What Do Christians Believe Happens to You When You Die?
Christians believe that physical death is not the end of consciousness. They believe that humans are made up of two parts: a material body and an immaterial soul. While the body may die, the soul goes on to what is commonly called the afterlife. While the specifics of what happens after death largely remain unknown, the Bible does teach us many aspects of what happens after our physical body passes away.
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Separation
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As the physical body dies, the immaterial soul is separated from its physical shell. This is commonly described as the "white light at the end of the tunnel" in near-death experiences. The Bible teaches that although the body is dead, the mind continues to think, feel and choose. Throughout life on this earth, the body is always intimately connected to the soul until the point of physical death. The soul and the body are then eternally separated.
Judgment
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Christians believe that once you experience physical death, your soul is brought before God and you are judged for all that you did in this life. This is taught throughout the Bible, most notably in 2 Corinthians 5:10: "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." Christians believe that if a man has believed in Jesus Christ, God will declare him righteous and he will be with God in heaven. Conversely, the Bible teaches that people who have not believed in Jesus Christ will be in hell for eternity.
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Heaven
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Christians believe that God will bring them into heaven when they die. Christians believe that anyone who has put his or her trust in Jesus Christ will be with God for all eternity. They will live forever and will never perish, and will be able to enjoy the life that God had always intended for them. Christians disagree over the specifics of heaven, but they all agree that it will be filled with the presence of God.
Hell
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Christians believe that if anyone dies after rejecting Jesus Christ, they will be sentenced to hell for eternity. Christians commonly dispute the conceptualization of hell, and little is known about the condition of the people in it. The Bible tells us that hell is the ultimate separation of a human being from God. Hell is entirely void of God's presence and is consequently full of misery and bitterness.
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