2 Corinthians 5:1-10
September 1, 2002

What Happens to Christians When They Die?

Introduction: You would think that on a question as basic as this that all Christians would agree. Actually, due to our ignorance of the Bible, there is great disagreement about this subject.

Millions of Roman Catholics, Episcopalians and Anglicans believe that Christians go to suffer the flames of Purgatory.

Millions of Seventh Day Adventists believe that they just die, period, body and soul. Someday, if God deems them worthy, He recreates them, body and soul. Right now, they just don't exist.

Millions of "everyday" Christians, who are Christians in name only, believe in reincarnation.

As I said earlier, the reason we have so many opinions about what happens after death, is that we don't read our Bibles. What does the Bible say about this question?

I. As a human being you have both a body and a soul (2 Cor. 5:1). Your body is your "tent." Paul writes in other places about having both a body and a soul (Romans 7:14-23). If you were just a body, you would be an animal. If you were just a soul, you would be an angel. But you are a human being, a combination of body and soul, and the soul lives on when the body dies.

II. When a Christian dies, he leaves his body and goes to be with God (2 Cor. 5:6-8). See Matthew 22:29-33; Luke 16:22-23; Revelation 7:9-10. There are obviously multitudes of people living in Heaven right now. The Bible disproves Purgatory, Reincarnation, and the idea that the soul dies when the body dies.

III. Someday Christians will get new bodies (2 Cor. 5:2-4). This does not happen right after you die, but at the return of Christ. These bodies will not be completely new, but they will be our old bodies changed and glorified. (I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and I Cor. 15:42-52)

Conclusion: Reincarnation is wrong. Suffering in Purgatory is an error. Complete death of body and soul is ridiculous. The Bible is right: Every Christian who dies goes immediately to Heaven to be with Jesus. (John 14:1-2) But are YOU a Christian? If YOU died today, do you know for sure that YOU would go to Heaven? Why not receive Jesus right now, and make sure? Amen.