What happens when you die?

Is man immortal? What do you think? What do you think? The question here is what happens after you die. You die, and then – what comes after that? Does man die, and is he then dead, or does he live on, and is consequently immortal?

Many Christians think that man simply lives on. Dying or not – you won’t be really dead afterwards. In many cases, people imagine that when they die, they immediately go to heaven. Of course, this only applies to believers. As a contrast, there is then a hell, and should therefore the one immediately get to heaven, it would be “logical” that the unbelievers then immediately (i.e. without trial) burn in hell. But it is not really clear and there are many variations on the same theme. These ideas all presuppose that man is fundamentally immortal. But is he? This wants to be questioned here on the basis of the Bible.

Does the Bible teach that human beings are immortal by themselves?

Under no circumstances will you die!

The idea that after dying there is not death, but simply another form of life, is based on the idea that man would have an “immortal soul”. At least that’s what the Greek philosophers thought. But the Bible speaks of man being a living soul – who can also die (e.g. Jos 2,14 Rev 16,3). So, according to the Bible, man does not have an immortal soul. There is a sharp contrast between popular folk beliefs and what the Bible says. Whoever talks about the fact that man simply lives on after dying (whether in heaven or elsewhere is irrelevant), denies death in principle. This is reminiscent of the conversation between Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden:

“And the serpent was more crafty than all the beasts of the field which the LORD God had made; and he said unto the woman, Did God indeed say, Of all the trees of the garden ye shall not eat? Then the woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we eat; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die! Then the serpent said to the woman, “By no means will you die! But God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Gen 3:1-5

Eve had received a clear statement from God: “for in the day that you eat of it, you will be dying to die” (Gen. 2:17 Concordant Old Testament). Man was told of his mortality should he eat of the said trees. The serpent, on the other hand, claimed that man would not die and become like God… In a comparison with this story, it is easy to see: The lie of the serpent is the thought that is popular today. Not mortality and death are taken seriously, but immortality and being like God are believed.

Aren’t there many passages in the Bible that say otherwise?

Those who are somewhat familiar with the Bible may now think of various biblical passages that are readily quoted as proof that man lives on in death. Let us not be tempted to let others override the previous clear statements. It is better to look at the legitimate objections individually and interpret them in their own context. Examples:

The rich man and Lazarus
For example, people like to refer to the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. That this is not a representation of the hereafter has already been explained in detail.

The apartments in the father house
Or did Jesus not say something about the Father’s house, wherein are many mansions, and is that not a picture of heaven (John 14:2-4)? Answer: The “house of my Father” is nowhere in the New Testament heaven, but the temple (John 2:16). There is a view in the Old Testament, in the book of Ezekiel, of a new temple wherein there are many cells or rooms (Ezek 42). When Jesus speaks in John 14 about preparing a place for the 12 disciples (and only for them!), it is not in heaven but on earth. Jesus says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). So only when He comes again will He take the disciples to Himself. This has nothing to do with apartments in heaven.

These two examples may show that common arguments for a “life in death” have more to do with eisegesis (insertion) than with exegesis (interpretation).

The idea that man does not really die, but is immortal in essence, has far-reaching consequences. Death then is not really death. It is “only the outer shell” that dies and not the person himself. Therefore, even the resurrection is not really important. Resurrection is not the answer, the good news of victory over death, but resurrection is merely the revival of the body. Or in other words, reality is deprived of the seriousness of life and the Gospel is deprived of power. When death is trivialized, even the resurrection no longer has any real meaning.

The seriousness of life

According to the biblical account, the world suffers from two things: Sin and death. Through sin, death entered this world, and since then death has penetrated to all men, whereupon all now sin (Rom 5:12). This is the seriousness of life: we are mortal and lack the glory of God (Rom 3:23). Our inadequacy and mortality trouble us. So much for our starting position. The gospel shows God’s response to both of these things. Sin is balanced by His righteousness, and death is swallowed up by life. Spiritually, we can already experience this today in faith. Furthermore, there is the promise of Scripture which says that one day death will be put away as the last enemy (1 Cor. 15:26), as will sin (Heb. 9:26). This is really good news.

It is amazing, but Adam and Eve were not told hell for transgression, but death. The gospel is not the answer to a hell or an avoidance strategy for God’s punishment, but it is the answer to sin and death and its consequences. The Gospel is not the correction of symptoms and consequences, but the removal of causes. The seriousness of death, according to the Gospel, is replaced by the seriousness of real life. That is then immortality and fullness of life as we do not know it today at all. But we do not carry this indissoluble life within us now. But we are waiting for this promise to be fulfilled.

