Life after Death
by Courtney Jacob
Apr 21, 2017
What happens when we die? Is there an afterlife?
These questions often arise at crucial times in our lives, times when our hearts are broken, our spirits ache, and our emotions are vulnerable. We can feel overwhelmed by the urgency, intimacy, and importance of our search for answers. We desperately want to get it right. Our comfort and assurance, even our fate and final destiny, are at stake.
At times such as these, many believers, and even unbelievers, turn to the Bible for answers. Sometimes, the truths we find have a profound impact on our faith. Unfortunately, even for Christians, it can sometimes feel like our study of the Bible muddies the waters instead of clearing them up. Instead of satiating our curiosity, our survey of scripture can simply unearth more specific questions like:
If my mother is in heaven, does that mean she’s looking down on and watching me?
What happens to my body between death and the second coming?
What will happen when Christ returns?
The Bible talks about “a new heaven and new earth,” does that mean heaven will be different when Christ returns? Will earth as we know it be destroyed?
That’s why our next Groundwork series, “Life After Death” will dig deeply into biblical passages about life after death and what’s to come. We invite you to walk with us as we delve into this complicated, yet vital topic. Over the next three weeks, you can look forward to:
What is Sheol? An episode in which hosts Dave Bast and Scott Hoezee focus on Old Testament views about what happens after death, honing in on the use of the term Sheol. By studying passages like Job 7:6-10 and Psalm 16:7-11, they explore how Christ is the answer to our yearnings for more.
While We Wait for the Second Coming A conversation about what happens to believers who die before Christ comes again and what heaven is like, based on Romans 8:35-39 and 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
When Christ Returns A discussion about the future and what 2 Peter 3:10-13 and Revelation 21:1-5 tell us heaven and earth will ultimately be like when Christ returns.
I invite you to join Groundwork’s study on “Life after Death.” Together we can begin to identify what we know for certain and embrace the mystery of what we do not know.
