What Happens When Believers Die?
Richard A. Bradley
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
As we discuss these things this morning please remember the title of this sermon, ''What happens when believers die?'' The title is important because something entirely different happens when unsaved people die. This is why it's so important to be a saved person. Look at several competing theories about what comes next and then look at the only one the Bible supports:
1- There is no life after death. When we're dead we're just dead. The lights go out and we cease to exist as if we never lived.
2- Soul sleep. When believers die they go to sleep and remain asleep in the grave until the Lord awakens and resurrects them when He returns.
3- Purgatory. Most people are not worthy of heaven when they die. They are not bad enough for hell and not good enough for heaven. So, they go to purgatory to work off their sins until they're good enough to be with God.
Now that we've gotten all that out of the way let's consider what the Bible actually says about what happens when believers die.
LIFE GOES ON
1 For we know that if our earthly ho ...
Richard A. Bradley
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
2 Corinthians 5:1-8
1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,
3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked.
4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
As we discuss these things this morning please remember the title of this sermon, ''What happens when believers die?'' The title is important because something entirely different happens when unsaved people die. This is why it's so important to be a saved person. Look at several competing theories about what comes next and then look at the only one the Bible supports:
1- There is no life after death. When we're dead we're just dead. The lights go out and we cease to exist as if we never lived.
2- Soul sleep. When believers die they go to sleep and remain asleep in the grave until the Lord awakens and resurrects them when He returns.
3- Purgatory. Most people are not worthy of heaven when they die. They are not bad enough for hell and not good enough for heaven. So, they go to purgatory to work off their sins until they're good enough to be with God.
Now that we've gotten all that out of the way let's consider what the Bible actually says about what happens when believers die.
LIFE GOES ON
1 For we know that if our earthly ho ...
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