Heaven and Hell
Many Christians believe that at the end of time there will be a Day of JudgementThe last day, when God judges all of humanity according to how they have lived. when all soulThe spiritual part of a human being. It is believed by many that the soul is eternal. (regardless of religion) will be judged by God. Those who are judged as acceptable will have a place in HeavenA physical place, or a state of mind, associated with God and the afterlife. but those who are not thought to have been good enough will go to HellA place of torment and punishment for those who have done wrong..
In the New TestamentThe second part of the Christian Bible containing 27 books consisting of four types of literature: letters (epistles), gospels, history and prophecy., St Paul explains judgement to early Christians: For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due to us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
(2 Corinthians 5:10)
Some Christians do not believe that Heaven and Hell are necessarily physical places. Instead they believe that Heaven and Hell could be states of mind - for example, Heaven might be a place of unending happiness. Additionally, Roman Catholics believe in a place called PurgatoryA place where Catholics believe people's souls are purified of their sins before they go to Heaven., where sins are punished and where a person’s soul undergoes purification before it can go to Heaven.
Heaven
In Heaven, Christians may be happy and surrounded by their favourite things. They will know God on a more personal level, meaning that they will be aware of his physical presence along with realising his nature as all-loving and forgiving.
Hell
In contrast, the Bible depicts Hell as a terrible place where souls will not know the presence of God.
Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
(Matthew 25:46)
Many Christians have rejected literal interpretations of Hell, acknowledging that in the past the idea of Hell was used to frighten people into obeying the Church's rules. Many also argue that the existence of Hell would contradict God’s omnibenevolentThe belief that God is all loving. nature.
These Christians do not think that God would punish people for eternityThere is no end; forever.. Instead, they believe people will be offered an opportunity to pay back for their sin.
Some Christians believe that everyone will eventually repent and be forgiven.
Resurrection
Christians believe that Jesus was resurrectionThe Christian belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after the crucifixion. The rising from the dead of believers on the Last Day in a new, or risen, life.. This is a central belief for Christians and is documented in 1 Corinthians 15:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
This passage describes the process of death, burial and resurrection that Jesus went through. It is followed by an assurance that all humans can be resurrected: For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
(1 Corinthians 15:16)
Importantly, 1 Corinthians 15 also explains that it is not necessarily the physical body that is resurrected. Instead, what is resurrected is a spiritual body, which cannot die.
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 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.
Question
What is meant by the immortality of the soul?
The soul lives on after the death of the body.