What
Happens to Us When We Die?
By Ray Pritchard
We live in a time when there is great
fascination about life after death.
·
A few years ago Raymond Moody wrote a best-seller called Life
after Life that detailed the near-death experiences of men and women who
“died” and then came back to tell stories of weightlessness, bright lights, and
reunions with loved ones.
·
Hundreds of so-called “channelers” claim to be able to contact
the spirits of the dead.
·
The New Age movement has popularized such Eastern concepts as
the transmigration of souls, reincarnation (thanks especially to Shirley
MacLaine), spiritualism, and communication with the dead.
·
Video games featuring witches and sorcerers have captured the
fascination of millions of school-age children.
·
Today, via the Internet, anyone with a computer and modem can
connect with online psychics, spirit guides, and experts in reincarnation.
Using a search engine, I discovered that there are more than 40,000 Internet
sites about witchcraft, 37,000 about sorcery, 20,000 about reincarnation,
10,000 about psychics, 14,000 about clairvoyance, and 6,000 about necromancy.
Nearly all these sites are free and easy to access.
Why this fascination with the world beyond
the grave? Is it not because death is so final? Whatever one thinks about the
reports of “near-death” visions, death when it finally comes is irreversible.
When you finally cross the line, there is no coming back from the other side.
Death wins the battle every time. After the doctors have tried the latest
wonder drug, after the best minds have pooled their wisdom, after the
philosophers have done their best to explain that death is only a natural part
of life, we come face to face with the ugly reality that someday we will all
die. And that death—whether planned or accidental, whether comfortable or
painful—will be the end of life as we have known it.
Three Great Questions
In answering questions about life after
death, we are left with only two sources to consult. Either we turn to human
experience or we turn to the Word of God. If we turn to human experience, we
find many guesses, many ideas, many theories—but no sure answers. That’s
because, in the nature of the case, no human has a sure answer. The only people
who have the answer are dead! That leaves us with the Word of God. In God’s
Word we find ample, abundant answers. God who knows the future knows what
happens when we die, and he hasn’t left us to wonder about it. The Bible is
filled with information on this subject, so much in fact that we can offer only
a brief survey in this chapter.
If you want the answer in one sentence here
it is: What happens after you die depends on what happens before you die.
Consider what the Bible says in Hebrews 9:27, “It is appointed for men to die
once, but after this the judgment” (NKJV). This is an appointment no one will
miss. As someone has noted, the statistics on death are appalling. One hundred
out of one hundred people will eventually die. We are all terminally ill with a
disease called death; we just don’t know when the end will come.
One Hundred Sixteen Others the
Same Day
As I pondered this, my mind was drawn to
the death of a former elder and beloved friend of many people in our
congregation. He died just short of his forty-third birthday. On the day of his
funeral I found his obituary in the Chicago Tribune [newspaper]. I
counted one hundred sixteen other death notices that same day.
Death is no respecter of persons. Perhaps
you’ve heard the story of Bill and George who were both avid baseball players.
One day they wondered if people played baseball in heaven. They agreed that
whoever died first would find out the answer and try to come back to
communicate with the survivor. Eventually Bill died. Several weeks later George
was awakened with a vision of his friend Bill. He was delighted to see him and
asked, “Do they play baseball in heaven?” Bill said, “I’ve got good news and
bad news. The good news is, they play baseball all the time in heaven. The bad
news is, you’re scheduled to pitch next week.”
And we all laugh when we read about the
friendly undertaker who signed all his correspondence, “Eventually yours.” He’s
right, of course. Death is coming—eventually for all of us, sooner than we
think for some of us.
Questions and Answers about
Death
Before we go further, let’s stop and think
about some important questions that people often ask about death and dying.
Is There a “Second Chance”
after Death?
This is the popular view of many people who
hope that those who did not accept Christ in this life will somehow have a
second chance after death—either in the afterlife or perhaps through
reincarnation. The answer is quite simple: There is no biblical support
whatsoever for the notion of a “second chance.” Hebrews 9:27 declares that we
die once and after that comes the judgment of God. Let no one be mistaken on
this point. The only opportunity you will ever have to get right with God is
the opportunity God affords you right now. If you dream of coming to God after
you die, you are nursing a vain hope.
What about “Near-Death
Experiences”?
Such experiences are very popular today.
I’ve already mentioned the pioneering work of Raymond Moody. Other books in
recent years have purported to tell of people who “died,” went to “heaven,” and
then were given a “second chance” to return to the earth. Some of those books have
been extremely popular, and a few have been embraced by Christians. However, a
close inspection shows that most of those books embrace unbiblical heresy,
either the notion that we are saved by doing good works or the idea that
everyone is going to heaven in the end.
