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Searching For Answers

A six-lesson course to help people know that God cares about them and has a plan for their lives. Do you sometimes wonder what life is all about? What is the truth about God? And what happens after death? If so, these six lessons will be very helpful to you. Millions of people have asked the very same questions all throughout time. Many are lost in their search for truth, but others have had their questions answered. In this book, you will explore the answers to questions that you have, and want answers to.

What Happens After Death?

In This Lesson You Will Study The Following:

  • After Death—What?
  • What Are Heaven And Hell Like?
  • How Important Is Your Choice?
  • How Can You Go to Heaven? 

After Death— What?

The Initial Temporary Condition

When a child of God dies, his or her spirit goes  to be with God at once.

What happens when you die? Your spirit leaves your physical body. Your body will remain here, since it was made to be in this world. However, you will always be fully conscious.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ, you will go to be with Him at once. But if you have refused God’s offer of eternal life, you will go away from Him to the place which is called Hades or Hell. Hell was prepared for Satan and all those who follow him.

Hell is the place God has prepared for Satan and all who follow him.

Luke 16:22–23. “‘The beggar died and the angels carried him …The rich man also died and . . . in hell, … he was in torment.’”

The bodies we now have are not suited to heaven. They are temporary “houses” that are given to us for our life on earth. When we die, we leave them behind. God has prepared a new kind of body or home for us, one that will fit into His new creation.

2 Corinthians 5:1. “We know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.”

The Resurrection

Jesus is coming back again, possibly very soon, for those who belong to Him. At that time, those who have accepted Him will be changed. We will be given new bodies like His.

When Jesus returns to earth, all those who belong to Him will receive new bodies that are like His.

John 11:25.    “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.’”

1 Corinthians 15:42–43.  “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.”

Philippians 3:20–21. “We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

Memorize This
  • Thessalonians 4:16–17. “The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the And so we will be with the Lord forever.”

The Judgement Seat of Christ

As children of God we will be judged according to what we have done on earth and why we did it. Rewards will be given for faithful service. God will assign us certain responsibilities and privileges in His eternal kingdom.

  • Corinthians 5:9–10. “We make it our goal to please him, … For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

The Millennium

After this first judgment, Jesus will come back to earth with His followers. The devil will be imprisoned for a thousand years.

Jesus will set up His kingdom and rule over all the earth for a thousand wonderful years of peace and prosperity. This period of time is called the Millennium. Even the wild animals will live at peace with one another and with humans.

Revelation 20:4. “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

Isaiah 11:6.     “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, . . . and a little child will lead them.”

Isaiah 35:1, 5–6, 10. “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.… Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, . . . . and the ransomed of the Lord will return.. . . Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

The Resurrection and Judgement of the Unsaved

After the Millennium and a final conflict between Christ and Satan, the devil will be thrown into the lake of fire. Then the dead who did not accept God’s plan of salvation will come to life again and be judged. All those who insisted on following Satan instead of God will have to go to the place of punishment prepared for the devil.

Revelation 20:11–12, 15. “I saw a great white throne  and  him  who was seated on it. . . . I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. . . . The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

The Eternal State

The righteous (those who are right with God and who are His children) will enjoy forever all that God has prepared for them. Those who have refused His salvation will be separated forever from God.

Matthew 25:46. “‘Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.’”

To Help You Learn

Choose the right word.

  • After death the spirit is                                      

                           (conscious, unconscious).

  • Those who have not accepted God’s plan of salvation go to__________ (heaven, hell).
  • After death, those who have accepted Christ will live on in__________ (heaven, hell).

 

What are Heaven and Hell Like?

One of two places will be your eternal home: heaven or hell. The word hell refers both to Hades and to the lake of fire.


Everything good comes from God. With Him are light, life, beauty, and joy. Separated from Him, there are darkness, suffering, sorrow, and death.

Think about what kind of neighbors we will have when we choose our home for eternity.

To Help You Learn

  • Beside the Holy Bible verses in the chart above, write NO by every line that tells of something that you do not want in your eternal home or that you do not want to experience. Write YES by whatever you do want.

How Important is Your Choice?

Do not blame God for sending anyone to hell. He wants to save everybody, but each person must choose between heaven and hell.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20. “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.”

Whether you choose heaven or hell, others will follow you there. Think of your family and friends. Where do you want to lead them?

To Help You Learn

  • Thank God for sending Jesus to save you. Pray for any of your family or friends who are on their way to hell. Ask God to help you warn them and lead them to the Savior.

How Can You Go To Heaven?

If you want to lead others to heaven, first be certain that you, yourself, have taken these steps. Then help your friends to take them.

Get Off The Wrong Road

You have chosen to follow the road to heaven when you have confessed your sins to God and accepted Jesus as your savior.

We have all been traveling the road of SIN away from God and toward hell. We must turn away from our sin, determine to obey God and go His way. We must ask His forgiveness for our disobedience. This is repentance, the first step toward heaven.

We must acknowledge the wrong we have done to others and do what we can to straighten it out. We must forgive our enemies, ask forgiveness of those we have wronged, and return what we have stolen. As we confess all our sins to God, He will forgive us and help us in whatever we have to do.

Memorize This
  • John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all ”
  • Peter 3:9. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to ”

Recognize the Right Road

God has given you a road map, the Holy Bible. It says that Jesus Christ is the Way. Follow it, and follow Him.

Memorize This

John 14:6.      “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 6:37.      “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”


Choose The Right Road

Choosing the right road means to accept Jesus Christ the Son of God as your personal Savior and Lord of your life. Believe that He accepts you too, and trust in Him.

Memorize This

Acts 16:31.     “‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.’”

John 20:31.  “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is   the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Follow the Road to the End

Follow Jesus the rest of your life. He will guide and help you as you read the Holy Bible and pray.

1 Peter 2:25. “You were like sheep going astray, but now you have been returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

To Help You Learn

In this part of the lesson, going to heaven has been described as taking a journey.

  • Have you personally taken the steps that will lead to heaven?_________________
  • If not, will you now?                                         
  • Find a friend or member of your family and explain the steps of the journey to him or her.

 

 

May God richly bless you!

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