WHERE DO I GO WHEN I DIE?

There is much speculation concerning life after death. Some deny there is any life after death, while each major religion has its own views concerning what happens to a person when he dies. Because God is the Creator of life, He most certainly knows what happens in death (Genesis 1:1). The Bible is Gods revelation to man (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). The Bible is the only true and accurate source of information concerning what happens to a person when they die.

The Bible teaches that man is more than just a physical body. Man is a spirit inside of a body. God is a spirit (John 4:24). Man is made in Gods image (Genesis 1:26, 27). Man is a spirit housed inside of a physical body (2 Corinthians 5:1-9). The body dies when that spirit leaves the body (James 2:26).

Where does the spirit of man go when it leaves the body? The place where the dead go is spoken of in Luke 16:19-31. This place is Hades (Luke 16:22,23 - New King James Version). It is the same place Jesus went when He died (Acts 2:27, 31 New King James Version).

Luke chapter sixteen teaches us that Hades (the realm of the departed spirits) is divided into two sections. There is Abrahams Bosom, as it is called in Luke sixteen, which is also known as Paradise. Jesus referred to this part of Hades as Paradise in Luke 23:43. Paradise is that part of Hades to which Christ went when His body died on the cross. Paradise is that section of Hades to which the righteous and faithful go when they die. It is the place of reward.

The other part of Hades is called Tartarus in 2 Peter 2:4, and is referred to as a place of torment in Luke sixteen. This is the part of Hades into which the wicked go when they die. This is a place of punishment.

Lukes account also tells us there is no way one can cross from the place of torment into Paradise because there is a great gulf fixed between the two (Luke 16:26). This means there is no second chance after death. Once one has died his fate is sealed.

Hades (the realm of the dead) shall not last forever. On the day of judgment Hades shall give up the spirits contained there and then Hades shall be destroyed (Revelation 20:11-14). There are at least two reasons why Hades will no longer be needed after the day of judgment. First, there will be no more death, for on that day death shall be defeated, there shall be a great resurrection and no one shall die physically again (1 Corinthians 15). Because there will be no more death, there will be no more need for a realm in which to house the dead. The second reason why Hades will no longer be needed is because there are two other realms which are eternal, and into these other two realms mankind will be sent for all eternity.

At the second coming of Christ there shall be a great judgment (Matt. 25:31-46; Acts 17:30,31). At the judgment those who have served God will be separated from those who have not. The wicked (those who did not serve God) shall go into Hell for eternity. Hell is the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15). Hell is the second death (Revelation 21:8). It is described as a furnace of fire and a place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 2:13). It is the place of outer darkness (Matthew 22:13). Hell shall last forever (Matthew 25:46).

When the righteous (those who have served God) are separated from the wicked on the day of judgment, they shall go into Heaven for eternity (Matthew 25:46). This is the place where the faithful receive their great reward (Matthew 5:12). This is the place of great beauty figuratively described for us in Revelation chapter twenty-one.

Where will you go when you die? If you are faithfully serving God you will go to paradise to await the second coming of Christ and your eternal home in heaven. If you are not faithfully serving God when you die you will go to a place of torment to await the judgment of Christ and your eternal punishment in Hell. Choose today to serve God.

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