When your time is up, it’s up. Death can be postponed, but never eliminated. The fact of the matter is, someday you will die, and those you love will die, and nothing can change this solemn fact. All have a meeting with death. So what happens when you die?
*Here is what WILL NOT happen
when you die.
-Death is NOT the end of existence. The Bible says . . . (Gen. 25:8). This implies an existence after death. So death is NOT the end of existence.
-You will NOT be "reincarnated" into something or someone else. In fact, reincarnation is nothing more than a fairy tale. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). You get just one run in life and that’s it.
-You will NOT have a "second chance" after death. If you say "No" to Jesus in this life, then you’ll NEVER be given another chance in the life to come. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). In other words, you get one run at life and then you face judgment from God after you die. The only opportunity you will ever have to get right with God is the opportunity God gives you in this life. There is NO second chance after death.
*What WILL happen when you die?
When you die your body and soul will separate. Your body will remain here on earth where you family and friends will bury it and "lay it to rest." But your soul begins The Next Existence and begins its Eternal Continuation depending on whether you are saved or lost.
If saved, or you’ve accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord and have a personal relationship with God, then your soul will go straight to Heaven to be with Jesus (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor. 5:8).
But that’s not the whole story. The souls of departed believers will wait in Heaven with Jesus until the Second Coming. They will return with Jesus and be reunited with their resurrected bodies (1 Thess. 4:14, 16). I Cor. 15:51-55 adds that your resurrected body will be "imperishable." That is, your new body will be perfect in every way. Your resurrected body will never wear out, never suffer injury, never get sick, never grow old, and never die. It will be imperishable.
But what about the unbeliever? What about those who haven’t experienced the love and forgiveness which God makes available through the cross?
If a person is lost, that is, He (or she) hasn’t accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, and doesn’t have a personal relationship with God, then their soul will go straight to Hell where they will be separated from Jesus and those that will be in everlasting paradise.
"Hell" translated in the Bible.
1. Tartarus - which is where the most vile and wicked demons are imprisoned (2 Peter 2:4).
2. Hades- which is where a lost person’s soul is sent when they pass from this life (Luke 16:22-24) (note that the Rich Man was alert, in agony, and all alone). Hades is like a temporary holding cell in which criminals are held until they are sentenced. The Bible tells you that Hades will be emptied out just before the Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:13). The lost of the earth will be judged and sentenced to . . .
3. Gehenna - this is the final place of punishment for those who never experienced the love and forgiveness of God made available through the cross. It is a terrible, terrible, fate for sinners.
You will meet death, face to face, some day and you need to be ready. Don’t take one single day for granted.
James 4:14 reminds you . . . . Life is a precious, precious gift. So don’t waste one single day. If you’re holding any grudges, let them go. If you’re living in sin, stop doing what’s wrong and start doing what’s right. If you’re not as close to Jesus as you ought to be, then get as close to Him as you possibly can. Life is too short to waste. Don’t waste it on foolishness, selfishness, or sinful living. Get as close as you can to Jesus and you will enjoy life and fulfill your purpose for being here.
Do these things and you will be ready when you meet death, face to face.
-Death is NOT the end of existence. The Bible says . . . (Gen. 25:8). This implies an existence after death. So death is NOT the end of existence.
-You will NOT be "reincarnated" into something or someone else. In fact, reincarnation is nothing more than a fairy tale. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). You get just one run in life and that’s it.
-You will NOT have a "second chance" after death. If you say "No" to Jesus in this life, then you’ll NEVER be given another chance in the life to come. The Bible says . . . (Heb. 9:27). In other words, you get one run at life and then you face judgment from God after you die. The only opportunity you will ever have to get right with God is the opportunity God gives you in this life. There is NO second chance after death.
*What WILL happen when you die?
When you die your body and soul will separate. Your body will remain here on earth where you family and friends will bury it and "lay it to rest." But your soul begins The Next Existence and begins its Eternal Continuation depending on whether you are saved or lost.
If saved, or you’ve accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord and have a personal relationship with God, then your soul will go straight to Heaven to be with Jesus (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor. 5:8).
But that’s not the whole story. The souls of departed believers will wait in Heaven with Jesus until the Second Coming. They will return with Jesus and be reunited with their resurrected bodies (1 Thess. 4:14, 16). I Cor. 15:51-55 adds that your resurrected body will be "imperishable." That is, your new body will be perfect in every way. Your resurrected body will never wear out, never suffer injury, never get sick, never grow old, and never die. It will be imperishable.
But what about the unbeliever? What about those who haven’t experienced the love and forgiveness which God makes available through the cross?
If a person is lost, that is, He (or she) hasn’t accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, and doesn’t have a personal relationship with God, then their soul will go straight to Hell where they will be separated from Jesus and those that will be in everlasting paradise.
"Hell" translated in the Bible.
1. Tartarus - which is where the most vile and wicked demons are imprisoned (2 Peter 2:4).
2. Hades- which is where a lost person’s soul is sent when they pass from this life (Luke 16:22-24) (note that the Rich Man was alert, in agony, and all alone). Hades is like a temporary holding cell in which criminals are held until they are sentenced. The Bible tells you that Hades will be emptied out just before the Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:13). The lost of the earth will be judged and sentenced to . . .
3. Gehenna - this is the final place of punishment for those who never experienced the love and forgiveness of God made available through the cross. It is a terrible, terrible, fate for sinners.
You will meet death, face to face, some day and you need to be ready. Don’t take one single day for granted.
James 4:14 reminds you . . . . Life is a precious, precious gift. So don’t waste one single day. If you’re holding any grudges, let them go. If you’re living in sin, stop doing what’s wrong and start doing what’s right. If you’re not as close to Jesus as you ought to be, then get as close to Him as you possibly can. Life is too short to waste. Don’t waste it on foolishness, selfishness, or sinful living. Get as close as you can to Jesus and you will enjoy life and fulfill your purpose for being here.
Do these things and you will be ready when you meet death, face to face.
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