What Happens After Death?

Introduction

There is an event that we will all face one day; something that is common to all of us—our own inevitable death.  Many of us don’t like thinking about it.  For most of us, this is something we’ve already faced with someone we care about.  The topic of this post has to do with what happens to someone after death.

What happens to us after we die?  Is there an afterlife?  If so, what is it like?  What can we expect?

I recognize that this is a sensitive subject.  I recognize the diversity of opinions that exist.  I recognize that people can be hurt, offended, and even angered when confronted with different viewpoints, especially if these viewpoints challenge their beliefs or confront them with unpleasant considerations.  It is not my desire to hurt or offend anyone.  It is not my desire to be insensitive or inconsiderate of peoples’ feelings and emotions.  However, I will not back away from plainly discussing the facts (from one viewpoint) of this subject in this presentation.

I will be presenting a clear and solid theory of the afterlife based upon a source that I believe is authoritative and reliable.  I will admit that the source I use is not accepted as authoritative and reliable by all.  In fact, many consider my source to be myth and fantasy; a collection of historical fables at best, a collection of manipulative dogmas designed for personal agendas (or purposes of control) at worst.  My source is the Bible.

Although I may mention some alternative views in passing, the intent of this writing is not to present an all inclusive list and explanation of different theories.  I will readily acknowledge that I believe the viewpoint being presented here is true.  It is not an invention of my own personal speculation or desire.  In fact, if it were up to me to create my own concept of the afterlife, it would probably be different.

Finally, I recognize that even people who believe in the Bible have different ideas regarding the afterlife.  There are different interpretations that exist.  Not everyone who uses the Bible as their source will agree with my presentation.  In other words, I acknowledge that not all Christians share the view presented in this essay.  However, I am not shy to say that I have devoted considerable time to studying the Bible, and to this topic; and I am confident that the views presented here are an accurate reflection of the Biblical text.  In the end, someone may choose to believe in a different concept of the afterlife, and that’s fine; just recognize that view is not what the Bible teaches.

The Body and Soul

            There is a theory (often referred to as dualism, in various forms) that proposes that human beings consist of two parts, the body and the soul (or spirit, used interchangeably hereafter), and that these two parts are combined to make one complete person.  Part of this theory is that the soul is the essence of the individual, and that the body simply houses or contains it.  Accordingly, when the body dies, the soul continues to exist, either separated from the body, or reincarnated into a new body, or in a state of suspension awaiting a resurrection of the body (or many other speculative possibilities).  There are many different philosophical and religious variations of this notion, but for simplification, we won’t get into those considerations.

            Some people reject this theory completely.  They may claim a lack of scientific support for the existence of the soul.  They may claim that such a concept ignores the modern understanding of the brain and other neurological and chemical processes of the body.  I recognize the validity of the role played by the brain and other parts of human biology in the influence of human behavior and personality.  However, I don’t think that such considerations necessitate the rejection of the existence of the soul.

            Some people reject the existence of an afterlife, or life after death.  They propose that when the body dies, then the individual ceases to exist.  They propose this current physical life is all that exists.  Some of them propose that belief in an afterlife is simply a coping mechanism for those who (for whatever reason) are unable or unwilling to accept the notion that death brings finality to human consciousness and existence.

            In this writing, I will be assuming the acceptance of dualism in its simplistic form (as presented above) as a fundamental truth.  Without the continued existence of the human individual, the concept and subject of an afterlife becomes meaningless.  The only reason to continue reading this would be to satisfy curiosity for an academic sake, or because you believe that life continues after death, and thus you believe in some form of human consciousness surviving beyond the physical expiration of the body (duality).

In response to the assertion of some that people like myself are unable or unwilling to accept the notion that death terminates our existence, they are absolutely correct.  I am unwilling to accept that notion.  It can be a frightening concept; once this life is over then so are we.  But some of the other possibilities I will be presenting are equally frightening.  I reject this notion, not based upon my inability to intellectually cope with the truth, but because I intellectually reject the claim to truth made by such a notion.

