Heaven, Hell, or Resurrection?

No one enjoys facing the facts when it comes to human mortality. We don't like to think about the people we love dying, and this is perhaps because of the apparent inevitability of death. Modern Christianity teaches that life continues on immediately after death - that human beings have an immortal soul that instantly becomes conscious in either heaven or hell the moment someone dies. This is not a biblical teaching - I challenge you to read the rest of this article, most importantly the scriptures, and examine what the bible says versus what you believe.

This is the clear and indisputable teaching from the Word of God:

Isaiah 26:19
But your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise — let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy — your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.

Notice that "their bodies will rise" - their physical bodies! And look where the people were before they were resurrected: dwelling in the dust! Dead in the ground! That's what happens to people between the time that they die and the time that God resurrects them - they return to dust.

Ezekiel 37:12-14
This is what the Sovereign LORD says: "My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.”

Have you ever thought about the vast numbers of people that died before Christ came? This verse clearly states that the Israelites will be resurrected from their graves to physical life so that they can take part in the New Covenant. Later scriptures reveal that this is also God's plan for everyone who has ever lived who has not known God.

In fact, God promises a special resurrection (the first resurrection) for His true Church:

Revelation 20:4-6
I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God... They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection... the second death has no power over them.

There are some often overlooked points in these verses: "this is the first resurrection," "the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended," and "the second death has no power over them." A special group of people will be resurrected at the coming of Christ in the first resurrection (also see 1 Corinthians 15). The people raised in this resurrection are spirit beings - they cannot die again! It also says that everyone else is going to be resurrected too:

Revelation 20:11-15
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it... And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. 

The "rest of the dead" will be physical - they are able to die, and "the lake of fire is the second death." Before being judged, they will learn God's way. They will be judged by their works - whether they accept God's way of life and live by it or not. If they choose to live by God's Word, they will become spirit beings; otherwise, they are thrown into the lake of fire to die again. Not be tortured for all eternity, but to die - cease to exist - forever.

So many people are ignorant of the truth hidden inside of their bible. The only way to understand God's truth is to read His Word for yourself. Put aside your own opinions, traditions, and beliefs before you even start. Most importantly, ask God to help you understand who He really is, what He really wants from you, and what He really has planned for humanity. Believe what God says, not what you've been told by men.