Tomorrow is Sundae, as some of us Christians will go to church and worship God......
But have u ever taking out your time to ask yourself this Vital Question?? Read till the end and don't pass it by..........
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 superabounded. 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.
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 for
ever 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.
A Truth to Remember:
What happens when you die depends on what
happens before you die.
Going Deeper
Taking Action
Take a moment to calculate the number of days you
have lived so far. Now take a guess as to how many
more days you expect to live. What is the most
eternally profitable way you can spend your
remaining days?
1. Have you ever had a near-death experience, or
do you know anyone who has? Why is it crucial
that such experiences always be evaluated by the
standard of God’s Word?
2. Why does the Bible contain such strong
warnings against trying to contact the spirits of
the dead? What happens when those warnings are
ignored?
3. Picture the moment of your own death. How do
you expect it will happen? Do you fear that
moment? Describe what will happen to you the
first five minutes after your death.
4. Do you believe in the resurrection of the dead?
Why is this doctrine essential to the Christian
faith? Name at least five Christians now dead who
will be raised when Christ returns.
5. Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 and Revelation
20:11-15. What does the first passage teach about
the resurrection of the saved? What does the
second passage teach about the resurrection of
the lost?
6. Do you believe in a place called hell where
unbelievers are punished for eternity? Why or why
not? Why is this doctrine sometimes denied
today?
Pray for Repentance today, God will help you.