In thinking about this question, we need
biblical balance. On one hand it’s undeniably true that some Bible characters
did see the Lord before they died. Stephen saw Jesus just before he died in
Acts 7. Paul was evidently given a vision of heaven—perhaps during his stoning
at Lystra in Acts 14. He alludes to the event in 2 Corinthians 12. However,
it’s important to say that such revelations did not happen often even in Bible
times. Not every believer had or will have a revelation of heaven. Could such a
thing happen today? Yes, but we shouldn’t expect it or base our hope of heaven
upon a last-second experience.
Let’s also remember that Satan is the great
deceiver. He can create scenes that seem to be scenes of heaven but are
actually creations born in hell. Some near-death experiences are demonic in
nature. You should never base your hope of heaven—or the hope of seeing a loved
one in heaven—on a supposed vision or revelation. The only reliable ground
given to us is the eternal, unchanging Word of God.
What Happens to Children Who
Die?
This is obviously a very tender subject to
many people. Parents want to know: Will I see my child again? The place to
begin in answering this question is with the observation that the Bible doesn’t
specifically address this question. However, we do know two things are true.
First, children are not born innocent, but sinful. If children who die do go to
heaven—and I believe they do—it is not because they are morally innocent in the
sight of God. All of us are born with an inclination to sin that leads us away
from God. Ephesians 2:1 says that we are spiritually dead by nature. That
applies as much to young children as it does to adults. Second, we know that
God’s grace is always greater than human sin. Romans 5:20 reminds us that where
sin abounded, grace super abounded. God’s grace always goes far beyond sin’s
disgrace.
I believe that God’s grace credits children
with the merits of Jesus’ blood and righteousness so that children who die
before they are old enough to believe are covered by His blood, and their
entrance into heaven is made sure and certain. Thus they are saved by grace
exactly as we are.
Can We Contact the Dead after
They Are Gone?
The answer is no. Any attempt to dabble in
spirit contact is strictly forbidden in the Bible. It is sometimes called
necromancy or sorcery or dealing with familiar spirits. Remember, demons can
masquerade as the dead. They can even mimic the voices of our loved ones and
give information that only the dead person would have known (for more on this
subject, see Leviticus 19:26-28, Leviticus 19:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14;
Galatians 5:20). In case this isn’t clear, let me make it plain. Do not attempt
to contact the dead through any means at all—séances, parlor games, crystal
balls, psychic readers, channelers, or mediums. You are involving yourself in
that which God forbids. Leave the dead alone.
What Do You Say to Someone Who
Has Lost a Loved One?
Over the years I have discovered that it
really doesn’t matter what you say in terms of the precise words. Those who are
grieving will not remember the words you say, but they will never forget that
you cared enough to be there when they needed you. If you go with God’s love in
your heart, he will give you any words you need to say. That means we don’t
need to answer questions only God can answer. If we don’t know the spiritual
state of the deceased, we shouldn’t speculate, either to offer false hope or
lay a heavier burden on those who are left behind. God is both just and
merciful, and in every case He will do what is right.
What Happens at the Moment of
Death . . .
Now we come to the central question: What
happens at the very moment of death? I have already given the general answer:
What happens when you die depends on what happens before you die. The Bible
classifies the whole human race into two broad categories—the saved and the
lost. The saved are those who have trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The
lost are those who haven’t. What happens to the saved is radically different
from what happens to the lost.
. . . For the Saved
The Bible is abundantly clear on this
point. When the saved die, they go directly into the presence of the Lord. At
this point we remember the words of Jesus to the thief on the cross, “I tell
you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43,
emphasis added). This appears to be a straightforward promise that at the
moment of death the repentant thief would pass from his life of crime and his
agonizing death into the realm called “paradise.” This would seem to contradict
the teaching called “soul-sleep,” which implies that at death a believer
“sleeps” in a kind of suspended animation until the day of the resurrection.
How could the thief be that very day in paradise if his soul went to sleep when
he died? At the moment of death the believer passes immediately into the
personal presence of Jesus Christ. This is our hope and comfort as we stand at
the graveside of a loved one.
Paul said he had a desire “to depart and be
with Christ, which is better by far” (Philippians 1:23, emphasis added). He
also said, “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the
body (that is, separated from the body by death) and at home with the
Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:8, emphasis added). These are the words of a man who
believed that heaven would begin at the moment of his death. Was Paul looking
forward to an unconscious slumber after his death? No! He was looking forward
to the personal presence of Jesus Christ.
