What Happens When We Die?

Do we go straight to heaven or hell?

Here’s an interesting answer from a website I generally trust.

Agree or disagree with it?

Question: "What happens after death?"

Answer: 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. 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, 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 (Revelation 21:1). 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).

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

A good companion Q+A...

Question: "Where do you go when you die?"

Answer: The Bible is absolutely clear that, ultimately, there are only two options for where you go when you die: heaven or hell. The Bible also makes it abundantly clear that you can determine where you go when you die. How? Read on.

First, the problem. We have all sinned (Romans 3:23). We have all done things that are wrong, evil, or immoral (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Our sin separates us from God, and, if left unresolved, our sin will result in us being eternally separated from God (Matthew 25:46; Romans 6:23a). This eternal separation from God is hell, described in the Bible as an eternal lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15).

Now, the solution. God became a human being in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:1, 14; 8:58; 10:30). He lived a sinless life (1 Peter 3:22; 1 John 3:5) and willingly sacrificed His life on our behalf (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 1:18–19). His death paid the penalty for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). God now offers us salvation and forgiveness as a gift (Romans 6:23b) that we must receive by faith (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8–9). “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). Trust in Jesus alone as your Savior, relying on His sacrifice alone as the payment for your sins, and, according to the Word of God, you are promised eternal life in heaven.

Where do you go when you die? It is up to you. God offers you the choice. God invites you to come to Him. It is your call.

If you feel God drawing you to faith in Christ (John 6:44), come to the Savior. If God is lifting the veil and removing your spiritual blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4), look to the Savior. If you are experiencing a spark of life in what has always been dead (Ephesians 2:1), come to life through the Savior.

Where do you go when you die? Heaven or hell. Through Jesus Christ, hell is avoidable. Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, and heaven will be your eternal destination. Make any other decision, and eternal separation from God in hell will be the result (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).

If you now understand the two possibilities of where do you go when you die, and you want to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, make sure you understand and believe the following, and as an act of faith, communicate the following to God: “God, I know that I am a sinner, and I know that because of my sin I deserve to be eternally separated from you. Even though I do not deserve it, thank you for loving me and providing the sacrifice for my sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that Jesus died for my sins and I trust in Him alone to save me. From this point forward, help me to live my life for you instead of for sin. Help me to live the rest of my life in gratitude for the wonderful salvation you have provided. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me!”

https://www.gotquestions.org/where-do-you-go-when-you-die.html

Originally posted by @romans1009

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).

"Therefore being always of good courage and knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are abroad from the Lord. (v6)

"The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you." (2 Tim 4:22)

" And behold, I am with you all the days until the consummation of the age." (Matt. 28:20)

" ... do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you, ...? (2 Cor. 13:5)

"For also in this we groan, longing to be CLOTHED UPON with our dwelling place from heaven. If indeed, being clothed, we will not be found NAKED. " (2 Cor. 5:2,3)

"For also, we who are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, in that we do not desire to be UNCLOTHED, but CLOTHED upon, that which is mortal may be SWALLOWED UP by [divine] life." (v.4)

"And He said to him, truly I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)

" For just as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights." (Matt. 12:40)

(Now this, "He ascended," what is it except that He also descended into the lower parts of the earth."

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).

Originally posted by @romans1009
Do we go straight to heaven or hell?

Here’s an interesting answer from a website I generally trust.

Agree or disagree with it?

Question: "What happens after death?"

Answer: 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 ju ...[text shortened]... or salvation (Matthew 25:46; John 3:36).

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

You turn to dust, including your brain, and it is not known that things think and feel without a brain. Or you can run with made-up stuff (see above).

I think there may be an afterlife but stone-age myths are not the path.

Originally posted by @apathist
You turn to dust, including your brain, and it is not known that things think and feel without a brain. Or you can run with made-up stuff (see above).

I think there may be an afterlife but stone-age myths are not the path.

