Christadelphians hold, not to “soul sleep” (psychopannychism), but “soul death” (thnetopsychism). In spite of this more extreme view, they have no issue with viewing Onesiphorus as (1) having died prior to 2 Tim 1:16-18 and (2) that Paul expresses his wish that his prayers will avail for Onesiphorus at the judgment seat:
v. 16: The Lord give mercy
unto the house of Onesiphorus: It has been inferred, probably correctly,
that Onesiphorus was dead at the time Paul wrote this, since there is a two
fold reference to his house (also in 4:19), as though his family had survived
him and were in some need or difficulty (but see v. 18 below). Aptly named “A
bringer of benefit”, Onesiphorus also is known only through these references in
2 Timothy. Unlike Phygellus and Hermogenes and the rest, he had been an active
supporter of Paul.
. . .
v. 18: The Lord grant unto him: This expression has been taken as
conclusive proof that Onesiphorus was not dead at the time Paul wrote.
If he were, the argument runs, we have the only example of a prayer for the
dead in Scripture. In so far as the Catholic practice of prayers for the dead
is in view, that their souls may be released from purgatory, or any other
practice which envisages continuing survival after death, one can have sympathy
with the objection. But the prayer is that he may find mercy of the Lord in
that day—the day of judgement, which the Apostle has constantly in view in
these letters and in expectation of which he makes his most solemn exhortations
and warnings (1 Tim. 6:13–16; 2 Tim. 4:1; Titus 2:11–14, and notes). The prayer
for mercy “in that day” is natural to the Apostle, therefore, and, in full
cognisance of the fact that for Onesiphorus, if he were dead, the book would be
made up already, as it were, and the course of his life would have been
irrevocably run, Paul can still with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let his requests be made known unto God (Phil. 4:6). (Alfred Nicholls, “Special
Study Section: The Letters to Timothy and Titus—Some Words for Ecclesias Under
Pressure,” The Christadelphian 116, no. 1131 [July 1979]: 261, 262)
Alive or Dead?
Was Onesiphorus dead or alive
when Paul paid this tribute? Opinions are divided on the question. The balance
of probability favours the view that the disciple was no longer alive at the
time Paul wrote, and that his family had survived him. The very form of the
reference suggests this. It has to do with what Onesiphorus did and not what he was doing. Probably the death of this
warm-hearted brother took place in Rome itself. After praying that the “Lord
give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus”
(2 Tim. 1:16), Paul expresses the most fervent wish that “the Lord grant unto him that he find mercy of the Lord in that day” (v. 18). (Harold Smalley, “Onesiphorus,” The Christadelphian
119, no. 1422 [December 1982]: 464)
One has to be wary of attempts to read too much into 2 Tim
1:16-18, even allowing for the assumption that Onesiphorus was dead as a given,
such as purgatory, prayers for the dead, and other issues. One would need to
look elsewhere to find biblical support for such.
As an aside, for a critique of soul sleep/death, see:
Response
to Douglas V. Pond on Biblical and LDS Anthropology and Eschatology
