30 May 2017.

WHAT REALLY HAPPENS AFTER DEATH?

I renewed my 20-year old friendship on 12 May 2017 with Eugene Leow, when we mutually met up with Peter Yeow, my cousin, a guitarist, now based in Manchester, U.K. We all played together in our band – some 20 years ago!

Eugene has been with Nirvana NV Asia past 10 years, and today, he has climbed the corporate ladder to become the District Service Director of Nirvana NV, and doing very well. Eugene first roped me into Nirvana some 10 years ago as his downline Service Adviser – and I achieved nothing these past 10 years!

I decided to be his downline again – starting past 2 weeks - and he is teaching me all over again how to be the marketer of Nirvana!

In my Nirvana canvassing, one of my friends recently wrote the following WhatsApp message to me:

“Brother Eu Ming, my Christian belief is: when we passed away, our Spirit will rise to Heaven. Our physical body will return to dust. We will have nothing left on Earth! So, graveyards etc has no value, and a waste of time and money”!

Is this his correct interpretation of the Bible?

My Answers/Further Research:

A.    What Happens To Us Spiritually When We Die?

1.      Jesus described earthly death to Martha when her brother Lazarus died in John 11:21-27. This passage has been a source of confusion for many because, at first, it seems contradictory: Jesus said to her, ‘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?’ “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”

2.       In Ecclesiastes 12:7 Solomon declared, “The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” This is in total agreement with the first discussion of death by God in the Garden of Eden when He said, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).

Just as Jesus commended His spirit to His Father in heaven at the moment of His death, so too our bodies are laid to rest in the grave [my emphasis], but our spirit lives on.

 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 

21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 

22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 

23 But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to him.

(1      Corinthians 15:20-23).

B.     We Do Not Acquire Miraculous Powers At Death

When people die they do not become angels nor assume the divine attributes of God. Neither should Christians expect to share God’s miraculous powers in the afterlife. Those who die do not become omnipresent (able to exist in more than one place at a time) or omniscient (all-knowing). When David said he was eager to awake with the likeness of God, he was describing life without sin, not appearance or authority (see Psalm 17:15).

The Bible teaches that Jesus will return to earth for a final judgment of both the living and the dead. At that time He will bring with Him all the souls of those who have died, and on that day (and not before), the bodies of the dead will be raised from the earth, transformed for immortality and reunited with their spirits for eternity.

This is how Paul described that day in a letter to Christians in Thessalonica:

“… God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. According to the Lord’s own Word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 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. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:14b-17).

C.    What Happens In Eternity After We Die?

 At the Second Coming of Jesus, our bodies will be raised from the grave, joined to our soul, and we will stand with the whole world before the judgment throne of God. Those who believed in Jesus as the long-promised Messiah will then enter—soul and body—into heaven. Those who reject the grace of God in Jesus will then be consigned—soul and body—into hell. There are no exceptions. [my emphasis].

D.    Is the soul immortal?

·         Perhaps the most important scripture on this topic was penned by the apostle Paul. In Romans 6:23 he wrote very clearly and dogmatically: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

·         “For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals. … All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust” (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20).

These scriptures are very clear: Human beings are mortal and will eventually die. The Bible is clear that God “alone has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16), while humans are “mortal” (Romans 6:12).

Acts 1:9 records His ascension into heaven 40 days after His resurrection. Upon arriving in heaven, we are told that Jesus “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3).

Jesus also told His disciples shortly before His crucifixion: “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’” (John 13:33).

Few grasp the significance of what Christ said. Only He was ascending into heaven—no one else! He clearly said that we cannot come to where He was going, and the Bible is clear that heaven is where He went.

He later explained this further: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself” (John 14:2-3).

This scripture gives us a clue that the answer to life after death involves the return of Jesus Christ and is in the future. These scriptures show us clearly that Jesus Christ did not teach that good people ascend to heaven at death. The apostles continued that teaching to the New Testament Church.

E.     The Apostles’ Clear Teaching

In his famous sermon on the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter made a statement about heaven. In the context of Jesus’ resurrection (Acts 2:24), Peter said specifically that King David was “both dead and buried” (verse 29) and “did not ascend into the heavens” (verse 34).

Even when Paul expressed his “desire to depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), he was not saying it would happen at the time he died. He knew that he would be raised or changed at the “coming of the Lord,” who “will descend from heaven with a shout” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16). In the book of Hebrews we find further evidence that heaven is not our destination.

We have seen that Jesus Christ directly stated that the dead do not go to heaven, but He also revealed that the dead would live again at a future time: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). In verse 26, Christ revealed that He and the Father are the only beings with the ability to raise the dead.

The future resurrection was the hope that motivated the apostle Paul: “I have hope in God … that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust” (Acts 24:15). He also wrote that the dead in Christ “will be raised incorruptible” (1 Corinthians 15:52).

