Bible Study What Happens when People Die ?

[Angela888]

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DIE?


The subject of the afterlife has shaped every civilization in human history. Could this be evidence that every culture on earth has a God-given, innate sense of the eternal – that this world is not all there is?


The facts are as follows:


The death rate for all humans is 100%. No – one avoids it.

On average there are about 1.73 deaths per second. This translates to about 103 deaths per minute, 6,180 deaths per hour and about 148,000 deaths per day.


Based on this reality many would ask or think questions like:


· Where do all these people go?

· Is there life after death?

· Is there a judgment for the choices a person makes when they are alive?


What happens when a person dies?


Note: the following information is derived from the Truth of God’s Word as taught by Jesus Christ Himself.


All people who have died are now in a temporal state between their past life on earth and their future resurrection to life on earth or condemnation in the lake of fire (see Rev 20:15).


When a person dies, they face a judgment called the judgment of faith . This does not depend on a person’s works but on whether they accepted Jesus Christ’s forgiveness through His atoning death for them. The reason is because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so when God judges them, God sees His son’s sacrifice for them, and not their sin.


The outcome of this judgment determines if a person goes to the intermediate Heaven or the intermediate Hell.


If they go to the intermediate heaven:


Their souls are conscious but merely resting in Christ. Here they await:


· Christ’s return to the earth

· A final judgment based on their works whilst living on earth (this judgment will determine their eternal rewards)

· The creation of the new heaven and the new earth


The intermediate heaven is:


· in the angelic realm

· distinctly separate from earth and likely having more physical qualities than we might assume.

· could be part of our universe or it may be in a different universe.

· normally it is invisible to those living on earth, but sometimes God allows humans to see into heaven. For e.g Apostle Paul:



“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.” (2 Corinthians 12:2)



Bible passages such as Luke 16:22-31, Luke 23:43, make it clear that there is no such thing as a long period of unconsciousness between life on Earth and the afterlife.


Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2)

Those who do not accept Jesus Christ and do not repent of their sins go to the intermediate Hell. Hades traditionally and scripturally was separated into two sections, one for the unsaved and one for the righteous.


These unrepentant souls descend into Hades and Jesus spoke of these being separated from the saved by a great chasm (see Luke 16:19-26).


Note about Luke 16 - After the resurrection of Christ, this Chasm and the order of things pertaining to salvation was changed by the new covenant, all those souls in the righteous section of Hades (known as Paradise) were removed from there.


In their condition in Hades, these sinners suffer indescribable torment. They also await:


· resurrection from Hades, but this resurrection will only bring them judgment and condemnation.


· a final judgment of works – God will judge them according to the works they did. Because those works include sin. People on their own, without Christ cannot enter the presence of a Holy and just God and they will be consigned to a place of everlasting destruction (Revelation 20:15).


· after this judgment, hell will be relocated and cast into the eternal lake of fire.


A few notes about hell:


Hell is inhabited by people who didn’t receive God’s gift of redemption in Christ when they were alive. Jesus described hell as a literal place and in graphic terms – including raging fires and the worm that doesn’t die. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 8:12). He taught that in hell the wicked suffer terribly, are fully conscious, they retain their desires, memories and reasoning. They long for relief, cannot be comforted, cannot leave their torment, and are bereft of hope (Luke 16:19-31). And all this will last forever.


“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:46)


People who never heard about Jesus will be judged by what they knew because their conscience bears witness to God’s Law.


So after Jesus returns, there will be a resurrection of believers for eternal life in heaven and a resurrection of unbelievers for eternal existence in the lake of fire. God will create a new heaven and a new earth and believers will permanently relocate to this new earth with the New Jerusalem, and filled with God’s glory.


“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”

(John 5:28-29)


“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away”.

(Revelation 21:1)



Who is going to heaven and hell?


Heaven is not our default destination because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. God is so holy that he cannot allow sin into His presence, so nobody goes there automatically. Unless a person’s sin problem is resolved, the only place a person goes to is to their true default destination …. Hell !


Judging by what people hear at funerals, you would think that just about everyone is going to heaven, but Jesus made it clear that most people are not going to heaven.”Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:12-113)


To some people all this may sound farfetched, but think about it logically.

