Death; it seems so definitive. Can we really believe that there is an afterlife? Or is death simply part of the 'broken world' in which we live?
We can discover in ourselves the following dimensions:
- A body: the physical, visible dimension.
- A mind: the dimension of thinking and responding.
- A soul or spirit: the dimension of our personality.
Our body is getting older and will die one day. Then it has accomplished its task. When our body dies, our mind lives on because it cannot die or be killed. When we go to a funeral or cremation and see the coffin, there is only the body. The spirit of the person we knew is not in there.
What happens after death? To answer this question, we need to consult the only one who can give us the answer. Jesus suffered death and returned to life, so he can speak with authority of life after death. He speaks of two eternities: heaven and hell.
Hell is where God has withdrawn his presence, where love and light are no longer present. Jesus describes it as a place of darkness, weeping, and torment. Hell is an eternal prison sentence, with no chance of pardon. God does not send anyone to hell. God gives us the opportunity for forgiveness of sins in this life by having Jesus bear this terrible death penalty for you. So people choose hell for themselves when they ignore Jesus and reject Him as the only hope for freedom and eternal life. The Bible calls this "being separated from God forever."
According to Jesus, heaven is the place where all of God's children belong. A Christian does not belong on earth. Through this short, impermanent life, we are on a journey to our real home, which Jesus prepares for us. He will be there. God the Father will be there. The Holy Spirit will be there, as will the angels and all of God's children —all who love Him and have trusted in Him since the beginning of creation. Heaven is shown to us as a place of perfect love and happiness, of lasting peace. There will be no more sin, no more death, no harm, no violence, no hatred, no sorrow, no farewell.
The life of a Christian on earth is a preparation for that glorious life to come. We will be raised from the dead at the end of time with a new spiritual body and will then see Jesus. Our spiritual bodies will be fit to live with Him in heaven forever. And all riddles and secrets will then be solved.
When you love Jesus, you don't have to be afraid of death. Because when your body dies, and that day will surely come, the real you goes directly to heaven. It will be like falling asleep and then waking up again. The first one you will see is Jesus himself!