The above scriptures are just a few of the many that reveal the truth that the resurrection of the dead will not happen when one dies, but is a future event [my emphsasis]. They blend seamlessly with the passages already cited in these notes that show the mortality of human beings. We do die. And when we die, we are literally dead— asleep in the grave.

F.     But that is not the end. God will resurrect all the dead to life again at a future time. The Bible actually teaches that there will be three future resurrections of the dead. It gives us considerable detail of the general time frame of these three resurrections and what will occur. These resurrections are revealed sequentially in Revelation 20 [my emphasis].

(i)                 The First Resurrection

More is revealed in 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” The sound of a trumpet will herald the return of Jesus Christ to earth (Matthew 24:31; Revelation 11:15). As He descends to earth, Christ will resurrect His faithful servants who will meet Him in the air, followed closely by His servants who are alive at that time. Those raised to life in this resurrection are the “called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:14) servants of God who have lived throughout the millennia.

As Revelation reveals, this group will include the end-time Christians who will be faithful to God despite persecution and martyrdom (Revelation 12:17). This first resurrection truly is the greatest hope we can have in this life.

(ii)               The Second Resurrection

What will happen to all who have lived and died throughout the thousands of years of human history?

 The Bible dogmatically states that salvation is only available through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:10-12) and that the way to salvation is “narrow” and “there are few who find it” in this present evil age (Matthew 7:14; Galatians 1:4).

We find a second resurrection revealed in Revelation 20:11-12: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”

This resurrection can be called the second resurrection, which begins the Great White Throne Judgment period. It is specifically for “the rest of the dead” (Revelation 20:5)—those who will not be raised to life in the first resurrection (verse 4). The Bible reveals that God is calling a select group of people in this age (Matthew 22:14; John 6:44). Without that calling, it is impossible for a person to come to God (verse 65). The “rest of the dead” are those who lived out their lives in blindness to the spiritual truths of God (John 12:40; Romans 11:7; 2 Corinthians 3:14; 4:4; Ephesians 4:18). This great resurrection will occur after the 1,000-year rule of Jesus Christ on earth (the Millennium).

Throughout the Bible, God’s characteristic of mercy is consistently taught. The second resurrection is the ultimate demonstration of the incredibly merciful character of God. He has not given up on those who never had an opportunity for salvation. He will raise them back to physical life and will give them the opportunity to receive the gift of eternal life (Ezekiel 37:26). God’s desire is for each person to be saved and receive eternal life in His family (1 Timothy 2:4), and the second resurrection is the means by which God will “have mercy on all” (Romans 11:32).

(iii)             The Third Resurrection

We have seen that the Bible reveals a resurrection of true Christians at the return of Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:4) and a resurrection of the “small and great” who have not yet had a chance for salvation (verse 12) after the 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ. But Jesus said “all who are in the graves” will be resurrected (John 5:28-29), so there must be one more group of people who will be resurrected.

Hebrews 10:26 reveals who will face the fate of the third resurrection: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” 

This is why Christians must take their calling seriously and strive to remain faithful to the end of their lives.

Read Hebrews 2:1-3 and 6:4-6 for further warnings about who will experience the eternal punishment of the lake of fire. The incorrigible and unrepentant wicked will be cast into the lake of fire where they will die forever. God will destroy the wicked, not out of hatred for them, but because the most loving thing He can do is to put an end to their sinning and the suffering it causes.

Jesus Christ warned that we should “not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

The word soul in this verse is the Greek word psuche and closely corresponds to the Hebrew word nephesh. It essentially refers to “one’s life” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 1985, p. 983).

The word hell here is Gehenna, which is synonymous with the lake of fire. This fire will completely destroy those cast into it—both their soul (life) and body (material existence). They will become “ashes under the soles of your feet” (Malachi 4:3)—in other words, completely incinerated. Though some will meet this fate, we believe that the vast majority of mankind will repent and turn to God in this life or in the second resurrection and will eventually receive salvation.

(iv)             Overview of the resurrections

Though the dead are currently asleep in their graves, the Bible assures us there is coming a time when Jesus Christ will bring them back to life. In fact, the resurrection is guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 21).

The Scriptures reveal that there is an “order” to the resurrections (verse 23).

As we have already quoted, Jesus Christ clearly taught that “no one has ascended to heaven” (John 3:13). We have also seen that numerous scriptures prove that the hope of the dead is a future resurrection. [my emphasis]. This is clearly taught throughout 1 Corinthians 15—the longest and most detailed discussion of the future of the dead in the entire Bible.

First, it’s important to realize that truly converted Christians in this age are those who have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in them (Romans 8:9). That Holy Spirit—which is the divine power of God—comes into a person after baptism and the laying on of hands (Acts 2:38; 8:17). 

The Bible is very clear that the Holy Spirit is the power of God that converts Christians—helping them to develop God’s very character in their lives. (You can read more about this in 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:22-23; and 2 Timothy 1:6-7.)