But that’s not the whole story. The soul
goes to be with the Lord in heaven, and the body is buried until the day of
resurrection when Jesus returns to the earth. 1 Thessalonians 4:14 says, “We
believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring
with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” Here you have both sides of
the truth. Christians who die are said to be “with Jesus” (that’s the soul in
the conscious presence of the Lord) and “have fallen asleep in him” (that’s the
body which “sleeps” in the grave). Listen to Paul’s description of that great
reunion of body and soul: “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven,
with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call
of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16,
emphasis added). Here is a clear promise of future bodily resurrection for the
believer.
1 Corinthians 15:51-55 adds the crucial
fact that our bodies will be “raised imperishable"—that is, with a body
that is perfect in every way, free from the vestiges of death and decay In this
life our bodies wear out, like a clock continually running down, but when we
are raised, it will be with bodies that can never decay, never wear out, never
suffer injury, never grow old, never get sick, and thank God, never die.
Many Christians have a wrong view of death.
We think we’re going from the land of living to the land of dying. But the
opposite is true. If you know Jesus, you are going from the land of dying to
the land of the living. Here are some of the images the Bible uses for the
death of a Christian: going to sleep and waking up in heaven . . . moving from
a tent to a mansion . . . walking from the darkness into a well-lit room . . .
coming home to see your family and friends . . . being set free from prison . .
. taking a long journey to a new land . . . riding a chariot to the New
Jerusalem . . . moving into a brand-new home . . . opening a gate to a
brand-new world.
Christians have always faced death with
confidence. The very word cemetery comes from a Greek word meaning
“sleeping-place,” which refers to their confidence in the promise of the
resurrection. Many pagans cremated their dead because they saw no further use
for the human body. But Christians buried their dead as a statement of faith in
the coming resurrection of the body. I have been asked more than once how God
can raise the dead if the body has been burned or lost or vaporized in some
terrible explosion. I don’t think that’s a difficult question at all. If you can
raise the dead, you can raise the dead. Resurrection is God’s problem, not
ours. We don’t need to know the how of the resurrection as long as we know the
who.
As he lay dying, D. L. Moody proclaimed,
“Earth recedes, heaven opens before me.” Catherine Booth, wife of the founder
of the Salvation Army, cried out, “The waters are rising, but I am not
sinking.” And George MacDonald, the English novelist, said, “I came from God,
and I’m going back to God, and I won’t have any gaps of death in the middle of
my life.” John Wesley summed up the faith of the early Methodists with four
simple words: “Our people die well.”
When Benjamin Franklin was twenty-three
years old, he wrote the following epitaph. His words catch the essence of the
Christian doctrine of bodily resurrection:
The body of Benjamin Franklin
Printer;
Like the cover of an old book,
Its contents torn out,
And stripped of its lettering and gilding,
Lies here, food for worms.
But the work shall not be wholly lost:
For it will, as he believed, appear once more,
In a new and more elegant edition,
Revised and corrected
By the Author.
Printer;
Like the cover of an old book,
Its contents torn out,
And stripped of its lettering and gilding,
Lies here, food for worms.
But the work shall not be wholly lost:
For it will, as he believed, appear once more,
In a new and more elegant edition,
Revised and corrected
By the Author.
Once our bodies are raised, we will be with
the Lord forever. Wherever he is, there we will be, rejoicing, praising,
singing, and celebrating throughout the ages of eternity. 1 Thessalonians 4:17
says, “We will be with the Lord forever.” Speaking of his own return, Jesus
said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have
told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you
also may be where I am" (John 14:2-3, emphasis added).
What is ahead for us when we die?
·
Our soul goes into the conscious presence of the Lord.
·
Our body is buried until the day of resurrection.
·
When Christ returns, we will be raised bodily from the grave.
·
Body and soul reunited, we will be with the Lord forever.
As Tony Evans says, “Have a good time at my
funeral, because I’m not going to be there.”
... For the
Lost
Now we turn to briefly consider the fate of
those who die without Jesus Christ. The lost fear death and with good reason.
Job 18:14 calls death “the king of terrors.” Hebrews 2:14 reminds us that the
devil holds people in bondage through the fear of death. And 1 Corinthians
15:26 calls death “the last enemy.”
Before saying any more, we should note one
similarity between the fate of the saved and the lost. At the moment of death,
the body is buried in the grave while the soul enters a new realm. For the
believer, the moment of death brings him into the personal presence of Christ.
For the unbeliever, death begins an experience of unending conscious
punishment.
