What happens when we die 9

Scripture shows us that their is no 'soul' as we understand it. There is a living soul and that is a person that is alive and breathing. When the body is separated from the breath, you go into the sleep of death.

Psalm 13:3 "Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; 

Enlighten my eyes,

Lest I sleep the sleep of death"

Acts 7: 59-60 "And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit (pneuma).

And he knelled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep".

John 11:11-14 "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then Jesus said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead".

John 11:39 "Jesus said, 'Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days".

John 11:43-44 "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth, .........."

To Jesus the words 'dead' and 'asleep' is one and the same. He can decide at any time to call you back to life. Nothing and nobody can prevent Him from doing that; no rotten flesh and worms, no shark stomach. No ashes in a canister. If you die in Christ, you are asleep in Him. If you die without Christ; you are dead even to Him. Are you going to be asleep in Christ or dead to Christ?

For those who died in Christ there is hope. There will be a time when Jesus will come and wake them. Martha understood this very well, that is why she thought that Jesus referred to the resurrection of those who died in Christ.

John 11:23-24 "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Marhta saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day".

As Christians we should be looking forward to the day that Martha is talking about. Whether we "go to sleep" before that day or are alive.

John 11:25-26 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believe thou this?"

Wow! Jesus can wake anybody at any time before that last day if He so chooses. He has full control.

This whole Lazarus episode should give us hope. No matter how difficult things are now. Are you being prosecuted in anyway? Is there a possibility that you may die today, tomorrow? Do not worry, we have a bright future ahead of us. Let us serve the Lord and trust in Him. On the last day Jesus will say, 'John, Sophie, Anne, Darryl come forth', and those of us who are asleep at the time will awake and be carried to our future.

Job 14:12 "So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep".

When you die, you will stay dead until the day that the seventh seal is opened, the coming of Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:16 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first"

John 5:28-29 "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

And shall come forth; they that have done good,unto the resurrection if life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation".