RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-12-25	What Happens After Death?
		There is much confusion among Christians exactly what happens immediately after one dies. Some believe that we “sleep” until the final judgment. After which one will be sent to heaven or hell. Some think that upon death everyone is instantly judged and sent to their eternal destinations of heaven or hell. The Bible does give us important clues to help us to have confidence about what happens when we die. FOR THE BELIEVER When a believer dies the Bible says their souls/spirits are taken to heaven. Because their sins are forgiven when they placed their faith in Jesus as Savior (Jn.3:16,18,36) there is no more condemnation (Ro.8:1). Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Paul says for believers death is to be “absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2Co.5:6-8; Ph.1:23). 2Co 5:6  So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 2Co 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2Co 5:8  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Now the Bible also tells us that the bodies of believers will be physically resurrected and glorified (1Co.15:50-54; 1Th.4:13-17). If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? Though the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave. At the resurrection, also known as the rapture, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit (1Co.15:42-44). This reunited body/soul/spirit will be the possession of believers for eternity in the new heaven and new earth (Re.21-22). FOR THE UNBELIEVER For those who have not placed their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment. Unbelievers will be sent immediately to a “temporary” holding place, to await their resurrection, final and final destiny. Jesus describes an unbelieving rich man tormented immediately after death (Lk.16:22-23). There will be a resurrection of the lost. They will be judged at the Great White Throne, and cast into the lake of fire (Re.20:11-15). Unbelievers will be sent to a temporary realm of judgment and condemnation. Their immediate fate after death is not pleasant. The rich man cried out, “I am tormented in this flame” (Lk.16:24). They will ultimately be sent to hell after their resurrection and judgment. And hell itself is sent to the lake of fire (Re.20:10,15). This is the eternal judgment place for the lost. SUMMARY So believer and unbeliever immediately upon death go to a “temporary” place of joy for the believer, and agony for the lost. A person's eternal destiny will not change. The “location” of that eternal destiny is what changes. Believers will ultimately be granted entrance into the new heavens and new earth (Re.21:1) Unbelievers will ultimately be sent to the lake of fire (Re.20:11-15) These final destinations are based on whether or not a person had trusted in Jesus for salvation (Mt.25:46; Da.12:2). Mat 25:46  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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