Yes, Virginia, there is an Afterlife
Bound for Eternity, Part 1
Series Introduction
In Hebrews 9:27, the writer
states, And as it is
appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.
This clearly shows that there is more to our existence beyond the mortal realm.
All through scripture, both Old and New Testaments, there is discussion of an
afterlife.
In the coming weeks we’ll
look at the various aspects of the afterlife; the next location after life, the
second coming, the judgement, and our eternal reward.
Article Introduction
Growing up as a child of the 1970s, one of
the more memorable slogans was heard in a beer commercial; "You only go around once in life. So grab
for all the gusto you can…", Schlitz, 1970. Although just a
commercial, a lot of people have the concept that there is nothing beyond this
mortal realm. There are those who believe that when you die, that’s it; Game
Over.
But is that really the end? There’s another
saying, “He who dies with the most toys wins!” What exactly do you win if
you’re dead? Everything you own goes to someone else. This is true as stated in
Ecclesiastes 2:18-19, Then I hated all my
labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man
who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he
will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself
wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
There has to be more to our existence than the
‘here and now’; for all the suffering we endure in the mortal world, there
should be something better for us in a life to come after. And I’m not talking
about reincarnation.
Proof for the Afterlife
In the Old Testament, the word “Sheol” is used
to refer to the place of the dead. According to the International Standard
Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), It means
really the unseen world, the state or abode of the dead, and is the equivalent
of the Greek Haides (Hades), by which word it is translated in Septuagint. The
English Revisers have acted somewhat inconsistently in leaving
"grave" or "pit" in the historical books and putting
"Sheol" in the margin, while substituting "Sheol" in the
poetical writings, and putting "grave" in the margin.
Some would argue that God’s presence is not in
Sheol (or Hades). However, King David in Psalm 139:7-10 paints a different
picture, Remember, O Jehovah, against the children
of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the
foundation thereof. O daughter of Babylon, that art to be destroyed, Happy
shall he be, that rewardeth thee As thou hast served us. Happy shall he be,
that taketh and dasheth thy little ones Against the rock. (ASV)
In the New Testament, Jesus discusses the place
of the Dead in Luke 16:19-31. He references two locations; Abraham’s Bosom
(also called Paradise) and Torment. We’ll look closer at this in a future
article. He even referenced this location on the cross, when he spoke with one
of the thieves in Luke 23:42-43, Then he said to Jesus,
“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly,
I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” The Paradise,
referenced here, is not Heaven as some would say but, rather, the Hadean realm.
In Matthew 25, Jesus talks about the Kingdom of
Heaven and, specifically in verses 31-46, he talks about the Judgement Day and
the final resting place of either Heaven or Hell. Overall, no one preached on
the subject of Hell more than Jesus. Simply because he didn’t want anyone to go
there.
Conclusion
The Afterlife is very much real and it’s up to
the reader to decide where they want to spend their eternity. The apostle Peter
wrote in 2 Peter 3:9, The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance.
If you want to avoid Hell, you need to become a
Christian; according to scriptures. All too often people claim they are a
Christian because they “go to church” or simply believe in God. There is more
to it than that.
On the day of Pentecost, the people assembled
there asked in Acts 2:37-38, “Men and brethren,
what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every
one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Here’s what you
must do…
Hear the
Word of God (Rom. 10:17)
Believe
Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24)
Confess
Jesus is the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10)
Repent of
your sins (Acts 2:38)
Become
baptized to wash away your sins (Acts 22:16)
Live Faithfully
even unto Death (Rev. 2:10)
Change your life now (2 Cor. 6:2) while you are
still alive. When you die, there is no second chance and your fate is sealed
forever.
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