I have had people tell me that they believed when you die, if you go to heaven you live forever and if you go to The Lake of Fire you just burn up and are no more. This couldn't be any further from the truth. After a person dies, he either is present with the Lord if he is saved, or he is in "Hades-Sheol". Hades-Sheol-is the same place, a temporary place for the unredeemed "unsaved". They are still in this place of torment until the Great White Throne Judgment at which time "Hades-Sheol" will give up the dead that are in them and they will be judged.
When a Born Again Christian dies, immediately upon death he is in the presence of the Lord.
1Corinthians; 5;8
(We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.)
Our body is placed in the grave, but our soul (spirit) goes to be with Jesus.
Philippians; 1:23
(For I am hard-pressed between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.)
Paul knew that when he died his spirit would go to be with the Lord. The Scripture tells us that at the rapture, the dead in Christ will come with Him and be given resurrected new bodies suited for eternity. Those of us who are still alive will not precede them, but after they come, we will join them to be with our Lord.
1Thessalonians; 4:13-17
(But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 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. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.)
Those who have died in Christ will come with Him to be reunited with their new resurrected body.
For those who are not redeemed believers in Jesus, their body is put into the grave, but their spirit is sent to Hades-Sheol to be held until the Great White Throne Judgment of the dead. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke;16 we find that after the Rich Man died he went to a place of torment.
Luke; 16:22-25
(So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said,' Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.)
Hades is a place where the torment of hell has already begun. There is unquenchable fire.
Matthew; 25:41
("Then He will also say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels;)
Matthew; 3:12
(His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.")
2Thessalonians; 1:9
(These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power.)
First, it is forever, thus it is not a reversible experience. Second, destruction means ruin and does not involve annihilation, but rather a new state of conscious being which is worse than the first. If you end up in the Lake of Fire, your torment will be everlasting . There will not be any second chance to be saved once you die the first death.
Forever and ever, have you thought about forever. Life is short here on earth, but forever is forever. Never ending torment for those who reject the free gift of life in Jesus Christ. If you don't give your life to Him, the Lake of Fire will be your destination for eternity.
Revelation; 14:11
(And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.)
Revelation; 20:10
(The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.)
Revelation; 20:13-15
(The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.)
When you were born you began your earthly life, when you die, you will begin your eternal life. The choice will be eternal life with God, or eternal separation from God. Give your life to Jesus today.
God Bless You!
No comments:
Post a Comment