Only the Bible can answer this question. What does the Bible teach? The treatment of this important and often misunderstood matter will be concise, but we will still need one more lesson to complete the study.
(1) THERE WILL BE A SEPARATION OF BODY AND SOUL
Mankind is made up of two major components: body and soul. Paul refers to the inward and outward man (see 2 Cor. 4:16). The outward man, his tent (see 2 Cor. 5:1), will be put off as the Christian is further clothed (2 Cor. 5:4). James refers to this separation of body and spirit as death (Jm. 2:26).
Hebrews 12:9 refers to God as the “Father of spirits.” Ecclesiastes 12:7, speaking of death says, “and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Man was formed from the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7) and his outer body will return to the dust, but the inner man which was given by God, will return to God who gave it.
Right now we are in our temporary dwelling (our physical body), but soon the body will die and we will “fly away” (Ps. 90:10).
But what then? Where will we go when we shed this earthly body?
(2) EVERYONE WILL GO TO HADES
The New Testament uses the word hades to refer to the place the soul goes to when it leaves the body. It is important to understand that hades does not mean hell.
Acts 2:31 speaks of Jesus going to hades when He was crucified. The KJV and some other translations unfortunately use the word “hell” here. Jesus did not go to hell. (The Greek term for hell is gehenna, not hades). Jesus told the penitent thief that later that very day (as they both hung on the cross), he would join Him in paradise (see Lk. 23:43).
Hades is the place of disembodied spirits. The most extensive information we have concerning this abode is found in Luke 16 where Jesus describes the fate of the rich man and Lazarus. After death, the rich man describes himself as “in anguish in this flame” (see v. 24). He suffered greatly, desiring the slightest relief from his agony, but yet to no avail. On the other hand, Lazarus found himself with the great patriarch, Abraham, being comforted from what he suffered in this world.
We understand from Luke 16 that there is conscious existence beyond the grave and that there is an uncrossable chasm between these two vastly differing domains in hades. It is during life on earth that one’s afterlife is determined (see Heb. 9:27).
There is no Bible reason to believe that the rich man and Lazarus are not still in these same locations today. This is a sobering thought. All will experience paradise or torment when this life comes to an end.
Next week, Lord willing, we will finish this lesson.
Daren Schroeder