[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]
Answers—And Hope—Found in the Bible
What will happen to you when you die? There are many ideas, religious teachings, and even superstitions, but are any of them true? Will you go to heaven and float around on clouds? Will you go to a purgatory where you will be purified for many years? Will you be transformed into some other creature or animal? Or will you be tormented in the flames of hell forever?
Can you really know the future, and what lies beyond the grave? Your Bible reveals the encouraging news of life after death. Many have misinterpreted the Bible and embraced erroneous traditions as their belief. Yes, eventually there is life after death, but the truth is quite different than what you may have been taught. You need to know the truth. On today’s program, we’ll be offering you a vital free study guide revealing from the Bible the awesome good news regarding life after death. It’s titled WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? Do you know that your Bible teaches a first and second resurrection from the dead? You need to know what happens when you die!
Stay tuned!
The Fate of All Mankind—And Beyond
We grieve and mourn when a close family member dies, especially if the death is sudden and unexpected. Is there any hope for your loved ones after they die? Yes, there is. On today’s program we’ll share some surprising and encouraging truths from your Bible that will give you hope for the future, and we’ll be offering you an inspiring and eye-opening free study-guide titled, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? Is there any more important question you need to answer? Be sure to write down the contact information to order our free copy!
We experience the pain of loss when a loved one [one of a loved one when he] dies. Sometimes, because of old age it’s expected. But it’s really shocking when it happens suddenly. A teenager’s life is suddenly cut short in an auto accident the night of High School prom and the dreams of a wonderful future are cut terribly short. Men and women have given their lives in military service for their country and died before age 30. Historic genocides and holocausts have taken millions of men, women, and children in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world. Is there any hope for their future? Or is all hope lost?
My friends, your Bible reveals amazing hope for billions who have died over the past six thousand years. Let’s look at one prophecy that gives us that elusive hope. Your Bible predicts a massive resurrection to physical life in the future. The prophet Ezekiel was given vision of those who lost hope and died. Turn in your Bible to Ezekiel 37. Here the nation of Israel is viewed as lost souls. This is the famous valley of dry bones. Notice the hopeless attitude of these who died. God says to the prophet Ezekiel in verse 11:
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’”
Does God give hope to the hopeless? He states in verse 12,
“Therefore prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,” says the Lord’” (Ezekiel 37:11–14).
My friends, your Bible gives hope for the deceased, more than you can imagine. But what happens the moment you die? Do you go to heaven or hell or purgatory? The pollster George Barna once found, as far back as 2003, that Eastern religious concepts were gaining popularity in the United States. At that time, 18 percent of those surveyed told Barna that they believed in some kind of reincarnation. Some believed that the soul may come back as a human being, or maybe as an animal, depending on our own conduct during this life, and that we will only end the cycle of reincarnation when by our own strenuous efforts we achieve perfection.
My friends, let’s understand. Most of the world will face its Day of Salvation in the White Throne Judgment. You need to understand the meaning of the White Throne Judgment. Revelation 20:12,
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, [they are resurrected from the dead] and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”
This awesome judgment period will give billions of spiritually deceived and blinded individuals their first genuine opportunity for salvation. The free booklet we’re offering today explains this glorious phase of God’s master plan for all humanity.
While billions will be judged in the White Throne Judgement period, today’s true Christians are under judgment now. The Apostle Peter states this in 1 Peter 4:17,
“For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?’ Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:17–19).
This life-long process of Christian judgment is just that, a PROCESS, not a final decision. As the Apostle Peter exhorted all of us,
“…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
The Christian life is one of growing in godly character, learning to live the way of life Christ teaches us. As He stated in Luke 4:4, It is written,
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
My friends, Christ came that we might learn to live by true biblical values, the Ten Commandments, and their spiritual application. This leads to the abundant life Jesus promised in John 10:10!
We look forward to the awesome reward of the saved that true Christians will receive in the first resurrection when Christ returns. My friends, I hope that most of you will desire to seek THAT promise of life after death. The greatest goal of a Christian is to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, as Jesus stated in Matthew 6:33. Yes, there is life after death, but NOT until you are resurrected. When you die, will you still be conscious? No, you will not. Ecclesiastes 9:5,
“For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing.…”
My friends, when you die, you remain dead until one of the general resurrections. You need to study this in your own Bible. To help you understand your future after death, this comprehensive, plain-language free booklet will give you the understanding, encouragement, hope, and inspiration you need. It’s titled WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? This booklet gives you the plain truth from your Bible. Consider some the chapters: “Three Resurrections,” “Punishment or Punishing?,” and “Eternal Life: A Gift.” This free booklet will give you hope right from your own Bible for your future and the future of your deceased loved-ones. This is vital information you need. Request your free inspiring booklet, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE?
This is vital information you need. Request your free inspiring booklet, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? Just call the number on your screen or click the link in the description.
The Resurrections Explained
In the first part of our program, we saw that there is hope beyond death, even for those who were blinded to the truth, such as Israel of the first century. The prophet Ezekiel envisioned the time when the valley of dry bones will come to life. God told Ezekiel, Prophesy to these bones, and say to them,
“O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: ‘Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord’” (Ezekiel 37:4–6).
