What happens when we die

Question: "What happens after death?"

Answer: Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion in regards to 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 immediately after the moment of death, people are instantly judged and send 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 were forgiven from having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16,18,36). For believers, after 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 perfected, and then reunited with the soul-spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the inhabitance of believers for eternity, in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation chapters 21-22).

Second, for those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, after 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. Revelation 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, for both believers and unbelievers, a person resides in a “temporary” Heaven or Hell. After this temporary realm, at their final resurrection, peoples’ eternal destiny will not change. The precise “location” of that eternal destiny is what changes. After death, believers will ultimately be granted entrance into the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21:1). After death, unbelievers will ultimately be sent to the lake of fire (Revelation 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 (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

Originally posted by dystoniac
Question: "What happens after death?"

Answer: Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion in regards to 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 immediately after the moment of death, people are ins ...[text shortened]... n whether or not they had trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

What happens when we die?

We don't know. You don't know. And I don't know.

Originally posted by FMF
What happens when we die?

We don't know. You don't know. And I don't know.

I am fairly sure that we die ie our consciousness ceases to exist. Of course you could say 'you may be wrong' but I feel sure enough that I would say 'I do know' and in fact sure enough that I would stake my life on it. I am as sure of that fact as you are sure that 1 + 1 = 2. You wouldn't claim that nobody knows that would you?

Originally posted by twhitehead
I am as sure of that fact as you are sure that 1 + 1 = 2. You wouldn't claim that nobody knows that would you?

But you still don't know.

As for whether I wouldn't claim that nobody knows that 1 + 1 = 2, well how about the fact that the Earth isn't flat or the fact that the Sun does not revolve around the Earth? Sometimes I can be quite rattled by what people say they know and what they don't know.

Originally posted by twhitehead
I am fairly sure that we die ie our consciousness ceases to exist. Of course you could say 'you may be wrong' but I feel sure enough that I would say 'I do know'

I probably feel sure enough about the idea that our consciousnesses cease to exist that I too could say 'I do know', however, in fact, I don't say that - because I am even more sure that there is no point in speculating about it. Therefore I know, for a fact, that I do not speculate.

Originally posted by FMF
What happens when we die?

We don't know. You don't know. And I don't know.

Yes, I do know...for the Bible tells me so. 😵

Originally posted by dystoniac
Question: "What happens after death?"

Answer: Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion in regards to 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 immediately after the moment of death, people are ins ...[text shortened]... n whether or not they had trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

http://www.gotquestions.org/what-happens-death.html

Why you would want to take credit for such ridiculous nonsense...I don't know. But try citing your source next time.

You don't actually believe any of this nonsense, do you?

Originally posted by twhitehead
I am fairly sure that we die ie our consciousness ceases to exist. Of course you could say 'you may be wrong' but I feel sure enough that I would say 'I do know' and in fact sure enough that I would stake my life on it. I am as sure of that fact as you are sure that 1 + 1 = 2. You wouldn't claim that nobody knows that would you?

How is it that YOU are so SURE? Are ye a prophet of God?

Originally posted by LemonJello
http://www.gotquestions.org/what-happens-death.html

Why you would want to take credit for such ridiculous nonsense...I don't know. But try citing your source next time.

You don't actually believe any of this nonsense, do you?

Get over it, jello! I forgot to post my source; will ye forgive me? I never claimed credit for the source, or else I would have stated such. Why is it nonsense? Because YOU are not the author?

Originally posted by dystoniac
Yes, I do know

No you don't. You believe something. You are sure of it. You have faith that it is so. But I can assure you, you do not know. That much, I know for sure.

Originally posted by dystoniac
How is it that YOU are so SURE? Are ye a prophet of God?

Are you sure that I exist? How sure? What about the computer you are typing your posts on? Does it exist? Are ye a prophet of God?

Are prophets of God sure?

Originally posted by FMF
No you don't. You believe something. You are sure of it. You have faith that it is so. But I can assure you, you do not know. That much, I know for sure.

Surely you are giving the word 'know' more credit than it deserves. Otherwise we would not have the phrase 'infallible knowledge'.
Are you saying that if I think I know something but could be wrong then later it turns out that I was right, then I still did not know?
Or are you saying that dystoniac specifically is wrong?

Originally posted by FMF
I probably feel sure enough about the idea that our consciousnesses cease to exist that I too could say 'I do know', however, in fact, I don't say that - because I am even more sure that there is no point in speculating about it. Therefore I know, for a fact, that I do not speculate.

Why do you think there is no point speculating about it? Do you apply the same philosophy to everything else or specifically this question?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Why do you think there is no point speculating about it? Do you apply the same philosophy to everything else or specifically this question?

I like speculating about things that I will find the answer to while I am still alive.

Originally posted by twhitehead
Surely you are giving the word 'know' more credit than it deserves. Otherwise we would not have the phrase 'infallible knowledge'.
Are you saying that if I think I know something but could be wrong then later it turns out that I was right, then I still did not know?
Or are you saying that dystoniac specifically is wrong?

I think it is not in the best interests of the English language to tolerate people using the word 'know' and the word 'believe' as synonyms. If we do, all bets are off when it comes to logical discussions. You get people parading their own "beliefs" as "evidence". It may be a fact that someone believes A. But to then say that is proof that A is a fact is nonsense. This kind of nonsense stems from allowing people to abuse language and use the words 'know' and 'believe' interchangeably. It should be resisted and if they persist, one might even have to resort to ridicule as we fight the English language's corner.