What Happens to Our Spirit or Ghost When We Die

Many people are confused about where we go when we die. However, the Bible is fairly clear to those who wish to unravel the mysteries surrounding the experience of death. It is just that most people are unwilling to accept what they read, and tend to look for other non-Biblical answers. The fact of the matter is, that if you ask 10 different people the same questions, you are likely to get 10 different answers. If you ask God, you get just one answer, His answer.

The scriptures show us that there are two distinct places that our souls go to after death. We are also shown that it is extremely unlikely that the dead would be used to communicate with the living as proof that God’s Word is true.

Lazarus and the rich man ended up in two separate places as a result of dying. Lazarus was carried away by the Angels to a place of comfort with Abraham. The rich man was buried. We are shown a distinct difference between being “carried away by the Angels” and being “buried” and suffering “in hell in torments”. The Greeks referred to this hell as being in Hades.

Luke 16:22 And it was so that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried.
Luke 16:23 And being in hell in torments, he lift up his eyes, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Abraham explains that the reason is the way they lived: The rich man received his pleasures, and after being buried he was tormented, thirsty, and without comfort. Lazarus received pains, and he was carried away by the Angels and is comforted.

Luke 16:24 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, & cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame.
Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receive thy pleasures, and likewise Lazarus pains: now therefore is he comforted, and thou art tormented.

Abraham goes on to explain to the rich man that there is a huge separation of space between them, and that neither Lazarus or the rich man are able to leave their place of comfort or torment to get to the other place.

Luke 16:26 besides all this, between you and us there is a great gulf set, so that they which would go from hence to you, can not: neither ca they come from thence to vs.

In order to save his five brothers from going to the place of torment with him, he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to appear to them from the dead, to convince them that they should change their way of life to avoid going to the place of torment after death. Abraham explains that they should listen to Moses and the Prophets in order to prevent going to the place of torment, but that sending one from the dead won’t successfully convince them to change their lives.

Luke 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou would send him to my fathers house,
Luke 16:28 (For I have five brethren) that he may testify unto them, least they also come into this place of torment.
Luke 16:29 Abraham said unto him, they have Moses and the Prophets: let them hear them.
Luke 16:30 and he said, nay, father Abraham: but if one came unto them from the dead, they will amend their lives.
Luke 16:31 Then he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead again.