Death is a normal part of life. Each day thousands of people die. What are some theories about what happens after death? [heaven or hell, reincarnation, cease to exist, purgatory, ghosts/poltergeists, limbo, etc]



I. PHYSICAL DEATH: The end of physical life.

  1. Caused by sin . Rom. 5:12

  2. Controlled by God. 1 Sam 2:6 “The Lord kills and makes alive.”

  3. Does not end one’s existence. Mt 22:32 “[God] is not the God of the dead but of the living.” [The intermediate state: conscious, corporal, rest or torment.]

  4. Is inevitable. Ecc. 9:5 “For the living know that they will die.”

  5. Happens only once, followed by judgment . Heb 9:27-28 [no 2nd chance, no reincarnation]

  6. Is an enemy. 1 Cor 15:26 “The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”

  7. Expressions:

  8. Departed from this world 2 Tim 4.6

  9. Going the way of all the earth Jos 23:14

  10. Gathered to one’s fathers or people Jud 2:10; Deut 32:50

  11. Dissolving the earthly house of this tabernacle 2 Cor 5:1

  12. Kicked the bucket Hezekiah 1:23-4:56 [just kidding]

II. SPIRITUAL DEATH: Lack of spiritual life. Gen. 2:17; Eph 2:1

    1. The Cause: lack of regeneration . This is the natural state for mankind. [The Bible refers to those in this condition as “natural” men. 1 Cor 2:14]

    2. The Cure: regeneration: the impartation of spiritual life. Eph 2:4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions– it is by grace you have been saved.”

      III. THE SECOND DEATH: The eternal state of the unsaved. Rev. 21:8

        1. After the GREAT WHITE THRONE judgment. Rev. 20:11, 15


        3. Other terms for this: eternal fire, outer darkness, eternal punishment or destruction, the lake of fire and brimstone.

          IV. FIGURATIVE DEATH: Using death as a descriptive term.

            1. Death to self . 1 Cor. 15:31 “I die daily.”

            2. Death to sin . Rom. 6:11 “Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

            3. Being “dead” to something implies being unresponsive to it, or that the thing has lost its power.


              Death will overtake all of us (unless the rapture happens first). We must be ready when the time comes by making sure that we are saved and by making our lives count while we are still alive.

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