What Happens When We Die? - 247-256

247.  Is man mortal?

• Job 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
• Isaiah 40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
• Isaiah 40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.
• Romans 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
• Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Father in Heaven, Your Word declared that humans are mortal, subject to death. We are likened to grass, frail and temporary. As corruptible and defiled beings our only hope for immortal life is through the power of the Holy Spirit who brings spiritual life. At the resurrection we receive immortal life. Fill me with Your Spirit, Lord, that I may truly have life in You.

248.  Is God alone immortal?

• Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
• Romans 2:6, 7 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
• 1 Corinthians 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
• 1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
• 1 Timothy 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Our Eternal, Immortal King, You alone have immortality. Humans are not inherently immortal, but will only receive immortality as a gift from You. We are subject to death without Your intervention. Thank you, Father, for the hope of immortality on that day when we exchange our mortal, corruptible body for an immortal, incorruptible one!

249.  What happens to us when we die?

• Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return.
• Psalm 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?
• Psalm 115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
• Isaiah 38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
• Ecclesiastes 9:5,6 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Dear Lord, as a sinful, mortal being, my soul is subject to death. You alone are immortal, and not dependent on anyone else for unending life. You have promised those who love You, that You will come again at the last trump and grant never ending life. Teach me, Lord to recognize my mortality and my absolute need of staying close to You, so that, at Your return I may receive Your gift of immortality.

250.  Did Jesus call death sleep?

• Matthew 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.
• John 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
• John 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
• John 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
• John 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Dear Jesus, Many times You referred to those who were dead as being asleep. You were trying to help us understand death as being a temporary, unconscious condition. You wakened several dead people out of their sleep of death by Your life-giving power. You didn't need to reunite their departed soul with their bodies again. You simply spoke the breath of life back into them, as You did at creation. Thank You, Lord, for revealing the truth of our condition at death, to protect us from the deceptions of the devil regarding death.

251.  Where else does the Bible liken death to sleep?

• Job 7:21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be .
• Daniel12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
• Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
• Acts 13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
• 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Jesus, the sleep of death is generally humanity's lot, but when You come, some will never die, but be translated to Heaven without dying, as were Enoch and Elijah. Other than those who were specially resurrected, all the dead sleep in the dust of the earth. But in You, we have wonderful hope that all who loved You will live again forever!

252.  Should we be afraid of death if we are right with God?

• Psalm 16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
• Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
• Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
• Proverbs 14:32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
• Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Father, Your Word is full of hope for our future, even when facing death. We can praise You for Your precious promise of hope. When our faith-filled loved ones are laid to rest, we can have confidence that we will see them again at the resurrection. Death is not to be feared if we truly trust in You, because of the glorious hope that fills our hearts. Show me how, Lord Jesus, to rejoice in the blessed hope!

253.  Does the Bible teach that the human spirit has no personal cognitive activity apart from the body?

• Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [ neshamah ] of life; and man became a living soul.
• Job 27:3 All the while my breath [ neshamah ] is in me, and the spirit [ ruwach ], of God is in my nostrils;
• Psalm 104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath [ ruwach ], they die, and return to their dust.
• Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit [ ruwach ] to retain the spirit [ ruwach ]; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit [ ruwach ] shall return unto God who gave it.

Dear Heavenly Father, What a wonderful gift of life You have given humanity! You formed man from the dust and breathed into him the breath of life-that made a living person, a soul. Your life-giving spirit gives breath. When we die, You take the life-giving spirit back to Yourself, and we stop breathing. You are the one who decides when each person yields up his spirit. We have no control over the spirit during life or after death. Your Word does not teach that after death our spirits have cognitive ability and exist as a rational being. This belief springs from Satan's original lie in the garden of Eden. Teach me, Lord, to understand Your beautiful truth and appreciate Your life-giving spirit as long as You give me breath.

254.  What are the main texts people use to try to show that the dead go to heaven or hell immediately when they die?

• Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.
• Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
• Luke 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
• Luke 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say , and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Jesus, with background study, each of these texts is in harmony with the truth. We understand that the spirit is not a thinking entity, but a life-giving power from You. The parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus could not have been an actual description of the death experiences for several reasons, but rather was a teaching tool showing the need for making righteous choices while living. At death, the destiny is settled. Your statement to the thief just before You died promised him a home in paradise, which other texts explain will take place after Your second coming. In most Bibles, the uninspired misplaced comma changes the meaning, but the faithful student of Your Word will not be confused. And finally, the wonderful promise Paul records about being present with You is also fully explained in 1 Corinthians 15, as taking place at the last trump. Lord, guide me not to take man's explanations of scripture, but to study deeply and thoroughly and take Your whole Word into consideration, so I may discover Your precious truth. Thank You, Lord!

255.  Are there 2 separate resurrections-one for the righteous, and one for the wicked?

• John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
• John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
• Acts 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
• 1 Thessalonians 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:
• 1 Thessalonians 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.

Dearest Father, This marvelous truth of the resurrection brings hope and joy to my heart. You have promised that all who have died will hear Your voice and come forth from their graves. There are 2 separate resurrections, one for the righteous and one for the wicked. At Your coming the righteous dead will be raised and will rise to be with the living as we meet You in the air. What a glorious moment! How tragic it will be to miss this resurrection, only to come up in the resurrection of damnation, to receive the consequences of sin. Oh Lord, I earnestly plead, keep me close to You always, abiding in Your righteousness, so that I may rejoice at the grand reunion of all the saints.

256.  When did Jesus teach that the righteous would be raised from the dead?

• John 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day .
• John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day .
• John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day .
• John 6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day .
• John 11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day .

Precious Jesus, You clearly declared that our hope is to be centered on what You will do at the last day. This is the very last day of earth's history. Your created world totally shuts down from all human activity and life as we know it ceases to exist. On this very day is when You promise to resurrect Your saints into eternal life. You do not promise to take the righteous dead to Heaven when they die, but at the last day. Thank You, Jesus, for Your promises. Enable me to believe them with all my heart!

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