what happens to people when they die?

Question

just out of curiousity

Answer 1

In order to understand death we have to let the Bible speak for itself which is why In the following answer there is a text to back every statement

I was listening to a sermon recently in which the pastor talked about this subject. Talking about death we should look at how life was created

And the Lord God 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

From this we see that the soul is the combination of both the breath of God and the physical body.

So what happens when you die?

1) In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.- Genesis 3:19

2) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. - Luke 23:46

3) Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. - Ecclesiastes 12:5
From these scriptures we see that when you die the two components of the soul either decay (the physical body) or goes back to God (the spirit)

Many people believe that the spirit is some intangible ghostlike substance but if you look at what the bible says

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils - Job 27:3

From this we see that the spirit is the Breath of Life not a … ghost (for lack of a better word)



Do the dead go directly to heaven or hell?

Psalms 115:17 The dead praise not the Lord.
Psalms 6:5 In death there is no remembrance of thee.
Isaiah 38:18 Death can not celebrate thee.
Psalms 146:4 His thoughts perish.
Job 21:32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die; but the dead do not know anything, nor do they have any more a reward; for their memory is forgotten.

From these verses we see that there is no thought in death

Some may argue that these are all Old Testament examples of the teaching of death so let’s look at the New Testament

Jesus speaking about the death of Lazarus
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. John 11:11-14

Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose

1 Thessalonians 4:15 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

If we look at what Jesus said on the cross in Luke 23:43
And Jesus said to him, Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.

Many use this to prove the point that we go directly to our reward. The problem is in the Greek there was not a comma, the comma was placed centuries later by people who believed that we go directly to our reward. If you move the comma it conforms to the rest of scripture

And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Read what happens on Sunday morning and Jesus tells Mary he did not ascend to heaven yet.

But doesn’t the Bible say to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord?

As I mentioned above the Bible says we do not go directly to heaven or hell. I think we should look at 2 Corinthians 5, but rather than only looking at verse 8 lets look at the whole chapter in order to gain better perspective. If you read the whole text we see Paul talking about three states of being. In chapter 1 Paul writes 1) our earthly house {our earthly bodies} 2) a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens {glorified bodies}. In verse 3 he says 3) naked.

The question to ask is when do we get our glorified bodies?

1 Corinthians 15:51 says we get them at the last trumps when Christ returns proving we do not go directly to heaven upon death.

If we go directly to heaven or Hell when we die then there is never a time when we are “naked”

Let’s look at what Peter said in Acts chapter 2

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Acts 2:29

For David is not ascended into the heavens
Acts 2:34

But what about Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The Bible tells us how they got to Heaven, Moses was resurected according to Jude 9

And Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot 2 Kings 2:11

If you read the Bible you see that when you die you sleep in the grave until Jesus returns


check out this video
http://www.amazingfacts.org/resources/video/MPVideo/mp09.asx

http://www.amazingfacts.org/items/storacle_lessons.asp?tTitle=Millennium%20of%20Prophecy

Answer 2

You either go to heaven or to hell depending on what kind of life you've led. What I'm not sure of is there a Purgatory-where one does Penance for the sins committed before one can go to heaven-according to the Catholic Faith or do we sleep until the Last Judgment and then either go to heaven or hell. Do Not believe Hell a place of fire but rather a place of bleak despair for all hope is gone and never a chance to undo wrongs and get forgivenessDoes it matter-some but what really matters is wher we end up forever for man was not meant to die initally and Christ died on the cross to give immortality back to humankind. To really get a good idea read some of the books,literature witen by people who had near death experiences ,actually died but wasn't yet their time so sent back-believe we all have a set time here. Wht was amazing when I read is that, we don't just float on clouds, but actually still learn more and because new bodies are not limited like the ones now-bodis now product of original sin, when we think of a place then in a instant we are there I myself can't wait for when the lion lays with the lamb and the world made new again by God has no trace of global wrming,acid rain for the greed of man that made these conditions is gone for Satan is no longer able to influence man.

Answer 3

Your body starts to decompose. If you're buried, it'll continue decomposing (aided by insects and bacteria) until there's little left but the bones, which take the longest to decay -- the rest becomes fertilizer. If you're cremated, and the ashes scattered someplace, the ashes become fertilizer. You are made of the materials of the earth, and you return to that state.

If anyone tells you there's any kind of afterlife, heaven, hell, reincarnation, or any other such supernatural superstitious stuff, they're either engaging in wishful thinking or flat out lying -- 'cause there's no proof over the whole history of the earth that there's any kind of existence after you die. You're just dead, and what's left of your body goes back to the earth. That's it. :) So make the most of the time you've got!

Answer 4

well i know this is gonna sound crazy as anything you ever heard but here goes. what actually happens upon death. is entirely up to the dier (person dying) if that person has strong christian convictions they go to a space in the spirit world set aside for christian heavens and hells. same is so for most of your beliefs. if you are already aware of this or if you dont have strong convictions or beliefs you eventually end up in a park that people from the monroe program will call focus 27. this is the place that is our home while we are here in this earth reality. after we live the lives we want to live here on this earth reality we move on to other spiritual dimensions to learn other great things.

Answer 5

I think you immediately get judged and sent to heaven or hell.

Some people think everyone is judged at the very end in the final judgement, (not sure what happens to their soul, while they're waiting around for the end, since the soul is still alive)

who knows? we can't know until we die.

Answer 6

People consist of (1)Body(somatic and psychic)-Prakruthi-- and(2)Soul-Aatma. Aathma(Soul) never dies "Na Jayathe-Na Mrgyathe ---There was never a time that"the soul was not there-it is not there-it will not be there-it is eternal"-nayam booth vaa-na bhavitha vaa-na-booyaha-saasvathoyam"(Bhagavad gita).Only the material body dies and dissolves in nature by cremating or burying.Aathma(soul) jettisones the body when it is dilapidated --likewise the individual throws away the dilapidated clothe and wears a new cloth "Vaasaamsi jeernani yadha vihaaya"(Bhagavad Gita)-Somayaji

Answer 7

They die. And that is the end of their life.

In fact, the personality, the ego, is one of the first parts of the consciousness that is eliminated in the dying process.

After the ego dies, the rest of the consciousness is not concerned about dying at all. In fact the dying process becomes absolutely joyous as all the energy that was consumed in maintaining the ego is suddenly released and the dying person feels wonderful.

Answer 8

that depends who you ask
because we all have our own beliefs on that
i am a spiritualist
and am told that we are met at the point of death by those we love
we are taken to the realms of spirit and to a realm that is suitable for our spiritual development thus far
we progress through those realms as we continue our development
until ultimately joining with the God force ...
from there new souls/spirit are born
i like to think of it like the sun ... giving off solar flares .. and each flare is a new soul

Answer 9

We stop breathing, and our heart and brain shut down. We go to the morgue and then to the funeral home, after which we will either be buried or cremated. Either way we are kaput--out o' here.

Answer 10

explaining what happens to your body is a matter of nature, what happens to your soul is a matter of faith. The most important thing is for you to decide what YOU believe. Do you ever pray ?