What happens after we die? It is our choices here and now, that will determine where we spend eternity.
Human beings die, because of their sin nature. SIN brings death and condemnation to us, every time. Note must be made, that God sends no one to hell. That's a devil's lie. Where we end up in eternity, is entirely up to us. God does not interfere with choice/free will. Whatever we choose in life, is strictly our responsibility. If we neglect the preparing of our souls for eternity, SIN will automatically keep us from heaven. God's Word confirms that:
John 3:18 - "He that believeth on Jesus, is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned ALREADY, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
The latter, is the person who refused God's Plan of Salvation, so that he could be saved through Jesus, but his sins kept him seperated from God, leaving him condemned.
Phillipians 2:9 says that "God gave Jesus a name that is above every name --- that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow." Following, is why Jesus was appointed as both Mediator between God and man, and Savior of the world:
Acts 4:12 - "There is salvation and no one else, or there is no other name under Heaven given among men, by which we must be saved."
It doesn't get any clearer than that.
Obviously, the Kingdom of Heaven is not in everyone, or everyone would be going to heaven, and we know that's not true. That would allow unrepentant people into heaven and that won't happen, because we cannot drag our sins into heaven with us. If you think so, the Bible says you're sadly mistaken. Unrepentant murderers and rapists, for example, will NOT be in heaven.
What Happens to Us When We Die?
When we die, our spirit and body separate. Even though our body dies, our spirit—which is the essence of who we are—lives on. Our spirit goes to the spirit world. The spirit world is a waiting period, until we receive the gift of resurrection, when our spirits will reunite with our bodies. Our future resurrected body cannot die, and will be perfect—and for those redeemed by Jesus, shall be free from pain, sickness, imperfections, and disease.
When a person repents of their sins, asks Jesus to forgive them, and invites Him into their heart and life as Savior, their sins are forgiven and remembered no more. They are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, unto eternal life in heaven [John 3:16, 17].
When believers die, while their body stays in the grave [Shoel, Job 26:6] and awaits Resurrection Day, their soul never dies, and goes straight to heaven. We know that, because Jesus told the repentant thief on the cross, that he would join Jesus in heaven, that VERY DAY [Luke 23:42-43]. On Resurrection Day, the redeemed believer's body is resurrected, then joins their soul in heaven. They receive a new spiritual body:
"So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. [1 Corinthians 15:42-44].
We should understand the distinctions Scripture makes, between Hades and the eternal Lake of Fire. "Hades” or "Hell" as commonly understood: is the abode of torment for the wicked, after death. Do not confuse it with Greek mythology that falsely claims "Hades" is a person instead of a place. The Bible clearly states that the unrepentant who die, are immediately ushered into a holding place, called Hell/Hades, until Judgement Day. In the following passage, Jesus details the fate of an unregenerate sinner. When exact names are given, it is not a parable, but a glimpse at what happened to the following real people:
There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side [heaven]. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides this, between us and you, a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you, may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.” And he said, “Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”
But Abraham said, “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.” And he said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” He said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (Luke 16:19–31).
Hades (called “hell”) is described as a place of “torment” and “anguish” (Luke 16:23–24). The rich man went there immediately upon his death. Scripture’s teaching is that all who die with unrepented sins, will immediately go to hell/Hades, where they will remain, conscious of their place, surroundings, and torment, until summoned before God at the Great White Throne Judgment. These, who rejected God’s mercy and plan to save them, are eventually judged and cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11–15).
The lake of fire, the place of eternal punishment, was never intended for man! God ordained the lake of fire as the final stop for Satan and his army of fallen angels (Matthew 25:41;2 Peter 2:4;Revelation 20:10). Regrettably, legions of unrepentant people will, by their own volition, spend eternity with Satan and the demons who joined his unholy rebellion (Matthew 10:28;25:46). The poet, Milton, described the damned as those who prefer ruling in hell, over serving in heaven. Indeed, those who choose hell are rebels to the very end.
God does not delight in the suffering of unredeemed man. He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and would rather see them turn from their evil ways, and live (Ezekiel 33:11). Hell is a reality. Imagine a man who spent his entire life avoiding God. Regarding the Scriptures as fanciful myths, he had no use for God or His Word. He considered prayer, a one-sided conversation with a nonexistent being. He maligned sincere Christian believers with hateful labels and mocked their adherence to biblical morality. From reaching the age of accountability, until his dying breath, he distanced himself from his Creator, cursed Him, and called Him a myth, fantasy, or monster. God will not be mocked. God’s will, is that none perish, [John 3:16, 17], but for those insistent rebels who reject His mercy, there is only justice. No third option exists.
Hebrews 9:27 - "It is appointed unto man only ONCE to die, but after that, the judgment."
Upon death, the souls of the lost are immediately sent to the place of their choosing, Hades (Hell), where they will remain until the judgment convened at the close of our Lord’s millennial kingdom. At that time, those persons whose name is not found in the Book of Life, shall be consigned to the lake of fire, along with Satan and his demonic forces [Revelation 20:14, 15]. Forever, they will remain fixed in this diabolical state of being. The lake of fire will also be the fate of the Beast and false prophet, from the end times [Revelation 19:20], as well as Satan himself [Revelation 20:10]. Those who believed and went to heaven, shall forever live in the New Jerusalem with God, right here on earth, as their final, eternal destination:
Revelation 21: "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."
To think anyone would choose never-ending misery, over God’s everlasting joy in heaven, is unfathomable! --- yet, it is true.
The most enlightened post of yours. I always had this confusion of hell and the lake of Fire. Thank you for taking so much time to get this all straightened out in my head. I hope this post would help others the way it has helped me.
Again sincere thanks from the bottom of my heart for taking your time to write this down. Marvellous.
