What happens when we die? Is there an afterlife? Do our souls ascend to heaven or hell? What if you’re not religious – do you still believe in life after death? It’s a question that has perplexed many people, and it’s one that science can’t fully answer. But what does the bible say about this subject…
According to the bible, when we die we stay in our graves and await judgment day.
At that time, on judgment day, everyone will be resurrected and given a second chance at life or rewarded for their deeds while alive. This is reported in the following Bibles:
- The New Testament: 1 Corinthians 15:1-58
- The Old Testament: Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; Job 19:25-27; Ecclesiastes 9:5,6
The Bible also reports two types of resurrection. One is the resurrection unto eternal life when all are brought back to life in order to be judged.
This is reported in the New Testament:
- John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15
The other is a resurrection unto condemnation. For example, Isaiah 26:19 says “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.”
The Bible also reports many accounts where people were brought back to life in order to be given a second chance at life. This includes:
- Lazarus (John 11); Dorcas (Acts 9); Eutychus (Acts 20); Tabitha (Acts 9)
- Jairus’ daughter (Matthew 9:18,19; Mark 5:35-43; Luke 8:41-42; John 11:17); The Widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11-15)
- Also, many NT verses report people who were resurrected to new life in heaven (Revelation 6:9; 20:6)
- Many OT verses report people who were resurrected to new life in hell (Psalm 28:1-4; Isaiah 5:14; 14:11-15)
So, according to the bible, when we die we stay in our graves until judgment day.
At that time, everyone will be given a second chance at life or rewarded for their deeds while alive. It also reports several accounts where people were resurrected to new life whether it was in heaven or hell.
What happens when we die According To Science?
Although I cannot provide you with a full explanation of what happens when we die, here are some theories that can help get an insight into this subject.
The law of conservation of mass states that mass cannot be created nor destroyed, it can only change form.
In other words, matter cannot be destroyed, but merely transformed from one state to another.
Based on the law of conservation of mass, it can be said that when we die, all our body’s energy and atoms return to their natural state.
In other words, all living beings are made up of atoms that one day will return to their natural form.
During our lifetime, we grow from a single cell into 100 trillion cells that make up the human body. Even the fastest and strongest athlete cannot make his or her body create more cells.
So at some point, we must die and return to our original state, a single cell.
Some scientists believe that once our bodies are dead, this life form can be ‘recycled’ into another life form.
This also applies to all living beings including plants.
For example, rice can be recycled into human beings and human beings can be recycled into rice. According to this theory, we will return to the earth as food for other life forms such as plants which eventually become our food too.
So according to science: All living beings are made up of atoms that one day will return to their natural form, we grow through our lives from single cells into 100 trillion cells that make up the human body which eventually must die and return to its original state, a single cell.
Conclusion
According to science when we die, there is no existence. Our atoms return to their natural state (transforming from one life form to another) whether it is as a human being, animal, plant, or another life form.
However, in the bible, when we die, there is an existence that is either in heaven or hell.
At the time of judgment day, everyone will be given a second chance at life or rewarded for their deeds while alive.
Judgment day is the day when every person will receive his/her just deserts. After each and everyone’s life on earth has ended, every person will stand before God to be judged for his/her deeds during their lifetime.
Those who have done good will enter heaven whereas those who have done bad deeds and sinned against God will be sent to hell.
