Question 5: What happens when we die?
Obviously, we don’t mean this question in the sense that it might be asked on CSI. Many of you asked about death and heaven, so here’s my best one-message shot at correcting some common misconceptions and giving a kind of basic biblical timeline.
I didn’t have time to tease out some of the implications on Sunday mornings. What difference does it make if we believe that (a) our ultimate goal is to leave this place and go to heaven or (b) our ultimate goal is to see God’s kingdom come to earth? Does it change things to believe that the 60-100 years we get in this life is not all there is?
I’d love to hear your thoughts & questions!
– Rich
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE?
October 22, 2006
According to the Bible…
1. You’re alive.
2. You’re dead.
3. You’re raised from the dead.
When you die…
A. …you go to the grave (Sheol/Hades)…
Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? … For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest… There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. – Job 3:11-17 (NIV)
The grave below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you… They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.†All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. – Isaiah 14:9-11 (NIV)
(1 Samuel 28 – King Saul has a medium “bring up†Samuel from the grave, a practice that is forbidden by God.)
B. …and are either in torment or in paradise.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell [Hades], where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’†– Luke 16:22-26 (NIV)
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.†– Luke 23:43 (NIV)
When Christ returns, you’ll be resurrected…
(Also see Psalm 73, Daniel 12:2-3, Isaiah 26:19, Hosea 6:1-2, and Ezekiel 37.)
We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. – 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 (NIV)
But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” … When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. … So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. – 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 (NIV)
…and judged…
…man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment… – Hebrews 9:27 (NIV)
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV)
…and enjoy eternal life with God or suffer eternal separation from him.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.†– Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)