Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1, and 1 Peter 4:5 are just a few of the scriptures that declare that Jesus Christ will return at the end of time to judge both the living and the dead. However, what happens to our souls when we pass away and wait for Christ’s second coming or the ultimate judgment?
Our souls go to be with the Lord
When the apostle Paul was facing the possibility of his own death, he said that he was content with whatever the Lord chose for him, either life or death, because if he was away from his body (namely, physically dead), then he would be at home with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8, see also Philippians 1:23). This verse indicates that while our bodies stay on earth and decay physically, our souls go to be with the Lord. Also, in Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of two men who die and then meet each other in the afterlife. The poor man Lazarus is with father Abraham (namely, in heaven) apparently having been justified by faith while the wicked rich man is suffering agony as he waits for the final judgment. Clearly here, we see that after physical death, our souls have continued conscious existence.
The existence of those who have put their faith in Christ is in God’s presence in heaven (Revelation 6:9–11). The parable of Lazarus and the wealthy man (Luke 16:19–31) suggests that people who have not put their faith in Christ suffer in hell separated from the LORD until the day of judgment.
Soul and body will be reunited
When Christ returns and we reach the final judgment, our souls and bodies will be reunited. This applies to both the good and the bad. [A new resurrection body] will be given to those whose physical bodies have been destroyed in the interim. This is a revitalized form of the body they previously possessed, not a new one (1 Corinthians 15). When Jesus returns, the bodies of those who are still alive will likewise change. The righteous and the wicked will then be judged by Christ and either live with Him forever in the New Jerusalem or be cast into the lake of fire when body and soul have been reunited (Revelation 20–22).
