Is there an afterlife Some say no. (Chattanooga, TN)

Is there an afterlife Some say no.

Question Is there an afterlife Answer The book of Job asks a question about the afterlife very simply If a man die shall he live again all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. (Job 14 14). Asking the question is easy more difficult is finding someone to answer the question with authority and experience. Jesus Christ is the one person who can speak with real authority (and experience) concerning the afterlife. What gives Him sole authority to speak of heavenis that He came from there No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven the Son of Man John 3 13. The Lord Jesus with His firsthand experience in heaven presents us with three basic truths about the subject of life after death 1. There is an afterlife. 2. When a person dies there are two possible destinations to which he or she may go. 3. There is one way to ensure a positive experience after death. First Christ affirms there is an afterlife a number of times. For example in an encounter with the Sadducees who denied the doctrine of the resurrection Jesus said About the dead rising have you not read in the Book of Moses in the account of the burning bush how God said to him I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken Mark 12 26-27. According to Jesus those who had died centuries before were very much alive with God at that moment. In another passage Jesus comforts His disciples (and us) by telling them of the afterlife. They can look forward to being with Him in heaven Let not your heart be troubled ye believe in God believe also in me. In my Father s house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am there ye may be also. John 14 1-3. Jesus also speaks authoritatively about the two different destinies that await in the afterlife. In the account of the rich man and Lazarus Jesus says And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham s bosom the rich man also died and was buried And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. Luke 16 22-23. Jesus also emphasized that what determines a person s eternal destination is whether or not he has faith in God s only begotten Son. The need for faithis very clear That whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God . John 3 15-18. For those who repent of their sin and receive Jesus Christ as their Savior the afterlife will consist of an eternity spent enjoying God. For those who reject Christ however the afterlife will be quite different. Revelation 21 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away. (Our spiritual body that each of us will be in is an incorruptible body it will never grow old or decay it is designed by God to last forever eternally. There is no pain or sorrow felt in that body for all sin and guilt are blotted out by the blood of Christ. Some may say What about our loved ones which lay burning in hell fire Friend those souls were burned to ashes and all thought of them will be blotted even from your memory. It will be as if that loved one had never existed). Speaking about life after death G. B. Hardy a Canadian scientist once said I have only two questions to ask. One has anyone ever defeated death Two did he make a way for me to do it also The answer to both of Hardy s questions is yes. One Person has both defeated death and provided a way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to overcome it as well. No one who trusts in Jesus Christ needs to fear death and we can rejoice in the Lord s salvation So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Corinthians 15 54-55. (Our flesh bodies are corruptible they get sick and eventually die. Our spiritual bodies are incorruptible do not get sick and never die). Not that many people know we have two bodies. Why They don t study the Bible. 1 Corinthians 15 44 It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. [We have two bodies a natural one and a spiritual one. See 2 Corinthians 5 1-8 when we die we are present with the Lord. The spiritual body is what one spends eternity in not their flesh natural body. What does the word raised mean in 1 Corinthians 15 44 Resurrection (a transition from flesh to spirit) is what I think it means]. Ecclesiastes 12 6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken or the pitcher be broken at the fountain or the wheel broken at the cistern. [Ecclesiastes is written to the man under the sun flesh man. This verse is saying when this flesh body dies for whatever the reason see next verse].Ecclesiastes 12 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. [Our spirit returns to God who gave it and our flesh bodies return to the earth we are finished with them they have fulfilled their purposes in God s plan they go back to the dust dirt soil earth they are made of]. James 2 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also. [When we die our flesh bodies are dead without a spirit. Our spirits go back to God who gave it see Ecclesiastes 12 7 again]. Hebrews 9 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgment [When this flesh body dies and it will our spirits go where God is and await His judgment]. This is what I choose to believe There is no way these flesh bodies of ours will last for ever they get sick sometimes and they age and die eventually they are temporary only. We have a spiritual body that is what is meant to last an eternity not our flesh bodies. Our spirits souls and spiritual bodies are with God upon death of the flesh awaiting judgment (Hebrews 9 27). I have tried to connect the dots in my own mind (let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind Romans 14 5). In any case keep studying the entire Bible my friends. Reply if you wish regardless of what you choose to believe.