Most Christian churches teach that when you die, the body and soul separate. The body disintegrates, and the soul goes somewhere else: heaven, hell, purgatory, wherever. These churches are wrong! What they teach goes against what God says in the Bible. Read through this easy, short booklet to find out why. Heaven is NOT the Bible’s reward

In the Bible, death means death We are dust Soul = living being When we die, we die, we are buried – not just our bodies When you are dead you are an ex-person Future resurrection is the only Christian hope The New Testament says that there is a future hope This is very different from what most churches teach Will you listen to God, or to man? To see what the Bible says about death, keep reading… That’s me, David Barnes, on the right. I’m with my wife on our honeymoon. We both believe the Bible, try to follow what it says, and look forward to Christ’s return – and eternal life in his kingdom. Email me: [email_address]

In the Bible, death means death! “ the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing” The dead are unconscious. They know nothing. “ dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return” God says that men are dust, and nothing else. “ What is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” Life is temporary. When you die, your life vanishes away. It doesn’t continue elsewhere.

We are dust … And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground , and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man became a living soul . – Gen 2:7 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art , and unto dust shalt thou return. – Gen 3:19 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes: – Gen 18:27 WE are dust. That is all we are. We are given life temporarily, but once it has gone… dust is all that is left.

Soul = living being And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground , and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man became a living soul . – Gen 2:7 Man BECOMES a soul once he is given life. When life goes, he ceases to be a soul. THE SOUL CEASES TO EXIST. The idea that a “soul” is immortal and can exist separate from a living body IS NOT IN THE BIBLE. Formed body + Breath of life = Living soul

When we die, we die, we are buried – not just our bodies “ So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old, and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt” – Gen 50:26 When Joseph died, it was him that was embalmed and put into a coffin. Not just his body, while his soul went elsewhere. “ So Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there, in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley, in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor, but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day” – Deu 34:5,6 The same thing happens with Moses. He dies, and they bury him . There is no “soul” part of him that goes elsewhere.

You are an ex-person! When you are dead… None of these phrases or ideas are in the Bible. You are no more. You have ceased to be. You’ve expired. You’re a stiff. You are bereft of life. You (might) rest in peace. Your metabolic processes are now history. You have NOT gone to meet your maker. You have NOT shuffled off this mortal coil. You have NOT run down the curtain. You have NOT joined the choir invisible.

Resurrection is the only Christian hope Death is the end of life. When we die, no part of us goes on living. But! There is hope. For many, death will be like a sleep that they wake up from. And for the faithful, they will live for ever afterwards. Here’s what God said to his servant Daniel: … And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake , some to everlasting life , and some to shame and everlasting contempt. – Dan 12:2 For them, death is like a sleep. They wait to be made alive again, and then they will be judged.

This hope is still future, even for people who died long ago People who have died in faith did not receive their reward immediately. In the New Testament, we’re told to imitate the faithful people in the Old Testament – and share their reward. But they have not received their reward yet: “ [God’s followers] all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off , and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth . ” – Heb 11:13 The hope that God promises is not something people receive as soon as they die. Faithful people who died are still sleeping, waiting for the promises.

Hebrews 11 also says that every faithful person will receive the promise at the same time : “… these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect .” – Hebrews 11:39,40. God is going to make all believers perfect together , at the same time. With us, if we share their faith. All faithful will be rewarded together, at the same time

Most churches don’t teach what the Bible says If your church doesn’t teach these things, what should you do? Should you be surprised? You have to decide, will you investigate what the Bible says? Or will you stick with a church that teaches something else? The New Testament says things about what churches will teach in the time after the Bible is completed: “… the time will come when they (members of churches) will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth , and shall be turned unto fables .” – 2 Tim 4:3

Will you accept what God says in his word? Or will you listen to “fables”, to what our ears want to hear…. to lies? Thou shalt not surely die!

What you should do next… Read the Bible for yourself… There is no substitute for understanding God’s message for yourself. If you want to seek God, the Bible is the best place to do it. If you need help reading, try http://7biblehabits.blogspot.com/ Find a church that teaches the true Bible message … I am a member of a Christadelphian church. We do our best to teach the Bible message honestly. You can find out about Christadelphians, and discover a meeting place near you, by visiting: http://www.thisisyourbible.com/ Contact me … If you have any comments or questions, please email me: [email_address] I would love to talk to you about these things, and the wonderful hope the God has given us.