What Happens When One Dies?
-Introduction
-This morning, we’re going to address a topic which was requested.
-It is a question that has dwelt within the minds of many people over the centuries:
“What happens to a person when he/she dies?”
-Some have concluded that nothing happens. These say that life on earth is all
that there is and when death occurs a person ceases to exist. Such a conclusion
shows either a lack of knowledge of or a complete disrespect for God’s word.
-Some say that those who die enter into a sleep-like state and will remain in such a
state until Jesus’ second coming. The scriptures clearly teach otherwise.
-Some believe in a place called purgatory and have a variety of teachings regarding
it and those located within it. Unfortunately, those ideas contradict God’s word.
-Some believe that the soul of a deceased person enters immediately into heaven or
hell depending upon whether that person was obedient and faithful or not. However,
the scriptures indicate otherwise.
-So, let’s see if we can answer the question, “What happens when a person dies?”
-To answer this question, we’ll first consider what happened to Jesus when He died
upon the cross. We’ll then look at the teachings of Jesus to see what happens following
the time of death.
-What Happened to Jesus When He Died?
-In Matthew 27, as in other passages as well, we find information regarding the death of
Jesus.
-vs 57-60 - Jesus’ body was buried.
-Yet, upon the first day of the week, Jesus was resurrected as our Risen Saviour.
-John 20:1-10 - Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found the stone removed.
She went and told Peter and John who then came and looked for themselves.
-John 20:11-16 - When Peter and John returned to their homes, Mary remained at the
tomb. She first saw two angels and then Jesus.
-John 20:17 - Notice what Jesus tells Mary - “...Touch me not; for I am not yet
ascended to my Father..."
-Jesus had not yet returned to the Father. So, where was he during those “three
days and three nights?”
-When Jesus spoke with one of the malefactors who was also being crucified, He said in
Luke 23:43, “...To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
-So, Jesus went to a place called paradise that was/is separate and apart from heaven.
-Acts 2, when Peter was speaking about Jesus (vs 22), he made reference to the writings
of David - vs 25-32 - and showed that these prophecied regarded Jesus’ resurrection.
-vs 27 - “...thou wilt not leave my soul in hell” - KJV (see also vs 31)
-What would Jesus have to do with “hell”? He was perfect. Yes, he bore our sins
upon the cross of Calvary. Yet, He was not literally sinful. If so, He wasn’t a
perfect, sinless sacrifice and we would be without hope. He was made “to be sin
for us” in that He faced the consequences and paid the price of our sins.
-What we find here is an unfortunate translation of these verses.
-The word translated here as “hell” in the KJV is the Greek word for Hades and is
rendered such in a variety of other translations.
-hades - the place of departed souls
-So, we find that Jesus went to a place of paradise located within Hades. He then
returned to this earth and later ascended into heaven (Acts 1).
-Jesus’ Teaching Regarding the Events that Follow Death
-Luke 16:19-31 - the rich man and Lazarus
-This passage shows us that there is more to Hades than just a paradise.
-vs 23 - In regards to the rich man, “And in hell [KJV] he lift up his eyes, being in torments...”
-Once again, we have (in the KJV) an unfortunate translation of “hades.”
-So, the rich man - upon his death - went to Hades but was in a place of torment -
“...I am tormented in this flame” (vs 24).
-Lazarus was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bossom - the place of paradise.
-vs 26 - There is a “gulf” (KJV), “great chasm” (NASB, NIV) that separates the two.
-So, depending upon how one lives his/her life on earth, he/she will pass into the Hades
into either paradise (Abraham’s bosom) or torment.
-Notice, within Hades there is continued existence/consciousness. The people are not
annihilated nor are they in a sleep-like manner.
-Notice, the rich man remembered his brothers on earth (vs 27-28) and was
concerned for them. However, this does not indicate that he could “watch over
them” and know what they were currently doing. Yet, he could remember them.
-Also notice, unlike some of the teachings regarding purgatory, once a person is in
either paradise or torment, there is no changing from one to the other.
-And, keep in mind, Hades is not a permanent dwelling place like heaven and hell. It
is a distinct and separate place. At this time, souls go into Hades - not heaven or hell.
-Summary and Invitation
-Rev 20:11-15 makes it clear that Hades will be emptied at the time of Jesus’ second
coming.
-At that time, “before him shall be gathered all nations” (Matt 25:32) and the judgment
day will take place.
-That’s what we are to prepare for. “Be ye therefore ready...” (Luke 12:40).
-There are a number of things that we just don’t know about our existence after death.
We’re not told every detail and certainly couldn’t comprehend it all anyway.
-Yet, God has told us what we need to know.
-There is a day of accountability coming to each of us (2 Cor 5:10). There are two
options that are available: salvation (home in heaven, reward) or punishment
(condemnation, the suffering of hell). - see Rom 6:16
-God has done everything necessary to offer us a way to escape condemnation and
receive a reward.
-To receive His offer of forgiveness, we must respond to the Gospel of Christ: believe in
Him (John 8:24), confess that faith (Rom 10:9-10), repent of our sins (Luke 13:3,5) and
be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38).
-We are then to live faithfully to Him realizing that we do make mistakes along the way.
But, if we stray from our faithfulness, we must return to Him by confessing our faults,
repenting of them and praying for forgiveness (1 John 1:7-9, Acts 8:22-24).
-Are you ready?