This great resurrection to physical life will take place in the White Throne Judgment revealed in Revelation 20:11–14. Let’s understand. Your Bible reveals three general resurrections from the dead, of thousands, millions, and billions of people. But the first resurrection is described in your Bible primarily in two chapters: 1 Corinthians 15 and 1 Thessalonians 4. Who will be in the first resurrection? Those who are faithful Christians. The Apostle John describes their future:
“And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years....This is the first resurrection.”
That’s in Revelation 20:4–5.
The FIRST RESURRECTION from the dead is to IMMORTAL LIFE. This is the resurrection that takes place when Christ returns. God will give faithful Christians the awesome gift of eternal, immortal life at that time.
Faithful saints and Christians who died are WAITING IN THEIR GRAVES for the First Resurrection. But, what will happen to the billions of humans who have died but never accepted Christianity? Are they burning in hell right now? No! Your Bible teaches that everyone who has died, with the exception of Jesus Christ, is still dead. Those people who never had their minds opened to true Christianity will be in the White Throne Judgment! They will be in the SECOND RESURRECTION.
This is a resurrection to a lifetime of judgment, and it’s a resurrection to physical life. When will the Second Resurrection take place? Revelation 19 describes the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. He will not be alone when He comes back to this earth. REVELATION 20:4,
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Then we read a parenthetical statement:
“But the rest of the dead [listen to this] did not live again until the thousand years were finished” (Revelation 20:5).
If they did not live again for a thousand years, they remained dead all that time! Who are the “rest of the dead”? People still in their graves who are not in the First Resurrection. And WHEN does this Second Resurrection take place? When the thousand years are finished, as we read in Revelation 20:5.
Now turn to REVELATION 20:11:
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the DEAD, small and great, STANDING before God [This is the SECOND resurrection, a resurrection to physical life, NOT immortal life], and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books” (Revelation 20:11–12).
The Greek word for “books” is “biblia.” The good news is, that the books, or the Bible, will be opened to the understanding of the masses for the first time. The Book of Life is finally opened to those resurrected in the White Throne Judgment, as we see in Revelation 20:12. This will be their FIRST opportunity to properly learn the truth. This is NOT a SECOND chance as some may like to call it. All human beings will be held accountable for their actions and thoughts. But this will be their first time for many to SEE their sins. They’ll have the opportunity to REPENT of their sins, and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
In the White Throne Judgment, billions of humans will be resurrected to physical life, for the first time. They will have their minds opened to the Bible and the awesome reality of God’s truth. Our free booklet covers this subject in more detail than we have time for on this program. It’s titled WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? There’s hope for some of your relatives and friends whom you may have thought were lost forever. So, pick up the telephone right now and request your free eye-opening booklet: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? This free booklet will give the biblical references for your study of the resurrections and the White Throne Judgment, a future time of salvation for billions of people now in their graves. Just ask for the booklet on life after death!
Just click the link in the description, or the info button in the top right of your screen.
Final Judgment NOT Happening Right Now
On today’s program, we’ve seen that there is wonderful hope for the dead. The faithful saints are waiting in their graves for the return of Jesus Christ and the first resurrection. The FIRST RESURRECTION from the dead is to IMMORTAL LIFE. The SECOND RESURRECTION is the Resurrection to physical life in the White Throne Judgment.
The White Throne Judgment is the hope of billions of people who have been blinded to the truth of salvation. They never had a genuine opportunity for salvation. We expect that the vast majority will repent and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and His shed blood for the forgiveness of their sins.
God is a God of mercy, but He is also a God of justice. Sadly, some individuals will reject God’s grace and salvation. The incorrigibly evil will REFUSE to repent of their sins and refuse to accept the sacrifice of Christ. But God will not allow human beings to suffer for all eternity in a state of bitterness, hate, and rebellion. He will destroy them in the lake of fire. Notice this sobering statement in REVELATION 21:7,
“He who overcomes shall inherit ALL THINGS, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:7–8).
The THIRD RESURRECTION is to eternal punishment and destruction in the lake of fire. This is the second death as we just read in Revelation 21:8. This is the second death, from which there is no resurrection! God is just. He states in HEBREWS 10:30,
“‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord…. The wicked will be tormented as they stand before the lake of fire. Then all the wicked will be cast into the lake of fire and burned up.”
They will die forever. As it states in ROMANS 6:23,
“For the wages of sin is death [eternal death], but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God has an awesome plan for all humanity. His plan is sure and wonderful. [SLOW] Everyone, including today’s non-Christians, will have a GENUINE OPPORTUNITY after the millennium in the White Throne Judgment, to respond to the true gospel, to surrender to their Savior, Jesus Christ, and to be a part of God’s family for all eternity. If you feel that God is calling you NOW to commit your life to Christ and the teachings of the Bible, call the number on your screen, and one of our representatives will be happy to meet with you and talk with you at your convenience.
And be sure to request our free eye-opening booklet: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? This free booklet will give you more information than we’ve had time for on our program. And we’ll give you hope for your deceased loved ones whom some may be dead and lost forever. Yes, my friends, your Bible reveals that there is hope for the dead!
