What happens to man after he dies? Part 3 of 3

Having examined the three major false doctrines regarding the Intermediate State in part 2 of this three part series, it is on to the truth. To examine the truth of this state it is necessary to deal with the state of the wicked and those who belong to Christ separately.

While before the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, things were handled somewhat differently, the question to be dealt with is what happens today? So that is what will be looked at. In doing so we must examine what happened at Christ’s death.

According to Scripture when Christ died He descended in Sheol-Hades. Matthew 12:40 states, “so shall the Son of Man be three days in the heart of the Earth.” Ephesians 4:9 adds to this by stating, “He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth. Now this was the normal thing to happen for one who died. But there are some Scriptures that we must notice that state things were slightly different for our Lord. Acts 2:31 make the statement that while he did descend to Hades, “He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.”

But if Christ went to Hades and was not abandoned and his flesh did not begin even to set into rigor mortis while he was dead for three days what happened, what was the purpose? Again Scripture comes to the rescue by giving us a partial answer. We find this in 1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah …” Thus we see that Having died Jesus, while in Hades made a proclamation to those in Hades. But remember it is a partial answer, for it is unknown exactly what was said.

The good news is there is more known, for after the Lord emerged from Hades, more information comes with the emergence. Ephesians 4:8 speaks on this saying, “when He ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives … he ascended far above the heavens, that he might fill all things.” Thus it is seen that Christ brought with him those who were Old Testament Saints from hades to heaven.

Since this time, much has changed. Whereas Old Testament Saints expected to be delivered to Hades, this is not to be the expectation of those saved by God. Matthew 16:18 states, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Thus those who are saved will not see Hades or enter it.

Additionally it is apparent through Scriptures that at death every Christian goes immediately to be with Christ.  These verse are Acts 7:59-60 in which the first Christian martyr Stephen states, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit”; 2 Corinthians 5:8, “we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord”; Philippians 1:21-23 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²² But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. ²³ But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; and 1 Thessalonians 5:10 which adds, “so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him.”  What is seen through these verses is that the believer has every reason to assume that death actually improves the state of the believer’s life. That while departed from the body, the Christian is immediately present with the Lord, and even Paul struggled with the desire to die as opposed to continuing to live simply because death meant he would be with the Lord.

Some have sited passages such as Luke 16:23 to imply that the believer may even have an intermediate body, but this is an assumption, and no where does the Bible explicitly state this will occur. Additionally statements in the Bible which refer to us being ‘apart from the body’ suggests this is probably not likely. The writer would prefer simply to go with what is known and trust God with the unknown.

But all this has to do with the believer. What is the Intermediate State of the unsaved? Two very specific passages make clear that an unsaved person has no reason to look forward to death. Most clear is the passages in 2 Peter 2:9 which states “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.” That they are under punishment until the time judgment will determine their eternal punishment should be of great concern not only to unbelievers, but to believers as well for many believers love those who will for eternity struggle with this. If there was ever a good reason to evangelize loved ones despite their possible rejection of us, this is it. Additionally, the Lord used Jude to give us an example of this vey thing in Jude 1:7. Here Jude states, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them … are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.” Not this isn’t future, this is current, and it is not the Lake of fire found at the end of Revelation but a situation they are now in which can not get better, but can get worse after the Day of Judgment.

Thus when all is said and done, while a Christian may not know all there is to know about the Intermediate State, there is much to be certain about. There is also much the Christian can be aware of in relation to the false realties presented – some by believers, and others by cults – in regard to the Intermediate State. While some have gone on to describe how the Church will interact with the Lord based on passages in Revelation. These are references to a Church that will be in a glorified body and is existing in a time not yet come. Therefore it is the belief of the writer that we are best to believe what we are told, look forward to being with the Lord, either when we die or at the rapture, and trust him that life is only beginning when we experience physical death.