“The hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice; and will come out — those ho have done good to the resurrection of life…”

(John 5: 28-29)

Lesson 14: Death and Final Judgment

One of the great mysteries of life is death. This raises some of the most important questions: What is it like to die? What happens after we die? How do we prepare for our death? Will there be a judgment, and when will it take place? Who will be the judge? What will be the criteria for this judgment?

The answers to these questions lead us to an understanding of the very purpose of our lives. We know that we will die. What then is important for us to do while we are living on this earth? This brings us directly to an understanding of our faith. If we have no faith, then death is simply the end of our existence. With faith in Jesus Christ, the answer is quite different. Jesus, in His teaching, informs us through His death and Resurrection that there is eternal life for those who believe in Him and follow His teachings. As we discussed earlier in the lesson on true faith, this belief must be more than an intellectual one. It is based on a loving relationship with Him. When we love God with our whole heart, and also love others as we love ourselves, He may consider us worthy for eternal life with Him in His kingdom. This is known as heaven.

At the time of our death, our whole life is examined. If it shows that you have followed His commandments and lived a life of repentance, you will be guided to a place that is free of pain and suffering. You will be transformed when the time comes for Christ’s Second Coming and receive a new body that is incorruptible.

The key to this teaching is that we first need to know Christ, to do our best to follow Him, and to repent of all cases where we were unable to follow His commands. After death, we are separated for a time from our bodies and can no longer repent. Therefore, we must always be prepared for death through a life of repentance.

Life after death cannot be accurately described in earthly terms. We have symbolic images from Scripture and from the Saints about this life. We can never fully know the nature of this new life. We are promised that it is beautiful, free of suffering, and that we are alive in the presence of the glory of God.

Read Chapter 12 in Orthodox Way: A Catechism for Seekers

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