see His soul not being left in Hades parallels Hi not seeing corruption.

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory1." 55 "O Death, where is your sting1? O Hades, where is your victory2?" (1Co 15:52-55 NKJ)

Here Paul is talking about the resurrection and how it is victory over death and Hades. If Hades is a place where the wicked burn, how is the resurrection a victory over that? The righteous don’t go there and the wicked couldn’t leave. However, if Hades is the grave then the resurrection is definitely a victory over Hades.

There are more if you’d like to look at more of them

Never considering others testimonies as potential truths is your choice but would have no bearing on if it is true or not. We hear something, check it against scripture if possible and if not possible then we look for patterns or discrepancies against other testimonies and see if it adds up. A wholesale rejection of everything...doesn't help at all.

I agree with what you’ve said here. My rejection of those stories is based on my understanding of Scripture and my understanding of the power of the human mind.

Why do you think that Hades is the grave? And you're right, they had eyes, tongues, senses, all of that. These are all parts that we associate with a body , I get that, that's what we were taught. But...what about the spiritual body? Can you show us (scripturally) that a spirit does not have a body at all? So it would be a spiritual body, with spiritual characteristics, of which we know very little to nothing about considering that we were never taught these things. So, you're going to have to do better than that to establish that they had their body with them in Hades, just because we associate those terms with a flesh body.

Why? I’m stating what can be seen. If there is something we don’t know or can’t see, why would I have to disprove it, rather than you proving it? If we suppose the idea that there is a spiritual body and it has hands, feet, etc. it would seem to me that the one supposing it is left with the burden of proof. It’s like me saying there were aliens from Mars in my yard last night. If you don’t believe me prove it. If I claim something that is not established fact then the onus is on me to prove it exists, not you to prove it doesn’t.

However, we do have Scripture that says a spirit doesn’t have a body.

37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?39 "Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (Luk 24:37-39 NKJ)

[/quote]Are we not instructed to live for the spirit? What's that mean? It's not live for the body or live for the flesh brother...it's live for the spirit. Bottom line is, we're not human. We're spiritual beings that have a flesh body. We're in an identity crisis and need to realize who we are. We are spiritual beings. As children too because we don't know, having never been taught this. They've squirreled away this knowledge and hidden it from the masses in an effort to keep us in confusion and not ever come to realize who we really are.[/quote]

This sounds a lot like Gnosticism Ed. Hidden knowledge only available to a few, spiritual beings. Be careful my friend.

[qutoe]Spirits have senses too brother. The scripture says that their flesh body was not with them, but buried. How would you explain that one?[/quote]

Jesus did. He said spirits don’t have flesh and bone.

 

[Butch5]

1Th 5:23 and the God of the peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved unblameably in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Can you elaborate on what you believe is additional information?

I agree with this. But I would say that in order for man to make responsible decisions he needs to be able to commune with God. To hear His voice in our inner man. Which I believe is our spirit.
If we are just like the animals, soul beings, who operate only from our own intellect, we cannot be responsible caretakers of the earth and those in it. On earth as it is in heaven.

When you say our spirit are you referring to something other than the breath of life? If so, can you elaborate as what it is and where it came from?

 

[JLB]

Hi Angel,

Gen 2:7 says that God created man from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath/spirit of life. God also said to Adam, 'dust you are and to dust you shall return.' This show us that man is dust or of the elements of the earth. There is a spirit in man, it is the breath/spirit of life, however, it is not man but rather God's breath/spirit which gives us life.

Man is spirit, soul and body, not just a body with God's spirit.

For a man to be alive, his spirit must be within the body.

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:26


God's Spirit and our spirit within us are two different spirit's.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:16

and again -

1 The burden of the word of the Lord against Israel. Thus says the Lord, who stretches out the heavens, lays the foundation of the earth, and forms the spirit of man within him: Zechariah 12:1


The spirit on man within him... not the Spirit of God within him.

God is the Father of all spirit's, however they are separate from God.

Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? Hebrews 12:9


Is your body that was begotten by your human father, yours or his?


JLB

 

[JLB]

9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors? 10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live. 13 Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor, is the gift of God. 14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him. 15 That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.

A beautiful and full passage when it is read in it's context. This is one of the great Salvation and reward passages... in it's context.

Very beautiful.


JLB

 

[JLB]

Few verses below Ecc 3:18, there is a verse "Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?" It clearly says the spirit of man and animal is different.

"For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." (1 Corinthians 2:11 NKJ)
"But the natural1 man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14 NKJ) (NASB footnoted 1 as 'unspiritual')
People have a spirit, but only fleshly traits can be revealed as two verses (we could find more verses but I just write few of them) say.

What I am trying to say is man is made up of a body, soul and spirit.