On today’s program, we’ve seen that the very HOPE of a Christian is the promised RESURRECTION from the dead! In ACTS 23, the Apostle Paul was confronted by the Jerusalem Sanhedrin. What did he say? ACTS 23:6,
“Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the HOPE and RESURRECTION of the dead I am BEING judged!”
Paul was BEING judged. He did not YET have immortal life! Let’s understand. We do NOT already have immortality! It is a gift from God! Read ROMANS 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (KJV) Notice that the scripture does NOT state, “The wages of sin is immortal life in hell-fire.” The wages of sin is NOT immortal LIFE, but DEATH, the absence of life. If you already have an immortal soul, if you already have eternal life, you don’t need it as a GIFT from God. My friends, a soul can DIE! The prophet EZEKIEL tells us in EZEKIEL 18:4,
“The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE.[!]”
The Hebrew word for Soul is “Nephesh,” which means physical or natural life. And the same word “nephesh” also refers to ANIMAL LIFE in Genesis 1:21.
Now, what does the New Testament tell us about souls? Turn in your Bible to MATTHEW 10:28,
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both SOUL and body in hell. (or Gehenna fire)”
Do you believe your Bible? Do you believe what Jesus said? God is ABLE to DESTROY—yes, DESTROY—both soul and body in Gehenna. Now, the Bible does teach that there is a human spirit, the spirit in man mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:11, for example. But the human spirit is NOT an immortal soul. There are many other scriptures to demonstrate that one does NOT have an immortal soul. As God inspired the prophet Ezekiel to state,
“The SOUL WHO SINS SHALL DIE” (Ezekiel 18:4).
Evangelist Gerald Weston explains the pagan origins of the immortal soul doctrine in his telecast, “Do You Have an Immortal Soul?” Just access this inspiring program on our Website at TomorrowsWorld.org.
Our sin has earned us, you and me, the death penalty. But God sent His Son to pay that penalty for us. But what happens to the incorrigibly wicked? Doesn’t the Bible teach there is a real hellfire for them? Certainly, God WILL judge the evil ones who seal their character to live in rebellion against His loving way of life. As the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:19,
“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
The punishment for the incorrigibly wicked begins with the Third Resurrection, as we saw earlier. You do not want THAT resurrection! You will want to study our free, exciting booklet, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? Listen to some of the topics in this booklet: “A Blinded World,” “They Are Not Lost Forever,” “The Truth About ‘Hell,’” “Three ‘Hells’ in the Bible,” “The Reward of the Saved,” “The Marriage of the Lamb,” and “Glory Beyond Compare.”
You need to study your Bible and learn the real truth of what happens when you die. So, order your free copy right now by clicking the link in the description, or the info button in the top right of your screen.
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What Will Your Resurrection Be Like?
As we’ve seen on today’s program, NO ONE is now suffering in a mythical, ever-burning hellfire. Everyone who has ever lived and died is still dead. They are totally unconscious and feel no passing of time. All who are dead will be resurrected to one of the three resurrections. My friends, as we’ve seen, the first resurrection takes place at Christ’s Second Coming. That hasn’t happened yet! Will you be in that resurrection? If you GENUINELY belong to Jesus Christ at that time, you will be in the FIRST RESURRECTION. It is called a “better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35. WHY? Because it’s a resurrection to ETERNAL LIFE and IMMORTALITY.
The FIRST RESURRECTION from the dead is a transformation to glory, immortality, and eternal life. It’s the time when the saints, faithful Christians, will inherit the earth, and rule with Christ on this earth for a thousand years as kings and priests, as it tells us in Revelation 5:10. Those who are in the first resurrection will become the Bride of Christ. The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 warns us all to be ready for Christ’s return and the marriage of the Lamb. Revelation 19:7 shows that the true Church of God, the wife of Christ indeed has been faithful in her preparation for the coming Kingdom of God. Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.
My friends, will you be in the first resurrection, the better resurrection to eternal life? Your Father in heaven loves you and wants you to be a part of His Family. And He plans for billions of other spiritually blinded human beings to learn His way in the White Throne Judgment. That may include friends or relatives you thought may have been lost. You need to study the wonderful plan God has for all human beings. All deceased human beings who have ever lived are still asleep in their graves as it tells us in 1 Thessalonians 4:12–15. The good news is that no one is suffering as an immortal soul, as we demonstrated earlier in the program. And the good news is that Jesus Christ will return to this earth as King of kings and Lord of lords. The dead in Christ will be resurrected to glory and immortality. May you now take steps to be in that resurrection!
You can read more in our free, inspiring booklet, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DIE? Your Bible reveals the encouraging truth of your future beyond death. Be sure to order your free copy.
We invite you to join us every week on Tomorrow’s World. In this world of danger and uncertainty, you need the solid guidance that comes from your Bible. Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith, and I, along with guest presenter Rod McNair, will continue to share with you the way of life taught by Jesus Christ, the good news of the coming Kingdom of God on earth, and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning. So, be sure to join us again next week, right here, at this same time!