REST IN PEACE: WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH?

Rest in Peace | What happens after death?


The death of a loved one brings heartache, regret, a longing for second chances, and often . . . questions.

At this painful, vulnerable time in one's life, the mind seeks answers.
cemetary

“Is that all there is?”

“Is she gone forever?”

“What is happening to him now?”

“Where is he?”

“Surely my baby is in heaven now...
Isn’t she?”

“If only I could be sure!”

“I can’t bear the thought of him suffering
in purgatory!”

“What kind of a God burns people?”

“Is she up there watching me?
All the time?”

“Even when I am . . . . I’m not sure I like the thought of being watched all the time!”

A loving heavenly Father knew His earthly children would have such questions.  In Scripture, He has provided an answer for the heart-cry of every soul.  Many people are taught that when a person dies, their immortal soul goes on living.  However, the Bible establishes two principles that reveal this to be a lie of Satan.

1 Timothy 6:16 states that only God “hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.”  The Bible teaches:

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:4, KJV)

Scripture goes on to clearly state:

“There is no man that sinneth not.” (I Kings 8:46, KJV)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23, KJV)

Death is the portion of every man, because every man has sinned.  The Creator, whose loving heart never intended for His children to suffer under sin, has removed all doubt as to what happens at death.  A “soul” is not some disembodied spirit floating around.  man sitting in cemetary. In the beginning, God“formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)  A “soul” cannot be simply a disembodied spirit because it takes both a body and the breath of life to make a soul!

“All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils.” (Job 27:3, KJV)

There is no consciousness after death.

“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that day [the day of his death] his thoughts perish.”  (Psalm 146:3, 4, KJV)

All who ignore the clear statements of Scripture that there is no awareness after death are endangering themselves.  Clinging to a belief in life-after-death leaves a person open to being deceived by demons.  Séances are nothing more than evil angels assuming the form of a dead loved one.  This practice is vehemently condemned in the Bible.

The character of the eternal Father is summed up in Scripture very succinctly.  1 John 4:8 states that God is wholly and completely love.  Perfect love does not condemn anyone to burn for all eternity for the sins of a single lifetime.

“The wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a)

Death, not eternal life in torment, is the punishment for sin.

“The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, KJV)

Even at death, the tender care of a loving heavenly Father shines through.  Scripture presents death as nothing more than sleep.  When the Jesus came to the home of Jairus, whose daughter had just died, He encouraged, “The girl is not dead, but sleeping.”  The hired mourners did not understand what He meant and “ridiculed Him.” (See Matthew 9:24, NKJV)
Open Bible

As honest Bible students, we must always yield to the weight of evidence when studying Scripture.  Proof texting and tradition have led many to cling to an erronious understanding of the state of the dead.

Even the disciples were startled to learn that death, to the Creator, is only “sleep.”  After Lazarus died, Jesus told His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”  The disciples did not understand that Lazarus had died.  They said, “If he sleeps he will get well.”  However, Jesus was speaking of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.  Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” (See John 11:11-14)

When Adam and Eve sinned, their loving Creator sorrowfully explained what was to be their new lot in life:

“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19

When a person dies, the breath of life returns to the Creator and the body returns to the dust from which it was made.  Near the end of his life, wise King Solomon admonished all to:

"Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth,
Before the difficult days [of old age] come,
And the years draw near when you say, 'I have no pleasure in them.'
Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed . . . .
Then the dust will return to the earth as it was,
And the spirit will return to God who gave it."
(Ecclesiastes 12:1, 6-7

The thoughts cease and the soul goes to sleep when the body dies and the breath returns to the Creator.

“In death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” (Psalm 6:5, KJV)

“The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.” (Psalm 115:17, KJV)
Second Coming of Jesus

The Second Coming | Part 1 - The Triumphant Reunion

To all who love their Saviour, death is but a sleep – a rest from their labors while they wait for the Life-Giver to return and raise them back to life.  When Jesus comes the second time, He will raise back to life all who have died trusting in Him.  Then those who have been resurrected as well as the righteous still living will be taken to Heaven with Him.

As the apostle Paul encouraged the Thessalonians:

"I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will the God bring with Him.  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not go ahead of those which are asleep (dead).  For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

Immortality is the gift Christ gives at His Second Coming to all those who have loved and trusted in Him.

“The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (See Romans 6:23.)

Speaking of those who will be alive at the Second Coming, Paul shared:

“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” (I Corinthians 15:51-53, KJV)

Rejoicing Woman All who love and trust their Creator need not fear death.  God has promised:

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction.” (Hosea 13:14, KJV)

In that glad day, the song on every newly immortalized tongue will be:

“O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory?”
(I Corinthians 15:55, KJV)

Far from being something to fear, death is the rest a loving Father gives His weary child, awaiting the resurrection at the Second Coming where “we shall never part again.”

“Commit the keeping of your soul to . . . [your Heavenly Father], and trust in Him. . . . Put away all doubt; dismiss your fears. . . .  Rest in God.  He is able to keep that which you have committed to Him.  If you will leave yourself in His hands, He will bring you off more than conqueror through Him that has loved you.” (E. G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 72)