If you were God with the power to do anything, wouldn’t you bring back to life that which you loved?


Every year at Easter, people celebrate Christ’s Resurrection, but often times they overlook how and why it applies to them personally. Resurrection is bringing back to life that which is dead and Jesus proved His power to conquer death, meaning that you do not have to die.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26)


This is the good news - that a person doesn’t have to go to hell and they can ensure that they get to Heaven by doing the following things.



HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN? (How to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior)


1) Realize that in God's eyes you are a sinner. You may not consider yourself a bad person because you know you have lived a fairly decent life. On the other hand you may be carrying a burden of guilt over some sins committed in the past. Whatever your background, know that the Bible tells us that there is no-one righteous, no, not one. We have all broken God's Law and all deserve nothing but God's judgment and wrath (Romans 3:10-18).


2) Realize that God loves you which is why He sent His Son to die for you. You deserve to die for your sins, but Christ in His Love died in your place. "For Christ also died for sins once and for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18)


3) Repent of your sins. This means that you admit that you are a sinner and that you genuinely feel sorry for your sins. It means to change your mind and turn back on your sins, and determine by God's grace to live as He wants you to live. Jesus' message was a message of repentance. Jesus said "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Repentance means a willingness to leave sin behind and turn your life over to Jesus, and make Him Lord of your life.


4) Simply say:


“Lord I acknowledge that I am a sinner, I believe you died on the cross and rose again to pay for my sins, so that I can be forgiven, and have eternity in heaven. I repent of my sins, and ask you now to become Lord and Savior of my life, please come into my heart and cleanse me of my sins, and make me born-again through the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.”

 

[Mike S]

What happens when people die?


The world keeps on spinning.

 

[Chopper]

I don't know why you asked the question. It looks like you answered it just fine.

 

[Kathi]

All people who have died are now in a temporal state between their past life on earth and their future resurrection to life on earth or condemnation in the lake of fire
All of the bodies of those who have died are awaiting the resurrection with their souls.For those who are believers their souls are in heaven right now.All resurrected bodies will go to heaven to reunite with their souls.They will then face the Bema Seat judgment of believers.For those who are not believers their souls are now in hades not hell since hell has not been opened up yet. Their resurrected bodies will meet with their souls and go to the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium.They will be thrown into the eternal conscience fire of hell.

Heaven is not our default destination because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. God is so holy that he cannot allow sin into His presence, so nobody goes there automatically. Unless a person’s sin problem is resolved, the only place a person goes to is to their true default destination …. Hell !

Are you saying that believers do not go to heaven?

3) Repent of your sins. This means that you admit that you are a sinner and that you genuinely feel sorry for your sins. It means to change your mind and turn back on your sins, and determine by God's grace to live as He wants you to live. Jesus' message was a message of repentance. Jesus said "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish." Repentance means a willingness to leave sin behind and turn your life over to Jesus, and make Him Lord of your life.
What happens when you die if you do this?

 

[th1b.taylor]

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE DIE?


The subject of the afterlife has shaped every civilization in human history. Could this be evidence that every culture on earth has a God-given, innate sense of the eternal – that this world is not all there is?


The facts are as follows:


The death rate for all humans is 100%. No – one avoids it.

On average there are about 1.73 deaths per second. This translates to about 103 deaths per minute, 6,180 deaths per hour and about 148,000 deaths per day.


Based on this reality many would ask or think questions like:


· Where do all these people go?

· Is there life after death?

· Is there a judgment for the choices a person makes when they are alive?


What happens when a person dies?


Note: the following information is derived from the Truth of God’s Word as taught by Jesus Christ Himself.


All people who have died are now in a temporal state between their past life on earth and their future resurrection to life on earth or condemnation in the lake of fire (see Rev 20:15).


When a person dies, they face a judgment called the judgment of faith . This does not depend on a person’s works but on whether they accepted Jesus Christ’s forgiveness through His atoning death for them. The reason is because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so when God judges them, God sees His son’s sacrifice for them, and not their sin.