Originally posted by @galveston75
Well first one needs to know the bible's meaning of hell. The word "hell" in the bible simply means the grave.

Some Bible translations use the word “hell” for the Hebrew word “Sheol” and the matching Greek word “Hades,” both of which refer to the common grave of mankind. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27)

Those in hell are unconscious and so cannot feel p ...[text shortened]... l other humans would remain in the grave until the earthly resurrection starts after Armageddon.

Originally posted by @sonship
I would not recommend this article too easily.
And here are a few reasons why.

First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven,

I don't find that in the New Testament.
I do see the immaterial part of man (soul and spirit) resting in a pleasant place. It is n ...[text shortened]... n Abraham's bosom, and not in heaven.

Examine closely, consider, and your reply is welcomed.

Originally posted by @romans1009
Thanks for your post. Will need time to properly consider.

First question, could a real lake of fire exist? If so what would be it's purpose? Is it to make a sinful human who would still have to be alive and burn forever and suffer forever? What does the bible say about those who sin and what the payment for sin is?
As a comment that I posted earlier does God torture sinful humans forever? No he doesn't. Death is the payment for sinning not being tortured forever.
So what does this lake of Fire represent if it is not a real place? What else does the bible say is thrown into it? Check this out to see: https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/lake-of-fire/#?insight[search_id]=bebcec38-dec8-496d-ab0c-24e75fcfb25f&insight[search_result_index]=0
Sorry for the past but it is worth checking out and it has many scriptures to help understand what this is...

I will offer SOME response to your article.

The Bible’s answer
The lake of fire is a symbol of eternal destruction. It is the same as Gehenna, but it is different from hell, which is the common grave of mankind.

Not a literal lake
The five Bible verses that mention “the lake of fire” show it to be a symbol rather than a literal lake. (Revelation 19:20; 20:10, 14, 15; 21:8) The following are cast into the lake of fire:

The Devil. (Revelation 20:10) As a spirit creature, the Devil cannot be harmed by literal fire.—Exodus 3:2; Judges 13:20.

"And the devil, who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were, and THEY will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (Rev. 20:10)

"And the devil ... was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were,

and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."

Death. (Revelation 20:14) This is not a literal entity but represents a state of inactivity, the absence of life. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Death cannot literally be burned.

"And when He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, Come,

And I saw and behold, a pale horse, and he who sits upon it, his name is Death, and Hades followed him. And authority was given to them over the fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with death and by the beasts of the earth." (Rev. 7:78)

“The wild beast” and “the false prophet.” (Revelation 19:20) Since these are symbols, doesn’t it seem reasonable to conclude that the lake they are thrown into is also a symbol?—Revelation 13:11, 12; 16:13.

"I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll. If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this scroll. (v.18)

And if anyone takes away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written in this scroll." (v.10)

" And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet were;

and they will will be tormented day and night forever and ever." (20:10)

eternal destruction
The Bible says that the lake of fire “means the second death.” (Revelation 20:14; 21:8)

"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall by no means be HURT of the second death." (Rev. 2:11)

Death. (Revelation 20:14) This is not a literal entity but represents a state of inactivity, the absence of life. (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Death cannot literally be burned.

"Who knows the breath [or spirit] of the children of men, that it goes upward; or the breath [or spirit] of the beasts, that it goes downward to the earth," (Ecc. 3:21)

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going." (Ecc. 9:10)

Originally posted by @romans1009
Have you investigated the evidence for Jesus Christ’s Resurrection?

You’re aware the Stone Age ended thousands of years before Christianity?

Originally posted by @apathist
There is none. Fairy tales don't count.

You’re aware the Stone Age ended thousands of years before Christianity?

Sure. I get artistic license when just trying to interrupt the non-stop vomit that bible-thumpers spew.

Originally posted by @romans1009
So you haven’t investigated the evidence and you’ve arrived at a conclusion?

Artistic license? Is that how you spell “mistake” now?