We can summarize the fate of the lost in
four short statements:
1. At the moment of death the soul of the
lost is sent to hell where it is in conscious torment. In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus
told of a rich man who upon his death went to hell and suffered in the flames
of torment. It does not matter whether you think this passage is literal or
figurative. If you say it is literal, then it must be a terrible punishment. If
it is figurative, the figure itself is so awful to consider that the reality
must be much worse.
2. That punishment is eternal. Though this
is debated in some circles today, Christians have united across the centuries
in their belief that the Bible teaches an eternal punishment for those who do
not know our Lord. Mark 9:43-48 speaks of the fire that is not quenched and the
worm that does not die—a reference to the continuing existence of human
personality in hell.
3. The body is raised at the Great White
Throne judgment. Revelation 20:11-15 describes the awesome scene as the unsaved
dead are raised to stand before God and receive their final sentence of doom.
4. The unsaved are then cast into the lake
of fire where they will reside forever, eternally separated from the presence
of Almighty God. If this is unbearable to think about, if we shrink from such a
thought, then let us by all means do whatever is necessary to make sure that
such a fate does not befall us or the ones we love the most.
This is the final destiny of those who do
not know Jesus Christ. To make it more personal, it is the final destiny of
your friends and neighbors, your loved ones, your parents, your brothers, your
sisters, your children, if they die without Jesus Christ. And it is your
destiny if you die without Jesus Christ. Let that thought linger in your mind.
The reality of hell is more than just a theoretical doctrine. There is a place
reserved for you in the lake of fire unless you by a conscious choice put your
complete trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Dr. Barnhouse and the Shadow of
Death
Only one question remains. How can you
personally face your own death with confidence? Dr. Donald Grey
Barnhouse—beloved Bible teacher of another generation—told the following story.
While he was still a young man in the ministry, his first wife died. As he was
returning from the funeral with his heartbroken children, their car came to a
stoplight just as a massive truck pulled up next to them, blocking the light of
the sun. Seeing the immense shadow that had overtaken them, Dr. Barnhouse asked
his children if they would rather be run over by the truck or by the shadow of
the truck. “By the shadow,” the children instantly replied, knowing that a
shadow could not hurt them. “That’s what has happened to your mother,” he told
them. “Death cannot hurt her because the Lord Jesus Christ took her to heaven.
It is only the shadow of death that took her from us.”
If you know Jesus, you have nothing to fear
when death knocks at your door. Death comes to all of us—it will come for you
one of these days. Do you know Jesus? If so, then you need not live in fear.
Death may be quick or slow, painful or painless, but when the moment comes, you
will find yourself ushered into heaven where you will see Jesus face to face.
Some people wonder if they will have enough
faith when they die. They worry about losing their faith and wonder if that
will cause God to turn them away. When she was a young child in Holland Corrie
ten Boom worried about her own death and whether or not she would have enough
courage when the moment finally came. Her father—Papa ten Boom—knew of her
fears and calmed her heart with these words: “Corrie, when I am going to take
you on the train, when do I give you the ticket?” “Just before we get on
board.” “That’s right. Dying is like taking a trip to see the Lord Jesus. He
will give you whatever you need just when you need it. If you don’t have the
courage now, it’s because you don’t need it now. When you need it, the Lord
will give it to you, and you won’t be afraid.”
In another generation, believers talked
about “dying grace.” They meant the special enablement God gives to his
children as death draws near. Countless Christians who worried about their last
moments on earth have exited this life full of faith because the Lord gave them
grace just when they needed it most.
Jesus Has the Keys
Here are the words of Jesus in Revelation
1:18: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever!
And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” Keys are a sign of authority. If you
have the keys to my house, you can open it and go in anytime you want. It is
often said that the devil owns the gates of hell—that is, he has the power of
death. But that’s okay. The devil has the gates, but Jesus has the keys. We
have nothing to fear in the moment of death for when the time comes, Jesus will
personally unlock the gate and usher us into his presence.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes
in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25). If you believe in
Jesus, you will never die. What an amazing promise. But believers die every
day. Yes, but for the believer, death is merely the passing from this life with
all its sorrows into life eternal in the presence of our Lord. The question is
not: What happens when we die? But rather: What will happen when you die?
Death is not the end of the road, it is
only a bend in the road. For the believer, death is the doorway to heaven. For
the unbeliever, it is a passageway into unimaginable suffering. These things
are true even if we do not fully understand them. They are true even if we don’t
believe them.
What
happens when you die depends on what happens before you die. Here is my final
word to you: Make sure you’re ready to die so that when the time comes, you
won’t be surprised by what happens next.
