Core Truths for the Christian Life
Week 12
What Happens When We Die?
Where do people go when they die?
2 Corinthians 5 (6) Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. (7) We live by faith, not by sight. (8) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Philippians 1 (21) For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (23) I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
Revelation 6 (9) When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. (10) They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" (11) Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
Luke 16 (22) "The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. (23) In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. (24) So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' (25) "But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. (26) And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
(the underworld)
PLACE FOR SAVED
Abraham's bosom
(Luke 16:22)
Paradise
(Luke 23:43)
LAZARUS and ABRAHAM / GREAT
GULF
FIXED
(Lk.16:26) / PLACE FOR UNSAVED
Place of Fire
(Luke 16:24)
Place of Torment
(Luke 16:28)
RICH MAN
Ephesians 4 (8) "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men." (9) (What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? (10) He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
1 Peter 3 (18) For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, (19) through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison
Daniel 12 (1) "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is found written in the book--will be delivered. (2) Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (3) Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
Daniel 12 (10) Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. (11) "From the time that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. (12) Blessed is the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days. (13) "As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance."
The Two Resurrections
Luke 14(14) and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
John 5(21) For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. (22) Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, (23) that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (25) I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (28) "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice (29) and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
Acts 24(15) and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
Revelation 20(1) And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. (2) He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. (3) He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. (4) I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (5) (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. (7) When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. (11) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (15) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21(1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (4) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (5) He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."
Degrees of Reward for Christ Followers
2 Corinthians 5(8) We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (9) So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (10) For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Romans 14(10) You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.
Matthew 16(27) For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
1 Corinthians 4(5) Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
1 Corinthians 3(11) For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. (12) If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, (13) his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. (14) If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. (15) If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Degrees of Punishment for Christ Rejecters
Matthew 11(21) "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. (22) But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. (23) And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. (24) But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Luke 12(47) "That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. (48) But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Revelation 20(11) Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. (12) And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
Matthew 25 (41) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (46) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
2 Thessalonians 1 (7) and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. (8) He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. (9) They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
Revelation 20 (15) If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (21:8) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."
The Difference Between
SALVATION and REWARDS
SALVATION / REWARDS1)Salvation is a free gift and can't be earned.
“But not as the offence, so also is the FREE GIFT. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the GIFT by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is THE GIFT: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the FREE GIFT is of many offences unto justification” (Rom. 5:15-16; and see also Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 6:23; John 4:10). / 1)Rewards can be earned by faithful service.
“Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord YE SHALL RECEIVE THE REWARD of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:22-24, and note that the emphasis of this passage is upon SERVICE).
2)Salvation is not something we deserve.
If God were to give us exactly what we deserve for the way we have lived and for the sins which we have committed, what would He give us?
“If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” (Psalm 130:3)
“The wages of sin is DEATH” (Rom. 6:23).
See also Psalm 103:10. / 2)Reward is something that the believer deserves.
“Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:16-17). This man was deserving of reward because his pound gained ten pounds and because he was faithful in a very little. [Caution: The believer who labors faithfully for Christ must never forget what Paul said in 1 Cor. 15:10, “by the grace of God I am what I am...I labored...yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” So even in the earning of rewards the principle of grace is operative.]
3)Salvation is not given on the basis of works.
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, but according to His own purpose and grace” (2 Tim. 1:9). “NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Tit. 3:5). “Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness WITHOUT WORKS” (Rom. 4:6). / 3)Rewards are given on the basis of works.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He shall reward every man ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS” (Matt. 16:27). “And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man ACCORDING AS HIS WORK SHALL BE”
(Rev. 22:12).
4)Salvation is a present possession (it is something that the believer has now).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, HATH EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 5:24). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me HATH EVERLASTING LIFE” (John 6:47). “He that hath the Son HATH LIFE” (1 John 5:12). / 4)Rewards are a future attainment (they are something the believer will receive later)
“And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou SHALT BE [future tense] RECOMPENSED AT THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST” (Luke 14:14). Believers will receive rewards at the first resurrection, and for church-age believers this will take place at the second coming.
5)Salvation is something that can never be lost.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH [Greek--“they shall never ever perish, no not ever”], neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:27-28). / 5)Rewards can be lost.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (Rev. 3:11). “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward” (2 John 8). “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in My Name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41).
This distinction is clearly seen in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15: “If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss [there will be loss of reward]: but he himself shall be saved [there will not be loss of salvation]; yet so as by fire.”
6)The focus of salvation is upon SIN(we have a SIN PROBLEM)
“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save his people FROM THEIR SINS” (Matt. 1:21). / 6)The focus of rewards is upon SERVICE (we have a responsibility to faithfully serve the God who saved us)