Articles
Is There Life After Death?
"What question would you ask God if you could talk to him?" The eighth most asked question, according to a survey in the Tampa Tribune, 8) "Is there life after death?"
The quick short answer is, YES. Jesus said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:1-3).
Where is the "Father's house"? It's where the Father is. Then where is the Father? When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6:9). Jesus was teaching His disciples that His Father is in a place called heaven. This is the same place that Jesus told His disciples that He was going to prepare for them to live after death.
When Christ comes "again", life on earth will be no more, for, "the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" (II Peter 3:10). However, there is a promise of life after the destruction of the earth for the righteous, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless" (II Peter 3:13-14).
The apostle Paul taught that there most certainly is "life after death". "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you" (Philippians 1:21-24). Paul also wrote, "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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. 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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
Finally, Jesus said, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).
