The Eternal State of the Saved
We believe that every person who has received the Lord Jesus Christ by faith possesses eternal life and is eternally secure in Him. At death, the believer’s soul and spirit depart from the body and enter immediately into the conscious presence of the Lord. At the coming of Christ, the bodies of all believers will be raised or changed into glorified, incorruptible bodies. The redeemed will forever be with the Lord, serving Him in perfect holiness and joy in the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem.
Eternal Life Is a Present Possession
Eternal life is not merely something the believer hopes to receive after death. It is a present possession received by faith in Jesus Christ.
John 3:16 declares:
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
John 5:24 states:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
The believer “hath everlasting life.” Salvation is not earned by works, maintained by works, or completed by works. It is the gift of God received through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 6:23 says:
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Because eternal life is the gift of God, the saved person will never perish. The Lord Jesus said concerning His sheep:
“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
—John 10:28
The Believer’s State Immediately After Death
Physical death separates the soul and spirit from the body. The body returns to the earth, but the believer himself enters immediately into the presence of Christ.
Paul wrote:
“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
—II Corinthians 5:8
He also said:
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
—Philippians 1:21
Paul desired:
“To depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.”
—Philippians 1:23
The believer does not cease to exist, enter an unconscious sleep, or remain in the grave with the body. The body sleeps in the sense that it rests awaiting resurrection, but the soul and spirit remain conscious in the presence of the Lord.
The Lord Jesus told the repentant thief:
“Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”
—Luke 23:43
The believer’s presence with Christ after death is blessed and conscious, but it is not yet the final fullness of his eternal state. He still awaits the resurrection and glorification of his body.
The Resurrection and Glorification of the Body
God created man as body, soul, and spirit. Redemption will ultimately include the body.
First Thessalonians 5:23 speaks of the believer’s:
“whole spirit and soul and body”
At the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for His church, the bodies of deceased believers will be raised, and living believers will be instantly changed.
First Thessalonians 4:16–17 declares:
“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:
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.”
First Corinthians 15:51–52 says:
“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump…”
The believer’s resurrection body will be incorruptible, immortal, powerful, glorious, and perfectly suited for eternity.
First Corinthians 15:42–44 states:
“It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”
The words “spiritual body” do not mean that the believer will become a disembodied spirit. It will be a real, glorified body completely governed by the Spirit of God and forever free from corruption, weakness, disease, and death.
A Body Like Christ’s Glorious Body
The glorified body of the believer will be fashioned like the glorious resurrection body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:20–21 declares:
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…”
First John 3:2 says:
“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”
Believers will never become gods, nor will they possess Christ’s deity. They will, however, be morally pure, physically glorified, and fully conformed to the image God has appointed for His redeemed children.
Romans 8:29 says that believers are predestinated:
“to be conformed to the image of his Son”
Freedom From the Presence of Sin
At salvation, the believer is delivered from the penalty of sin. In daily sanctification, he is being delivered from the power of sin. In glorification, he will be delivered forever from the very presence of sin.
Nothing sinful or defiling will enter the eternal dwelling of the redeemed.
Revelation 21:27 states:
“And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth…”
The believer will no longer battle the world, the flesh, or the devil. There will be no temptation, sinful desire, inward corruption, guilt, shame, or possibility of falling from the glorified state.
The redeemed will serve God in perfect righteousness:
“And his servants shall serve him.”
—Revelation 22:3
The Judgment Seat of Christ
The believer will never face the Great White Throne Judgment to determine whether he is saved. His sins were judged at Calvary, and there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ.
Romans 8:1 declares:
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…”
Believers will, however, appear before the judgment seat of Christ, where their Christian service will be examined and rewarded.
Second Corinthians 5:10 states:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body…”
First Corinthians 3:13–15 teaches that every believer’s work will be tried. Faithful service will receive reward, while worthless service will suffer loss:
“If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”
The judgment seat concerns service and reward, not salvation or eternal condemnation.
The Marriage of the Lamb
The church is the body and bride of Christ. Following the removal of the church from the earth, the bride will be presented to Christ and prepared for the marriage of the Lamb.
Revelation 19:7 declares:
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.”
This relationship is unique to the church and should not be confused with God’s distinct promises to the nation of Israel. God will fulfil His covenants with Israel, while the church will eternally enjoy her position as the bride of Christ.
Reigning With Christ
The Lord Jesus Christ will return bodily and visibly to the earth and establish His promised kingdom. The redeemed church will return with Him and reign with Him.
Revelation 20:6 states:
“Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection… they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.”
The thousand-year reign of Christ is literal. It precedes the final judgment of the unsaved and the creation of the new heaven and new earth.
