In Depth Bible Study: Standing on the Edge of Eternity Lesson 6

Standing on the Edge of Eternity Lesson 6

For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. - James 2:26 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James2:26&version=NKJV

We will all one day die. There is no reincarnation, no coming back, no soul annihilation. Once we die, we will pass into eternity in one of two places, paradise or torment within the Hadean realm. 

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and  fared sumptuously every day.But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate,desiring to be fed with  the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to  Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.“Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and  cool my tongue; for I  am tormented in this flame.’But Abraham said, ‘Son,  remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’“Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house,for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’Abraham said to him,  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’But he said to him,  ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets,  neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ” - Luke 16:19-31 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke16:19-31&version=NKJV

Consider the rich man and Lazarus. He is comforted while the rich man is tormented. This is not a parable of rich vs poor, but of righteous vs unrighteous. Once death comes upon us, there are no second chances for obeying the Gospel, being faithful to God, fulfilling the Great Commission. 

(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—then  the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, - 2 Peter 2:8-9 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Peter2:8-9&version=NKJV

The Hadean realm doesn't mean judgement. But it's a waiting place for judgement (2 Timothy 4:1, Revelation 20:13-14). And judgement is declarative, not determinative. 

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the  holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.All the nations will be gathered before Him, and  He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.And He will set the  sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father,  inherit the kingdom  prepared for you from the foundation of the world:for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;  I was a stranger and you took Me in;I was  naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me;  I was in prison and you came to Me.’“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,  inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’“Then He will also say to those on the left hand,  ‘Depart from Me, you cursed,  into the everlasting fire prepared for  the devil and his angels:for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’“Then they also will answer  Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you,  inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’And  these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” - Matthew 25:31-46 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew25:31-46&version=NKJV

We'll all be at the judgement. And consider this: the way we treat others has an effect on our eternal destiny. 

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. - Ecclesiastes 12:7 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes12:7&version=NKJV

Our bodies will return to dust, and our spirits to God to be taken over to the Hadean realm. In light of all this, obey the Gospel if you haven't done so, be faithful to God (Revelation 2:10), fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).