I also do not know why you have titled this string with a question but, though not a salvation issue, I believe with prayer and total submission to the Holy Spirit you will have a change of heart here. Paradise, a.k.a. Abraham's Buxom, was closed the day Jesus died on the cross and the Old Testament saints were seen running through the streets of the Holy City. (Matthew 27:52, 53) The souls of these people reside in Heaven with Jesus, just as the souls of all the saints that have passed over since then.

The souls of the lost are now in Hell and Hell is not eternal and being temporary, Hell is not the Lake of Fire. The Righteous will return to their bodies during the First, misnamed in light of the Matthew passage, Resurrection and one thousand years later, earth time, the Lost will be resurrected to stand the Great White Throne Judgment before their condemnation into the Abyss, Lake of Fire or whatever one chooses to call it.

 

[for_his_glory]

God breathed life into us, Genesis 2:7, and when this flesh body dies that spirit of life that was breathed in us will be the only thing that will go back to God, Ecclesiastics 12:7. This fleshly body will return to the dust of the ground from where it came from until those who have died that are in Christ are resurrected to meet Jesus in the clouds if we are Spiritually reborn again, John 3:1-6; 1Corinthians 15:52; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, or those who rejected God are resurrected to stand in Gods judgment, Rev 20:11-15. According to John 3:13 no one has ever ascended into heaven other than Christ as we all sleep until the coming of the Lord.

 

[Bick]

"All people who have died are now in a temporal state between their past life on earth and their future resurrection to life on earth or condemnation in the lake of fire (see Rev 20:15)." And many others.

My Response: If what you say is true, what do these verses mean?

Gen. 2:7 "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." KJV. Notice, "man became a living soul ("being" in RSV)". An "immortal soul" was not infused into him.

Gen. 3:19 "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art,and unto dust shalt thou return."
God said that when man dies he returns to the ground, or the grave. Therefore, the cure for death must be resurrection.

Many times the soul is said to die or be dead:
Josh. 10:28 "And that day Joshua took Makkedah and smote it with the edge of the sword.....he utterly destroyed them and all of the souls that were therein..." See also Josh, 10:30,32,35,37,39 and 11:11.
Ezek.18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine....the soul that sinneth, it shall die." KJV

What must I understand when I read these passages about death?
Psa. 6:5 "For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in Sheol who can give you praise?"
Psa. 30:9 "What profit will there be in my blood when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? Shall it declare thy truth?"
Psa. 115:17 "The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down in silence."
Eccl. 9:5 "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything."

To me, I can see the power and might of God who will raise those who are asleep (dead) in Christ, and change those who are still alive at Christ's coming in the air, where we, the body of Christ, will be caught away to be with Christ in the heavenlies.
Ref: 1 Cor. 15:51-58.

 

[LovethroughDove]

Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

 

[Chopper]

Angela, Your thread is a dynamite one! There are so many interpretations of what happens when a Christian dies. Where do they go and what will they look like? Much of this depends on where they are after death. Heaven is a temporary place where we stay with Jesus, and all who have gone before us. Our permanent place is the new heavens and new earth, with the New Jerusalem. I am a simple country preacher of four decades. At the age of 74, I have read and witnessed all kinds of interpretation of what the Scriptures say about your question. My purpose in answering you is to give a short, simple view of your question.

I am convinced that after the death of a true believer in Jesus the Christ, will give up this earthly body to go back to it's original element, dust to dust. Immediately after death, we will have a spiritual body. I know that this will bring some opposition, but I don't mind. Lets look at several instances of Believers who have showed themselves here on earth after they had died;

John 17:24 "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

This may seem like a strange Scripture to support a spiritual body after death, but look at five words; "that they may behold my glory." This verse is directed to life immediately after death, not life after the resurrection of the saints. See what Jesus prays to His Father? "That they may behold" To me this implies eyes, and eyes have to be attached to a body. Not convinced? Ok, here's another.

Matthew 17:3 "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him."

