The Dead - Part 7

When we consider all the details we discussed from 'The Dead - Part 1' to 'The Dead - Part 6', we can come to the conclusion that today, there are three places to accommodate a soul of a dying person.

     1. Paradise which is in the Third Heaven

     2. Tormenting Zone, which is in hell or sheol.

     3. Graves which are in a separate location in hell or sheol. 

Paradise

Those who have received salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as the Personal Savior and leading very holy life following the commandments of God (True Doctrines) shall go to Paradise in the Third Heaven. These souls are really living souls and they continually praise God who is enthroned in the First Heaven, which is the dwelling place of God above the Third Heaven.

I know there are many teachings saying that the Third Heaven is the dwelling place of God. They further say that the First Heaven is what we have within our physical realm according to  Genesis 1:1. 

If that is the case, then how come St. Paul went to the Third Heaven as John 3:13 says that no man has ascended up to heaven (dwelling place of God) so far???

Tormenting Zone

When those, whose wickedness becomes full on earth according to the measurement of God, shall land in this Tormenting Zone in hell or sheol. These souls are also living souls, but being tormented by Satan and his angels day and night until the final judgment so called the White Throne Judgment. On this final judgment day, every soul in hell or sheol shall be judged.  

Revelation 20:11-13
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 

Graves in hell

Those who are living a life in peace and harmony on earth shall come to a state of sleep at their death. Each of these sleeping or dead souls is placed in a grave in hell. They shall also be raised to life on the final judgment day of the Lord and shall be judged according to their work. This group includes all people belonging to other religions and different beliefs on death.

Many of those who have received salvation by accepting Christ are also going down to graves in hell.  These are the people who are giving priority to the worries of the world (instead of seeking the face of God and His kingdom) while on earth.

These souls are also called the dead in Christ. According to the mystery of God, revealed to St. Paul, the dead in Christ, who are in graves in hell shall be raised to life and caught up to heaven at the second coming (secret coming or rapture) of our Lord Jesus Christ. We read this mystery, revealed to St. Paul in two places in the Bible.

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 

CONCLUSION

Please note that I have not mentioned anything based on my theories in any of my writings to you. If I say something, I always give the scriptures to support it.

If you are in different beliefs (may be because of the teaching you have received from the church) with regard to what I have written  in the series of messages regarding the Dead, please check for yourself whether those beliefs are based on the scriptures for the simple fact that we should not believe anything which is contrary to the Word of God.

When we believe something based on a particular scripture, there should not be any other scriptures contrary to our belief. If there is, then it implies that we have misinterpreted the scripture, on which our belief is based.