FalseBiblicalDoctrinesExposed
The State of the Dead - What Happens at Death?
From God's word we will discover the real truth about what happens at death. All texts are from the New King James version unless stated otherwise.
Where are the dead of all the ages, today?
Are the dead really dead, or are the dead somewheres alive?
Every person should be interested in what happens to them at death, because every person must face the mystery of death when the last breath leaves the body. Since the first death, Satan has worked long and hard to confuse the mind of man in understanding the plan of salvation and its relationship to death. God is not silent, but makes it very clear in His Word as to what happens at death and beyond.

1. How did we get here in the first place? Genesis 2:7 "7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

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Note- He made man from dust. He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living being.

2. What happens when a person dies? Ecclesiastes 12:7 "7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it."

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Note- The body turns into dust again and the spirit returns to God.
Genesis 3:19 "19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return."
What is the spirit that returns to God?
3. What is the spirit that returns to God at death? James 2:26 "26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."; Job 27:3 "3 As long as my breath is in me,
And the breath of God in my nostrils,"

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Note- Job 27:3 in the King James version it says "....the spirit of God is in my nostrils;" while in the NIV it says,"....the breath of God in my nostrils," Both interpretations are correct since they are interpreted from the same Greek word. Breath and spirit are the same thing. At death, it is the breath of life which returns to God. Not some disembodied spirit.

4.What is the soul? Genesis 2:7 "7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

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Note- The soul is a living being made from a combination of two things, body plus breath.
Do Souls Die?
5. Do souls die? Ezekiel 18:20 "20 The soul who sins shall die."; Revelation 16:3 "3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died." The KJV says, "....every living soul...."

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Note- By God's authoritative word, souls do die. Man is mortal See Job 4:17 "17 Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can a man be more pure than his Maker?" Only God is immortal. See 1 Timothy 6:15,16 "He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality,"
Note- If the soul were undying, it would make man immortal and the Bible states otherwise.

6. Do good people go to heaven when they die? John 5:28,29 "28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."

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Note- The Bible says that all are in the grave and shall come forth in one of two resurrections.
What do we know after death?
7. David was special to God, did he got to heaven? Acts 2:29,34 "29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day."; "34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens,"

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8. How much does one know or comprehend after death? Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10 "5 For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going."; Psalm 115:17 "17 The dead do not praise the LORD, Nor any who go down into silence."

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Note- As nice as it sounds, the dearly departed is not singing in the angelic choir. God's word says the dead do not praise the Lord. They are in unconscious sleep in their graves awaiting the resurrection.
What does the Bible and what did Jesus call death?
9. But can't the dead communicate with the living, and aren't they aware of what the living are doing? Job 14:12 "12 So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep."; Eccl 9:6 "6 Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun.

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The NIV says in Psalms 146:4 "When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing." The KJV says,"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish."

10. What did Jesus call the unconscious state of the dead? John 11:11-14 "11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”"

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Note- Jesus called death sleep. How long will the dead sleep? Job 14:12 "12 So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, They will not awake Nor be roused from their sleep."
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Note - When will the heavens be no more? 2 Peter 3:10 "10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.

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What happens to the righteous dead at the second coming of Christ?
11. What happens to the righteous dead at the second coming of Christ? Revelation 22:12 "12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work."; 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 "16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord."; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 "51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”"

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Note- There would be no purpose in a resurrection if people had received a reward at death. Immortality begins when the saints are raised from their graves at Christ's second coming. Not before. Jesus always confronted Satan with an "It is written" and when someone presents pleasing fables about a departed one, reject it, it's not from God's word.
What was the devil's first lie to the human race?
12. What was the devil's first lie? Genesis 3:4 "4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die."; Revelation 12:9 "9 So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

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Note- He said you would not die, and the lie that dead are not really dead is believed today. Satan uses religious leaders to perpetuate his dangerous doctrine.
Who is behind the seemingly religious miracles taking place?
13. Does Satan and his angels (devils) really work miracles?
Revelation 16:14 "14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty."; Matthew 24:24 "24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

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Note- Yes and Satan and his angels will masquerade as "an angel of light" and the "apostles." This is doubly dangerous because it means that the elect can be deceived, since demons can appear as ministers of righteousness performing convincing miracles.
How to avoid Satan's convincing spiritual deceptions
14. Why will God's people not be deceived? Acts 17:11 "11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."; Isaiah 8:20 "20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

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Note- God's people will know from earnest study of scripture, that the dead are dead and not alive. God's people will reject anyone who claims to work miracles in contacting the dead. God's people will reject as dangerous and false, any teaching that claims the dead are alive in any form anywhere.

15. What did God command Moses to do to people who taught the dead were alive? Leviticus 20:27 "27 ‘A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.’"

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Note- This shows how repulsive the teaching that the "dead are alive" is to God.
Will death ultimately be conquered?
16. Will the righteous people raised in the resurrection ever die again? Luke 20:36 "36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection."; Revelation 21:4 "4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

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Note-In the 11th chapter of John, the sisters of Lazarus, reported to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. Jesus did not go right away and in verse 11, he told His disciples that Lazarus was sleeping. Then in verse 14 he made it plain, Lazarus was dead. When Jesus got there Lazarus had been in the grave 4 days. In verses 23 Jesus told Martha that her brother will rise again. In verse 24 she said she knows he will rise in the resurrection, at the last day. Read Jesus' answer in verse 25 & 26. "25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Verse 39 Jesus commanded the stone to be rolled away from the grave and Martha said he stinks being dead four days. And Jesus called Lazarus from the dead, verse 43, and Lazarus arose from the dead, verse 44. The raising of Lazarus from the dead was a demonstration of what would happen when Jesus returns for the second time. In the case of Lazarus, he was restored to his mortal life. He had no knowledge of anything those four days that he was dead. He died years later and lies in his grave waiting for the resurrection where he will put on immortality.

That is the plain truth from God's word. No one need be confused. When a person dies, the breath of life leaves their body. They cease to exist on a conscious level. They return to the ground. They will rise in either the first or second resurrection.

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