Summary:

Where are the Believers and unbelievers who have passed? Where will we go when we die? The answers to these questions can be found in the Word of God.

  1. Before Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven, there was a place in the center of the earth where the souls of people went after death.
    1. This place had an upper region, a lower region, and a great gulf that could not be crossed by those who had died.
      1. When righteous people died, they would go to the upper region, called “Paradise” or “Abraham’s bosom.”
      2. When unrighteous people died, they would go to the lower region, called Hades.
    2. During Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to heaven, He set the spirits of the righteous dead free from Abraham’s bosom.
      1. These saints, held as captives, went to heaven with Jesus, and the great gulf was removed.
      2. Hell was enlarged, and now any unrighteous person who dies will go there.
      3. When a righteous person dies, he or she is immediately in the presence of the Lord in heaven.
  2. Jesus spoke of two men: one went to Abraham’s bosom, and the other went to Hades (Luke 16:19-31).
    1. One of the men was rich, and the other was poor.
      1. The poor man lay at the rich man’s gate, longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, receiving very little from the rich man.
    2. Lazarus, the poor man, died and went to Abraham’s bosom; the rich man died and found himself in Hades.
      1. The poor man was comforted in Abraham’s bosom, but the rich man was tormented by flames.
    3. When we die, it is not the end of life but the beginning of life in eternity.
      1. The way we live our lives here on earth will determine where we will spend eternity.
      2. God is always weighing our hearts to determine the motives behind our actions.
  3. The Great White Throne of Judgment (Revelation 20:11-15).
    1. Hell is an intermediate place for the unrighteous dead until the final judgment.
      1. The final, eternal destination of those in hell is the lake of fire. This is called the second death.
    2. All those whose names are not found in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire.
  4. Heaven is full of pleasures.
    1. Heaven is a never-ending adventure, filled with pleasures (Psalm 16:11).
      1. In heaven, we will have new bodies (2 Corinthians 5:1-4, 1 Corinthians 15:37-52, AMP).
      2. We will know each other in heaven and be among a great multitude of other believers (Hebrews 12:22-23).
      3. We will work in service to God (Revelation 7:15).
      4. The journey to heaven will be an awesome experience (Acts 1:9, Ephesians 4:8-10).
    2. Four characteristics of Jesus’ resurrected body:
      1. The resurrected body can be touched and perceived with the physical senses.
      2. It has the ability to access the spiritual and physical realms (1 Corinthians 13:12, Matthew 17:1-4, Matthew 8:11).
      3. It is powerful and has no limitations.
      4. It has the ability to be transported from one place to another (John 20:19-20, Acts 8:31-40).
    3. Our resurrected bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrected body (Philippians 3:20, 21, AMP).
      1. The new body will be identifiable and indestructible.
      2. The earthly body has to die or be transformed in order to receive the new resurrected body.
  5. If you only had two years left on this earth, what would you do differently?
    1. Consider doing the following things:
      1. Live every day as though it were your last.
      2. Determine whether you really have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
      3. Confess with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord of your life.
      4. Submit your will to God.
      5. Have the heart of a servant.
      6. Refuse to adopt the mind-sets and behavior of the world.

Scripture References:

  • Luke 16:19-31
  • Revelation 20:11-15
  • Psalm 16:11
  • 2 Corinthians 5:1-4
  • 1 Corinthians 15:37-52, AMP
  • Hebrews 12:22-23
  • Revelation 7:15
  • Acts 1:9
  • Ephesians 4:8-10
  • 1 Corinthians 13:12
  • Matthew 17:1-4
  • Matthew 8:11
  • John 20:19-20
  • Acts 8:31-40
  • Philippians 3:20, 21, AMP

Pastor Robert Bagonza

Senior Pastor Redeemed Church

www.mrolec.org