Expert: Marilyn - 2/23/2007

Question
I have always been "taught" that when a person dies, their soul goes to heaven or hell right then. After looking for information on this subject in the Bible (KJV), it appears that when a person dies, they know nothing till judgement day. Time seems to stop when a person dies. Can you offer more information to me on this subject?
Thanks.

Answer
Hello Robert;

Sleep and death are often equated, especially in the Old Testament.  When confronted with His friend's death (Lazarus, brother of Martha and Mary), Jesus first said, "He sleeps," but those with Him kept after Him so He said, "Lazarus is dead."

I think that the term "sleep" is a less final word for "dead" from the point of view of the living.  In this moment, from Jesus' point of view, Lazarus only slept because He was about to raise him from the dead.  Paul uses the term, "sleep," also when speaking of a temporary state in the context of the resurrection, I Corinthians 15:51.  I  think in this context, the use of the word "sleep" is more poetic than literal.

There are passages in the Old Testament that say out right that the person knows nothing until judgment or seem to imply it, but in Matthew 22:23-33 Jesus addresses this issue.  " 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  He is not the God of the dead, but of the living," verse 32.  Jesus is saying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob still live.

In the story of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16, Jesus tells His only story using proper names.  Many Bible scholars believe this is a factual story rather than a parable because of this and because of the unique setting of the story--hell.

In this story Lazarus, the poor man, dies and goes to "Abraham's side," NIV.  From the story we gather that this holding place is not a place of torment because the deceased Lazarus and long dead Abraham are not suffering.  The rich man dies and begins to suffer.  

The rich man, who can see Abraham and Lazarus, begs Abraham to let Lazarus wet his finger and put a few drops of water on his lips.  Abraham explains that this isn't possible because a huge chasm separates them.

From this story we surmise that Old Testament believers did not go immediately to Heaven, but had to wait in a holding place in hell or next door, separated by a chasm.  An animal sacrifice cannot truly pay for sin, so technically, though they made their sacrifices by faith in God, they couldn't be permitted to enter Heaven yet.  They had to wait for the true Sacrifice, the One they believed in faith would eventually come.  

Jesus died, entered hell and set them free, Ephesians 4:8.  As He ascended into Heaven, so they also did.  This is why Jesus tells the dying thief next to Him on His own cross, "This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise," rather than saying "in Heaven."

Thus, from that point on, believers immediately go the Heaven.  Their bodies may sleep in the dirt until the resurrection, but their spirits go directly to the Father.

Paul boldly declares, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  Yet what shall I choose?  I do not know!  I am torn between the two:  I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far...," Philippians 1:21-23.  Paul was deeply convinced that for him to die meant instant presence with the Lord.  

"Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ?  Shall trouble or harship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or swore?  As it is written:  "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered (Psalm 44:22).  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons...will be able to separate us from the Love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord," Romans 8:35-39.

Peter says, "For you have been born agan, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God," I Peter 1:23

The New Testament revelation concerning matters of death and satan is far more developed than that of the Old Testament.  Because it is the New Covenant, it trumps the Old Covenant.  It is a better Covenant with deeper, better revelation.  

So, yes, I would say I agree with what you've always been "taught," that a when a person dies, the spirit goes to Heaven or hell right then.  The spirit is the "breath of God," the eternal essence of a person.  The soul is composed of the mind, will and emotions and is often equated with the spirit and are difficult to separate in one's mind's eye.  The body is obviously separate, though not as obvious as one might believe upon further inspection.  

Might some residual elements of the soul "sleep" with the body waiting for resurrection?  I don't know.  But it can definitely be said that now the essence, the spirit of a person, goes to either Heaven or hell.

Sincerely,

Marilyn