The Bible teaches that when God created mankind, He formed their bodies from the “dust of the ground” and then “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” (Genesis 2:7, NIV)  This is indicative of the formation of the human body from natural elements found in the physical world (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, etc.) and the creation of the human spirit (“the breath of life”).  I cannot, and will not, attempt to provide a scientific explanation as to how the spirit exists within the body.  God created the laws of science when He created the time-space continuum (Genesis 1:1).  He is certainly able to cause/facilitate the coexistence of human body and spirit.

The Bible also teaches that we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).  This means many things.  It means that both male and female human beings represent certain aspects of God’s nature.  It means we are intelligent and rational, with the ability to make choices, even if the actions chosen are contrary to our physical impulses.  It means we are sentient (self-aware and autonomous) individuals.  Our emotions are a reflection of God (although influenced by our sin nature).  Our creativity is representative of His nature.  Our desire for companionship is a reflection of His desire and nature.  And, from the moment we begin life, we are (in spirit) eternal beings, as He is; and our spirits, unlike our bodies, are not subject to the physical properties of time.  They exist, like He does (and the angels, both godly and fallen), in a hyper-dimensionality that cannot yet be measured or completely perceived/understood by modern science.  If you want to learn more about scientific studies in this area, then look into the field of Quantum Mechanics (Quantum Physics), and specifically into String Theory.

Without getting into the details, which constitute other studies beyond the purview of this presentation, the Bible teaches that because of mankind’s sin, human bodies eventually die.  But human spirits (being eternal in nature) live on after the death of the body.  The Bible also teaches that, again because of sin, human spirits are separated from God; this means that human spirits are unable to have a relationship with God, who is holy and righteous, because they are depraved and corrupt.  This brings us to the focus of our discussion.  What happens after death?

The Afterlife

How does this sound?

When a person’s body dies, their soul goes to either heaven or hell, depending on whether they were a good or bad person (based on their actions/deeds/works in life).  There’s only one problem with this; it isn’t true.  The Bible doesn’t teach this, so if you’re basing your beliefs on the Bible, then you can’t use this one.  According to the Bible, we are all bad people!  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, NIV)  And according to the Bible, all of our good deeds are not so good!  “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind ours sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 64:6, NIV)  If we went to heaven or hell based upon how good or bad we were, none of us would go to heaven!

How about this?

            When a person’s body dies, their soul goes to either heaven or hell, depending on whether or not they believed in Jesus.  Would it surprise you to hear me say this isn’t Biblical either?  Well, it’s not; at least not entirely, although it is closer to the truth.  Stay with me, and I’ll explain more about this towards the end.  Also not Biblical are concepts like purgatory (Catholicism), annihilation or paradise (Watchtower Society/Jehovah’s Witnesses), or multiple levels of heaven (Mormonism).  These concepts are not taught in the Bible, although some verses may be misunderstood or misinterpreted or taken out of context in an attempt to support them.  They may be taught in other books, but not the Word of God.

Here’s what the Bible actually says.

            First, let’s clear up some possible confusion about terminology.  Translating languages can be a tricky business.  Not all languages have words for the same concepts.  Beyond that, the meaning of certain words can change within a language from time and place.  In this essay, I want it to be understood that the words “heaven” and “hell” will be used as they reference a place of final destination, which I believe is how most people think of them.  According to the Bible, when a person dies, they do not immediately go to their final destination.

When a person’s body dies, their soul goes to a place called “sheol” in Hebrew, or “hades” in Greek.  These words are sometimes thought of as “hell” but in the sense of hell being the final destination for the wicked, they are not the same place.  The final hell, also referred to as the lake of fire in the New Testament, is the Greek word “gehenna.”  There is another Greek word, “tartarus,” that is also used in the New Testament, but only once in relation to a place of holding or torment for certain fallen angels.  I mention it in passing, in case some of you are familiar with it, but we won’t discuss it further as it isn’t relevant to us.

So when a person’s body dies, their soul doesn’t go to the final hell (the lake of fire; “gehenna”), it goes to a temporary place (“sheol” or “hades”).  Some people call this “the grave” but that isn’t really accurate and can lead to a misunderstanding since the grave is the physical earthly location where the body is buried.  This place, which I will call hades hereafter, is a place where only the soul goes.

