Posted on 08/10/2015 6:26:09 PM PDT by imardmd1
Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion regarding what happens after death. Some hold that after death, everyone “sleeps” until the final judgment, after which everyone will be sent to heaven or hell. Others believe that at the moment of death, people are instantly judged and sent to their eternal destinations. Still others claim that when people die, their souls/spirits are sent to a “temporary” heaven or hell, to await the final resurrection, the final judgment, and then the finality of their eternal destination. So, what exactly does the Bible say happens after death?
First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven, because their sins are forgiven by having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16, 18,36). For believers, death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the possession of believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22).
Second, for those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, death means everlasting punishment. However, similar to the destiny of believers, unbelievers also seem to be sent immediately to a temporary holding place, to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22-23 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death. Revelations 20:11-15 describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the great white throne, and then being cast into the lake of fire. Unbelievers, then, are not sent to hell (the lake of fire) immediately after death, but rather are in a temporary realm of judgment and condemnation. However, even though unbelievers are not instantly sent to the lake of fire, their immediate fate after death is not a pleasant one. The rich man cried out, “I am in agony in this fire” (Luke 16:24).
Therefore, after death, a person resides in a “temporary” heaven or hell. After this temporary realm, at the final resurrection, a person’s eternal destiny will not change. The precise “location” of that eternal destiny is what changes. Believers will ultimately be granted entrance into the new heavens and new earth (Revelations 21:1). Unbelievers will ultimately be sent to the lake of fire (Revelations 20:11-15). These are the final, eternal destinations of all people—based entirely on whether or not they had trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation (John 3:36).
Religionists who think their own good works are necessary to obtain and keep this freedom are greatly mistaken, and in their spiritual darkness misinterpret God's great unselfish free gift as being something they deserve in exchange for their religious efforts, and thus also through their own pride fail to grasp the Graciousness of God--that their own "righteousness" is as filthy rags which God cannot and will not accept as any part of the ransom price.
Luther saw this key concept by reading and correctly interpreting the Greek New Testament text, known as the Textus Receptus, as compiled by the foremost Catholic scholar Desiderius Erasmus, a great friend of the Protestants of his day.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:17 AV)
δικαιοσυνη γαρ θεου εν αυτω αποκαλυπτεται εκ πιστεως εις πιστιν καθως γεγραπται ο δε δικαιος εκ πιστεως ζησεται (Rom. 1:17 TR)
Meaning: For in it (the Gospel of Christ) God's righteousness is continuously being revealed, out of (the principle of) belief (exercised), on the basis of belief (of the believer): as/because it stands written for all time (in Habakkuk 2:4b) that the just(ified human) shall permanently obtain and exercise the Eternal Absolute activating Spirit of Life by/out of (his) belief (in God and Christ and His Word)(alone).
The one justified (by God The Judge judicially declaring "Not Guilty" solely by imputing the righteousness of Christ to the Spirit-born believer-disciple on the basis of the clinging of the believer to The Faith) shall continuously have into the future the Absolute Abundant Eternal active existence. The life of the believer comes from his fath; not by his faith plus his works--no, by his faith apart from works, lest he should brag on them rather than on God's faithfulness. I am pretty sure that Luther was not taught this interpretation by his theological teachers out of the Vulgate or from the published Catechism.
And now I need to point out to you that this article was written by an evangelical and posted as an evangelical topic to explain simply and concisely what the Bible has to say about the choices that determine the destiny of a human soul after its separation from the mortal body. Based on past threads available here on FR, a review of the above facts shouldn't be necessary to offset the post here of your contrary and mocking opinions.
What you might want to do is to link back to the source of this article, post your comment there, and see what happens.
For some other readers, posting of this article is not valueless because it shows that there still is an opportunity to change or improve the outcome on the basis of one's belief and actions. After the Age of Grace is over, no more opportunity.
I'll put my trust in the ones described in the Bible: Enoch, Elijah, Tabitha, Talitha, Lazarus, John, Paul. My exzperience with removal of a brain tumor gives a little extra insight, but still in review.
