IT DOESN’T MATTER who you are ─ as Benjamin Franklin was known to say, there are only two certainties in this life, one being death and the other being that you will have to pay taxes. Sooner, or later, you are going to die!
King Solomon, who was blessed by the LORD God with great wisdom wrote –
“To EVERYTHING there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; …” – Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2.
From the very second of our birth, physical life is limited.
Why!?
Well, human cells die, basically, because of Apoptosis. The process of programmed cell death. Very little was known about the mechanism until Robert Horvitz ‘68 and other researchers identified and described the process of programmed cell death. “At the time [Horvitz began his research], most scientists thought that cells died because they had no choice,” says Craig B. Thompson, chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at the University of Pennsylvania. Scientists believed that cells died when they were deprived of oxygen or damaged by something in their environment.
Horvitz identified specific genes that trigger cell death in the cells of a millimeter-long soil-dwelling nematode named Caenorhabditis elegans. Without the presence of these genes, Horvitz determined, certain cells could live indefinitely. In subsequent studies, he showed that similar genes are present in humans.
“That changed everything,” says Thompson. “It turned out that these cells choose to eliminate themselves.” In essence, they commit suicide. By proving the genetic component, Horvitz was able to demonstrate that programmed cell death is a normal, fundamental, and controlled biological process in cells. 1 Human cells deteriorate, tissues deteriorate, organs deteriorate, and our body deteriorates. And this deterioration ends with death.
And, even though scientists have extended the lives of flies, worms, and mice through genetic tinkering or technology that mimics the effects of caloric restriction, we will all inevitably die.
So, one of the most important questions is – what happens after death!? If we all end up dying, what is the purpose of living!?
A Question of the Ages
That truly is a question of the ages. As far back as recorded time, mankind has been concerned about death and an afterlife. Is there life after death!?
Ancient Egyptians were greatly concerned about death. And their attempts to solve the enigma of life and death went far and wide. They believed that death led a person to the afterlife, where he/she would lead an immortal existence. But, for this afterlife to happen, it was necessary to preserve the body of the deceased, so that the soul could identify the body that it belonged to. 2
Every civilization that has ever existed, including down to our 21st century, has pondered about life and death. And, nearly everyone has their own ideas and opinions on this most vital and important subject.
Why is there such grave (no pun intended) confusion!?
Where can a person find the clear and plain truth concerning life, death, and an afterlife!?
Utter Confusion
One woman writes concerning this age-old question, and after a long convoluted article says, “There is no purpose of living. Living is the purpose.” 3
Various comments to her article illustrate the mass confusion concerning life, death, and an afterlife which is rampant in the world.
One lady answers, “But the universe is going to end and will take all life with it. … Who knows.”
Another answers, “Life is all about new experiences and stuff, there is no purpose. It’s just that we were born and humans are who we are due to evolution. People try to find ways to comfort them about death, when you die, you die just like every animal too. So really don’t worry about finding your worth of living, it’s just a coincidence we are here.”
Said another man, “Well at fundament, you live to pass on your genetics, that is your prime biological function. One could say those who dwell on such unanswerable things will eventually take themselves out of the gene pool or use it to find a more effective way of passing on their genetics.”
The fact is most people do believe in some kind of life after death.
But, isn’t it time to understand the TRUTH concerning death and what happens after death!? And, there is only one reliable source available for learning this truth about life after death – our LORD God – through the living word of God! The Holy Bible.
That source is the very Creator of all life! But, what He has to say is probably not what you want or think. The majority of people would be surprised to learn and discover what God’s living word reveals about life, death, and an afterlife!
Do We Have An Immortal Soul?
Well, contrary to popular belief, God’s living word nowhere mentions that mankind has an “immortal soul”! However, His living word does say that man is a living soul – “And the LORD God [the very family of God; the Elohim] formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” – Genesis 2:7, KJV.
So, man is not an immortal soul, man is a living soul.
