THE STATE OF THE UNSAVED DEAD

                                                                 Luke 16:22b-24

  Introduction:

       A.  Where does an unsaved person go when he dies?  What happens?

       B.  The Bible provides us with the answers.

   I.  The question under consideration:  what happens to an unsaved person between the point of death

       and his eternal abode in Hell?

       A.  The human is composed of three distinct parts: body, spirit and soul.

             Hebrews 4:12, I Thess. 5:23

             Body:  the physical aspects

             Spirit:  the spiritual, immortal (Ungers).  The inner part that is created in the image of                        God.

             (Gospel Advocate, 80-81 annual lessons)

             Soul:  a moral being designed for everlasting life (Ungers).  The seat of feelings desires,                affections,

             aversion (Strong's Greek Lexicon)

             1.  The terms spirit and soul are often used interchangeably to apply to the spiritual                              aspects.  I will use the term spirit to refer to the inner, immortal, and spiritual.

       B.   What happens to an unsaved person when he dies?  See handout

              1.  His body goes to the grave or decays back into dust.

              2.  His spirit goes to the  torment region of Hades. Luke 16:22b-24

              3.  The spirit remains there in punishment until the general resurrection. II Peter 2:9,                             Luke 16:

                   23-24,27-28

              4.  At the general resurrection the unsaved's new body will join his spirit as it                                leaves Hades.

                   John 5:27-29

              5.  Then Jesus will judge all people.  Acts 17:31, Rev. 20: 11-15,

                   Matthew 25: 31-33,41, 46

              6.  The lost person will go to his eternal punishment. 

                   II Thess. 1:7-9, Matthew 25:41, 46

   Conclusion:

        A.   The eternal destiny of every person is either Heaven or Hell.  The most important                             question then is, what must I do to be saved and go to Heaven?  Romans 3:23, 6:23;                         John 14:6;  Romans 1:16-17; Luke 13:3;  Mt. 10:32-33;  Acts 2:38;  Romans 6:3-5,

              I Peter 3:21