What happens to non-believers immediately upon death?
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Asked July 05 2017
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Dottie Slattery
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
Hebrews 9:27 indicates that judgment occurs after death (with no indication of any type of "second chance"). Luke 16:19-31 and Luke 23:43 indicate that this judgment (whether one of salvation or condemnation) occurs in some form (intermediate or final) immediately following death, even prior to the resurrection of the dead at close of the age. Acts 4:12 says that there is no name other than Jesus given among men by which we must be saved. Ephesians 2:8-9 says that salvation occurs through faith apart from works. Therefore, I would say that people who die in a state of unbelief (without having had Christ's perfect righteousness imputed to them by God through faith) are judged immediately upon death, and find themselves in a state of separation from God and condemnation/punishment from which there will be no escape, either temporally or at the close of the age in eternity (Luke 16:23; Matthew 25:46).
Kevin Honeycutt
Supporter
Hope this helps, Hebrews 9:27 27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Matthew 22:13-14 13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14For many are called, but few are chosen. 2 Thessalonians 1:8 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our LORD Jesus Christ: John 3:18 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Aurel Gheorghe
Supporter
The short answer is that the non-believers immediately upon death go into an unconscious sleep until judgment day (Daniel 12:2; 2 Cor 5:10; Eccl 12:14). God formed man out of the dust, breathed the breath of life into his lungs, and the man became a living soul (Gen 2:7). God din not gave man a soul, but rather, the man became a living soul: body + breath of life = a soul. At death, regardless if that person is a believer or not, the creation process is reversed (Eccl 12:7).The spirit that returns to God at death is the breath of life given by God and nothing else (Job 27:3). When we die, the body returns to dust, the breath of life returns to God, and the human soul ceases to exist – that’s what the Bible explicitly teaches. Nobody is burning in hellfire today and, with only few exceptions, deceased people are not in heaven praising the Lord (Ps 115:17; 146:4; Eccl 9:5, 6). Every person upon death, righteous or not, sleep in the ground (Ps 13:3; Job 14:12) awaiting Christ’s return (Rev 22:12) - everyone gets his/her reward when Jesus returns. “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;” [the first resurrection] “and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” [the second resurrection, at the end of the thousand years] (John 5:28, 29).
Jay Saunders
Supporter
The bible clearly states: [ To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.] Read 2 Corinthians chapter 5:1-21 These scriptures explain the reconciliation. Christ paid for our sins so that we could become the righteousness of God in Christ but if you habitually practice sin, this reconciliation is in vain. Grace is never a license to sin but true repeantance always receives mercy becuse our God's mercy endures for ever. Psalms 136 Christ is our propitiation (1 John 2:2) which is always avalible at the mercy seat represented now symbolically by the cross. Christ stated those that love me obey me. (John 14:23) When you obey your parents it is a sign of respect and love. Our heavenly Father deserves this same respect and sign of respect which is obediance. Maranatha
Ron Maurizio
Supporter
Rev 20 :6 says born again Christians will take part in the first resurrection and everyone else will have to wait 1000 years. Problem is time does not exist in the spirit realm so the dead will not sense time.
RICK PORTER
Supporter
Luke 16:19-31 is what Scripture tells us about both Believers, Lazarus and a Non-Believer the Rich Man, as Jesus explained about entering into the Kingdom of God and what happens to those who do not. Jesus was talking about the Law and The Prophets to his disciples when He then brought into the examples the Pharisees and their love of money. From there He said the Law and Prophets were until John the Baptizer then the Good News or Gospel began and many try to force their way into the Kingdom of God. Then Jesus related the events of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man died and opened his eyes in Torment, Lazarus died and was carried by angels into the place of Abraham's Bosom. In the event, it is told the rich man he can't leave his place and Lazarus can't leave his place, also apparently the rich man's brothers didn't believe the Scriptures for they were said to have them and even wouldn't believe if someone from the dead came to warn them. Well, someone from the dead has warned us all. The Good News is Jesus was supernaturally raised from the Dead and is alive and if we put our Trust in Him and what He did we will see the Kingdom of God when we die and if we don"t we will immediately see the place of Torment, the Scripture calls Hell.
Daniel Veler
Supporter
Your question: What happens to non-believers immediately upon death? It’s crucial to understand the differences in experiences between nonbelievers and believers. Let’s consider all those who were imputed righteousness through faith. As Jay wrote, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Before Christ’s arrival and the triumph over death, those who held faith were held in the bosom of Abraham. Through the rich man and Lazarus, we witness that their consciousness of being aware of their thoughts, emotions, and surroundings was present. Christ, as we read, conquered death. Upon his resurrection, it is written that he led captivity captive. Ephesians 4:8: “Wherefore he saith, 'When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive.'” We witness Christ’s resurrection from the grave, symbolizing the triumph over all those held captive. Christ’s victory over death was evident as many who had been buried rose from the grave, demonstrating the triumph of Christ to the people. Matthew 27:52: “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Fulfilling the words that Christ freed from captivity. When those in Christ die, they enter into the presence of the Lord, fulfilling the words that say, “Absent from the body, they are present in the Lord.” Then there are the nonbelievers who have passed away. When the rich man died, we observe that he was also in a state of consciousness. When the apostle wrote, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Hebrews 9:27), we observe a temporal gap between the two events. Those not in Christ are reserved for the Great White Throne Judgment. However, we don’t see anyone in Christ among the three groups mentioned: Death, Hell, and those in the Sea. All of them are being judged to determine whether or not they will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which is the second death. Why don’t you see those in Christ standing before the Great White Throne Judgment among these three groups? It’s because they have overcome the second death through Christ. Are those in Jesus judged? Absolutely! However, not to determine if they will suffer the Lake of Fire. They are judged based on their works in the flesh. When John the Baptist proclaimed that Christ would baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire, most people failed to comprehend the significance of the baptism of fire. Listen to how the Apostle explains the Fire. 1 Corinthians 3:13: “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." Those who are in Christ when they die will go to be with the Lord, while the others are reserved for the final judgment.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Good question, Dottie, but sad. I believe in eternal conscious torment for the non-believer based on at least one key scripture passage that I interpret as indicating unending, conscious punishment for every non-believer. A primary text is Matthew 25:46, where Jesus declares that the wicked will go away to eternal punishment while the righteous receive eternal life. The same Greek word, aionios (αἰώνιος), is used for both destinies, meaning the duration of punishment is exactly as unending as the duration of life for the saved. To interpret eternal punishment as anything less than conscious torment requires reading a foreign meaning into the text that the original audience would not have recognized. The parallel structure of the verse is seen as a direct and deliberate comparison that leaves no room for annihilation or unconsciousness. -- "eternal punishment... eternal life." The parallelism between these two phrases prevents any weakening of the former. NIV Study Bible, page 1640. As some have already said, according to Hebrews 9:27, "And as it is appointed unto men, once to die, but after this the judgment." Thus we are to warn the non-believer before it is too late for him/her. Judgment WILL come. "I hope the doctrine of eternal torment sobers you. May it fill you with praise to God for saving you from eternal punishment, for giving you eternal life instead. May it humble you when you realize you’re not getting what you deserve. And may it ignite in you a passion to proclaim the gospel to those poor souls who are unaware of the terror that awaits them outside the mercy of God." Travis Allen
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