The current situation is as follows: Whoever dies is dead afterwards. Death is the antithesis of life. This is the only way it is described in the Bible. With death, life is over. Death is a real issue, not a sideshow. Only through resurrection will the dead live again. That is why the resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the core of the gospel (see 1Cor 15). He himself is the seriousness of life, so to speak. His resurrection and making alive change everything. Jesus says of Himself, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25). This should make it clear that life comes through resurrection, and that Jesus is the key figure for this. There is no life in death. Life comes only after death, through resurrection. Whoever has died does not live on somewhere and somehow, but is dead until the day of resurrection. Only then does it continue.

Immortality

The Bible does not talk about immortality as much as one might think. Immortality (Gr. athanasia) is mentioned only three times in the New Testament and only in two sections. Both sections are very informative:

“…our Lord Christ Jesus…, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality.”
1Tim 6:16

Here it becomes clear that today only one has immortality – Christ Jesus. He alone has immortality. This statement is so clear that we should use it as an anchor for our understanding. No one else is immortal today. This statement is the end of the “immortal soul” of all people. Although several people were reported to have been resurrected (e.g., Lazarus John 11:1-45), all of these people died again. They were raised to this mortal life, only to die a second time. No one was immortal. Except one. Christ was not only raised, but He was made alive.

“But now Christ has been raised from the dead: the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep!… For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own special department: the firstfruits of Christ, thereupon…”
1Cor 15,20-23

Several people had already been resurrected, and Jesus also raised people from the dead. With Himself, however, it was something else. He was not raised to the old mortal life, but he was made alive (Gr. zoopoieo). None of them have been so far. He who is made alive no longer dies, but is immortal. Death no longer has any power over him. Christ was made alive as the firstfruits in this sense. Therefore, He is the one “who alone has immortality” (1Tim 6:16).

But it doesn’t stop there. The bringing to life of all those who died in Adam is accomplished step by step. This is what Paul describes in 1 Cor. 15:20-28, up to the goal God has set of becoming “all in all.” Paul is thus describing the enormous impact that the making alive of Christ will once have. While some thought that there was no resurrection, Paul here shows the enormous scope of resurrection and being made alive one day. In the further course of the chapter Paul then mentions many more characteristics of this making alive. At the end the word immortality (gr. athanasia) occurs twice more:

“For this perishable must put on imperishability, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable puts on imperishability, and this mortal puts on immortality, then shall be fulfilled the word that is written, Death was swallowed up in victory!”
1Cor 15:53-54

Immortality in this context is achieved through resurrection and being made alive. It is worth reading the chapter in its entirety once, because much more is said about it. The view is stunning. The answer to suffering in this world, to missing the mark and death, is imperishability and immortality, and overflowing life. It is God’s answer to the very real death. Paul describes it this way:

“…our Savior Christ Jesus…who abolishes death and in its place brings life and incorruption to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed herald, apostle and teacher of the nations.”
2Tim 1:10-11

Understand the words

This article shows two different meanings of “immortality”. One view comes from Greek philosophy, while the other has been pointed out from the Bible. The concept of Greek philosophy states that man has an immortal core, an “immortal soul”. According to this view, man is basically immortal. The Bible, on the other hand, says that man dies, and that affects him completely (and not just a part of him). The Bible speaks of man being a mortal, dying and then being dead – and remaining dead – until the resurrection. Then, however, when he is made alive, he will receive immortality.

Immortality is just one word. The interpretation, however, depends on our understanding. If we want to gain an understanding of biblical contexts, it is worthwhile to get to the bottom of the meaning of words in the biblical context. It would have been enough to simply mention in this article the three biblical passages where the word “immortality” was mentioned. This would have made it clear in a few sentences that Christ Jesus alone has immortality, and that immortality for all others follows only at the resurrection and being made alive. Sometimes, however, it helps to put two different interpretations right next to each other so that it becomes clearer what is at stake.

It is a very rough sketch, and much could be added. The topic touches on many more ideas, and probably triggers more questions. But if we understand a single word in its biblical context, then we can use that understanding to trace other words. In this way, an understanding of the biblical conceptual worlds gradually emerges – one develops a healthy foundation for one’s own thinking.

Questions for the conversation

• Are you immortal?
• How is immortality achieved in the Bible?
• What questions do you have after reading this article?
• What are you going to do to pursue these questions?