The very Hebrew word – let us not forget that the Old Testament was originally written in the Hebrew language – for the word soul is nepeš, which is exactly the same word used for beasts and creeping things.
And, Gods living word says that a living soul can die!
“’ Behold, all souls are Mine; The soul of the father As well as the soul of the son is Mine; The soul who sins shall die’” – Ezekiel 18:4, 20.
So, the very false understanding concerning the idea that man has an immortal soul falls flat. This idea came straight out of ancient Babylonia and Egypt. And, it was popularized to the masses through Greek philosophy – especially Plato.
The 1912 Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 6 says, “The belief that the soul continues its existence after the dissolution of the body is a matter of philosophical or theological speculation rather than of simple faith, and is accordingly nowhere expressly taught in Holy Scripture. … The belief in the immortality of the soul came to the Jews from contact with Greek thought and chiefly through the philosophy of Plato, its principal exponent, who was led to it through Orphic and Eleusinian mysteries in which Babylonian and Egyptian views were strangely blended, …” 4
Is Death A Finality?
As I had spoken of before – I had a friend who was an ordained minister from the Open Bible Churches, who was teaching that death didn’t actually mean death, but life – eternal life. However, in TRUTH, God’s living word reveals that when you die – you are dead. You do not reincarnate into another human body. You do not fly off to heaven. You do not go down into the depths of a hell. The supposed heaven or hell for “immortal souls” is another of mankind’s fantasies! According to God’s living immutable word, the dead do not see, do not hear, do not think, do not feel – the dead know nothing.
“For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. 6) Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; …” – Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6.
Truly at the moment of death – the body loses consciousness and life ceases. Along with thoughts and emotions.
“His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish” – Psalm 146:4.
God’s living word is clear and plain. It is not convoluted. Death is death. For when we die we go the way of all flesh, and in this respect, we are no different than any animal –
“For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. 20) All go to one place: all are from dust, and all return to dust” – Ecclesiastes 3:19-20.
Mankind, composed of dust returns to the dust of the earth. The man that returns to the dust is the soul which was. Therefore it is the soul that disintegrates into the earth. Notice the following verse – “Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the [soul] of the animal, which goes down to the earth?”
Yes, there is a spirit in man.
“But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding” – Job 32:8.
And, this spirit in man returns to the LORD God who gave it.
“Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it” – Ecclesiastes 12:7.
Animals do not have a spirit. Man needed this spirit to empower his brain with mind power - see 1 Corinthians 2:11. This human spirit enters the human embryo at conception. The spirit is like the “hard drive on a computer” – it stores information. The spirit essence is NOT an immortal soul or an eternal spirit. The spirit in man is NOT the man. It is something in the man. It has no life of itself. At death, it has no consciousness of itself, for it sleeps (1 Corinthians 11:30; 1 Corinthians 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Like a tape recorder, it forms a permanent record of the qualities of mind and character built by a man during his lifetime. And much like a used tape is stored lifelessly on a shelf till activated in a recorder, so also does the spirit of man “return to GOD who gave it” after death, until the resurrection when life is again given to a person (Ecclesiastes 12:7). This was the way that our Lord Jesus Christ – through His servant – explained it to me and I hold fast to this that is good. Furthermore: the spirit in man was transmitted from Adam. Spirit comes from the father from a sperm cell – from Adam all down through all humanity.
Immediately after the Apostle Peter was filled with God’s Holy Spirit on Pentecost 31 AD, he spoke of King David – “’ Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” – Acts 2:29. And furthermore, “David did not ascend into the heavens” – Acts 2:34.
Our Lord, Savior, Master, and Elder Brother, Himself says that “’ No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven’” – John 3:13.
A great many want to argue against our Lord Jesus Christ’s living word here – saying, “Jesus was only talking about His validity and His authority.” Well, listen to the context in which this is said – “’ If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?’” With eyes, you still do not see, and with ears, you still do not hear. Our Lord Jesus spoke with no ambiguity to those who are blessed and received the gift of the Holy Spirit – the very mind and power of the LORD God!
