What happens to the soul after death?

Answer 1

If you believe in Jesus Christ and what He did for you, then your soul goes to heaven. If not, your go to hell. We need Jesus Christ because we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Jesus (God) has died so that your soul may be saved and you will get to one day see God in person in heaven.

Answer 2

First -- one must determine what the 'soul' really is; and what it 'is not'.

Also -- one must determine what 'death' really is; and what it 'is not'.

1) According to The Bible, 'the soul' is really 'the person as a whole; body, mind, emotions.'

In the Bible, animals are also called 'souls', because they too are individual living beings (although not created 'in God's image'.)

The soul is NOT something 'inside of us' (and animals), which transmigrates or departs from us, to keep living elsewhere. 'We as the person that we are', are NOT 'trans-formed' into something else (into a different type of being); nor are we 'trans-ferred' to exist elsewhere (ie: heaven or eternal torment).

2) According to the Bible, and according to science: -- 'death' is the 'opposite of life'.

'Life' = existence

'Death' = non-existence

Genesis 3:19 very clearly tells us where 'any sign of our existence' 'CAME FROM.' The 'person we are' --CAME FROM -- non-existence; "From dust you came . . . "

Then it states just as clearly that: -- that's where we would return -- back to 'non-existence': ". . . to dust you shall return" from whence we came.

Ezekiel 18:4 states that everyone who sins (and that's all mankind from Adam; except for Jesus) would return back to 'non-existence'. It reads: "The soul that sins (and that's all of us, except for Jesus), that soul: "it itself will die." That's exactly what will happen to the soul at death -- it dies. The 'person as a whole' returns from whence it came from -- non-existence.

To be more pointed: The soul 'decays' back to the elements of the earth.

Opposing view.THAT IS JUST SINNERS!!!

THAT IS JUST TALKING ABOUT THE BODY!!! WRITE THE WHOLE VERSE DONT QUOTE WRONGLY PLEASE!! :(

ACTUALLY... If you believe in God, if you have put your faith in Him, your soul will go to heaven to spend eternity with God. Otherwise, hell.

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A Scriptural perspective:(No man can give definitive answer to this question. Therefore, this "answer" merely strives to present some of what the Bible reveals in response to the question without bias or agenda.)

The short responseis that the soul goes to one of two "places" in the spiritual realm to await Jesus' return and the final Judgment.

With all due respect, the first answer is totally off the mark biblically, as shown by the following:

Animal and human souls show distinct differences after the death of the body:

Ecc. 3:19-21 - For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?

The soul does not, for it cannot, cease to exist. The Bible leaves no doubt that it continues to live though the body has died, its disposition subject to God's will:

Ecclesiastes 12:7 - Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

1 Kings 17:21-22 -And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray, let this child's soul come back to him." Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.

Luke 8:52-55 - Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise." Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat.

The best biblical "glimpse into the afterlife" is Jesus' exposition (which lacks the essential elements and therefore is not a parable) of the rich man and Lazarus.

Luke 16:19-31 - "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.' "

The points of the story that most directly address the question are:

(1) There are two different "immediate destinations" after death; one for the righteous which Jesus calls "Abraham's bosom," (elsewhere referred to as "Paradise"), and one for the wicked; "Hades." It's important to be aware that these places are not "heaven" and "hell" by the common understanding. They are temporary abiding places for the souls of the departed dead, who await the final Judgment. [An item of interest is that "burial" isn't mentioned for Lazarus but is for the rich man. Though not stated outright, implied is that the angels carried Lazarus away promptly, prior to his body's disposal, while the rich man's soul lingered near, enduring his body's burial as an ordeal.]

(2) Lazarus is being "comforted" while the rich man is being "tormented" (v.25). Both experience "foretastes" of their eternal state after the Judgment. One will spend a blessed eternity in God's presence (Rev. 21:3, 4); the other will go into never-ending punishment (Matt. 25:41; Rev. 20:13-15).

(3) The rich man is dreadfully aware of his own plightand vexed for the sake of his loved ones - but his desires are now futile, his requests answered in the negative. In extreme contrast, Lazarus shows no reaction at all, as if blissfully unaware. This is harmonious with the frequent New Testament image of the righteous dead as "sleeping" (Matt. 9:24; Luke 8: 52; John 11:11-13) and having "fallen asleep" (1 Corinthans 15:6, 18, 20).

Beyond the few other things revealed by Jesus and his apostles which further affirm the notions presented here, practically all is speculation and supposition.

[Quotes from NKJV]

Answer 3

To answer that it is first necessary to study what the soul is.

Eccl:12:7: Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Gen:2:7: 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.

The soul is a combination of two things--the breath of life(from God),and a body.

1Thes:5:23: And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice that a distinction is made here, spirit, soul,and body are mentioned separately. In other words, the spirit and the soul are not the same.

Heb:4:12: For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Here again a distinction is made.

But is not the soul immortal?

Nowhere in the bible does it mention an immortal soul ,but on the contrary the bible says man is mortal(can die).

Indeed that is the whole point of the plan of salvation to give to men eternal life.

Jn:3:15: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Ps:22:29: All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

Jn:10:28: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Notice that the verse says 'give unto them eternal life' which means we do not already posses it.For why would he give us(at great cost )something we already posses in abundance?

The whole plan of salvation can be summed up in this one verse:

Mt:8:25: And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

We are dying because of sin,and God is saving us from death.

Can the soul die?

Ezek:18:20: The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Mt:10:28: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell

Mt:16:26: For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Lk:12:20: But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

Acts:3:23: And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

Rv:16:3: And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

1Sam:24:11: Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

Prov:6:32: But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul

Job:7:15: So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

Soul is also a word that can be another way of saying living people.Notice the following verses:

Lev:23:27: Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

Lev:23:29: For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

Num:15:27: And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.

Mk:14:34: And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

Lk:1:46: And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

If the soul is a combination of the breath of life and a body,that cannot exist without the two,and not a ghostly inner self.

But what about those verses in revelation that speak about souls under the altar in Heaven ?

Rv:6:9: And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

Revelation,and many other books of the Bible, use figurative language,and this verse could be understood to be doing so. For example,Genesis :4:10 speaks of blood crying ,which makes it obvious that it figurative language being employed(unless we are to believe the absurd notion that blood is alive,and has emotions,which the Bible clearly does not teach)

Gen:4:10: And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

So to answer the original question 'where does the soul go in death',the soul goes to the grave,at least until one of the resurrections(there are two:

Jn:5:29: And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.).

Job:33:22: Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

Ps:30:3: O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Ps:49:15: But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Ps:16:10: For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.(hell is an unfortunate translation here of the Hebrew word Sheol,which simply means the grave.)

Ps:56:13: For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Ps:78:50: He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;

Ps:89:48: What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

Ps:107:18: Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

Ps:116:8: For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.