What Happens After Death?

Introduction

Close electrocution and/or Hurricane Andrew

Pause Stranger, when you pass me by,

As you are now, so once was I.

As I am now, so you will be,

So prepare for death and follow me.

An unknown passerby read those words and underneath scratched this reply:

To follow you I’m not content,

Until I know which way you went.

What happens after death is a huge question. The answer will be discovered by every single person on planet earth. It has already been discovered for anyone who has passed away.

The problem is that after you die it is too late to do anything about it.

Now is the time to make sure that we are ready to die.

If men are prepared to die they are ready for anything. (Joseph Addison Alexander)

What I’d like to do this morning is summarize some common perception about what happens after death. Then I’d like to look at what God says about the question by turning to Scripture, and then, as a wrap up, I want to show you that your answer to the question “What will happen to me after I die?” really comes down to a decision that you make in this life.

Common Misconceptions

1. Reincarnation

In a study by the Pew Research Center released in November of 2021, it was revealed that 33% of Americans believe in reincarnation. That number is trending up. In 2013, it was 24%.

Reincarnation is the belief that after you die you come back to this earth in another life. This is the belief of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.

The whole idea here is that what you sow in one life you will reap in the next. This has to do with what is called the law of “karma”. “Every action in this life has a reaction or consequence in the next.

So if you did good deeds, you are born into a “pleasant womb”. If you do evil, you would then come back into life as an animal, or even a vegetable or mineral.

This cycle of death and rebirth is called “samsara”, but the goal is to escape the cycle and, depending on what you believe, either become one with Brahman (a divine impersonal force), or to reach a state called “final purification”.

Truth:

Only God is eternal:

1 Timothy 6:16 (NLT)

16 He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.

Humans are born (finite beginning)

Psalm 51:5 (NLT)

5 For I was born a sinner— yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

Humans die once.

Hebrews 9:27 (NLT)

27 And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

2. Purgatory

Purgatory is the belief that the souls of believers who have died undergo a time of transformative purification in order to prepare them to enter heaven. In other words, it is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who “have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.”

Even though you believe in Jesus, when you die, purgatory says, you still might have to endure some type of punishment until such time that your sins are completely remitted and then you are able to enter heaven.

This process can be aided by prayers, indulgences, almsgiving, works of penance and Eucharsists offered on behalf of the dead.

Doctrine of purgatory is an official teaching of the Roman Catholic church, it is a view held by some Anglicans, and some Eastern Orthodox adherents.

It is not Biblical. Purgatory does not exist.

Truth:

Jesus’ sacrifice was completely sufficient for our forgiveness eternally

Hebrews 10:14 (NLT)

14 For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

To depart this life is to be with Christ

Philippians 1:23 (NLT)

23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.

2 Corinthians 5:8 (NIV84)

8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

3. LDS View of the Afterlife

Mormons believe that everyone will be given immortal (eternal) existence in one of three Mormon heavens.

The Celestial heaven—for perfected Mormons only, a place where they will have the opportunity to reach the state of exaltation or godhood;

the Terrestrial heaven—for unworthy yet moral Mormons and moral non-Mormons,

and the Telestial heaven—for bad Mormons and wicked non-Mormons.

Fourth place, a place of eternal punishment, also called the second death, or the outer darkness, is the place where people go who are former Mormons—LDS people who knew and accepted the LDS religion—and then rejected it in this life. See Mormon Doctrine, McConkie, 1966, p.420-421)

John 6:27–29 (NLT)

29 Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

4. About Heaven and Hell

When it comes to Heaven and Hell, two of the most common misconceptions are:

“All good people go to heaven.”

“Hell doesn’t exist.”

The same Pew Research study I cited earlier provides this information

73% of U.S. adults believe in heaven. 62% believe in hell.

I thought it would be fun to do my own survey on a couple Facebook Groups and here are the responses:

INSERT RESPONSES

When it comes to truly knowing what happens after death, we look to the Bible. The Bible is God’s Word to us. It is the source of truth.

What the Bible Says

What is death?

Every human being has a soul.

The difference between a dead person and one who is alive is that the dead person’s soul has left there body.

The Bible describes death as the moment the soul leaves the body.

James 2:26 (HCSB)

26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead....

You are your soul. You are a soul with a body.

Numerous passages in the Bible teach that the soul survives after the body dies.

Luke 23:43 NLT

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Then the question “What happens after death?” can be rephrased “Where does my soul go when it leaves my body?

The Bible teaches us that there are two options: Heaven or Hell.

The Final State of the Saved is Heaven and the final state of the lost is Hell.

Let’s talk about each of them.

Heaven

John 14:2–3 (NIV84)

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

1 Kings 8:30 (NLT)

30 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.

Facts about heaven.