The Greatest of Potentials
God has a Master Plan by which He is bringing about the fruition of His AWESOME purpose for all mankind. And our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ His Son is the CapStone!
Now you can know ... ...
URL: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iC7hEdggGh3VzJ2euCwq2SsyqlKELwW2/view?usp=sharing. 🙂
The LORD God – the family of God; the Elohim – said, “’ Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; …” – Genesis 1:26. The ultimate potential for human life is to eventually be born into the very family of God! Not as one popular answer earlier states: “Life is all about new experiences and stuff, there is no purpose.” THERE IS A TREMENDOUS PURPOSE! And, sadly, it is a great mystery to the religions of this world! We are on this Earth for a stupendous reason!
The Prophet Job knew why –
He once reached a point in his life in which he lost everything he loved dear to him. He lost all of his children to a tornado, as well as all of his wealth and belongings to thieves and fire. He became afflicted possibly with hyper-Immunoglobulin E syndrome – a condition that affects several body systems, particularly the immune system. A condition called Job's syndrome or Buckley syndrome in certain medical circles. “ … painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.” He was physically stricken by Satan the devil. The idea of death must have seemed sweet to the Prophet Job at that time.
He asks, “If a man dies, shall he live again? …” And he answers himself with the following words, “All the days of my hard service I will wait, Till my change comes. 15) You shall call, and I will answer You; You shall desire the work of Your hands” – Job 14:14, 15.
And, the Apostle Paul doesn’t want us to be ignorant –
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [those who have died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope [the hope of the resurrection]. 15) For if we believe that Jesus died …” – sadly there are a great many that do not, as I stated at the beginning of this article – “ … and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” – 1 Thessalonians 4:14-15.
A Man Shall Live Again!
How is it that a man dead, in the grave, will live again!? Our Lord Jesus Christ answers, “’ Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth─those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation [judgment]’” – John 5:28-29.
Speaking of two separate resurrections. There is an accounting for your behavior in this life! And, you will be in one or the other resurrection. But, what does the LORD God mean by a resurrection!?
The FIRST Resurrection
The Apostle Paul describes to us that a first resurrection will take place at our Lord Jesus Christ’s Return. He begins in verse 13 (which we covered above) of 1st Thessalonians chapter 4.
“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [those who are dead; dead in Christ].
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven [the atmosphere] with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET] of God. And the dead in Christ will RISE FIRST” – 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16.
The Apostle John speaks of this same FIRST resurrection –
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls [the lives] of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. … This is the FIRST RESURRECTION” – Revelation 20:4, 5.
He ends this with, “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests [ministers and teachers] of God [Theos, God the Father] and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years” – Verse 6.
Truly, all those who will be in the first resurrection are described in Romans 8:14 – “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are [children] of God.”
And, as we’ve been mentioning for several years – the five cities on the plain of Jordan were allowed to be destroyed because there weren’t even ten righteous people in the city of Sodom. And, brethren, let us not sell ourselves short – but we should wonder – is it that Almighty God is holding back the utter destruction of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth of Nations, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand respectively – because there are maybe ten in one-million righteous people within these nations!? It should make us wonder. Is that number depleting as time goes by!? In prayer to Almighty God and our Lord Jesus Christ – a thought crossed my mind – just before the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP very few saints of God will be left. There will come a time when the LORD our God cannot find ten righteous people! As ‘this generation’ continues many of these cities the cup of their iniquity becomes full. And the LORD God has no choice but to exact judgment upon that nation. It is something to ponder.
As our Lord Jesus says concerning the end time – “ … ‘ because lawlessness [sin] will abound the love of many will grow cold.’”
All those in the first resurrection will rise out of their graves as wholly spiritual sons or daughters of Father God and brothers or sisters to our Lord Jesus Christ! They will never have to face death again. Notice –
“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep [die], but we shall all be changed─ in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet [the SEVENTH TRUMPET]. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible [this sinful nature] must put on incorruptible [wholly spiritual nature; the very character of God], and this mortal [flesh and blood] must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory’” – 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.
