Our state of being after death is topic in which we should be most interested. If we accept the Bible as our source of truth, we can gain many insights into this existence, but there is still some mystery to it.
God created us to live forever as a unified being consisting of a body, soul, and spirit.
Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground [body], and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life [spirit]; and man became a living being [soul]. Genesis 2:7 (NASB95)
The addition of a spirit to the body produced a soul. However, sin introduced death, according to God’s word.
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” Genesis 2:16–17 (NASB95)
The day Adam ate, his body did not die, which seemed to confirm the serpent’s lie, but his spirit was cut off from its connection with God. Spiritually he died, but it took many years for it to show up in his body. Today people are born into the world with spirits that are cut off from God. Before the new birth, people are zombie-like creatures who are spiritually dead while living physically. Our souls are cut off from the Holy Spirit and only know a self-directed way of living, which is destitute of the fullness of life and joy God intended for us to have. We only experience an empty unfulfilling existence that we try to offset in any number of ways – wealth, pleasure, power, and various ways of escapism. Nevertheless, something within us yearns for more, which is only found in God. As the French philosopher wrote:
“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.” – Blaise Pascal, Pensées VII(425)
Sin created a God-shaped hole in our souls that only he is able to fill.
God saw us in our lost condition and took initiative to save us.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4–6 (NLT)
The glorious truth is that God so loved us fallen creatures that he sent his own Son to suffer the consequences of our sins, which included experiencing death, so that we can once again live forever as God originally intended when he put the tree of life in the garden.
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14–15 (NKJV)
The Current State of the Saved
When we are born again, our spirits are renewed and made perfect in God’s sight through our identification with our Lord. This is a once for all time event that permanently imparts Christ’s righteousness to us. You can read more about this by going to the section on justification. Following justification, our souls enter an ongoing daily process called transformation or sanctification in which the Holy Spirit works inside us to make us more and more like Jesus. This will continue until we die or are caught up to heaven at Christ’s second coming. As our bodies await resurrection, we undergo the process of dying daily. (1 Corinthians 15:31) We may experience temporary reprieves from this march toward death through healing, but eventually we will die.
Our current state can be most perplexing since we continually experience a battle between what the Bible calls the flesh and the spirit.
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:17 (NKJV)
We are sort of bipolar in that we have a justified perfect spirit combined with a very imperfect and dying body that is still linked to the judgment of death on Adam’s sin. Paul called this a battle between the flesh and the spirit that requires us to walk by faith and not by sight.
The Current State of the Unsaved
Those who are not born-again are spiritually dead while physically alive. They are cut off from God.
In those days you were living apart from Christ. You were excluded from citizenship among the people of Israel, and you did not know the covenant promises God had made to them. You lived in this world without God and without hope. Ephesians 2:12 (NLT)
Since existing without God is the only state unsaved people have ever known, it seems normal.
Unless God intervenes, they will continue in this condition until death and the judgment.
The Intermediate State of the Saved and Unsaved
Our existence after the physical death of the body, but before the resurrection of the dead, is called the intermediate state.
Probably the least is known about this form of existence, but the Bible does give us some information. Some believe that at death people go into an unconscious state until the resurrection, since it is inconceivable that our souls could exist without a body. The Bible however indicates that we will have consciousness in this state.
Jesus told a parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) which indicates that this is the case. After death, the rich man could see Lazarus enjoying his intermediate existence in a place called Abraham’s bosom, which seems to have been a holding place for the righteous before the resurrection of Christ. In contrast, the rich man was in a place of torment, but he was able to communicate, nevertheless. There was an impassable chasm between the two versions of the intermediate state.
Therefore, since I do not believe Jesus would tell a parable that leads us down a false path, we can conclude that we will have consciousness in the intermediate state and that the righteous will be blessed, but the unrighteous will be tormented.
After Christ’s resurrection, I believe he led those righteous dead in Abraham’s bosom (paradise) right into the presence of the Father. Paul later wrote about the intermediate state of the righteous dead in Christ.
Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6–8 (NASB95)
It seems obvious that Paul is not looking forward to a state of being unconscious, but to enjoying God’s presence.
The Final State of the Wicked
If we die in an unsaved condition, we have no hope in the final state.
We will continue eternally in the state in which we died, that of being cut off from the life and presence of God.
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” John 8:24 (NASB95) And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9 (NLT)
This eternal destruction is described in another place as the lake of fire.
And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. 12 I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne. And the books were opened, including the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds. 14 Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death. 15 And anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:11–15 (NLT)
Before this consignment to the lake of fire, there will be a general resurrection. (Acts 24:15) Therefore, the wicked will be cast bodily into this fire, as prophesied by Jesus.
And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ Mark 9:47–48 (NLT)
The Eternal State of the Saved
Those who are born again have an indescribably better future. After our resurrection, we will have an eternal bodily “tent” in which to dwell.
For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 2 Corinthians 5:1–4 (NLT)
Our final state is called glorification.
We will reflect the glory of the Lord in our entire being. From God’s point of view, this has already been accomplished, but for us who currently dwell inside time, it remains in the future.
And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. Romans 8:30 (NLT)
It is impossible for us to understand or appreciate fully what this will be like, since we have not experienced it yet.
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2 (NKJV)
The eternal state will include the recreation of heaven and earth.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.” 6 And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. 7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1–7 (NLT)
Revelation uses apocalyptic language, which must be properly interpreted. We should take it literally unless it is obvious from context that it should not be. Not surprisingly, God says much the same in other prophecies to help us understand more fully.
But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness. 2 Peter 3:10–13 (NLT)
Our eternal bodies will be able to endure this catastrophic judgment and cross over into the new eternal state of things. We do not really know what the new creation will be like, but we will fit in, being new creations ourselves. The goodness and glory of God will be reflected in everything, as was the case before the entrance of sin with the resulting spiritual blindness. There will be no danger of our being bored or unfulfilled. I assume that our revelation of God will continue through eternity. I also assume that we will have much to do as residents in this new creation, but we will have to wait to see what it will be like. One thing is for sure: we will delight ourselves with worshiping God.
Let all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; And let those who love Your salvation say continually, “Let God be magnified.” Psalm 70:4 (NASB95)
In the meantime, we are encouraged to live with the confident expectation of our glorious eternal state with God.
Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. 3 And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure. 1 John 3:2–3 (NLT)
Those who believe what the Bible says about eternal rewards and the glories to come will live in a way to maximize their joy in this life and guarantee a better resurrection in the next.
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! 12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:7–14 (NLT)
