Death

Answer: The Bible clearly shows us that individuals who have died are resting in peace in their graves until the time of a resurrection (John 5:28; Ecclesiastes 9:5). Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15, explains in detail how the dead will be resurrected from their graves. The Bible does not say we go to heaven when we die (John 3:13), nor does it say that God will punish sinners forever in a hell fire. These beliefs come from the false concept of an immortal soul, as well as a misunderstanding of Jesus' teachings about our reward, and how some will be punished.

Jesus was in His grave for three days and three nights and then received life again when His Father resurrected Him. This is also what happens to all individuals who die. The dead await the time of the resurrection when they will be given life once again (Daniel 12:2).

If you would like to learn more about this subject, request your free copies of the two booklets What Happens After Death? and Heaven & Hell—What Does the Bible Really Teach? Both are also available for viewing or downloading from our literature library at www.ucg.org/booklets.

Answer: . The Bible does not teach or imply this common belief. God made man to have a relationship with Him and for that reason has made man in His image physically. Man's character is being formed through exposure to the carnal lusts of the flesh and the pulls of the world, influenced by Satan the devil. It is appointed to man to die once and then take part in the judgment (Hebrews 9:27), not to live again and again as different animals or people as reincarnation teaches.

The judgment mentioned in Hebrews 9, for most, is a time to live without the influences of Satan and be taught the truth of God (as revealed in the Holy Bible). God is fair and everyone will have an opportunity to first know the truth and then have a chance to accept it.

God does not want to torture, punish or hurt man, but rather save him. This plan is revealed in the meanings of the biblical Holy Days, which are discussed in our booklet, God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind (http://www.ucg.org/booklets/HD/).

Ideas about reincarnation have been promoted by those who study eastern ideologies that are steeped in paganism, animism and gnosticism. The Bible reveals a much different destiny for man—one in which man can become spirit as part of God's family. For further information on this subject, read our free booklet What Happens After Death? (http://www.ucg.org/booklets/AD/).

Answer: Understanding how God is working with people to grant them eternal life in His coming Kingdom is a most important and precious truth. Jesus, the Son of God, came to the earth as a human to die for our sins and to preach this message. Believing in Jesus and the message He brought makes it possible for us to become God's children and receive everlasting life (John 1:12; 3:16). When we repent of our sins and are baptized, we receive God's Spirit—the promise that we will receive eternal life in the future (Romans 8:9-11). The Holy Spirit is thus the identifying key as to who belongs to Christ and who will receive eternal life.

Prior to Jesus coming to this earth, the Bible reveals that only a very few had God's Spirit. These included some of the prophets and individuals, such as David, with whom God specifically worked (1 Peter 1:10-11; Psalm 51:11).

Now we must determine when people enter the Kingdom of God. Many people today assume that people who have died with the Spirit of God are now in heaven. But the Bible reveals that this is a mistaken assumption.

In A.D. 31 on the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter said of David, "that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day" (Acts 2:29). Years later, Paul wrote that the dead in Christ (those who had died with God's Spirit) would be resurrected (brought back to life) when Christ returns a second time to this earth (1 Thessalonians 4:17). The Kingdom of God will thus be established when Jesus returns to this earth at some time in the future (Revelation 11:15).

The Bible reveals that no human beings have yet ascended into heaven (John 3:13). All humans who have died (even those who have had God's Spirit dwelling within them) are waiting in their graves for the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. If you would like to learn more about this subject, we recommend reading our free booklets: Heaven & Hell—What Does the Bible Really Teach? (http://www.ucg.org/booklets/HL/) and What Happens After Death? (http://www.ucg.org/booklets/AD/).

Answer: God is the one who created human life as part of His great plan to show love to us. As Creator, He retains control over His creation, including the right to decide when to end someone's life. In Deuteronomy 32:39 God says He is the only true God and has the right to kill or to make alive.

God has also revealed that His plan includes resurrecting humans—bringing them back to life (something we humans cannot do). So even when God decides to kill a whole nation because of their gross sins and the misery they were bringing on themselves (as He did to allow Israel to inherit the land He had promised to Abraham), that is not the end of those people. He will bring them back to life later to teach them the right way to live.

The Ten Commandments booklet addresses this issue in the chapter about the Sixth Commandment. "Taking another person's life is not our right to decide. That judgment is reserved for God alone. That is the thrust of this commandment. God does not allow us to choose to willfully, deliberately take another person's life. The Sixth Commandment reminds us that God is the giver of life, and He alone has the authority to take it or grant humans permission to take it."

All of these points support God's right to take human life, including using the Lake of Fire to destroy those who refuse His offer of eternal life. Though it might seem strange at first, even when God kills someone, it can be a demonstration of His love.

For more information on the ramifications and spiritual intent of the commandments, you might want to read our booklet, The Ten Commandments. It's available on-line at http://www.ucg.org/booklets/TC/.

The term for assisting someone to die is euthanasia, from the Greek for "good death," referring to methods of bringing about painless deaths. Doctors have been in the news for assisting those who are elderly and/or suffering to end their lives. From time to time we hear of lawmakers debating whether to legalize euthanasia.

It is already legal in Holland and the U.S. state of Oregon.

The Sixth Commandment plainly states, "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13 ). Human beings like to play mental games that reason around what God clearly and plainly states (see Proverbs 16:25 ). God, as the Giver of life, is the only one who can legitimately take it away—or direct someone else to do so. Murder is taking this divine prerogative to oneself—killing without God's permission. That includes the so-called mercy killing of someone who is suffering. Indeed, suicide is wrong for the same reason.

The Bible upholds the sanctity of human life. Life is to be highly respected! Life is precious!

There are many times when God allows a person to suffer before dying. Suffering can teach us many lessons. But there is no scripture that allows us to reason that it might be okay to painlessly take someone's life because he or she is suffering. The same goes for taking our own lives.

For more on what God's law says about murder and to help put present sufferings in perspective, send for or download our free booklets The Ten Commandments and Why Does God Allow Suffering?