 

[Edward]

Hey I just thought of something. God didn't create Adam & Eve out of the dust of the ground...Only Adam. He took Eve out of Adam, one of his ribs or whatever. I know, it seems trivial, but I never really thought about that before.

It is interesting. So Adam had all of the female qualities within him already. He just couldn't reach all the way around to rub his own back.

 

[Deborah13]

2

 

[Kidron]

Some of you, perhaps have worked in the health care field, maybe a hospital.
If so, its very probable that you have seen someone die.
Others here, have perhaps been in close contact with someone who passed away.
Ive worked in a few hospitals and a couple of "retirement homes", and ive witness people pass away.
The thing that strikes me when ive witnessed someone leave, is the eyes......
If you look at their eyes when they are leaving, you'll see the eyes slightly brighten with light, and then as they pass, this
light dims and sort of goes out.

When i read 1John 1:5 and it says that God is "light"
or when i read that Jesus is the "light of the world",

and then i remember the light ive seen in a person's eyes change,... who is leaving this physical realm..
well, all i can say is, ..........very interesting.

 

[JLB]

Some of you, perhaps have worked in the health care field, maybe a hospital.
If so, its very probable that you have seen someone die.
Others here, have perhaps been in close contact with someone who passed away.
Ive worked in a few hospitals and a couple of "retirement homes", and ive witness people pass away.
The thing that strikes me when ive witnessed someone leave, is the eyes......
If you look at their eyes when they are leaving, you'll see the eyes slightly brighten with light, and then as they pass, this
light dims and sort of goes out.

When i read 1John 1:5 and it says that God is "light"
or when i read that Jesus is the "light of the world",

and then i remember the light ive seen in a person's eyes change,... who is leaving this physical realm..
well, all i can say is, ..........very interesting.

Yes sir.


Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Butch5]

Some of you, perhaps have worked in the health care field, maybe a hospital.
If so, its very probable that you have seen someone die.
Others here, have perhaps been in close contact with someone who passed away.
Ive worked in a few hospitals and a couple of "retirement homes", and ive witness people pass away.
The thing that strikes me when ive witnessed someone leave, is the eyes......
If you look at their eyes when they are leaving, you'll see the eyes slightly brighten with light, and then as they pass, this
light dims and sort of goes out.

When i read 1John 1:5 and it says that God is "light"
or when i read that Jesus is the "light of the world",

and then i remember the light ive seen in a person's eyes change,... who is leaving this physical realm..
well, all i can say is, ..........very interesting.

Hmmm...

 

[Edward]

(I'm not sure I'm understanding you here. Are you saying that you believe that we have no soul?)

[No, I’m saying I believe we are a soul. The words Nephesh and Psuche (soul) are used two different ways in Scripture. They are used of living beings, living beings are called a soul. They are used figuratively for life. For instance when a passage says something about saving the soul it is talking about saving the life. They are translated life in Scripture.

So, as a concrete or tangible thing I understand a soul to be a living being. When it’s abstract or something not tangible I understand it to mean life.]

Oh ok, I understand what you're tryin to say now. That 'soul' is a term for the overall being. Like, Edward doesn't have a soul, but he is a soul. Gotcha. There is a lot of misunderstanding and greyness for most people with regards to soul & spirit. I have heard soul used in reference to a complete being. She's a sweet soul... or something.

People even (most of the time) use the words soul and spirit interchangeably, and it usually doesn't really make enough difference that it interferes with the conversation, but the bible clearly distinguishes between them!

Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart./

1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ./

Those two verses alone seem to clearly indicate that there is a separateness to the different aspects of our being. When you combine all of the aspects together, spirit soul-body, then an accurate term to use for the collective is...Man.

If you're not seeing the 3 aspects which make up life for us, then I'd be interested in knowing how you consolidate the above two verses into your thinking.

They are used figuratively for life. For instance when a passage says something about saving the soul it is talking about saving the life. They are translated life in Scripture.

We still might need the Spirit which comes from God. I dunno if a soul could live apart from God without His Spirit. I'm guessing, no. Let's go back to Genesis

Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul./

First He forms Adam...Adam is just laying there I guess, at this point. Then when God breathed into Adam, man became a living soul. If that breath is the spirit which returneth unto God when we pass on, then soul would not be life, lol.

Before God breathed into him. Adam had vitality or potential so to speak, but the actual rational and immortal soul (Life Force) had not been given yet. Not until God breathed into him.

Saving souls is saving lives brother. Ok, you're a Christian brother so when you die in the flesh. the Spirit returneth unto God...but your soul goes with it and you have (continued) life. We are in Christ and Christ in us and that is no analogy or metaphor, that is a spiritual truth. The unseen realm of this world is the Kingdom realm. Call it alternate dimensions, parallel Universes, whatever but I believe that is what it is. Reba's been right about that all along.

The Kingdom is at hand. As close as your next breath, next to you, within you, all around you. The veil has been parted but most people (myself included) don't know what to look for so can't recognize it. Sorry, I digress.
What about those two verses brother?