So what is it like?  Luke 16:23-25 describes it as a place of torment, agony, and fire.  This sounds similar to the concept of the final hell.  In a sense, this could be thought of as a temporary hell, wherein the souls of those who are imprisoned are awaiting the Final Judgment and sentencing to the final destination, the lake of fire, or “gehenna”—the final hell.  But let’s not get too far ahead.  For now, this hades does not sound like a pleasant place, certainly not somewhere I want to be.

            So when a person dies, their soul goes to hades. (Luke 16:22-31, and elsewhere)  Their soul remains in hades until the day of the Final Judgment, when God judges humanity for their wicked deeds (sin).  There will come a moment when all human beings will stand before the throne of God and will be “judged according to what they had done.” (Revelation 20:13, NIV)  After the judgment, all the people who have been “judged according to what they had done” will be “thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14) or “gehenna” along with Satan (the devil) and his fallen angels. (Revelation 20:10-15, and elsewhere)  Where is this place?  I don’t know.  My best guess is that it exists in a dimension that we cannot currently perceive.  Some may call this the spirit realm.  I doubt it is underground or at the center of the Earth.  Even if it was somewhere “close” to us, as we measure proximity, I don’t think we would be able to see or experience it while we are alive.  Think of it as hyper-dimensional or spiritual, whichever you prefer.  Either description works for me.

            Wait a minute.  Earlier I said that going to heaven or hell isn’t based on works.  That’s right, I did.  And it isn’t.  Going to heaven is not based upon works, but upon receiving God’s grace through faith in Jesus as Savior.  But going to hell is based on works/deeds/actions (sin).  Everyone is destined for hell based upon their own merit.  Once born, everyone is destined for death, then hades, then judgment, then gehenna.  And by the way, this final destination is permanent/eternal/forever.  This sounds terrible, and quite frightening.

            But there is an alternative; God has provided a way to escape this fate for anyone who chooses.  Here it is:

            There are those who are alive who are redeemed.  Some people (me included) use the term “saved” but for now I will say “redeemed.”  I say redeemed, because that is a more descriptively accurate word for what I am about to explain.  Those of us who are saved are redeemed, or purchased/bought back from the fate we deserve; our ransom (price) has been paid in the court of God.  Our sins are no longer counted against us as they have been removed from us and placed upon Jesus when He died on the cross (and was resurrected) nearly 2000 years ago.  This salvation is imputed (given) to us when we believe in Jesus and His atoning work as described in the Bible.  The purpose of this presentation is not to explain salvation, as that is a vast enough subject to warrant its own study (which I plan on presenting later).  The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the afterlife.  So I will only state here that the redeemed are excused from the above described fate, and that they have a different destiny, which I will now describe.

            Before Jesus’s death and resurrection, when a redeemed person (someone who placed their faith in God for salvation), like Abraham (Genesis 15:6) for example, died, their soul went to a place that was near hades, but was separated by a great chasm that could not be crossed. (Luke 16:26)  Some people call this place Abraham’s bosom.  This can lead to misunderstanding for lots of reasons, one of which is because Abraham’s soul was there as well.  Some people call this place paradise, but I don’t think that is an appropriate term to use here.  What is known is that it was a place that occupied the same realm as hades (or “sheol” in Hebrew), but was a place of comforting rather than torment.  The two sides were aware of each other, but movement between sides was impossible for the residents.  Like hades, this place was only temporary.  Unlike hades, this place is now empty.

            When Jesus died, He went to this place and removed its occupants from it and transported them to heaven (but not the final heaven, as we will see). (1 Peter 3:19 and Ephesians 4:8-10)  Some people call this place where He took them paradise, and that is more appropriate.  But heaven is fine too, so long as you remember that a new heaven will come later.  Remember, a human’s soul cannot be in fellowship with God based upon human merit.  It is only through the atonement of Christ that one’s soul can be reborn/made alive/restored to a place of communion with God.

