Life after Death

It’s a message of hope.

Ask the next 5 people you meet what happens when you die?
You will probably get 5 different answers:

You could:
1. Go straight to heaven, or hell, or somewhere in between (depending).
2. Go to the spirit world.
3. Be recycled (reincarnated)
4. Sleep until resurrected
5. That's it!
These are all contradictory. They cannot all be true. Mankind hopes there is more beyond.

Fundamental Principles:

Romans 6:23. “The wages of sin is death.”
1 John 5:11.12. “He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son does not have life.”

Bible teaching on life after death.
1) Only God is immortal. (1 Timothy 6: 15,16)

while man is mortal
       Romans 2:7. We only seek what we don't have.
       1 Corinthians 3:19. Man returns to dust after death.

2) How man was made, what happens when he dies.
       Genesis 2: 7. Dost of ground + Breath of Life = Living being or soul.
       Genesis 3:19. Man returns to dust at death.
       Ecclestiastes 12:7. At death the dust returns to earth, the spirit (breath of life)
       returns to God who gave it. [Return to Top]

3) Where man goes at death.

	Ecclestiastes 9:10. To the grave.
	The example of King David. 1 Kings2 : 1,2. "about to go the way of all the earth" - what happens to his happens to all.
	Acts 2:29. ...David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
	Acts 2:34. For David did not ascend to heaven. He is not in heaven!
	Resurrection from the grave John 5:28. All who are in the grave will hear His (Jesus) voice and come out.

4) His state in death.
        Not praising God. (Psalm 115:17; 6:5)
        Not conscious. (Ecclestiastes 9: 5,6. "The living know they will die, the dead
          know nothing.")
        Compared to a sleep. (Daniel 12:2, 13; John 11: 11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:51;
          Thessalonians 4:13) [Return to Top]

5) The Resurrection is the only hope.
Established by the resurrection of Jesus. (1 Corinthians 15:22,23 "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order. Christ, the firstfruits; afterward when He comes those who belong to Him.")

• At the last day. (John 6:39, 40, 44, 54)
• At the Second coming of Christ. (1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17)
• Rewards are at the resurrection, not at death. (Revelation 22:12; Luke 14:13,14)

BUT

If we go to our reward at death;

• We would not need a resurrection.
• We would not need the Second Coming.
  
• There is no place for a last judgement. [Return to Top]

Summary

1. God alone is immortal.
2. Jesus promises eternal life now and we will get it at the second coming.
3. In the meantime, death is like a sleep, a peaceful pause.

If the soul is immortal:

1. There can be no end of evil in the universe (Bleak!!)
2. Hell must be eternal, and
3. God is not all-powerful. He cannot destroy man, only make him uncomfortable,
4. There is no need for:
   • The cross
   • The resurrection
   • The second coming
5. You are your own god.

Death - a peaceful pause is a message of hope.

1. Evil can come to an end rather than be immortalised.
2. God can be "love" only if people will suffer forever in hell.
3. The resurrection at the Second coming of Jesus is our only hope.
4. God is the source of life - He offers it freely.