 

[Butch5]

Oh ok, I understand what you're tryin to say now. That 'soul' is a term for the overall being. Like, Edward doesn't have a soul, but he is a soul. Gotcha. There is a lot of misunderstanding and greyness for most people with regards to soul & spirit. I have heard soul used in reference to a complete being. She's a sweet soul... or something.

People even (most of the time) use the words soul and spirit interchangeably, and it usually doesn't really make enough difference that it interferes with the conversation, but the bible clearly distinguishes between them!

Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart./

1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ./

Those two verses alone seem to clearly indicate that there is a separateness to the different aspects of our being. When you combine all of the aspects together, spirit soul-body, then an accurate term to use for the collective is...Man.

If you're not seeing the 3 aspects which make up life for us, then I'd be interested in knowing how you consolidate the above two verses into your thinking.

I think the confusion with the words soul and spirit shows how much we bring to the text rather than take away from it. As you pointed out many Christians interchange the two but the Scriptures never do. That there is so much confusion shows how much our own preconceptions affect our understanding of Scripture.

You spoke of the three aspects which make up life for us. Gen 2 tells me that two components were combined to create a third. A body of dust and the breath/spirit of life together formed a living soul. This tells me that a living soul consists of two parts, a body of dust and the breath/spirit of life. If one of those components is taken away, a soul no longer exists. Take water for example. If you combine two hydrogen molecules with an oxygen module you'll get water. If you have water and you remove the oxygen molecule you don't have hydrogen and water left, you have only hydrogen. Likewise, if you have a soul and you take away the breath of life, you don't have a body and a soul left,
you have a body left.

Regarding the Hebrews 4:12, in context Paul is encouraging these Hebrew believers to continue in the faith and not turn back. He's trying to strengthen their faith and their hearts. He tells them not to be found with a heart of unbelief. He gives them the example of the children in the wilderness and how they did not enter God's rest. Then he points to Christ who will judge them. He points out that Christ's judgment is so fine that it is able to separate things that to man might seem inseparable. No man can separate the spirit from the soul, but Christ can. Christ will judge all and has the ability and authority to separate the breath of life from the soul.

I believe 1 Thess 5 is referring to the whole man as Paul states.

1 Thessalonians 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I believe that he is simply indicating the entire person. He says,

16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil.
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. (1Th 5:16-24 NKJ)

It seems he's indicating that they be holy, which is to be sanctified or set apart. He indicates that this should be the state of their entire being, In the body, in the spirit, and in life.

We still might need the Spirit which comes from God. I dunno if a soul could live apart from God without His Spirit. I'm guessing, no. Let's go back to Genesis

Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul./

First He forms Adam...Adam is just laying there I guess, at this point. Then when God breathed into Adam, man became a living soul. If that breath is the spirit which returneth unto God when we pass on, then soul would not be life, lol.

Before God breathed into him. Adam had vitality or potential so to speak, but the actual rational and immortal soul (Life Force) had not been given yet. Not until God breathed into him.

But the life force isn't the soul, it's the breath./spirit of life.

Saving souls is saving lives brother. Ok, you're a Christian brother so when you die in the flesh. the Spirit returneth unto God...but your soul goes with it and you have (continued) life. We are in Christ and Christ in us and that is no analogy or metaphor, that is a spiritual truth. The unseen realm of this world is the Kingdom realm. Call it alternate dimensions, parallel Universes, whatever but I believe that is what it is. Reba's been right about that all along.

The Kingdom is at hand. As close as your next breath, next to you, within you, all around you. The veil has been parted but most people (myself included) don't know what to look for so can't recognize it. Sorry, I digress.
What about those two verses brother?

I agree that saving souls is saving lives. I would add, it is saving physical lives. I disagree that the soul returns to the to God with the Spirit. I'm not aware of anything in Scripture that speaks of souls going to God. I disagree also that the soul continues to live on.

 

[Edward]

You spoke of the three aspects which make up life for us. Gen 2 tells me that two components were combined to create a third. A body of dust and the breath/spirit of life together formed a living soul. This tells me that a living soul consists of two parts, a body of dust and the breath/spirit of life. If one of those components is taken away, a soul no longer exists. Take water for example. If you combine two hydrogen molecules with an oxygen module you'll get water. If you have water and you remove the oxygen molecule you don't have hydrogen and water left, you have only hydrogen. Likewise, if you have a soul and you take away the breath of life, you don't have a body and a soul left,
you have a body left....
But the life force isn't the soul, it's the breath./spirit of life.

Agreed. That's what I was getting at. So we can't define soul as life. Apart from God and His Spirit there is no life.

I agree that saving souls is saving lives. I would add, it is saving physical lives. I disagree that the soul returns to the to God with the Spirit. I'm not aware of anything in Scripture that speaks of souls going to God. I disagree also that the soul continues to live on.