Also I see what the Bible also presents as well.
Thank you for praying. The replies on this thread have strengthened my Christian faith.
Are you alluding to the Catholic deal on praying for the salvation of those who died without being saved? It sort of takes away the meme about self-will and having the opportunity to accept the incredible gift of Grace through Christ's sacrifice; and while it may be nice to think we can sway God's mind after the fact, I can't see where one would take comfort in it - even as a "backup" plan. The way I read it, we are given every opportunity to see to our eternal souls and if the New Covenant is accurate (I ascribe to the school that it is absolutely factual) then it is a fool's errand. It doesn't stop me from praying for them, but I have no confidence it is a prayer of any value - expect for the fact that the person(s) saying the prayer are connecting with God which benefits them because He is amassing our prayers at the foot of His throne.
Prayers for the dead are a waste of time and worse, we are told not to do it.
Pray for those that still breath and need to find Jesus.
Once a person passes, it’s too late.
There was no early “church” . The letter to the Corintheans ( and all other towns and cities written by Paul) were to the “Called Out” i.e. the believers — all the believers in Corinth. All beleivers in Rome, etc. The scipture you refere to is 1 Timothy 5:18.
The Word was translated in KJV ( again incorrectly) to “elder”— it is actually the Greek for “overseer” in various towns for ALL “THE CALLED OUT”. There is no reference to a building ever. Those that gave witness were given food not Cadillac Escalades and houses and 401 Ks. “Giving” is to the POOR not the not to some mortgaged building and staff called a “Church”. Check out the original God’s Word, not distorted first English translation. There is no “Church” in the Bible.
bkmk
Thanks, I needed that. There went a doubter before me, I had almost forgotten.
“Truth can stand investigation”. That helps, too.
With all respect, I try insofar as possible not to allude to anything if I can help it. I don't like to come ar somethiibg edge-wise, but to be frank and open. I wasn't thinking of anything lke "praying for the dead," for those whose outcome is already and finally settled.
What I meant was that while alive and sensible, one's own outcome can be changed by repenting from a life of trying to earn one's way to heaven, and instead by being born anew through total committed trust in Jesus alone to be saved from the wrath to come.
But also, one can improve his heavenly assignment as a steward of Jesus when He establishes His earthly Kingdom and uses saints to rule with Him, by putting His commands to work now. Those works will be recognized at the judgment seat of Christ, and be rewarded accordingly.
Of course, as you say, after one;s physical death there's not going to be any upgrading for those who ignored and rejected His Gospel.
If you read my Post #101 to answer Post #91, you will get an idea of my drift on this matter,
I liked this line from the article:
If you don’t believe something and your disbelief doesn’t bother you, then forget about resolving your doubts. You don’t want answers badly enough yet.
If your lack of belief that death has no sting is bothering you, then you’re in a really good spot. :)
I told a coworker I was afraid of ending up in Hell & he replied,
“If you’re that scared of going to Hell, you probably won’t wind up there.”
It’s not the sting of death; take a bullet & you know things are coming to a head extremely fast, either life or death.
It’s the ceasing of the fight for life and the sinking into oblivion.
My wife died in hospital in a coma. I wondered for years if she saw death approaching in her final conscious moments; no, her mother told me, she thought she was going to sleep just like before.
God has since blessed me with a new wife of the same age my first would have been. Sometimes one has to pause to count one’s blessings; I do so daily, now.
I’m so sorry to hear about your first wife but glad to hear about the 2nd.
God’s grace changes daily for what we need. He prepares us in the things we’re enduring. You’re “worrying” about tomorrow where you’ve not been given the grace for tomorrow. Does that make sense? That’s why Christ told us not to worry about tomorrow’s worries because today’s grace is not for that.
I don’t know how much you read the Bible but I highly recommend you get into it every day. God’s Word is how He talks to us; prayer is how we talk to Him.
You are your soul. C.S.Lewis said on being asked if he believes he has a soul, he responded, “No, I do not have a soul. I am a soul, I have a body.”
Very well said by a great man.
Thanks for the reminder.
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