#797 1689 Confession State of Humantiy After Death and Resurrection

31.1 The bodies of those who have died return to dust and undergo destruction. But their souls neither die nor sleep, because they have an immortal character, and immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous are then made perfect in holiness and are received into paradise. There they are with Christ and behold the face of God in light and glory while they wait for the full redemption of their bodies. The souls of the wicked are thrown into hell, where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved for the judgement of the great day. The Scripture recognizes no place other than these two for souls separated from their bodies. 

…18 Both thorns and thistles it will yield for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” 20 And Adam named his wife Eve, because she was to be the mother of all the living.… Genesis 3: 18-20

…35 So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let your Holy One see decay.’ 36 For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. 37 But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.… Acts 13: 35-37

…6 Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped, and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the wheel is broken at the well, 7 before the dust returns to the ground from which it came, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher. “Everything is futile!”… Ecclesiastes 12: 6-8

…42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!” 43 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.… Luke 23: 42-44

1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,… 2 Corinthians 5: 1-2

…6 Therefore we are always confident, although we know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, then, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.… 2 Corinthians 5: 6-8

…22 But if I go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. So what shall I choose? I do not know. 23 I am torn between the two. I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better indeed. 24 But it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.… Philippians 1: 22-24

…22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels 23 in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the judge of all men, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.… Hebrews 12: 22-24

…6 And the angels who did not stay within their own domain but abandoned their proper dwelling—these He has kept in eternal chains under darkness, bound for judgment on that great day. 7 In like manner, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, who indulged in sexual immorality and pursued strange flesh, are on display as an example of those who sustain the punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in the same way, these dreamers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander glorious beings.… Jude 1: 6-8

…18 For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which He also went and preached to the spirits in prison 20 who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water.… 1 Peter 3: 18-20

…23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are left to suffer.… Luke 16: 23-25

31:2 At the last day, those saints who are found alive will not sleep but will be changed. All dead will be raised up with the very same bodies, not different ones, though they will have different qualities. Their bodies will be united again to their souls forever. 

…51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.… 1 Corinthians 15: 51-53

…16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17 After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.… 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18

…26 Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God. 27 I will see Him for myself; my eyes will behold Him, and not as a stranger. How my heart yearns within me! 28 If you say, ‘How shall we persecute him, since the root of the matter lies with him?’… Job 19: 26-28

…42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.… 1 Corinthians 15: 42-44

31:3 The bodies of the unjust will be raised by the power of Christ to dishonor. By His Spirit the bodies of the just will be raised to honor and will be made like Christ's own glorious body. 

…14 I do confess to you, however, that I worship the God of our fathers according to the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God that they themselves cherish, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 In this hope, I strive always to maintain a clear conscience before God and man.… Acts 24: 14-16

…28 Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice 29 and come out— those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. 30 I can do nothing by Myself; I judge only as I hear. And My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.… John 5: 28-30

…20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.  Philippians 3: 20-21