From Death To Life

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John 5:24-25

Modern English Version

²⁴ “Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life. 

²⁵ Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

Luke 16:19-31

Modern English Version

{Paraphrased}

The Rich Man and Lazarus

¹⁹ “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. 

²⁰ There was also a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores, who had been placed at his gate, 

²¹ desiring to be fed the crumbs falling from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

²² “It came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s presence. The rich man also died and was buried. 

²³ In Hades, being in torment {the spirits of dead people can feel}, he lifted up his eyes {they have eyes} and saw {and can see} Abraham from a distance and Lazarus in his presence {they recognize and know people just like when their bodies were alive}. 

²⁴ So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am tormented in this flame’ {they have mouths, tongues and can talk. The gnashing of teeth in Matthew 13:42 means that the fire of hell begins in your mouth, on your tongue (James 3:2-6). That's why people burning in hell gnash their teeth and wail}.

²⁵ “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented {they have ears and a mind and can hear and understand}. 

²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf, so that those who would pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us’ {this gulf fixed means that they can see, hear and know you, but you can't them}

²⁷ “He said, ‘Then I pray you, father, to send him to my father’s house {they still have feelings like love and worry},

²⁸ for I have five brothers, to testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment’ {the spirits can also feel regret}

²⁹ “Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them hear them.’

³⁰ “He said, ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

³¹ “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead’ ” {the human spirit is an exact image of their flesh or human body. Except that it's invisible. They have all the inner sanctum functions}.

Everyone lives forever in another form after they die, as Luke 16:19-31 reveals. But what does Jesus mean by eternal life? According to John 17:3, eternal life means living with God—He alone possesses true eternal life. To live forever is to know Him and to be with Him eternally.

What about those who live forever in death? Genesis 3:5 shows that hell and the lake of fire are what the devil had in mind when he spoke of two possible paths. Eternal death means separation from God in everlasting fire. Hell is the reality of eternal death. You cannot experience peace or joy apart from the Lord, because those feelings come from Him. Without Him, there is no peace or joy.

Regarding death, people do not truly die. We are spirits with souls living in bodies. After the body dies, the spirit continues to exist; people on the other side can see and hear you, but you cannot see or hear them. They are not dead—they will be given new bodies at the resurrection. God will place the spirit that left the first body into a new body at the resurrection. So, people do not cease to exist; they are alive as spirits after death. However, the Lord forbids us from communicating with those who have passed away. It is called necromancy and spiritism (Deuteronomy 18:10-12/ Leviticus 19:31; 20:27).

Christians Do Not Mourn for Those Who Have Died

No one truly dies. The hope of the resurrection assures us that our loved ones who have passed away are still alive on the other side of reality. They are not gone, but living in another form, no longer of this earth. You will see them again at the resurrection. Knowing this, you don’t have to mourn as if they are lost; "dead and gone forever"—they are still alive.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, which discusses the first resurrection and the rapture, the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul explains that the dead are "sleeping"—asleep in death, resting in the dust. This means that death is not permanent; it is like sleep because the body will rise again. The bodies of your loved ones are asleep in Christ, while their spirits are alive in another realm. Their bodies rest in the earth, but their spirits continue on. Therefore, you do not need to mourn for your loved ones as if they are lost—they are simply awaiting resurrection, and you will see them again at the resurrection.

There Is No Death

The human spirit lives forever. When the body dies, the Lord gives the spirit a new body—it remains the same person. Therefore, you don’t have to mourn for your loved ones who have died. In the spiritual realm, there is no death; only the body dies, but God creates for them new bodies.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Authorized (King James) Version

{Paraphrased}

The Holy Spirit’s Comfort Regarding Death:

"Do Not Mourn for Your Loved Ones Who Have Died"

¹³ But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope {in the resurrection of the dead. They mourn their dead but you don't have to}.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him {your dead loved ones will rise again too}. 

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 

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: 

¹⁷ then we which are alive and remain shall be {raptured} together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

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World without end. Amen.