Inhabitants

The Triune God

Good angels

Redeemed humans

Nature of Heaven

Far Better: Phil 1 23

Philippians 1:23 (NKJV)

23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

No sorrow, no curse, no darkness, no sickness, no death

Perfect bodies

Many mansions

Perpetual wisdom

Everlasting service

Abundant life

Overflowing joy

Incredible beauty

moral perfection

eternal rest eternal rewuard

perfect knowledge

indescribable glory.

It is described in the Bible as a Celestial City (heavenly Jerusalem

There is a river of life flowing in the city.

There is a tree of life in the middle of the city.

There is a throne in heaven.

And on that throne is One who is worthy of our worship.

When we see him, we will be like him. we will know Him perfectly, we will love him perfectly,

We will receive rewards,

WE will heave physical bodies

We will eat in heaven.

We will recognize our loved ones.

We will be able to explore the universe.

How do you get to heaven?

John 14:2–3 NKJV

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

John 3:16 (NLT)

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Hebrews 12:22–23 NLT

22 No, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering. 23 You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.

Hell

The other eternal destination is what we commonly call hell.

The Bible has more to say about hell than it does heaven.

The Old Testament word is sheol which means “the unseen world”

Psalm 9:17 (NLT)

17 The wicked will go down to the grave. This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.

It is the place of the departed.

The New Testament Greek word for hell is “hades”, which usually signifies a place of departed wicked spirits. It could be translated “grave”

For example: Matthew 16 18

Matthew 16:18 (NLT)

18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

The other word in the NT that is often translated “hell” is the word gehenna.

This usually signifies a place of eternal punishment.

During the time of Christ, the Valley of Gehenna was a garbage dump outside of Jerusalem that burned perpetually.

Matthew 10:28 (NLT)

28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Here’s what the Bible teaches about hell:

It is a place of unquenchable fire (Mt 3:12)

People in hell are able to remember and have remorse (Lk 16:19-31)

It is a place of thirst, of misery and pain.

It is a place of frustration and anger

It is a place of separation.

It is eternal.

It is a place prepared for Satan and his hosts.

There are degrees of punishment (Mt 11:20-24)

Let’s look at what Jesus said about hell:

Matthew 5:29–30 (NLT)

29 So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

30 And if your hand—even your stronger hand—causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

Matthew 23:15 NLT

15 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!

Matthew 23:33 NLT

33 Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?

Jude 12–13 NLT

12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. 13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

Revelation 20:11–15 NLT

11 And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Let me take a minute to answer the question “Why hell?”

There are many wonderful people who are not Christian, they don’t believe in Jesus, but they are good moral people. There are many atheists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus.

How is it possible that they would spend eternity in a place of punishment just because they don’t believe in Jesus? It sounds cruel, doesn’t it?

This is a good question.

The work of the late Tim Keller helps us.

Let’s think about it this way.

Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is “making something besides God our ultimate value and worth”.

money, another person, success, position. Good things that become gods. They enslave you.

You are actually worshipping that thing, that dream. You’re trying to find salvation in it.

Sin separates us from the presence of God. God is the source of all joy, love, wisdom, or good thing of any sort.

To understand hell, we must understand sin as slavery.

We were built to live for God, but instead we live for work, achievement, financial freedom, morality. It’s all sin if you’re not living for God.

The human religion today says that we live a good, moral life. We live a life of tolerance and peace, than God owes us.

You could say it this way, “We develop a good record, give it to God, and he owes us.”

The Gospel says, “God develops a good record, and gives it to us, and we owe him.”

To say a good person, not just Christians, can find God, is to say good works are enough to find God.

Here’s what Tim Keller says:

You can believe that faith in Christ is not necessary or you can believe that we are saved by grace, but you cannot believe in both at once.

So the apparently inclusive approach is really quite exclusive. It says, “The good people can find God, and the bad people do not.” But what about us moral failures? We are excluded.

The gospel says, “The people who know they aren’t good can find God, and the people who think they are good do not.” Then what about non-Christians, all of whom must, by definition, believe their moral efforts help them reach God? They are excluded.

So both approaches are exclusive, but the gospel’s is the more inclusive exclusivity. It says joyfully, “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been at the gates of hell. You can be welcomed and embraced fully and instantly through Christ.”

In order to love us, Jesus died on the cross.

Why? To save us from hell.

Jesus had to suffer, because love does something. He cried out, He agonized, He experienced untold pain. He endured hell on the cross.

If there is no hell, what did He save us from?

If you say there is no hell, you make God less loving, not more loving. Because if there is no hell, than Christ died to save us from what? non-existence?

But if hell is eternal, and it is, than Jesus died to save us from the most horrible fate anyone could ever experience.

As one preacher said, “Think lightly of hell and you will think lightly of the cross.”

You can’t have love without wrath.

To quote one author

“God’s wrath is not a cranky explosion, but his settled opposition to the cancer of sin which is eating out the insides of the human race he loves with his whole being.

Isaiah 55:7 (NLT)

7 Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

Jesus destroyed the power of death. (Hebrews 2:14

Hebrews 2:14 NLT

14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death.

Communion