Let us look at the first question
and as we do so, we will flow smoothly into the second.
First question: “What happens immediately after death?” When asked this question, I immediately think of the criminal on the cross when he pleads with Christ to remember him when he comes into His Kingdom (Luke 23:42). Christ then responds by saying, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43).
I am also reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. It says in the King James Version, Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
The scripture makes it abundantly clear that those who have believed in Christ and repented of their sins will be with Christ immediately upon death.
But what about those who reject Christ as their Savior and refuse to repent of their sins? Our Lord taught heavily on the destination of those who choose to reject him. In Luke 12:4-5, He warned, (4) Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. (5) But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell. He also urged his hearers, If thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched (Mark 9:43). Additionally, Christ taught on the immediacy of entering hell after death. Of the Certain rich man who faired sumptuously every day and chose not to repent of his sin, Christ stated, The rich man died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments. (Luke 16:19, 22-23)
The Bible only mentions two destinations for the souls of men when they die – Heaven or Hell. However, to present an accurate scriptural account of man’s eternal destiny, we must take things a little further. Both the saved and unsaved will experience a bodily resurrection. At present, the souls of men reside in heaven or hell. But someday, the souls of the saved will be joined to their resurrected bodies (I Thess. 4), and be ushered into the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21:1). Concerning the souls of the unsaved, they too will be joined to their resurrected bodies after which they will stand in judgment before God. Following this judgement, the unsaved will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:14)
While the place of residence for the saved and unsaved will change after the resurrection of their bodies, their eternal destiny determined at death will not change.
Second Question: “How long after death does the Lord keep them in that state?” The answer to this question as it applies to both the saved and unsaved can be found in Matthew 25:46. Christ declared, And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous unto life eternal. (Matt. 25:46)
Concerning the unsaved, some struggle and even raise an objection to the notion that God would punish a soul for all eternity. They feel such a verdict of judgement to be too harsh on the part of God. In answer to such an objection, we would point out that Jehovah is an infinite God who demands infinite obedience. Sin, being a transgression of his law, is infinitely evil and therefore, infinite punishment is just and righteous. Arthur Pink wrote, “It is often said it would be unjust for God to sentence any of His erring creatures to eternal perdition. But who are we to pass judgment upon the justice of the decisions of the All-Wise? Who are we to say what is consistent or inconsistent with God’s righteousness? Who are we to determine what shall best vindicate the Divine benevolence or equity? Sin has so enfeebled our power of righteous judgment, so darkened our understanding, so dulled our conscience, so perverted our wills, so corrupted our hearts, that we are quite incompetent to decide. We are ourselves so infected and affected by sin that we are altogether incapable of estimating its due merits…The truth of the matter is—and how often is it lost sight of!—that God is not to be measured by human standards.” (Eternal Punishment, P. 7)
