"For the body without the spirit is dead" (James 2:26). The Bible teaches there are three states of the spirit of man.
The first state is the spirit within the physical body. This state terminates at death (James 2:26). The Paul said in II Corinthians 5:8, He was "willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."
The second state begins at death and continues until the resurrection of the body. "And the dead in Christ shall rise first" (I Thessalonians 4:16). During this time the spirit is in Hades (the unseen world). "Because thou will not leave my soul in hell" (Hades) (Acts 2:27; Luke 16:23).
The third state begins when the spirit and the body re-unite at the resurrection. We know flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (I Corinthians 15:50). But then we read in verses 51-53, "Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." Then we read Revelation 20:13 from the American Standard version: "And death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works." This is evidence of the fact that the grave is the abode of the body, while Hades is the abode of the spirit. Then in verse 14: "And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire." Death and Hades will no longer be needed. Therefore Jesus said they would be destroyed.
There will be a judgment day. Jesus said, "It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at THE DAY of Judgment" (Matthew 11:22). Then in Matthew 25:32, "He shall gather all nations...shall separate sheep from the goats." Verse 46 says the wicked shall go "into everlasting punishment: but the RIGHTEOUS into eternal life." We read in John 6:40-41 where Jesus taught the RIGHTEOUS will be raised THE LAST DAY. "The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the LAST DAY" (John 12:48). The Jesus told his apostles, "And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will COME AGAIN, and receive you unto myself; that where I am there ye may be also" (John 14:3). Therefore, we know when Jesus comes again that will be the last day, the judgment day. "Because he hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world" (Acts 17:31). "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (II Corinthians 5:10. There will not be a second chance> Paul said we would receive according to things done in the body.
"Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son" (II John 9).
Don H. Noblin
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