What Happens After Death? Part One


                                                                  


                                                                      I. Introduction


What does happen after death, specifically for the believer? In Christian history, three views have been generally taught within Western Christianity:

1. That the saved (at least those guilty of Venial Sins) die and go to a place called Purgatory. However, no such concept is taught in Scripture. I have explained Biblical and historical problems with Purgatory as an actual place in the prior two posts. 

2. That some souls are asleep until Christ returns (to be examined). 

3. That all believers die and go to Heaven (which they interpret as the one and only Heaven or the final Heaven). (This thought is also to be examined.) 


I already demonstrated problems with point one in the last two posts. Now, I wish to demonstrate problems with the next two points. In short, I don't think that Scripture supports any of these views. In this post, I will explain why. In the following post, I will explain Biblically what happens to the damned when they die. 



                                   II. Scriptural Problems with Soul Sleeping


Especially with the demise of Sheol, I think the case for souls remaining asleep until Christ returns is weak. If anything, Scripture seems to affirm that believers don't go to the Old Testament Sheol as some of the patriarchs such as Noah did. 

Contrary to some Evangelical concepts, there are actually two judgments described in Scripture (and as Roman Catholics faithfully affirm). One is a judgment that we shall individually face at death (Hebrews 9: 27). The other judgment, however, both believers and unbelievers shall someday face (John 5: 29). Lastly, Christ will also distinctly judge the wicked and punish them (Romans 8: 1, Revelation 20: 11-13). 

The problems with Soul Sleeping is two (1) the Scriptures never teach that our souls remain in the grave until Christ's final coming, (2) Scripture implies otherwise. 

Not only does Lazarus enter Heaven before the final judgment (Luke 16: 14-31), but Revelation 21: 8 says that at the end of time, the old earth and old Heaven will away. Indeed, the Heaven that Lazarus entered is also not the same as that of the saints at the end of time as the events of Luke are historically before those of Revelation. 

Likewise, those who say that when we die, we go to Heaven now (as in the final Heaven) are incorrect as Lazarus himself did not enter the final Heaven and nor has any saint yet. The advocates of both soul sleep and ''I'm going to in Heaven with Jesus for eternity when I die'' are both contrary to Scripture. Revelation 21: 8's teaching of the New Heavens and Earth coming at the end of time, shows that no one has yet made it the final Heaven. For this reason, some theologians such as Randy Alcorn call the current state of rest for believers ''the intermediate Heaven.'' Since it is not the same Heaven as described in Revelation 21:8, believers who have died, are thus in a sort of intermediate state until the final judgment. 

But what about the thief on the cross? Did not Christ say that he would be with him in Paradise (Luke 23: 43)? 

As a Biblical definition, paradise comes from the Persian word ''pardes'', meaning a ''pleasure ground'' or ''king's garden.'' Thus, when Christ told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise, he was affirming the peace of God to a repent sinner to be in the presence of our Lord forever. 

Does this mean that the thief on the cross is now in the final Heaven? No, he is not. 

First of all, the thief on the cross is also before the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21: 8). Secondly, if we believe that Paul understands this world restored as the New Heavens and New Earth as I believe he teaches in Romand 8, then for these two reasons, we ought to conclude that the paradise that the thief on the cross went to, is the Old Heaven, which has not ceased. 

Thirdly, we need to define ''paradise.'' Paradise is not the equivalent of the New Heaven foretold in Revelation 21: 8, and this is proven by Scripture. For in Revelation 2: 7, John also promises the churches paradise to the one who conquers, and his letters to the seven churches of Revelation are historically set before the Final Judgement and the arrival of the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation 21: 8). 

In short, believers who die now go to the Old Heaven. They will remain there until Christ restores the world to how it was in Eden. 

Those who say that if we die, we go to be with Christ forever are more correct than those who say that when we die, we will be in the final Heaven forever (which out of ignorance, they often simply call ''Heaven'' when there is more than one heaven in Scripture). 


                                                               III: Conclusion


In conclusion, for the believer, the final Heaven will not be enjoyed by Christians until after the final judgment. In previous posts on this blog, I have demonstrated that the final heaven is the restoration of this world as to how it was before the fall (see my post on Romans 8 and the restoration of creation by God). 

Thus, believers who die, will not be in the final Heaven when they die. In this sense, they will be in an intermediate state until the final judgment. 


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