What happens after we die? It’s one of the most important questions we can ask – and one with eternal significance. As June Hunt has often said, eternity is too long to be wrong.
Thankfully, God’s Word doesn’t leave us in the dark. The Bible provides clear answers about the afterlife, how to prepare for it, and tell others about it. Consider the story of Jesus and Lazarus …
Before Jesus walked out of His tomb, He stood at the tomb of a friend. Lazarus had been dead for four days and was already buried. When the Lord arrived at the tomb, He asked that the stone be rolled away. Then, after praying, “Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43).
And he did.
Death does not have the final word on our lives – Jesus does. He holds power over death, and He conquered death by His resurrection. Through Christ, God has removed every obstacle for people to avoid His judgment, escape hell, and experience the everlasting joy of being with the Lord in heaven.
With Christ, you can confront death with peace and hope. God calls us to believe and entrust our lives to Jesus, who said …
“I am the resurrection and the life.
The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
Do you believe this?”
(John 11:25–26)
Living in Light of Eternity
12 Truths on Death & Heaven
God lives in heaven, ruling all things from His heavenly throne.
“The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.”
(Psalm 103:19)
God destroyed death through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
“It has now been revealed through
the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
(2 Timothy 1:10)
God offers eternal life to everyone through faith in Jesus Christ.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
(John 3:16)
God will judge each person after they die.
“Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”
(Hebrews 9:27)
God promises believers they will be with the Lord when they die.
“As long as we are at home in the body
we are away from the Lord …
we are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
(2 Corinthians 5:6, 8)
God will resurrect everyone on the last day – believers to eternal life in heaven and unbelievers to eternal punishment in hell.
“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”
(Daniel 12:2)
God does not delight in the death of the unbelieving.
“Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign LORD. Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live.”
(Ezekiel 18:23 NLT)
God will make a new heaven and new earth at the end of time.
“See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.
The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.”
(Isaiah 65:17)
God promises that heaven will be free of suffering and death.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”
(Revelation 21:4 NLT)
God wants you to focus on the realities of heaven.
“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.”
(Colossians 3:1–2 NLT)
God wants you to encourage others with the hope of heaven.
“We want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died . . .
Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.”
(1 Thessalonians 4:13–14, 17–18 NLT)
God wants you to share the gospel and lead people to their eternal home in heaven.
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
(2 Corinthians 5:20)
