Is There Life Beyond The Grave?

[Rev 21:8; Gen 2:17; Rom 10:8-10]

Every human being has a body, soul, and spirit. You are a spiritual being. You have a soul and you live in a physical body. When your body says that it is time to eat, you find it some food. Your body says it is cold, you turn up the heat. It says, “I’m tired and really want to relax now,” so you put your feet up and take a nap. You want your body to feel good. All of these things are okay up to a point, but left unchecked it is ultimately bad news.

A problem becomes apparent when you learn that your body should not be in charge. It is not the boss. Your spirit, the real you of your three-part being was designed for leadership. Your soul (the mind, will, and emotions) listens to the body if that is all it hears. The body screams so loudly in pain that you automatically think it is boss. And your spirit, before it is born again, is little-known, lifeless, and dead. Something has to be done. Your spirit is not yet ready to lead you.

All spirits exist forever. Where? Dead spirits go to hell along with their associated souls. Existence after death in torment and pain – totally separated from all enjoyment and entertainment the body once knew. Living forever away from anything good. Eternally lost, hopeless, in horror – totally separated from life, peace, and love. Many people joke about hell all the time. They may think, if they can laugh about the bad news enough, maybe it will not really happen.

But hell is a very real place.

Jesus often taught about hell. He said it is, “a place of outer darkness” (Mt 25:30). Jesus pictured never-ending psychological torture when He said hell is “a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 22:13). The rich man in hell (Lk 16:23-28) called it “this place of torment and flame.”

Revelation 21:8 (KJV) –But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Hell is a real place where people are burned forever with fire and brimstone. Not burned up, but repeatedly burned and tortured with no healing. Notice that it’s not just the eternal destination for murderers, thieves, the sexually immoral, and liars. But at the top of the list is, the fearful, and unbelieving, – those who have never come to faith in Christ. They will go to hell. “Where the worm never dies,” (Mk 9:44) and, “a place where the fire is never quenched,” (Mk 9:43-44). It is “a great furnace” (Rev 9:2), and “a place of no rest”, (Rev 14:11). Hell is a place where people cannot forget the past opportunities they had to repent and receive Jesus as Lord (Lk 16).

Also notice the last phrase of Revelation 21:8 – Hell is the second death. I say, “If you are not twice-born, you become twice-dead.”

Genesis 2:17 (KJV) –But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Both words, “surely” and “die” are the same Hebrew word for “die!” It can be translated “thou shalt die die!” Sin brings physical AND spiritual death. Failure to listen and obey God destined mankind to hell, the second death.

Now I hear you ask, “if all spirits exist forever, how is it you say they die?”

When the Bible talks about death, it is describing a separation. Death never means cease to exist. God is not a magician. He does not create things for the sake of disappearance. Your spirit is absolutely going to live (exist) forever! Where, depends on whether it is dead and lifeless, or if it is alive in Christ.

A physically-dead man is a spirit separated from his body.

A spiritually-dead man is a spirit separated from his God.

If you are not born-again, you are spiritually dead, separated from God. Sin brings about death (Rom 5:12), which separates man from God.

Your spirit by itself has no power to connect to God. You yourself have no power to give your spirit the ability of leadership for your being.

The Good News!

You can be born-again by the very power of God’s Spirit.

This good news is called the gospel in the Bible. It comes from a Greek word that means “a good message.” This good news has the power of God that brings salvation to anyone who believes it. Because in this good news the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. Believe the gospel and it will show you how to be right with God (Rom 1:16-17). You will no longer be contrary to God when the power of God is working in you. You can walk by faith and be led by the Spirit.

The Bible teaches that there is absolutely life beyond the grave. Jesus had such passion for everyone to know about eternal life that He gave His life so you and I could know, believe, and have eternal life with Him.

You can decide right now to live forever in the presence of God.

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) –[9] that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

The Greek word “homologeo,” translated “confess” here, means more than just saying words. It literally means “to agree, i.e. covenant, acknowledge.” A true confession of Jesus as Lord has to be heartfelt enough to involve a person’s actions.

This verse is a promise to those who believe on Jesus to the extent that they are willing to change their actions accordingly, and confess Him as Lord (God) with their mouths so that they might be saved.

Prayer:

Lord, I believe you died to pay for my sin, and that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge you as my Lord right now. Thank you for forgiving my sin. Now I am a new creation. Old things have passed away. I want to follow you, Lord. Amen.

Now read and study His Word in order to know Him and His will for your life. Ask Him for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help.

Scriptures to study: Jn 1:12; 3:16; 14:6; 6:37; 16:8-9; Rom 3:23; 5:8; 10:9-10, 13; Eph 2:1-10; 2Cor 5:17-21.

God bless you my friend,

— Dwight Hammond