He is speaking of those who are called by Father God, and who wholeheartedly repent and change, who are properly baptized and had hands laid upon them, and received the gift of the Holy Spirit in this life – receiving the glorious promise of eternal life through the Holy Spirit which imparts the LORD God’s divine nature – 2 Peter 1:4.
But, what about the billions and billions of people who had lived and had never even heard of our Lord Jesus Christ ─ the Savior for all mankind!? All our peoples past, present, and immediate future, who were and are kept from the glorious knowledge of the Eternal One!? – cf. Mark 4:11-12.
The SECOND Resurrection
The Apostle John was told by our Lord Jesus Christ, “’ What you see [in Spirit], write in a book …’” And he describes a SECOND resurrection –
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven [the atmosphere] fled away. And there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books [the Holy Bible] were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books [the Holy Bible].
The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades [the grave] delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works” – Revelation 20:11-13.
Notice that the Book of Life is also opened. Meaning that they are then offered to receive eternal life. It truly will be a time when the whole of humanity will come to know the LORD God – the family of God! And a time when they are offered true and heartfelt repentance, proper baptism and of hands laid upon them, and the gifting of the Spirit of God!
“ … ‘ Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, … I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, … Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,’ says the LORD’” – Ezekiel 37:1-14.
“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
Our LORD God’s message is clear ─ and as the Apostle Paul admonishes, it’s time to awaken from the darkness and see and receive the Light!
The LORD God’s living word is sure! It will happen! Any claim to be an atheist, an agnostic, or even an atheist spiritualist (whatever that means), will not change the living Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God. Nor will it change the reality concerning life, death, and what happens after death.
Our LORD God even warns that just because one disbelieves, it will not be an excuse –
“For the wrath of God IS REVEALED from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress THE TRUTH in unrighteousness.
Because what may be known of God IS MANIFEST IN THEM, FOR GOD HAS SHOWN IT TO THEM. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes ARE CLEARLY SEEN, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE” – Romans 1:18-20.
The Apostle Paul also writes, “DO NOT BE DECEIVED, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption [death], but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” – Galatians 6:7-8.
“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written:
‘As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.’” – Romans 14:10, 11. □
Bibliography
1 Schwenker, A., Why Cells Die, MIT Technology Review, 1 March 2003, Retrieved 15 July 2023.
3 Wang, M., If We All End Up Dying, What’s the Purpose of Living? Medium.com, 1 Aug. 2015.
4 Mirza, U., Immortality of the Soul, The Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. VI, 1912, pgs. 564, 565.
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND BOOKLETS REGARDING THIS SUBJECT
Just what does it mean to repent? Is real repentance just an emotional feeling? Is it just merely feeling sorry for having made some mistakes in life!? What is God's definition of true repentance? Let us here in this Bible Study examine what true repentance is and is not, detailing what God's definition of real repentance truly is.
When someone finally comes to recognize and understand that they have been living a life contrary to the holy immutable Law and very purpose of their Creator, what should they then do next!?
Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ tells us that we will know a true Christian by their fruits – Matthew 7:15-20; 12:33-35. Is God’s Spirit within you? Are you a Spirit-begotten child of our living God – and how can you tell!?
What is death? What will happen AFTER death? There is grave confusion that exists in our culture concerning death and in particular the fate of the dead. It's a complex web of conflicting religious dogma that leads to a whole plethora of thoughts, teachings, and beliefs. Here are the answers to many of your questions from God's divine Word - the Holy Bible!
TODAY, Christianity is divided as never before into literally hundreds of different sects, divisions, and denominations - with a plethora of interpretations concerning life, death, the hereafter, and the resurrections. But why should there be so many different ideas regarding God's clear and plain TRUTH!?
If God did see that we would eventually “fall” under the weight of sin, did He have a plan that would somehow rectify the situation?
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