Prior to the completion/finishing of Jesus’ atoning work, the souls of those who died having placed their faith in God for salvation went to this place of comforting to wait for the Savior.  After Jesus’ work on the cross was completed, He went and took those souls out of that place and took them to the present heaven to be with Him and God the Father.  Now when someone who is redeemed dies, their soul does not go to this waiting place, but goes directly to be with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8 and elsewhere)

When Jesus returns to the Earth (the doctrine of the Second Coming) these souls will be given new and perfect bodies. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-58)  This is called the “first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5) of which Jesus is the “firstfruits.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)  This is why some people call the new bodies “resurrected bodies.”  I have no problem with this, and I think it is Scripturally accurate terminology, but the resurrected bodies are resurrected regardless of cause of death, decay, burial, cremation, etc.  They are also changed at a fundamental level (molecular? atomic?) to be perfect and to have abilities that we currently can’t comprehend (the Bible describes this in different places, but not in great detail).  Many refer to this event as “the Rapture.”  I don’t want to get into the details here as there are debates regarding the timing of the event in prophecy that are not relevant to this discussion, and I don’t want to confuse those less familiar with theology.  For the purposes of this presentation, there will be a moment when the souls of the redeemed are given new/resurrected bodies.

These redeemed peoples are exempt from the Final Judgment.  They have a judgment of their own, described elsewhere in the Bible (Romans 14:10-12, 1 Corinthians 3:10-4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, and elsewhere); but it is a judgment of rewards for deeds done in the Holy Spirit, rather than a judgment of punishment for sin.  It is generally understood that these redeemed peoples will reign with Christ during His Millennial Kingdom here on Earth (Revelation 20:6 and elsewhere).  After the events of the Final Judgment, which they will not be part of, they will enter into the New Heaven and New Earth which God will make at a moment yet future to us (as we currently understand time). (Revelation 21 and 22 and elsewhere)  This New Heaven and New Earth will be their final destination, or dwelling for eternity.

Now I want to circle back and clarify what I said earlier about going to heaven or hell not being based upon whether or not someone believes in Jesus.  I’m going to make three points regarding this.  First, believing in Jesus, in and of itself, doesn’t save someone.  Who is the Jesus you believe in?  Was “he” just a historical figure who lived approximately 2000 years ago, and then died, and then people went on to loosely base a religion upon him and his teachings?  Was “he” just another prophet of God, similar to others, who may have died and may even have come back to life by a miracle of God?  Was “he” one of God’s children, whose death and resurrection provided access to salvation, but which can only be obtained by doing your own good works?  Or was “He” the Son of God, God incarnate, whose death and resurrection satisfied the justice of God for those who receive Him, and through whose finished work alone one can receive salvation only by God’s grace through faith, apart from works?  It is through acknowledgment of your own sinfulness and inability to save yourself by works, and surrender of your own will to God by belief in the Jesus of the Gospels, the last one I mentioned above, that one is saved by the grace of God based upon His promises to do so as found in the Bible.  And it isn’t your belief or faith that saves you, because that might imply work to believe or have faith.  The Bible is clear that it is God’ grace that saves, and it is imparted through the channel of faith; but He gives us the faith as well.  And it doesn’t have to be at any specific level of strength in order to work, so don’t worry about your faith being “strong” or “weak.”  It’s all about God doing the work of saving based upon the finished work that Christ has done.  Second, believing in Jesus doesn’t cause someone to go to heaven or hell.  Believing in Jesus is the channel through which God extends His grace to save, through which people will eventually be admitted into heaven.  But going to hell is based upon judgment for sin.  Some might say that one is only judged for sin if he or she does not receive Christ by faith, therefore, it is because of not believing in Him that someone goes to hell.  While this is how the application works out, it is still essentially the sins that one commits that causes one to be judged.  Third, and finally, as already discussed previously, it isn’t the final heaven (the New Heavens) or the final hell (the Lake of Fire) that someone goes to immediately upon death.  The redeemed go to be with the Lord where He is now, which could be called heaven, but not the final one.  The unredeemed go to Sheol to await the Final Judgment, whereupon they are cast into the Lake of Fire, or hell, as I would imagine most people think of it.

Some Concerns

What about babies and children who die?

