Actor/director Woody Allen once said, “It’s not that I am afraid to die; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.” Though intended to be humorous, Allen captures the human spirit quite well. Thoughts about death, eternity, and God linger throughout everyone’s life.
Let’s face it: No one likes to think about dying. Though we all realize it will happen, we tend to remove the thought as far away as possible.
The afterlife has captivated the minds of humanity throughout the whole of history. Every culture has faced death and developed burial rituals based on their thoughts of the afterlife. The Egyptians would often bury people surrounded by their personal belongings. They believed the dead could carry their belongings to the afterlife. They also thought that the soul could not exist without the body. They developed mummification to preserve the body so their dignitaries and kings could continue to rule in the afterlife. It was central to Egyptian burial customs.
Hindus usually burn the deceased and scatter their ashes in a river. Their worldview teaches that just as the river carries the ashes into the ocean, the soul flows into Brahman (the highest unchanging reality in Hinduism) to be kept or recycled into a new life. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed a monument should be constructed to ensure a proper send-off into the afterlife. This practice is thought to be where the traditional tombstone originated.
In parts of China, people believed that the dead lived on as spirits capable of interfering with the real world. They felt if they worshipped those ancestors, the interactions would be more positive than negative and thus incorporated ancestor worship into their death rituals. Ultimately, no culture is exempt from considering the afterlife and responding to certain burials or other rituals for the dead.
Internet searches regarding what happens after death have spiked in recent years. It is easy to see why there is a growing desire for solid answers about death and eternity, given the impacts of COVID-19, wars throughout the world, public shootings, depression, and a rise in suicides — not to mention the instability we see all around us.
The Bible describes two destinations in the afterlife, what is commonly called “heaven” and what is commonly called “hell.” The Bible also uses heaven to refer to the dwelling place of God. Psalm 115:3 proclaims, “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.”
Jesus also often referred to the Father as being in heaven. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
Jesus described heaven in basic, straightforward terms. He taught that heaven is where the Godhead dwells. Cultures throughout history have demonstrated a seemingly intuitive understanding that “heaven” is where almighty God is. Perhaps that is partly what Ecclesiastes 3:11 alluded to when it notes that “God has set eternity in the human heart.”
The Bible assures us that all believers in Jesus will inhabit heaven after passing from this world. Paul writes that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
This verse gives hope that believers immediately go to be with the Lord when they die. Some people believe that Christians will be in some sort of spiritual sleep until the return of Christ, but the Bible teaches that we go to be with God immediately upon death.
The Bible also teaches that when Jesus Christ returns to earth one day (which may happen sooner rather than later), He will resurrect the bodies of all believers. Of that moment, when believers will be instantly in God’s presence and present in an immortal, perfected body, Paul writes, “Death will be swallowed up in victory.” What an amazing day that will be! (c.f., 1 Corinthians 15:51-56).
Hell in the Bible
As wonderful as heaven is, hell is equally terrible. Hell, unlike heaven, is not as popular of a topic. Even when an unsaved person dies, you rarely hear anyone mention that person’s final destiny. I have never been to a funeral where the officiant suggests the person is now in hell. Even if the officiant believed that to be true (based on the deceased’s rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior), he would most likely avoid such emotion-laden, uncomfortable speculation.
Hell is not a comfortable topic, yet it is just as necessary to learn about as heaven, as hell can often provide great motivation for Christians to get out and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By its simplest definition, hell is separation from God. Hell is death eternal, and death in its simplest explanation means separation from life.
Thus, hell is an eternal separation from God. And hell, according to the Bible, is eternal.
Many love to think of heaven as being eternal, but not hell. No one wants hell to last forever, yet the Scriptures make it clear that it has no end (c.f. Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Revelation 20:10, 15).
Just as heaven is eternal for the redeemed, hell is just as eternal for those who reject Jesus as Savior. This is why it is so important to share the good news with as many people as possible while there is still time.
Conclusion
The Bible teaches of only two places that people go in the afterlife. The first is wonderful beyond explanation; the second is horrific beyond imagination. Thoughts of heaven should cause believers to rejoice and have hope, knowing that death is only the beginning of eternal bliss. The thought of hell should motivate us to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to all we know.
If you are reading this and are not a Christian, I implore you to surrender to Christ now. Jesus is as close by as a prayer; Call out to Him for salvation; He will respond and receive you.
This article was originally published in Christianity.com on Sep. 5, 2024.
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