But the Bible also teaches that the Holy Spirit has another important function. “He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit [which] dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

G.    The Coming Transformation

Those who have the Holy Spirit and have been faithful to Jesus will be raised from the dead at His return (the first resurrection)[my emphasis]. At that time, “mortality [will] be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4). In other words, mortal human beings will be given immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53-54). But this will not be immortal life as a physical human being.

The Bible is clear that “flesh and blood [physical beings] cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (verse 50).

At the return of Jesus Christ, Christians will be raised with “a spiritual body” (verse 44) as beings composed of immortal spirit. At the return of Christ, Christians will literally be born into the family of God. The reality of God’s purpose for human beings is so astounding that most either read right over it or fail to grasp its depth.

The purpose of Christianity is not living eternally in heaven—it is being a part of God’s government on earth! When Jesus said He would prepare a place for His disciples in our Father’s house (John 14:2-3), He was referring to these family responsibilities centered on earth!

This is further described in Revelation 2:26: “And he who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations.” In the parable of the minas Jesus indicated that those who proved their faithfulness would be given authority over cities (Luke 19:12-19). The opportunity to govern and serve with Jesus Christ over the nations of the earth and to teach them God’s way of life is part of the reward of the saved.

It is important to grasp the difference between salvation and reward. Salvation is the free gift of forgiveness and eternal life (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8). Salvation is “not of works”—we cannot earn it (Ephesians 2:9).

Notice these passages that reinforce this truth:

• “For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. … But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:9-11).

• “For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off” (verse 22).

• “The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever” (verse 29).

• “The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth” (Proverbs 10:30).

• “Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 58:14).

• “Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever” (Isaiah 60:21).

• “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). And this is only the beginning! After God’s throne comes to a new earth, it will be the hub of the universe (Revelation 21:1-5). God’s plans for eternity are beyond our imagination (1 Corinthians 2:9).

 CONCLUSION:

So, the above statement from my friend is wrong on many counts:

1.      Just as Jesus commended His spirit to His Father in heaven at the moment of His death, so too our bodies are laid to rest in the grave [my emphasis], but our spirit lives on and is immediately transferred to heaven or hell on the basis of faith or lack of faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The first fruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him” (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

2.      In other words, when a Christian person dies, his body will be laid to rest in the grave – or be cremated. Cremation – pros and cons – is a separate subject, and not discussed here. Eventually, this body will turn to dust – but he must be properly buried first!

3.      When people die they do not become angels nor assume the divine attributes of God.

4.      Neither should Christians expect to share God’s miraculous powers in the afterlife. Those who die do not become omnipresent (able to exist in more than one place at a time) or omniscient (all-knowing).

5.      The Bible teaches that Jesus will return to earth for a final judgment of both the living and the dead. At that time He will bring with Him all the souls of those who have died, and on that day (and not before), the bodies of the dead will be raised from the earth, transformed for immortality and reunited with their spirits for eternity [my emphasis].

  

6.      Human beings are mortal and will eventually die. The Bible is clear that God “alone has immortality” (1 Timothy 6:16), while humans are “mortal” (Romans 6:12).

7.      Few grasp the significance of what Christ said. Only He was ascending into heaven—no one else! [my emphasis]. He clearly said that we cannot come to where He was going, and the Bible is clear that heaven is where He went.

He later explained this further: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself” (John 14:2-3).

This scripture gives us a clue that the answer to life after death involves the return of Jesus Christ and is in the future. These scriptures show us clearly that Jesus Christ did not teach that good people ascend to heaven at death. 

The apostles continued that teaching to the New Testament Church.

8.      We have seen that Jesus Christ directly stated that the dead do not go to heaven, but He also revealed that the dead would live again at a future time: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29). In verse 26, Christ revealed that He and the Father are the only beings with the ability to raise the dead.

9.      The above scriptures are just a few of the many that reveal the truth that the resurrection of the dead is a future event. They blend seamlessly with the passages already cited above that show the mortality of human beings. We do die. And when we die, we are literally dead— asleep in the grave.

10.  Though the dead are currently asleep in their graves, the Bible assures us there is coming a time when Jesus Christ will bring them back to life. In fact, the resurrection is guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 21).

11.  Matthew 27:57-61New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb

⁵⁷ Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸ This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. ⁵⁹ When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰ and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock [my emphasis – that a tomb/grave is absolutely necessary to bury the dead]; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. ⁶¹ And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the tomb. 

12.   At the Second Coming of Jesus, our bodies will be raised from the grave, joined to our soul, and we will stand with the whole world before the judgment throne of God. Those who believed in Jesus as the long-promised Messiah will then enter—soul and body—into heaven. Those who reject the grace of God in Jesus will then be consigned—soul and body—into hell. There are no exceptions.

Yeow Eu Ming

30 May 2017.