The eternal state should therefore not be confused with the millennial kingdom. The Millennium is a literal future kingdom upon this present earth. The eternal state follows the final judgment and the passing away of the present heaven and earth.
The New Heaven and the New Earth
After the millennial reign of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment, God will create a new heaven and a new earth.
Revelation 21:1 says:
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away…”
Second Peter 3:13 states:
“Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”
The eternal state will not be spent floating aimlessly in clouds. God will provide a real and perfect dwelling place for His redeemed people. The new creation will be completely free from the curse, corruption, disorder, and death brought by sin.
The New Jerusalem
John saw the holy city descending from God out of heaven:
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
—Revelation 21:2
The New Jerusalem is a real city prepared by God. It is described as having walls, gates, foundations, streets, measurements, and inhabitants.
Revelation 21:23 says:
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
The glory of God will fill the city, and the Lord Jesus Christ will be its everlasting light.
God Will Dwell With His People
The greatest blessing of the eternal state will not merely be freedom from suffering or the beauty of the New Jerusalem. The greatest blessing will be the immediate presence of God.
Revelation 21:3 declares:
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them…”
Revelation 22:4 adds:
“And they shall see his face…”
Believers will enjoy unhindered fellowship with God. Faith will become sight. Hope will be fulfilled. The redeemed will behold the Lord Jesus Christ, worship Him, serve Him, and dwell in His presence forever.
No More Death, Sorrow, or Pain
Revelation 21:4 gives one of Scripture’s clearest descriptions of the eternal state:
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
There will be:
- No more death.
- No more funerals.
- No more disease.
- No more pain.
- No more grief.
- No more separation.
- No more persecution.
- No more disappointment.
- No more effects of the curse.
Everything associated with sin and death will have passed away forever.
Eternal Service and Worship
The eternal state will not be an existence of inactivity. The redeemed will worship God, serve Him, and reign with Him.
Revelation 22:3 states:
“And his servants shall serve him.”
Revelation 22:5 says:
“And they shall reign for ever and ever.”
Service in eternity will contain no exhaustion, frustration, failure, competition, or sinful ambition. Every act will perfectly glorify God and bring complete joy to His servants.
Individual Identity Will Remain
Believers will retain their personal identity in eternity. Resurrection does not erase individuality. Moses and Elias remained recognizable at the transfiguration. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are spoken of as distinct persons in the coming kingdom.
The redeemed will be perfectly united in Christ without losing the individuality God gave them. They will know, worship, serve, fellowship, and rejoice without jealousy, misunderstanding, selfishness, or sin.
Scripture does not reveal every detail concerning relationships and activities in eternity. Where God has not spoken, we should not speculate. Nevertheless, the Bible clearly teaches that the redeemed will remain conscious persons in joyful fellowship with God and one another.
The Eternal State of the Unsaved
The eternal state of the saved must be distinguished from that of the unsaved. Those who die without Christ remain under condemnation and will ultimately stand before the Great White Throne.
Revelation 20:15 states:
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
The lake of fire is eternal conscious punishment, not annihilation, purification, or temporary correction.
Revelation 20:10 describes it as a place where its occupants:
“shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”
There is no second opportunity for salvation after death. A person’s eternal destiny is determined by whether he has believed on the Lord Jesus Christ in this life.
Our Blessed Hope
The believer’s eternal hope rests entirely upon the finished work and promises of Jesus Christ.
The Lord said:
“I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself…”
—John 14:2–3
The Christian is not merely looking for death. He is looking for the Saviour.
Titus 2:13 calls this:
“That blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”
The believer’s final hope is certain:
“And so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
—I Thessalonians 4:17
How Our Eternal Hope Should Affect Us Now
The certainty of Christ’s return and our future glorification should produce holiness, faithfulness, comfort, courage, and separation from the world.
First John 3:3 states:
“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”
Because we will one day see Christ, we should desire to please Him now. Because this present world will pass away, we should labour for things of eternal value. Because the lost face everlasting judgment, we should faithfully preach the gospel.
The doctrine of the eternal state is not merely intended to satisfy curiosity about the future. It is meant to comfort the grieving, strengthen the suffering, encourage the faithful, warn the lost, and direct the believer’s heart toward the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary
The saved possess eternal life from the moment they believe on Christ. At death, they enter consciously into the Lord’s presence. At the coming of Christ, their bodies will be raised or changed into immortal and glorified bodies. They will appear before the judgment seat of Christ, reign with Him, and ultimately dwell forever in the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem.
They will be forever free from sin, death, sorrow, pain, and every effect of the curse. They will see the Lord’s face, worship Him, serve Him, and reign with Him for ever and ever.
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