Our Pastoral Team

YES, IT IS AN IRREVERSIBLE STATE: LUKE 16:27-31

A. The first part of life beyond the grave is called the irreversible state. The moment the spirit of man departs from his body; there is no further opportunity open to him to change his eternal destiny. This means at death the options to re-write ones wrong ceases. A man or woman must make his or her choice while he is still alive. Paul said, “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2 ASV). The opportunity to be saved has to be embraced now; no further opportunity will be given later. This is why the Catholicism doctrine of purgatory is unbiblical and false. The writer to the Hebrews said, “It is appointed for men to die once after that comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27 RSV). This is why Heb. 3:15 say, “Today if ye shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts”

i. This means a person’s destiny is irrevocably set when death strikes. If one dies in faith, the judgment he gets is acceptance and reconciliation with God according to the scripture which says; “Whoever believes in the Son is not judged” (Jn. 3:18a, Rom. 8:1-2).

1. This means there is no final judgment for any true believer. Final judgment is for those whose names are not found in the book of life (Rev. 20:15). Or did you see any panel set to judge Lazarus when he died (Lk. 16:22-23). Or did you see any panel set to judge the thief at the cross – LK. 23:40-43?

1. It must be understood that when 1 Pet. 4:17 says, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God”; it does not refer to believers facing final judgment. Instead this verse is a call to accountability implying that believers are held accountable for their actions, how they used the gifts God gave us to serve Christ and his church (1 Cor. 3:13-15, Eph. 4:11-14, Matt. 25:14-28).  

1. But if one dies in unbelief or religion, the judgment he gets is damnation according to the scripture; “But whoever does not believe has already been judged, because he has not believed in God’s only Son” (John 3:18-19). I will go further to tell you that many people will perish, not because they did not believe on the Son of God;, but more because of religiosity, following after the religion of their fathers and mothers, I call it the easy-religion. See how Paul explain religion; “Having the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5).

1. IT IS AN INCOMPLETE STATE

1. The second part of life beyond the grave is called the incomplete state. A person is discharged into this state immediately death occurs. Death is said to have occurred when the spirit of man separates from his body. Don’t forget that the spirit of man is the very breathe of the Almighty God and was breathed into man at the point of creation to make him a living being. When this happens, the spirit of man returns to God where it came from while the body of man returns to the dust where it was taken from (Ecl. 4:7).

1. Take note that when man ceases breathe or dies is not the final stage of his earthly career – meaning his life journey has not ended. He now continues his life journey as a SOUL BEING without the human body.

1. If he died as a believer, he goes straight to his own eternal place of rest/reward in paradise like Lazarus and the penitent thief at the cross (Lk. 16:22-23, 23:40).

1. But if he dies as unbeliever he remains in the place of torment called hell waiting for final judgment like the rich man (Lk. 16:22-23, Rev. 20:15). It must be understood that hell and lake of fire are two different places. Hell is a place

of confinement for the souls of departed sinners pending judgment (Rev. 20:15). Whereas lake of fire is a place of terminal destruction for the beast, false prophets, unbelievers and Satan (Rev. 19:20, 20:14-15). From this you will see that the Catholicism doctrine of purgatory is unbiblical and false. This is because the rich man was thrown straight into hell; he did not go to any purgatory for his sins to purged or cleansed.

1. YES, IT IS A CONSCIOUS EXISTENCE

1. The third part of life beyond the grave is called the conscious existence. This means though the man is dead, yet he knows he still exists. For example, in his dialogue with the Sadducees who denied a life beyond the grave, Jesus quoted his Father as saying, “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Matt. 22:32). By this Jesus was telling his audience that, He is not the God of the dead; but of the living – meaning that these covenantal patriarchs were still living even though they are physically dead (1 Cor. 15:17-18, Jn. 8:51, Lk. 16:23-26, Jn. 11:25-26, Heb. 11:5).

1. Again, Jesus told the parable of the rich man and Lazarus to buttress life beyond the grave as conscious existence (Lk. 16:19-31). In this case, it is clear that the two chief figures in that parable – the rich man and Lazarus; though they were dead, yet they were conscious even after death took them. To the extent, the rich man pleaded to father Abraham to send Lazarus to his 5 brothers on earth to preach the gospel to them so that they will not come to the place of torment where he found himself and Abraham in paradise replied him.