[grip_daddy]

Ndigila,

The New International Version of the Bible supports the notion that soul survives the body after death in its appendices but note its wordings of 1 Peter 4:6, "For this is the reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead, so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body, but live according to God in regard to the spirit". This verse in context of verse 1-5 reveals that the Christian person has stopped the former pagan practices, and that these pagans were also preached to, but now despite their physical death, their actions shall also be brought to judgment. Or how would you prefer Peter to word his epistle when talking about those to whom he and others had preached to in person, but by the time of his writing had died? They were dead already after the gospel had been preached to them, so for the reason of judgment "the gospel was preached to those who are dead." Note the past tense, was, and the present tense of the dead of are dead.

The death of Christ happened, and after His death, the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost or better still God Himself) made Him (Christ) alive at the resurrection. It was through this Spirit that Christ preached to the spirits (or minds because the Greek word here for spirit means mind) he went unless to preach to the men and women of preflood to repent. The same Spirit that resurrected Jesus (made Him alive), is the same Spirit He used at the time of Noah (not at His death) to convict the conscience of the preflood people hence the preaching was in their spirit but not body. Again, please note the Greek word for mind (conscience) being translated spirit.

About Paul being in the flesh, you know that if you die and sleep in the Lord (unconsciously), you are assured of eternity because you cannot fall again into sin. You are sure of the resurrection, which when it shall happen, the duration between its occurrence and the time of your death will be like a twinkle of an eye. You cant be conscious of time progression at death and Paul understood this perfectly well, thus if anyone dies in Christ, that person is as sure of being with Christ already.

Lastly, let me say that not all the will of God can be known for every particular situation. Some people have been talked to by God through dreams (read Samuel), some received direct angelic messages, some saw visions, some received letters meant just for them, some groups of believers received a common letter (Revelation's letters to the seven churches come to mind), while others received miraculous signs. Now because God deals with people differently, and also the devil imitates God's methods (see Revelation 13 where the second beast imitates Elijah's fire from heaven), it is up to everyone to listen first to the small still voice of the Spirit speaking to the conscious (ones spirit), the revealed God's handiwork in people's lives, have an attitude to shun away from all manner of ungodliness, and compare this with God's overall will for humanity. It is up to every Christian to know the false prophets by their fruits (visible characters as corporate institution, and at individual level), see whether the preached doctrine about the saving power of Christ speak of His divinity, sovereignity, completeness, power, and might. Some denominations incorporate efforts by men to reach salvation (that there is something man can do to earn Christ's favours). If it is presented by any means that Christ alone is not adequate, that you should do any iota of works, that your complete trust, faith, and hope in Christ's saving ability is not enough, that some kind of ritual, communion, good works of others, can be used as a substitute for one's sins, then that denomination is wrong.

That a denomination cannot be right by preaching blind faith in Christ. A true denomination must not only preach the faith that is strongly grounded and built in Jesus, but also it must preach the faith that works. Jesus is a living Person, a powerful Lamb of God, a Creator, and a Loving Entity. Faith in Him must be real, powerful and working. Anyone who expresses faith in Christ to do changes in his life, then those changes must be visible, fruitful, and indispensable. You cannot claim faith in the saving power of God, then still express doubts as to your full extent of salvation. A faith in Christ must be lived, demonstrated, and shown as the light in the world. This is what James meant when he wrote, "show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works".

The power of God that is real, complete, overall, and enough for every individual's salvation must be experienced by any individual believer. The life and lifestyle of this believer will be confessing the saving power of Christ and thus there will be no need to walk around saying by mere lips that you are born again. Your disposition and character, habits, and choices to do God's laws will testify to this.

Now if the three broad principles are intrinsic in an individual in whom the Spirit of God is active, the truth of God can then be tested by them. Any doctrine that will be deviating from God's way to perform salvanic work in any person, to uphold His ark of His covenant to humanity (Rev 11:19). God's covenant for humanity is to save man from sin and give man eternity in which God's laws shall forever reign.

About Revelation and its application to worship, I wouldn't approach it literally.