WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? IS THERE LIFE AFTER DEATH?

WAY2GOD

Almost whole humankind has confusion regarding life after death. Some believe that no one will go to hell for eternity because those who are wicked will pay their sin, and the moment they completed their sin payment, they will jump into heaven. On the other hand, some do not believe in heaven, even life after death. Here, Hebrew 9:27 says, "... as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." Therefore, it is crystal clear that there is life after death, and judgment will follow.

Some confusions, especially for Christians, are:

1. After death, all souls will be sleeping until the is come because all are forgiven their sins and there is no more condemnation for those who are in the Lord as they received Christ as their Savior and Lord (Romans 8:1; John 3:16, 18, 36).
   • Response: Though many people understood or believe that life after death will be in a sleeping mode (soul sleep) and they will know things like a dream and not in a sober conciousness is a wrong concept. tells us that spirits/souls after death are completely conscious where some (saved ones) are bliss in Abraham's bossom (in paradise = a place of complete peace or delight or bliss) while some (unsaved ones) are being in torments in Hades (the world of the dead).


2. Some have thought that all were judge instantly and sent to their final destination (heaven or hell) just after their spirits departed from their earthly bodies. It is because Paul himself said that to be 2 Cor.5:8 and having a desire to depart and be with Christ Philippians 1:23.
   • Response: It is very dangerous to stick on single passage and determine the ultimate doctrine of the Scripture because the whole passages (Scripture) were given by the Sole One God. Hence, the whole passages togetherly stand in one.
   • Response: Here, based on 2 Cor.5:8 and Phil.1:23, if spirits/souls after death be with with the Christ, what would be the purpose of resurrection and translation of this earthly body to glorified heavely body of the Church where the earthly body will continue sleeping in grave against the passages - 1 Cor.15:50-54 and 1 Thes.4:13-17?
   • Response: It is wrong to believe that spirits/souls after death are immediately with the Lord for the Church will be resurrected and be translated their eartly body to glorified heavely body for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Rev.21-22).


3. Some still assumed that all, or most of the spirits/souls, will go through until their sins are cleansed and after this they will go to heaven.
   • Response: The teaching of purgatory or down payment of sin to cleanse from our sin is very unbiblical in the sense that no passages in the Bible taught us in this manner. Hebrew 9:27 clarified us that all men will face death and after that judgment where this judgment is just a declaration of what is done on earth .
   • Response: This shows that there is no down payment of sin or second chance.

So, what view is reliable that accords to the Scripture and is consistent with biblical interpretation?

As Luke 16:22-23 told us clearly from the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man: Believers life after death is not directly with the Lord in heaven but in and unbelivers life after death is in .

There is no more condemnation for those who are in the Lord (Rom.8:1) but all died beleivers will be resurrected and alive ones will be directly translated their earthly body to heavenly body (1 Cor.15:51-58; 1 Thes.4:13-17). Then all believers will face judgment for their deeds on earth not to condemn but to reward their worthful deeds (1 Cor.3:10-15). But for unbelievers there will be resurrection too followed by White Throne Judgment (last judgment) then they will be cast to lake of fire (Rev.20:11-15). These two different destinations of all people is based completely on whether they (Mt.25:46; Jn.3:36).

Soul Sleep

Some believe that after death life will be like dreams and it will be in a deep sleep mode waiting to meet the Lord for His final judgment to us.

Final Judgment

Where all will be judge and then be sent to their ultimate destination i.e. heaven or hell

Luke 16:22-23

²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried

²³ And being in troments in Hades, he (rich man) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Paul statement about after death

In ^{2 Cor.5:8 and Philippians 1:23} when Paul said that to depart from his earthly body and be with the Lord doesn't simply mean that after he died he will be with God in heaven. Because he himself taught us in other passages like 1 Cor.15 and 1 Thes.4 that for all believers, there will be resurrection for the death then translation and direct translation for those who are still alive.

Therefore, he himself will not be contradict in his teaching and direct instant judgment for their final destination is just misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the Scripture.

Purgatory

People believe that Purgatory is a place where every sinners will spend their life after death as a sanctification period to downpay their sins.

After this purging period is over they will be thrown up into heaven and be among the saints forever.

This unbiblical hypothetical doctrine is primarily hold by Catholicism and Islamic.

John 3:18

"He who believes in Him (Jesus Christ) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already," means this judgment is already done while we are living on this earth, not after death (cf. Romans 8:1 - there is no more condemnation for those who are in Christ for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.)

Paradise

Paradise is a place somewhere in the presense of Abraham or in the presence of God/Lord where there is no pain or sufferings but complete of peace, delight and bliss. Which is one kind of Heaven though not yet the heaven we are to occupied for eternity long.

Hades

Hades is a place somewhere in the presense of God's wrath where all unbelievers souls/spirits are being in torments and this is not yet the Hell where all unbelievers are to be tortured for eternity.

Trusted Jesus Christ alone for Salvation

Jesus is the only Way, only Truth, only Life - there is no other way, no other truth, no other life to reach/access to the Father. He alone is Savior and Lord.