What Happens After Death?

Hebrews 9:27, Romans 8:1

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It’s a question for the ages. What happens to you when you die? It’s an important question, and a question that we shouldn’t just ask ourselves when we’re 80 or 90 years old. But it’s a question that we should ask for ourselves today, because the reality is that any one of us, no matter what age we could die tomorrow. We could die today. I could die today going home in a car accident. And so it’s important for me to consider what happens when you die.

Now, there’s many people in our world today that maybe would answer the question in this way. They’d say, well, nothing. You won’t be breathing any longer. You’ll have no heartbeat, no brainwaves. When you’re dead, you’re dead and that’s it. Lights out forever. There’s others in our world that maybe say, well, your body as it’s placed in the ground, it deteriorates. It becomes one with the earth again. Maybe becomes part of a tree or part of the grass or part of the world in that way. There’s maybe others that say, well, everyone who dies, they just simply go to a happy place. But what does the Bible say?

In Hebrews chapter nine verse 27, it says this.

It is appointed for people to die only once and after this comes the judgment, (Hebrews 9:27)

The Bible tells us that when you die, then you will stand before God in the judgment. And there’s part of us that may be likes that concept and that idea, especially as we consider the atrocities that many people commit in our world. We think about serial killers or mass murderers and rapists and terrorists as well, and all of the atrocity that they have caused and all the harm and all of the hurt to so many people. It doesn’t seem fair, maybe for them to simply get off with only 50 years in prison or even the death penalty, it just doesn’t seem fair for all of the wrongs that they have committed against so many innocent victims.

It’s comforting as it is to know that there is divine judgment, it is also very scary, isn’t it? Especially when we think about ourselves, especially as we analyze our own lives. And maybe we haven’t raped or murdered, but have we done things to intentionally harm other people. Have we hurt them in incalculable ways? Have we done what is immoral? Have we done what is evil? And I think as each and every one of us analyze our lives, we have to say yes, that in some ways we have. And the Bible testifies to this truth that says this, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) So then that’s very scary to know that when you die, you will face God in the judgment.

But the Bible doesn’t just share that bad news with us. Thanks be to God, it also shares good news. Saint Paul writes in Romans chapter eight, verse one,

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1)

What that means is that God has said that after we die and we stand before him in the judgment, we will not be condemned if we are in Christ Jesus. That means those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior from sin will not be condemned in the judgment to suffer eternally in hell, but instead God will welcome them to his eternal dwelling, to be with him forever in the mansions of heaven. And how does that even work when it comes to judgment? Well, the reason it works is because Jesus himself has come to suffer the judgment you deserve for your sins. That’s why he went to the cross, to suffer your punishment, to suffer your hell. And he wants you to know it’s been paid in full. The price for your sin, the fine for the crimes you have committed. The punishment you deserve has been paid once and for all in Christ who suffered and died for you on the cross. And he says that those who believe in me will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

So what happens to you when you die? Well, God tells us very clearly we must face him in the judgment. Let that not scare you. Instead, knowing Jesus Christ as your Savior, be confident that though you stand before God in the judgment, God will declare you not guilty because of Christ and what he has done for you through faith in him, he will say that you are innocent and that you are welcome to come into his kingdom to live with him forever. Amen.