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Is their life after death?
Yes, there is life
after death, but there are those who erringly believe that once you die,
you cease to exist until the resurrection. This is problematic for
two reasons: First, it contradicts scripture. Second, if a
person dies and ceases to exist, then he is in the same state he was
before he was born: non-existence. Therefore, at the
resurrection, it is not he who is raised from the dead. No,
instead, a copy of the original person is produced. Nevertheless, the
Bible definitely tells us that there is life after death:
- Luke 16:22-23,
"Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away
by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was
buried. 23 “And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in
torment, and *saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom."
- Note, this is not a parable or
a mere illustration since it contains the name of an individual,
Lazarus. Besides if it were a parable, then what is it
illustrating if not life after death?
- John 14:1, "And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."
- 2 Cor. 5:8, "we are of good
courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to
be at home with the Lord."
- Here we see that Paul is
teaching that to be absent from the body (to be dead) is to be
at home with the Lord. This could not be if we ceased to
exist after death.
- Phil. 1:21-23, "For to me, to live is
Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh,
this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to
choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the
desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better."
- Rev. 14:11, "And the smoke of
their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day
and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever
receives the mark of his name.”
- This scripture is about the
judgment of the wicked and how they will endure it forever in
consciousness.
Therefore, we
can clearly see that there is definitely life after death.
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