State of the Dead | The Bible Teaches

What happens when we die? There are many theories, but the Bible has a clear answer. In this lesson, we will discover the biblical truth about death.

The Nature of Man

How was man created?

Body + immortal pre-existing soul Dust of the earth + breath of life = living soul Only spirit The Bible does not explain

Does man possess an immortal soul?

Yes, everyone has an immortal soul Only God possesses immortality The person is born immortal It depends on how we live

“The theory of the immortality of the soul was one of those false doctrines that Rome, borrowing from paganism, incorporated into the religion of Christendom.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, GC 549.2

What Happens in Death

What happens when a person dies?

The soul immediately goes to heaven or hell The dust returns to the earth and the breath (spirit) returns to God who gave it The person reincarnates He continues living in another dimension

Do the dead know anything?

Yes, they are conscious of everything They know more than the living The dead know nothing at all It depends on how they died

To what does the Bible compare death?

To a journey To a sleep To a feast To a judgment

The Hope of Resurrection

When will the dead receive life again?

Immediately after death At the resurrection, when Christ returns After passing through purgatory They will never live again

When will we receive immortality?

At birth At death At the last trumpet, when the dead are raised incorruptible Through good works

“The Bible clearly teaches that the dead do not go immediately to heaven. They are represented as sleeping until the resurrection.” — Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, GC 549.3

Warning About Spiritualism

Why does the Bible prohibit consulting the dead?

Because it doesn't work Because the dead cannot communicate — it is demonic deception Only by tradition Only in the Old Testament

What was Satan's first lie about death?

'You will suffer' 'You will be happy' 'You will surely not die' 'You will live in paradise'

Where is our hope in the face of death?

In the immortality of the soul In reincarnation In Jesus: 'I am the resurrection and the life' In our good works

Now What?

The truth about death brings peace:

Death is a sleep: There is no consciousness or suffering
We do not have an immortal soul: Only God is immortal
Resurrection is our hope: Jesus will return and give us life
Spiritualism is deception: The dead do not communicate

My Decision

I accept the biblical teaching that death is an unconscious sleep until the resurrection. My hope is in Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life. I reject any attempt to communicate with the dead as deception from the enemy.

Yes, I believe and accept this truth.

14) State of the Dead