What is death?

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Nobody is looking forward to dying. Most people don’t even want to talk about it. But, the Bible has good news about death.  This truth can set you free from false doctrines about death. We do not cease to exist when we die. We do not get promoted to angels or gods. And, there is no such thing as soul sleep.

What is life?

Before we understand death, we need to understand life. The Bible says we were created in God’s image as eternal beings.

The oldest religion in the world is neither Christianity nor Atheism, it is really Anthropotheism-: worshipping mankind as God (See Genesis 4; Romans 1). This religion has corrupted our understanding of our real place in the universe. It’s precept of evolution teaches we evolved from primordial sludge into modern man through an almost infinite series of accidents.

This viewpoint turns all of our focus upon ourselves. It allows mothers to murder millions of unborn children, as long as we pass onerous laws to protect us from rare accidents that can harm even one or two people. It pursues pleasure at any cost, but denies the existence of holiness and sin. It denies the reality of God, which gives a special place for the reality of Satan.

We need to return to real Biblical Christianity to understand the real world from God’s perspective.

What is death?

Just like physical birth is a continuation of life from one realm inside the womb to another realm outside the womb, physical death is a continuation of life from our world to the next world. We can’t talk about that next world with any more specificity than a fetus can talk about our world. But, the Bible does give us some powerful hints.

Jesus Christ described life after death of the rich man and lazarus — Some people claim this is a parable, which I don’t believe because these people are named unlike any other parable; but if this is a parable, what is it trying to teach?

“Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores.  It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died, and was buried. In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 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 in anguish in this flame.’ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’ “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’ “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'” (Luke 16 19-31 WEB; cf. John 5:45; John 5:47; Acts 15:21; Luke 4:17; Isaiah 8:20)

While I am alive, I am protected by the God of the universe (see Romans 8), and when I die, I will be carried by angels into the presence of God. I can live with that.

Jesus Christ taught life after death in response to a question from the Sadducees about the resurrection.

There came to him Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection. They asked him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.’ There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring. The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died. In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.” Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God? For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  But about the dead, that they are raised; haven’t you read in the book of Moses, about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.  You are therefore badly mistaken.” (Mark 12:18-27; cf. Matthew 22:23-33; Luke 20:27-40; Exodus 3)

Believers will go to heaven forever

The Apostle Paul, who was caught up into heaven and received revelation that was too wonderful to express with words said, “I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.” (Philippians 1:23) He understood the reality of heaven in a way that we won’t be able until we get there. I want to join him there someday.

Paul and Peter looked forward to heaven with the savior they knew so well. We should too.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose. But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake. Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again. (Philippians 1:21-26 WEB)

For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:6-8 WEB)

Therefore I will not be negligent to remind you of these things, though you know them, and are established in the present truth. I think it right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you; knowing that the putting off of my tent comes swiftly, even as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. Yes, I will make every effort that you may always be able to remember these things even after my departure. (2 Peter 1:12-15)

Unbelievers will go to hell forever

The alternative isn’t so fun. I have read that Jesus spoke about hell more than anybody else in the Bible. He spoke about hell more than he did heaven. He gave more details about hell than he did heaven. We know it will be a place of eternal torment and suffering.

And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out. All who pass by will view them with utter horror.” (Isaiah 66:24)

Where will you go after death?

It has been said, nobody will go to hell except those who want to. Have you made your decision?

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

“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. I don’t receive glory from men. But I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in yourselves. I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, who receive glory from one another, and you don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God? “Don’t think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you, even Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you don’t believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (John 5:39-47)

For deeper study

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