Day 359

Of the State of Man after Death and of the Resurrection of the Dead.

Chapter 31, Paragraph 1.

“The Bodies of Men after Death return to dust, and see corruption; but their Souls (which neither die nor sleep) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the Souls of the Righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God, in light and glory; waiting for the full Redemption of their Bodies; and the souls of the wicked, are cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day; besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.”

Scripture Lookup

Genesis 3:19

Acts 13:36

Ecclesiastes 12:7

Luke 23:43

2 Corinthians 5:1,6,8

Philippians 1:23

Hebrews 12:23

Jude 6, 7

1 Peter 3:19

Luke 16:23,24

Reflection

Immortality is sought after zealously by humanity. We want to leave a legacy; we think, by making a name for ourselves, “I’m gonna live forever.” The fact is, however, that all humans are already immortal. We die, yes: our bodies decay and break down into the ground, the dust from which God created Adam. But we do not consist of the body only. Our souls are a vital part of ourselves, and the soul never dies.

So where does the soul go after death? Does it stay around on earth? Sadly, there are professing Christians who believe that the spirits of their loved ones are still around, watching over them. Such a belief is false. The soul after death does not linger, but immediately returns to God. There are only two places for the soul to reside after death: heaven or hell. Those redeemed by Christ, freed from the remaining corruption of sin, reside with Him, awaiting the last day. Those outside of Christ, however, remain corrupted and sinful. There is no glorification for them. As a result, they are cast into hell, from where they also wait until the last day.

There are groups, claiming to be Christian, that teach other destinations for the soul. Some teach the soul ceases to be until the last day; others teach of a third waiting place for the soul, not as glorious as heaven, but not as horrible as hell. Both of these doctrines are wrong, having no place in the Bible. Our future will be constant from the moment of death, and it will be permanent. We will either enjoy communion with God, or experience His wrath.

Questions to Consider

• Is it hard to accept only two destinations for the soul?