Obviously you know that this verse is part of the transfiguring of Jesus the Christ as Moses and Elijah join Him. Jesus had to be transfigured because He was meeting with two men from the past who had died long ago. They, as well as Jesus appeared in their spiritual bodies. I'm a little hesitant to classify Jesus as having the same body as Moses and Elijah because I don't know that to be the truth. But Moses and Elijah were certainly in a body that the Disciples recognized.

Lets also consider
Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

These verses are a true happening. I believe that when Jesus names the individuals, this really happened. There are some who argue against this, but I don't agree with their summations. Here we have Lazarus in a body after he had died. Abraham in a body after he had died so long ago, and the rich man who had a body that experienced the torment of hell, which is also a temporary abode of the lost until their resurrection and judgment at the end of the Tribulation and thousand year reign of Jesus the Christ and King.

More could be said about this incident but I think you get my point of these three men being in bodies after they had departed from this life. This may not answer your post entirely, but at least some I hope.

May our LORD bless you abundantly my new friend.

 

[LovethroughDove]

I agree with you Chopper. Jesus was telling what happened literally to the rich man and Lazarus.

 

[Chopper]

I agree with you Chopper. Jesus was telling what happened literally to the rich man and Lazarus.

Thank you LovethroughDove. There are some who believe it was just a parable with no truth to it. My understanding as well as yours is, If Jesus used the name of a person, He knew of the situation and recorded it. There are people who, for what ever the reason, down play the actions of Messiah to suit there own human wisdom. That is dangerous in my book, and an insult to His word.

Thank you again for your agreement, I'm always happy when the Holy Spirit works in two minds. Bless you.

 

[Bick]

Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment

Yes, "it is appointed for men to die once and after this judgment" but it doesn't say that judgment was immediately when men die.
Also, we know of some men in the Bible who died, were resurrected, and obviously died a second time.
For instance: Jesus raised many from the dead during His earthly ministry. See Luke 7:22 and 20:37. If these righteous men died, and were immediately "in the bosom of Abraham," wouldn't they have told everyone? Yet, nothing is written.
The one well known was Lazarus. See John 12:1,9. He died, was raised after 4 days, yet said nothing about "being in the bosom of Abraham", or being judged.
Why? Because he slept the sleep of death until he was raised.

 

[Bick]

Greetings Chopper. Concerning the account of the rich man and Lazarus: if that is to be interpreted as literal, then, according to Jesus, one must be born again to see the kingdom of God: when does it say the poor beggar was born again?

And, how could Abraham be alive when Jesus agreed with the Sadducees that Abraham and the prophets were dead, but that concerning resurrection, they would be raised? See Mark 12:26 and Luke 20:27.
God, who sees the future as if it were today, can say, "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob," for He sees them when they are resurrected, after Christ Jesus comes in power and great glory to establish the Messianic kingdom on earth.

 

[LovethroughDove]

Yes, "it is appointed for men to die once and after this judgment" but it doesn't say that judgment was immediately when men die.
Also, we know of some men in the Bible who died, were resurrected, and obviously died a second time.
For instance: Jesus raised many from the dead during His earthly ministry. See Luke 7:22 and 20:37. If these righteous men died, and were immediately "in the bosom of Abraham," wouldn't they have told everyone? Yet, nothing is written.
The one well known was Lazarus. See John 12:1,9. He died, was raised after 4 days, yet said nothing about "being in the bosom of Abraham", or being judged.
Why? Because he slept the sleep of death until he was raised.

The writer of Hebrews is squashing the theory of reincarnation when he says "die once". After we die for good (bodily). It is assumed in the account of the rich man and Lazarus that whatever happened to Lazarus, he was put in heaven because Jesus says that there was a great chasm fixed between them. Luke 16:26

 

[TimothyW]

What happens when people die?
When people die, they stop being alive. They require resurrection to become alive again.
Only God can resurrect the dead, and only God can give the gift of eternal life.

