eva11 What happens after I die? Explains what the Bible declares to us about the afterlife or what happens after we die, heaven or hell.

By Pastor David Cox
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Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

There are only two eternal possibilities for any person.

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it (heaven) anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

In other words, God is who makes the eternal options. The Bible is very clear that we continue living eternally after our physical death. But the options that God has made are 1) to go to heaven with God for all eternity if our name is written in the book of life or 2) to go to hell if our name is not found in this book.

Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Everything about our eternal destiny after death lies in the point if our name is written in the book of life that God keeps for all the saved. So, how do I get my name in that book? Jesus writes your name there when you are saved, because you have received Him as your Savior.

There are only two Possibilities.

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

What Jesus teaches us in this parable is very simple, that after death there are only two possibilities, one is to suffer in hell, and the other is a place of pleasure (Paradise o in other words, heaven where God lives).  False religions and cults deny what Jesus was saying by denying the existence of both heaven and hell. But Jesus, without a doubt, used the existence of hell (and the possibility that one may go there) as a foundation of teachings (which were very important within what Jesus taught). Of all the authors and people who spoke in the Bible, Jesus spoke the most about hell of all the prophets and preachers. Jesus used the concept and reality of hell to shock people so that they would not ignore the danger that hell represents.

There are no Second Chances

Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The author of Hebrews (probably Paul) declares to us that death is a door to the future eternity, but that death acts as a great “finality of the life”, in other words, God lets you decide what or who you “don’t see as important”, and in the end, death will make that decision permanent. There is a single time to die for each person, and after that, each person goes to his judgment.

This judgment is that God is going to sentence you for your sins (hell) or God is going to pardon your sins and apply the just life of Jesus to your account (heaven).  But with only one sin, you will go to hell, the place of punishment. Moreover, no amount of good works will erase even one sin. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.  But do you have Jesus as your lawyer? (1 John 2:1… we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:) You must “receive Jesus” to be a child of God, and He save you. John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: You receive Jesus when you believe in His name, in His work on the cross in dying and resurrecting from the dead.

What is Heaven like?

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The Bible does not reveal a lot of details about the life of a saved person in heaven, but it does make some things very clear. Firstly, it is a “paradise” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4; Revelation 2:7). Saved people go to God’s home, to live with Him for all eternity. (www.coxtracts.com eb44 The Blessings of the Presence of God.) So, a paradise is like the garden of Eden, which God made as a place for Adam and Eve to “enjoy” their time there. Heaven is a very good thing for those that end up there. All sad things that can burden the heart are prohibited there. The time in heaven for all humans there cannot be stained with bad things. In other words, God will remove all sadness and replace it with all good and happiness.

What is Hell like?

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Hell is the opposite of heaven. While everything good happens to the citizens of heaven, every bad happens to the jailed in hell. The first point in understanding this is that hell is the opposite of heaven. The saved believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and for them, the principal element of their salvation is to go live with Jesus in his home for all eternity.

1 Thessalonians 4:17… and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

John 14:2 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.

So, heaven is to live forever with God in His house, with blessings on top of blessings, and those that go to hell have told God all their lives, like the fool in Psalms 14:1, The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God… or simply, “No God, I don’t want you in my life,” so in death, God makes your decision permanent, God is “no longer available to you” (for those in hell). What does this mean? It means that God will not hear nor respond to your pleas for help to alleviate your suffering in hell. God will not leave you in peace. Peace is a quality of God, that He gives to those who love Him. But for those who hate God or ignore God, there is no peace. This aggression and conflict are the way of Satan, and peace is the way of God.

Jesus has warned us.

Jesus spoke of hell as a real place (Matthew 13:41-42; 23:33; Mark 9:43-47; Luke 12:5), and it is a place that nobody wants to be there. Firstly, nobody has gone to hell and returned to tell us what it is like. But Jesus created everything that there is, that is created. Colossians 1:16 For by him (Jesus) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible… all things were created by him, and for him: So, Jesus made hell, and He should know what he has made. But apart from being the Creator, Jesus died for everybody, and between his death and resurrection He visited Sheol, the place of the dead.

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.

The passage is a little difficult to understand, but God made Sheol, the place of the dead, and in there he made two compartments or divisions. (Proverbs 7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.) Jesus taught us about these two places in relation to Lazarus and the rich man…

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

So, there were two places at this time (before the death and resurrection of Jesus), hell and paradise, or Abraham’s bosom, a place of pleasure, that was a part of Sheol, or the place of the dead. In Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, Jesus took the dead in Christ with Him to heaven. Those who are not saved by Jesus will be left in hell to suffer for all of eternity. Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone… and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

But it gets even Worse Yet

But this is nothing yet, because in other passages, Jesus himself that knows everything about hell puts things in a worse light. Matthew 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Even though not all the pain and suffering that will happen to the dwellers of hell is explained, whatever causes people to weep and gnash their teeth is because of extreme pain. Thus, it will be.

2 Thessalonians 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

The point here is simply that if you do not know Jesus Christ in His capacity as Savior, having accepted the gospel of Christ, that he died for your sins on the cross in your place, and resurrected in victory over death and sin, then you also be cast into this hell.

Mark 9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:

Even though we do not know all the torture of hell, but Jesus has already told us that hell is so horrible, that if a person understands all this, he would cut off his own hand before risking being cast into hell.

You must be born again.

John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Jesus spoke with this Nicodemus, a person very knowledgeable of the religion of the Jews, and Jesus decided that what he needed to hear more than anything was that his religion wasn’t acceptable in judgment day. God will not accept people into heaven with Him if they have not had a spiritual experience with the Savior, Jesus Christ. That is, a person has to put his faith in Jesus, in the gospel, that Jesus died on the cross in our place, with our confession of our sins that we are sinners, (because without admitting that a person is a sinner before God, God will not be able to do anything for that person to save him. Luke 5:31 And Jesus answering said unto them, they that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.).  What a person believes is that Jesus, being God, died on the cross in their place. John 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him (Jesus) should not perish but have eternal life.

Believing in Jesus to save you, in His work on the cross, is what saves a person. John 3:18 He that believeth on him (Jesus) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Salvation is based on a single point if you believe in Jesus Christ or not. You do not need to “decide” to go to hell, because by believing in Jesus as you Savior, you are automatically without any active action on your part more than this, you will go to hell. But you DO HAVE TO CONSCIENCELY “receive him” to be saved. (John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:). Acts 16:31 And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…

There are no other Options.

Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.

Many prefer that there would not be only two options. They want a third option. Some affirm that there is nothing after death. Other imagine other options. But God only offers us two options. Would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior now? [email protected]

eva11 What happens after I die?

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