            Indeed, this is absolutely a concern.  Babies and young children cannot understand or make decisions about religious concepts.  I will address this concern very briefly.  I believe the Bible makes provision for those who die in infancy or young childhood and are not given the opportunity to decide for themselves whether or not to place their faith in Jesus.  Some people call this the “age of accountability.”  It is not a term found in the Bible, but it is a concept found in the Bible.  I believe the Bible makes clear that the very young, who cannot decide for themselves (or by extension those who may suffer some injury or ailment that causes them to never develop the faculties for such thought processes), are not truly considered outside the Kingdom of God.  Yes, they are born with a sin nature, but having no comprehension of right or wrong, and having no ability to understand Biblical salvation, they are not considered guilty in God’s court.  They go to be with the Lord immediately at death, as do the redeemed. (2 Samuel 12:23 and elsewhere)

What about adults who die without hearing about Jesus?

            Indeed, this is another valid concern.  How can a person who has never heard about the Bible, or Jesus, make a decision to place their faith in Him?  I will address this concern briefly as well.  Again, the Bible makes provision for those who die without being exposed to the Gospel.  Actually, it is the same provision made for those who died prior to the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah were given.  It is the same provision for those who were never exposed to faith in God through ancient Judaism.  It is the same provision that Abraham had.  Abraham “believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” (Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3, and Galatians 3:6, NIV)  The Bible tells us in Romans 1:20 (and elsewhere) that evidence for God is present in creation.  The universe around us testifies to His existence and intelligence, so that no one has an excuse.  So the first thing a person who has never heard of Jesus or the Bible needs to do (and is expected by God to do as a result of observing the natural world) is believe that He exists.  Believe in the Creator God.

            But what about James 2:19 which says: “You believe that there is one God.  You do well.  Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (NIV)  Believing that God exists is not sufficient.  A critical element of having a saving faith in Jesus is to recognize one’s own sin and inability to reach God on one’s own; to recognize the need for a savior and to be willing to submit oneself as undeserving before a holy and righteous God and to seek His forgiveness and to trust His ability to impart salvation.  This is no different, except that the details of Jesus redemptive work are unknown.  The Bible tells us in Romans 2:12-16 (and elsewhere) that God’s law is written in the hearts of mankind.  Our consciences testify of our wickedness, so that no one has an excuse.  So anyone who is exposed to the natural world and who has a conscience (that would be every functioning adult) has the ability to beg forgiveness before God and look to Him for salvation.  The Bible is clear throughout that anyone who does so will not be rejected by God.

            To be clear, it isn’t, nor has it ever been, one’s faith that saves them; just as it isn’t one’s own deeds/works that saves them.  All the redeemed are saved by God’s grace.  That salvation is made possible by the atoning work of Christ, whether you are aware of all the details or not.  (In reality, who can ever be aware of all the details of anything so complex in this life?)  That grace that saves is imparted to one through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9 and elsewhere)

            Now, before anyone who is reading this states that because of these things they need not believe in Christ, let me make clear that the Bible also gives clear indication throughout that you are accountable for what you have been told.  I have now told you about Jesus, so you are accountable based upon that level of knowledge.  Sorry, there are no excuses.

Conclusion

            That summarizes my understanding of what happens after death based upon my study of the Bible.  I know I didn’t really explain what heaven and hell will be like, but I think you already have some idea.  One is good, the other is not.  Feel free to look into more description of these places in the Bible.  There is a lot more information to be had then what I have presented here.  But I have presented, in a fairly comprehensive way, the events that transpire after death.

            The souls of those who die without salvation go to sheol/hades, which is a temporary place of torment while awaiting the judgment of God.  Everyone who is there will stand before God on the Day of Judgment, and all those who stand before God in that judgment will be cast into gehenna (hell) for eternity.

            The souls of those who die having been redeemed go to heaven to be with God, where they await the First Resurrection.  All those who are redeemed will be given a new/resurrected body and eventually will enter into the New Heaven and New Earth after the Millennial Kingdom age.

            As a final thought, for those who might assert that my belief in all this is an attempt to mentally escape the unpleasant truth that when I die I will simply cease to exist: what if your rejection of God and His truth is an attempt to mentally escape the unpleasant truth that you are a sinner who is accountable for your wickedness before a holy and righteous God?  You need not despair.  I am a sinner too.  You can be redeemed through the atonement of Christ as I have been.

As always, thanks for reading.