Where do you go when you die?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

There are two destinations when we die—heaven or hell. The Bible teaches that our eternal destination depends on our response to Jesus Christ. Because we are all sinners by nature and by choice, we are all destined to go to hell when we die. However, God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to die in our place so that all who believe in His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins will be saved. Faith in Jesus Christ changes our eternal destiny from hell to heaven. Our choice today determines where we will go after death for eternity.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The Old Testament does not provide a detailed, systematic view of the afterlife like the New Testament does. However, it does offer glimpses and references about what happens when people die. The term "Sheol" appears frequently in the Old Testament and is often translated as "grave" or "pit." It represents a general place where the dead go, regardless of their righteousness or wickedness. Sheol is often described as a shadowy, somber realm, without activity or consciousness (e.g., Psalm 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:10). There is a paradise side and torment side of Sheol.
• Despite the general view of Sheol, there are indications of hope and resurrection. Passages like Job 19:25–27 express confidence in a Redeemer and a resurrection from the dead, showing that even in the Old Testament, there was a belief in life beyond the grave.
• Although not as explicit as in the New Testament, there are hints that some individuals, particularly the righteous, might be in the presence of God after death. For example, Psalm 16:10 speaks of David’s confidence that God would not abandon his soul to Sheol.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Romans 3:23 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." As a result of our sin, we are doomed to be separated from God forever (Matthew 25:46; Revelation 20:14–15).
• Although we all fail to live up to God's standard (holiness), God loves us and made the way to avoid the default of hell (John 3:16–18).
• Jesus Christ is both fully human and fully God (John 1:1; 8:58; 10:30). He came to earth to fulfill God's Law by living a sinless life (1 John 3:5), and then He became the necessary sacrifice for sin on our behalf (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 1:18–19). This is a gift (Romans 6:23). Jesus died in your place and mine. He offers us the opportunity to accept that sacrifice, and when we believe by faith (John 3:16–18; Ephesians 2:8–9), our sins no longer default us to hell.
• When a Philippian jailer asked, "What must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:30–31). Romans 10:9 says, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." When we believe in Jesus's death and the power of His resurrection and put our faith in Him, our eternal destiny changes from hell to heaven.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

When we die, we continue to exist—either with God or without Him. Our destination parallels our choice on earth—with Him or without Him. If you still wonder how to live with Him today and forevermore, here's what to do: simply tell Him in prayer that you agree about the separation from Him your sin has caused ("I have sinned and made choices that separate me from You, God"). Tell Him that you believe and accept the sacrifice Jesus made in your place ("Jesus took my place, and His death should have been my own"). Accept this as your salvation ("I trust in Jesus for my salvation and believe in His resurrection in faith"). Ask Him for help in living a life of thanksgiving to Him for all of this and to live a life pleasing to Him ("God, thank you for making the way for me to spend eternity with You. I want to live in a way that pleases You. Help me to do that").

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UNDERSTAND

• There are two eternal destinations, heaven or hell, determined by our response to Jesus Christ.
• Due to sin, our default state is separation from God and an eternity in hell.
• Faith in Jesus Christ provides salvation, changing our destiny from hell to heaven.

REFLECT

• How does your view of the afterlife influence the way you live today?
• In what areas do you need to realign your priorities with the truth of eternity?
• How does the concept of eternal destiny in heaven or hell shape your understanding of sin and salvation? Are there changes you need to make in your life in response to this truth?

ENGAGE

• How do you think understanding the concept of Sheol in the Old Testament helps us understand the need for Jesus’s sacrifice in the New Testament?
• What do we learn about God in the way He provided the way out of hell through Jesus, despite our sinfulness?
• How does a person’s understanding of the afterlife influence the way they live today, and how should it impact the way we share our faith with others?