What is the Biblical position on the Life After Death?

[AgnosticBoy]

A lot of people believe that we survive after physical death in the form of a disembodied ghost or spirit. Many believe that the ghost could remain around to haunt others, can be summoned by psychics, etc. In this thread, I want to use the Bible as a sort of fact-check source. How do all of these beliefs about the dead align with the Bible.


For Discussion:
1. So a person dies. What happens to them from there? Give the biblical perspective on that.
2. Is it possible that some are left to roam around on Earth or in the area they died? If not, what do you think about haunted houses?
3. Can people communicate with the dead?
4. Can people be reincarnated as some sort of second chance at life? I've heard some interesting stories on this and I might share them during this discussion.

 

[Scooter]

From a Biblical perspective, once a person dies now they will either go to Heaven or Hell. Prior to Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, all people went to a place referred to in the OT as Sheol. Sheol was separated into two places. One place was referred to as Abraham’s bosom or Paradise. The other half was called a place of torment. Once Jesus made a way for people to be saved, believers now go to Heaven when they die.

I do believe there are spirits in the world but I believe they are demons or angels. Nowhere does the Bible indicate the souls of the dead roam the earth. The only instance of a spirit coming back from the dead was Samuel. However, he came back from Sheol and not Heaven.

The Bible never mentions reincarnation as a possibility.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

@Scooter

Those are good points. Who would have thought that the process of the afterlife would change.

I looked at the issue when I was a Christian in my late teen years, maybe even in my early 20's. I'm familiar with the Bible's mention of Sheol. From my research, I've gathered that Sheol is described as the place of the dead. Some biblical passages indicate that it is some underground world, like Numbers 16:33 (i.e. "went down alive to Sheol"). Interestingly, Sheol similar to the Greek concept of Hades.

I think it's when we get to the New Testament that we learn that there are different places in Sheol like your reference to "Abraham's bosom". Where my view starts to differ from yours is that I question if anyone goes to Heaven or Hell right now after they die. I thought that the rewards and punishments (torment) were reserved for Judgement Day.

Where do you get the idea that some of the dead are already in torment while others are in Heaven?

The only instance of a spirit coming back from the dead was Samuel. However, he came back from Sheol and not Heaven.

I have come across biblical passages that indicate that the dead are asleep (like Psalm 6:5). Some Christians say that it wasn't really Samuel that the spiritist was communicating with from the dead; it was a demon spirit.

 

[Scooter]

Where do you get the idea that some of the dead are already in torment while others are in Heaven?

In 2 Cor.5, Paul was talking about leaving this life and going to the next life. In verse 8, he said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul says we are with the Lord once we leave this body (he is talking to believers here.)

In his first letter to the Thessalonians Paul mentioned those who had already died: “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.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Here Paul uses the word “asleep” as a substitute for the word “dead”. Paul says when Christ returns, He’ll brings the ones who died believing in Him with Him.


In Luke 22, Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in Paradise that day with Him.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man said he was in torments in the flames.

The final Judgment comes at the end of time and all those who died without Christ are brought up from Sheol to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. Once they are pronounced guilty all those who reject Christ will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

In 2 Cor.5, Paul was talking about leaving this life and going to the next life. In verse 8, he said, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul says we are with the Lord once we leave this body (he is talking to believers here.)

What I take from this is that the soul is in Heaven or Paradise while the body remains on Earth. I read one source that said the soul is conscious which contrast with other views that says the soul is asleep. I think 1 Thessalonians 4:14 seems to make it clear that the soul is asleep, while vs. 15 probably gives Paul's belief that Jesus would return during his lifetime.

In Luke 22, Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be in Paradise that day with Him.

Got it now! That passage is in Luke 23:42-43.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man said he was in torments in the flames.

The final Judgment comes at the end of time and all those who died without Christ are brought up from Sheol to stand before the Great White Throne Judgment. Once they are pronounced guilty all those who reject Christ will be cast into the Lake of Fire forever.

Hmm.. not sure how much of the Rich man and Lazarus story to take literally. In those passages (Luke 16), everyone in Hades is aware, with the Rich man communicating to Abraham. That goes against the soul sleep theory so then I question how to reconcile that with 1 Thessalonians 4:14 that says some are "asleep".

Also, if people are already being tormented, then Judgement Day is pointless in my view. The guilty are already in the Lake of Fire.

 

[Scooter]

Soul sleep is a man made idea. When Paul uses the word “asleep” he is referring to the dead body. Their body is asleep in the ground, but the spirit is with God. The story of the rich man and Lazarus was not a parable it was a real story Jesus told. You are correct in that the soul is conscience after death.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

@Scooter

I like your explanation and I think getting the "soul sleep" topic right would answer a lot of questions.

Right now I'm up to my usual scheme of trying to look at both sides as the are those that say the soul sleeps while others say no. I'm leaning towards your explanation right now, but I'll post here if I see any problems with it.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

So I have 2 sources saying that the word "sleep" in the Bible when said about death, does not refer to a literal sleep. Here's one source:

“Soul sleep” is a belief that after a person dies, his/her soul “sleeps” until the resurrection and final judgment. The concept of “soul sleep” is not biblical. When the Bible describes a person “sleeping” in relation to death (Luke 8:52; 1 Corinthians 15:6), it does not mean literal sleep. Sleeping is just a way to describe death because a dead body appears to be asleep.

Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/soul-sleep.html

Another interesting point I came across from the same source is regarding the reward and punishment happening before Judgement Day:

Until the final resurrection, though, there is a temporary heaven—paradise (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 12:4) and a
temporary hell—Hades (Revelation 1:18; 20:13-14). As can be clearly seen in Luke 16:19-31, neither in paradise nor in Hades are people sleeping. It could be said, though, that a person’s body is “sleeping” while his soul is in paradise or Hades

At the resurrection, this body is “awakened” and transformed into the everlasting body a person will possess for eternity, whether in heaven or hell. Those who were in paradise will be sent to the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1). Those who were in Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15). These are the final, eternal destinations of all people—based entirely on whether or not a person trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation.

So we I come to agree with your point Scooter regarding "soul sleep" not being biblical. The other concept about the dead already getting a reward or punishment even before Judgement Day is something new to me.