What happens after death?
The Bible tells us:
This passage says it all. From the day we were born we have an appointment with death – and with a subsequent judgment. This no doubt sounds gloomy, but the apostle Paul has some good news for us:
1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 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 prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16 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:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
This passage opens up a whole gamut of topics, but I would like to keep focus on resurrection. In discussing resurrection though, it is unavoidable to touch on the subject of “immortal soul”. Most of us grew up assuming we have immortal soul, but despite that, people surprisingly have such great fear of death. Clearly there is confusion here. If we have immortal soul then we would not die. So what do we need resurrection for? The fact is, the two concepts are incompatible.
The Truth About Immortal Soul Doctrine
The simple Bible fact is that resurrection is a foundational doctrine (Heb.6:1-2). It is well established and well explained in the Bible. On the other hand it would be a daunting – if doable – task to explain “immortal soul” from the pages of the Bible. The Bible though has something to say about “immortal soul” – but you’d be surprised if not shocked by what it reveals about the origin of “immortal soul” concept.
Bible students would know that God made man of the dust of the ground:
Notice that it says “man became a living soul”. It doesn’t say man has an immortal soul. The word “soul” is translated from the Hebrew “nephesh” which is the same word translated “creature” in Gen.1:21. In other words man and animals are both “living soul”.
Now after creating Adam, God commanded:
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
You’ll notice that the instruction was given to Adam before Eve was created. But the next chapter shows that Eve knew about it, apparently from Adam himself.
Gen 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
Gen 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Did you notice how clever the serpent was? He got into Eve with a question calculated to confuse and create doubt:
Notice the half-truth injected in an indirect, question form here. The serpent was subtly misleading Eve into thinking that God was denying them of every tree in the garden – not just the one forbidden tree! The serpent, by the way, is none other than Satan himself (Rev.12:9). This story is probably symbolic, but the Bible does not explicitly say so. But it nevertheless shows how wily Satan was – and still is. Having conditioned Eve’s mind, Satan’s next jab was an outright lie and a direct contradiction of what God said:
Gen 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
In other words, Satan was making it appear that God was the one lying. Obviously Eve believed Satan, since she obliged (v.6). This is the earliest allusion to “immortal soul” doctrine, which as you see is a lie by Satan. This belief made its way to most cultures – most notable of which was the Greek philosophy and religion which largely influenced present-day Christian concept of immortal soul.
The Bible is simple and clear about the word “soul”:
That clearly doesn’t square with the popular “immortal soul” doctrine, does it?
Ecc 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Moreover:
Ecc 9:5 Yes, the living know they are going to die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward; they are completely forgotten.
Ecc 9:6 Their loves, their hates, their passions, all died with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens in this world.
In other words, the Bible is saying that if we sin, we die and when we die, we’re without life – we know nothing, we have no use, no influence and no part in what goes on in the world. We are no better than a dead animal!
Resurrection of the Dead
Now let’s go back again to Hebrews 9:27:
This indicates that a certain “judgment” is coming on us after death. This is further expounded in Daniel 12, where it says that a time is coming in the future when:
Revelation 20 gives some more details on the coming judgment:
Rev 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
Here, in verse 4 we see a first group, consisting mainly of martyrs, who were brought back to life and “reigned with Christ a thousand years”. In verse 5 we see another group of people being resurrected after a thousand years. The first part of this verse is actually an insert, because the second part (“This is the first resurrection” ) can only refer to the first group mentioned in verse 4. The resurrection of “the rest of the dead” in verse 5 could properly be referred to as the second resurrection, which would require a whole new post by itself to discuss. An important point to note here is that those in the first resurrection shall become “priests of God and of Christ” and shall reign with him a thousand years. That simply means they will serve and become co-rulers with Christ! [Compare Rev.2:26,3:21].
That is our ultimate destiny. And that is the reason why we were born!
Of course the “thousand years” reign is only the beginning – for in Dan. 2:44 it says that God’s kingdom will be for ever!
Now going back to 1 Thessalonians 4 that I quoted at the start of this post. In verse 13 Paul was encouraging the brethren, that they need not “sorrow” or be distressed about those who “are asleep” or have died, because unlike those “who have no hope”, the “dead in Christ” shall be raised up (v.16). Notice the difference between the “dead in Christ” and those “who have no hope”. The “dead in Christ” is clearly the same group mentioned in Revelation 20:4.
This “first resurrection” is further explained in the resurrection chapter [I Corinthians 15]:
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
The first man of course is Adam. As Adam’s offsprings we bore his image, but as born-again resurrected sons of God we will bear the image of the second man – the heavenly – the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the second man we will become incorruptible and immortal. Only in that state can we inherit the kingdom of God.
Now, notice verse 16-17:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Can you see how important resurrection is?
Without resurrection, Christ and those who died in faith would have remained in the grave – and we, now living, would remain [and ultimately die] in our sins – never to live again. Without resurrection we can never inherit and enter the kingdom of God. [This simple fact leaves no room for the "immortal soul" theory!]
Resurrection truly is our blessed hope!
[This is Part 3 of the series What is the Purpose of Life?]