 

[Bick]

The writer of Hebrews is squashing the theory of reincarnation when he says "die once". After we die for good (bodily). It is assumed in the account of the rich man and Lazarus that whatever happened to Lazarus, he was put in heaven because Jesus says that there was a great chasm fixed between them. Luke 16:26

My Reply: Actually "the great gulf fixed" is from parables and stories invented by the Rabbins concerning man's soul upon death.
Some of the strange accounts they set forth are to be found in the comments on Luke by Bisop John Lightfoot. This can be found by going to "Studylight.org" web site, then "Commentary on the Gospels" by Bishop John Lightfoot.
These parables of the Rabbins and Jewish leaders set forth by them, were no doubt influenced by the forty years of captivity in Babylon, with all its false ideas, that man has an "immortal soul."

Christ tells this parable based upon the traditions of the Rabbins, Pharisees and other leaders, to get their attention, no doubt, to lead up to the point of it all in Luke 16:31, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from
the dead." And it is possible He named the beggar "Lazarus" knowing that a real person "Lazarus" would be raised from the dead.

If it is true that the righteous side of Hades are now in heaven, what does it mean what John wrote some years after Christ's ascension, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven,"
John 3:13. KJV.

Also, we read in Acts 2:34, "For David is not ascended into the heavens...." KJV

May we believe and understand the Scriptures.

 

[Bick]

What happens when people die?
When people die, they stop being alive. They require resurrection to become alive again.
Only God can resurrect the dead, and only God can give the gift of eternal life.

Right, Timothy W. The cure for death is resurrection. Certainly, in God's mind, He knows all who die, and when and where they will be resurrected. Some to glory and blessings, others to face judgment as unbelievers.

 

[Kathi]

So the Bible says all must die.Is it considered dieing if someone is raptured?

 

[TimothyW]

So the Bible says all must die.Is it considered dieing if someone is raptured?

Paul wrote of this in 1 Corinthians 15

Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”​

Naturally, there will be some people who will still be alive when Christ returns. Paul says they will be changed from "perishable" to "imperishable". They will be given immortality when he returns, if they have put their faith in Christ.

 

[JLB]

Angela, Your thread is a dynamite one! There are so many interpretations of what happens when a Christian dies. Where do they go and what will they look like? Much of this depends on where they are after death. Heaven is a temporary place where we stay with Jesus, and all who have gone before us. Our permanent place is the new heavens and new earth, with the New Jerusalem. I am a simple country preacher of four decades. At the age of 74, I have read and witnessed all kinds of interpretation of what the Scriptures say about your question. My purpose in answering you is to give a short, simple view of your question.

I am convinced that after the death of a true believer in Jesus the Christ, will give up this earthly body to go back to it's original element, dust to dust. Immediately after death, we will have a spiritual body. I know that this will bring some opposition, but I don't mind. Lets look at several instances of Believers who have showed themselves here on earth after they had died;

John 17:24 "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world."

This may seem like a strange Scripture to support a spiritual body after death, but look at five words; "that they may behold my glory." This verse is directed to life immediately after death, not life after the resurrection of the saints. See what Jesus prays to His Father? "That they may behold" To me this implies eyes, and eyes have to be attached to a body. Not convinced? Ok, here's another.

Matthew 17:3 "And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him."

Obviously you know that this verse is part of the transfiguring of Jesus the Christ as Moses and Elijah join Him. Jesus had to be transfigured because He was meeting with two men from the past who had died long ago. They, as well as Jesus appeared in their spiritual bodies. I'm a little hesitant to classify Jesus as having the same body as Moses and Elijah because I don't know that to be the truth. But Moses and Elijah were certainly in a body that the Disciples recognized.

Lets also consider
Luk 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Luk 16:20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
Luk 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
Luk 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
Luk 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Luk 16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Luk 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
Luk 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

These verses are a true happening. I believe that when Jesus names the individuals, this really happened. There are some who argue against this, but I don't agree with their summations. Here we have Lazarus in a body after he had died. Abraham in a body after he had died so long ago, and the rich man who had a body that experienced the torment of hell, which is also a temporary abode of the lost until their resurrection and judgment at the end of the Tribulation and thousand year reign of Jesus the Christ and King.

More could be said about this incident but I think you get my point of these three men being in bodies after they had departed from this life. This may not answer your post entirely, but at least some I hope.

May our LORD bless you abundantly my new friend.

Always good to hear from you Chopper!


JLB