Well it all depends on if one is saved if their soul goes to God or not! If they are saved, then it does, with their spirit. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, (2 Corinthians 5:6), keeping in mind that He is the God of the Living and not of the dead...

Matthew 22:32
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”/

If you've been saved when your flesh perishes, then you do not perish with your body. Your consciousness keeps on going brother and you go to be with God. Soul and all. That's what "saved" means. Your soul gets saved and goes to be with God and His Spirit.

Those who are not saved when their flesh body perishes are dead. He's not the God of the dead. Their soul has a different destination.

 

[Kidron]

Those who are not saved when their flesh body perishes are dead. He's not the God of the dead. Their soul has a different destination.

Actually, both the saved and the unsaved die physically, but both are not the same positionally, after death, regarding their spirit.
One has spiritually ascended to be "present with the Lord", and the other has spiritually descended into a place where they wait for Revelation 20:12....
notice the verse speaks of the "dead" standing..

"""""And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,""""

 

[Butch5]

Agreed. That's what I was getting at. So we can't define soul as life. Apart from God and His Spirit there is no life.

I believe soul is defined as life in the abstract.

19 "Indeed now, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have increased your mercy which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, lest some evil overtake me and I die. (Gen 19:19 NKJ)

30 "Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father, and the lad is not with us, since his life is bound up in the lad's life, (Gen 44:30 NKJ)

23 "Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life; you may not eat the life with the meat. (Deu 12:23 NKJ)

The word life in each of these passages is the word Nephesh, soul.

Well it all depends on if one is saved if their soul goes to God or not! If they are saved, then it does, with their spirit. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, (2 Corinthians 5:6), keeping in mind that He is the God of the Living and not of the dead...

That's what you've said. I don't believe you'll find anything in the Scriptures that teach that.

Paul's statement doesn't use the word "is" it uses the word "and". He's willing to be absent from the body "and" present with the Lord. He doesn't say to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

Also, the words absent as present mean to be away from and with one's people. Paul refer to the church as the body. When that passage is understood in context it should be clear that Paul is not saying that some part of the person continues on after death.

Matthew 22:32
32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”/

This passage is speaking of the resurrection.

If you've been saved when your flesh perishes, then you do not perish with your body. Your consciousness keeps on going brother and you go to be with God. Soul and all. That's what "saved" means. Your soul gets saved and goes to be with God and His Spirit.

Those who are not saved when their flesh body perishes are dead. He's not the God of the dead. Their soul has a different destination.

Not according to Paul.

16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.
17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!
18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (1Co 15:16-18 NKJ)

Paul said if the dead don't rise then those Christians who have died have perished. He didn't say they were with God or some other place, he said they have perished.

 

[Butch5]

Actually, both the saved and the unsaved die physically, but both are not the same positionally, after death, regarding their spirit.
One has spiritually ascended to be "present with the Lord", and the other has spiritually descended into a place where they wait for Revelation 20:12....
notice the verse speaks of the "dead" standing..

"""""And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne,""""

The dead will be resurrected

28 "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 "and come forth-- those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Joh 5:28-29 NKJ)
.

 

[Kidron]

The dead will be resurrected.

Yes, in that scripture, Rev 20:11, the unsaved Dead will be standing there.

The believers, wont be, as they dont face a White Throne Judgment.
They face a "Judgement Seat of Christ" 2Corin 5:10.

 

[Butch5]

Yes, in that scripture, Rev 20:11, the unsaved Dead will be standing there.

The believers, wont be, as they dont face a White Throne Judgment.
They face a "Judgement Seat of Christ" 2Corin 5:10.

I believe there will be believers there that converted during the thousand years.

 

[Kidron]

I believe there will be believers there that converted during the thousand years.

You are speaking of Tribulation "saints'", or those martyr'd during the Tribulation?
or, the particular theology of "tribulation salvation" where you have Faith + Works?
It would be interesting to see the verses that you use to come to that conclusion.
Would you mind posting them?

 

[Butch5]

You are speaking of Tribulation "saints'", or those martyr'd during the Tribulation?
or, the particular theology of "tribulation salvation" where you have Faith + Works?
It would be interesting to see the verses that you use to come to that conclusion.
Would you mind posting them?

I'm not familiar with these ideas you've posted. What I am referring to is that Christ will rule over the nations.

25 "But hold fast what you have till I come.
26 "And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations--
27 `He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels1 '-- as I also have received from My Father;
28 "and I will give him the morning star. (Rev 2:25-28 NKJ)

Also at the Great White Throne judgment the Book of Life is checked.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God1, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death1.
15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 20:11-15 NKJ)

The saints that died before Christ returns are resurrected at the first resurrection. It seems to me that unless there are people who become believers after Christ returns there is no reason to consult the Book of Life.