Your soul after death

Dear Mike,
What happens to your soul after death, before judgment?

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul says that those who are asleep (meaning dead in Christ) will rise first etc. The conclusion we come to is that Christians die and await the return of Christ in an unconscious state (like sleep).

The teaching about Hades and Paradise is based on one of Jesus' parables (Lazarus and the Rich man - Luke 16:19-31). Some believe that this is not a parable but a teaching of what happens after death - the believers go to Paradise and await the end while the unbelievers go to Hades and suffer like the rich man, awaiting the return of Jesus and the judgement.

It is a lengthy debate, however any interpretation that sees conscious life after death awaiting judgement contradicts Paul's express teaching in 1 Thess.

That the dead in Christ sleep is also repeated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:20.