Holy Bible Online 
Death is one of the greatest dilemmas of human existence. The Bible teaches us many things about this hard reality and makes it clear that life does not end after death. The body dies, but the soul lives on.
Here we answer the biggest questions about life after death and what happens when we die, in light of the Bible:
Where do we go when we die?
Jesus told His disciples that there are two paths: one that leads to life and one that leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13–14). He also said that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). God’s Word tells us what we must do to walk this path: believe in Jesus and confess that He is Lord.
Whoever believes in the Lord Jesus as their only and sufficient Savior will be with Him after death.
When Jesus spoke to the thief on the cross about this place, He called it “Paradise.” In the parable of the “Rich Man and Lazarus,” Jesus referred to it as “Abraham’s side” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 16:19–31). More generally, it is often described as “Heaven.” But the goal of Scripture is not to define the name of the place, but to emphasize that whoever dies in Christ will be with the Lord. The focus is not on where we’ll be, but with whom we’ll be after death.
What happens to those who die without believing in Jesus?
On the other hand, the person who dies without believing in Jesus will be permanently separated from the Lord.
Those who die in this condition go to a place described as “Hades,” or in some Bible translations, “Hell” (Luke 16:23). In this place, people are spiritually separated from God (spiritual death).
Whether in the presence of the Lord or separated from God in hell (Hades), people who have died are waiting for God’s final judgment day.
In Revelation 6:10, those who had been killed for their faith cry out to God and ask how long He will wait to avenge them.
These people were aware that they had died and knew exactly what had caused their death. They knew they had been murdered because of their faith in Jesus. This leads us to believe that people who die retain clear memories of their life on earth and the people they had relationships with.
Do people remember their family after death?
The Bible does not clearly state this, but it gives us some hints.
In the parable of the “Rich Man and Lazarus,” Jesus says that the rich man who died (and was in Hades) asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his family. His intention was to prevent his brothers from coming to that place of torment. This shows that even after death, he remembered his relatives and was concerned about their eternal destiny.
Can someone who dies still see us?
The Bible does not give a definitive answer to this question. Some passages seem to suggest the possibility, but there is no clear teaching about it. Hebrews 12:1 speaks of a “great cloud of witnesses” watching those who are still running the race, but the context does not allow us to say with certainty that these are people who have died and are now in God’s presence.
In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, told by Jesus in Luke 16, the rich man appears to have some awareness of what is happening to his living relatives.
One thing we know: those who are in God’s presence do not experience pain or suffering. So if they do see us, they see us with perfected eyes that trust in God’s perfect will and ultimate victory.
Do people’s spirits remain on earth after death?
The Bible says that the physical body returns to dust, but the spirit returns to God. Contrary to popular belief, the spirits of the dead do not roam the earth. The spirit waits for the final judgment, at the end of time.
Human beings were made from the dust of the earth. God’s Word tells us the body returns to the earth and the spirit returns to God. This seems to happen instantly. It also suggests that no one is likely to witness their own funeral.
The soul of a person who dies continues to exist in a new reality.
One of the thieves crucified next to Jesus received confirmation from the Lord that he would be with Him in paradise after death.
The apostle Paul also had the expectation of being with the Lord immediately after death.
Those who have died are awaiting the final judgment. The book of Revelation presents the reality of Christians who were martyred for their testimony of Jesus. They are waiting for judgment day.
Why do we die?
The Bible says that death is the consequence of sin:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 6:23
When humanity sinned, death became a part of life.
In the Garden of Eden, God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die:
…but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.
- Genesis 2:17
After they ate the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve did not physically die immediately. However, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden and spiritually separated from God. Over time, this spiritual separation from God (spiritual death) led to physical death (separation of body and soul).
Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. When someone dies, their soul is separated from their body.
Will death cease to exist?
God’s Word tells us that death will cease to exist in the future. Death and Hades (the place of the dead) will be thrown into the “lake of fire.”
Death will be banished from human existence. In the new life that believers will have in Christ, there will be no more sorrow, mourning, or pain.
To live this new life, we need to believe in Jesus Christ as our one and only Lord and Savior.
Surrender your life to Christ today! He has conquered death. He has the power to save you. That’s why He declares:
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- John 11:25–26
The Bible has more words of comfort and hope for you: