Souls of Unbelievers

The souls of the unbelieving dead will participate in the second resurrection. The second resurrection is a cursed resurrection because it is a resurrection unto damnation. All the unbelieving dead will be raised up to stand before the Judgement of the Great White Throne and be condemned to eternal torment in the lake of fire. This Judgement is described in Revelation 20:11-15, “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Intermediate State

At this point in time, those who have passed away, be they believers or unbelievers, are said to be in their intermediate state. What is the intermediate state? The intermediate state is “that realm or condition in which souls exist between death and the resurrection” (Boettner). For the Christian, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor 5:8). Walter B Knight told a story of “Christians of a certain tribe in Africa who never say of their dead ‘who die in the Lord’ that ‘they have departed!’ Speaking, as it were, from the vantage point of the Gloryworld, they triumphantly and joyously say, ‘They have arrived!’ What joy, even in sorrow, is ours when we say of our loved ones, who enter life eternal trusting Jesus. ‘Absent from the body—at home with the Lord!’.”

The reprobate, on the other hand, is now in a place of torment till the judgment day (Luke 13:27-28, 16:23-24, Jude 6-7, Rev 20:11-15). The reprobate intuitively know that they are on their way to hell. For example, “Sir Francis Newport, the head of an English infidel club, said to those gathered around his dying bed. ‘You need not tell me there is no God for I know there is one, and that I am in His angry presence! You need not tell me there is no hell, for I already feel my soul slipping into its fire! Wretches, cease your idle talk about there being hope for me! I know I am lost forever.’”

The intermediate state is described by Jesus in the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). From this true story of what happened to the rich man (an unbeliever) and Lazarus (a child of God) after they died, we find the following description of what the intermediate state is like: (1) The souls of the departed are truly alive, and fully conscious. (2) The wicked are experiencing tremendous pain, and suffering. (3) The redeemed are said to be in “Abraham’s bosom.” (4) Verbal communication is possible. (5) Heaven and hell are separated by a great chasm. (6) The souls of men are waiting for the resurrection of the body (Luke 14:13-14, John 5:29, Rev 20:4-6). (7) The departed cannot return to communicate with the living (cf Exod 22:18, Lev 20:6, 27, Deut 18:10-12).

False Views

In light of the above, we reject the following false views of life after death:

1. Soul Sleep: This view held by the Seventh-day Adventists teaches that when man dies, his soul enters into a state of unconsciousness. This view certainly contradicts the story of the rich man and Lazarus, for the rich man whose soul was in hell was very conscious of where he was and what he was going Lazarus himself was very much awake and comforted by Abraham in heaven.
2. Purgatory: This view says that those who die without being thoroughly cleansed of venial sins (ie forgivable sins) will have to undergo a process of purification in a “half-way house” before they can enter heaven. Taught by Roman Catholics; it contradicts what Jesus said in Luke 23:43 when He told the repentant thief, “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” The Apostle Paul himself made it very clear that all the purging of our sins have already been done by our Saviour, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot  to  God,  purge  your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:12-14).
   3.Annihilation: This view is taught by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the liberals. They say that when the finally impenitent dies, he will cease to They deny the existence of hell. Such a view contradicts what God says in Revelation 19:20, and 20:10, “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. … And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

Live Forever in Christ

Finally, what benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? The Westminster Shorter Catechism (Q37) has this good answer, “The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory; and their bodies, being still united in Christ, do rest in their graves, until the resurrection.” In light of this, let us make sure that we are born again, truly children of God, having the gift of eternal life which only the Lord Jesus Christ can give to all who will trust in Him.

Jesus said, “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. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:1-6).