On several other threads there seems to be a call for a thread on what comes after death.
If you will allow me, I will attempt to give the Bible's explination of this event.
My prayer is that it will be a teaching event that will benifit all and that it does not become a contest of opinions over who is right so that our moderators have to close it down.
Having said that....there are various false teachings concerning this subject. IMO, the two most outstanding errors being taught today are the doctrines of SOUL SLEEP and ANNIHILATION of the wicked dead. Neither one of these teachings can be fond in the Word of God.
So, where did they come from?? They come from the heart of man from those who question or reject the Word of God and rely on their own thoughts. Both of these ideas speak to the heart of sinful man by telling man that hell is not so bad after all. Satan wants man to believe that he will simply fall asleep at death or even if man dies in his sin......he will be completly eliminated at death.
Both of those thoughts make hell to appear less than what the Scriptures define it to be.
So then, what does the Bible have to say about this subject??? Our teacher on this subject is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Luke 16:19-31
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell[a] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “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.’ 25 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. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
First of all, there are many people who say this is a "parable". But if we study to show ourselves approved unto God (2 Tim. 2:15), rightly dividing the Word and comparing spiritual things to spiritual things, we see withou question that this IS NOT A PARABLE. It is the literal account of two men who lived on this earth, and their spirits are still livig today.
How can we know this???
First of all the Lord Jesus used a proper name......"LAZARUS".
Then we see that the name of "ABRAHAM" is used.
Second of all, when we read concerniong parables we see that the Scriptures introduce those parabels by telling us..."Another parable put He forth to them".
Matt. 13:3
Matt. 13:24
Matt. 13:31
Matt. 13:33
Luke 12:16
Now when weread the account in Luke 16 we sinply see..."THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN"
Now when we read Luke 16 we see the words "SON REMEMBER". That alone removes the idea of "soul sleep". He had a memory.
Then when we read verse #24, we see that the rich man was being "TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME". That tells us two things.
1). He is able to feel pain and the word TORMENTED is plural/action and indicates that this is an on going process. Therefore there can not be an annihilation.
2). There is FIRE in this place.
Then when we read a little more of the Scriptures we see.................
"And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
That tells us that there are TWO places mentioned here.
1) Torments, where the lost rich man was.
2) Abraham's Bosom, Paradise where Lazarus was.
Then there was a "fixed gulf"/ barrier between to two.
Now, are there any people in hell today either on the "Torments" side or "Paradise side".???
YES!
The Torments side still has all the wicked lost of all aes and they will eventually be placed into the Lake of Fire after the Great WHite Throne Judgment.
The Paradise side of hell is now empty. When Christ rose from the dead, He and assended to heaven, He took the saved in Paradise with Him to heaven. Now, when one dies in Christ they go immediatly to be with the Lord. The wicked still go to Torments awaiting their judgment day.
If you will allow me, I will attempt to give the Bible's explination of this event.
My prayer is that it will be a teaching event that will benifit all and that it does not become a contest of opinions over who is right so that our moderators have to close it down.
Having said that....there are various false teachings concerning this subject. IMO, the two most outstanding errors being taught today are the doctrines of SOUL SLEEP and ANNIHILATION of the wicked dead. Neither one of these teachings can be fond in the Word of God.
So, where did they come from?? They come from the heart of man from those who question or reject the Word of God and rely on their own thoughts. Both of these ideas speak to the heart of sinful man by telling man that hell is not so bad after all. Satan wants man to believe that he will simply fall asleep at death or even if man dies in his sin......he will be completly eliminated at death.
Both of those thoughts make hell to appear less than what the Scriptures define it to be.
So then, what does the Bible have to say about this subject??? Our teacher on this subject is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Luke 16:19-31
“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell[a] from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “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.’ 25 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. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”
First of all, there are many people who say this is a "parable". But if we study to show ourselves approved unto God (2 Tim. 2:15), rightly dividing the Word and comparing spiritual things to spiritual things, we see withou question that this IS NOT A PARABLE. It is the literal account of two men who lived on this earth, and their spirits are still livig today.
How can we know this???
First of all the Lord Jesus used a proper name......"LAZARUS".
Then we see that the name of "ABRAHAM" is used.
Second of all, when we read concerniong parables we see that the Scriptures introduce those parabels by telling us..."Another parable put He forth to them".
Matt. 13:3
Matt. 13:24
Matt. 13:31
Matt. 13:33
Luke 12:16
Now when weread the account in Luke 16 we sinply see..."THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN"
Now when we read Luke 16 we see the words "SON REMEMBER". That alone removes the idea of "soul sleep". He had a memory.
Then when we read verse #24, we see that the rich man was being "TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME". That tells us two things.
1). He is able to feel pain and the word TORMENTED is plural/action and indicates that this is an on going process. Therefore there can not be an annihilation.
2). There is FIRE in this place.
Then when we read a little more of the Scriptures we see.................
"And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
That tells us that there are TWO places mentioned here.
1) Torments, where the lost rich man was.
2) Abraham's Bosom, Paradise where Lazarus was.
Then there was a "fixed gulf"/ barrier between to two.
Now, are there any people in hell today either on the "Torments" side or "Paradise side".???
YES!
The Torments side still has all the wicked lost of all aes and they will eventually be placed into the Lake of Fire after the Great WHite Throne Judgment.
The Paradise side of hell is now empty. When Christ rose from the dead, He and assended to heaven, He took the saved in Paradise with Him to heaven. Now, when one dies in Christ they go immediatly to be with the Lord. The wicked still go to Torments awaiting their judgment day.