Expert: Cooper P. Abrams III - 4/23/2004

Question
When a person dies, does his or her spirit leave the body immediately and go to heaven or hell?

Is Judgement Day one day for everyone or is it a day for each individual based on the day that they died?  

Answer
Hi Manzie,
When a person dies according to the Bible they will go to one of two places.     
The lost person, mean one who is unsaved and has not believed and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior will go to a place called Hades. (Luke 16:19:32, Matthew 25:41, Ps 9:17  Pr 5:5  9:13,15-18  15:24  23:13,14  Isa 30:33 #Isa 33:14  Mt 3:12  5:29,30  7:13,14  8:11,12  10:28 #Mt 13:30,38-42,49,50  16:18  18:8,9,34,35  22:13 #Mt 25:28-30,41,46  Mr 9:43-48  Lu 3:17  16:23-26,28  Ac 1:25 #2Th 1:9  2Pe 2:4  Jude 1:6-23  Re 2:11  9:1,2  11:7 Re 14:10,11  19:20  20:10,15  21:8)
   Hades is the temporary abode of the unsaved.   Once the unsaved die they remain in Hades until the end of the world and then are brought before the Lord Jesus and judged according to their works (Rev. 20:11-15).  Everyone at this judgment are cast into the eternal Lake of Fire.  This is referred to as the Great White Throne Judgment.
   Believers, (Christians) who by faith accept Jesus Christ as their Savior when they die will be instantly taken to be with the Lord in Heaven. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9)
   Believers will remain in Heaven with the Lord until the Rapture.  The term Rapture is given to the event described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-55).   These passages tell us that the Lord Jesus will return and at that time, which is before the coming Seven Year Tribulation.  He will bring the dead Christians with Him and the dead in Christ will be raised from their graves, and then with those that are alive on earth, they all be be "caught up" (raptured) or resurrected and they will meet the Lord in the air...   They will be taken to heaven and there their works will be judged at 1 Corinthians 3:10-18 as explains.   
    The Seven Year Tribulation will be taking place on earth at the same time and at the end of the seven years Christ will return to earth, with Christians, and His angels and remove all lost or unsaved people off the earth. (Matthew 24:28-42)   He then will set up His kingdom in Jerusalem and rule the earth for a 1000 years.
     It is at the end of the 1000 years, (called the Millennium) that the final judgment occurs I mentioned earlier as the Great White Throne Judgment.
     I hope I have not confused you...it is not a terribly complicated subject, but it is somewhat involved.
  There is a chart at http://members.citynet.net/morton/images/lresurrect.gif which may help you by seeing these things graphically.  It is an old chart, but fairly accurate.
     If I have not made this clear...would you write again and express what you do not understand.  I will be happy to response and help you understand this important issue.
    God bless you and lead you to understanding His truth.
Cooper Abrams
Romans 12:1-2