Questions about the Last Things
140. Q. What happens to men when they die?
A. The body returns to dust, and the soul goes to be with God or to a place of suffering and waiting for judgment.
(Click through to read scriptural proofs.)
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By the sweat of your face
- Ecclesiastics 12:7
… and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
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2 Corinthians 5:1-6
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord … .
- Hebrews 12:22-23
But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect … .
- Philippians 1:23
I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
- 2 Peter 2:9
… then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment … .
- Romans 2:5
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Taken from A Catechism for Girls and Boys found here.