Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

32.1. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

The bodies of men, after death, return to dust and see corruption: but their souls (which neither die nor sleep) having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them: the souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God, in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies. And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell, where they remain in torments and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day. Beside these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.

Proof texts

Gen. 3:19 — [19] By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Acts 13:36 — [36] For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption,
Luke 23:43 — [43] And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Eccles. 12:7
Heb. 12:23 — [23] and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
2 Cor. 5:1, 6, 8 — [1] For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. [6] So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, [8] Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Phil. 1:23, with Acts 3:21 & Eph. 4:10
Luke 16:23, 24 — [23] and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. [24] And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’
Acts 1:25 — [25] to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
Jude 6, 7 — [6] And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day — [7] just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
1 Pet. 3:19 — [19] in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,

For discussion

The Assembly cited Gen. 3:19 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
11 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WSC Q37 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WSC Q38 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q37 · WSC Q38 · WLC Q82 · WLC Q84 · WLC Q85 · WLC Q86 · BC 9.1 · BC 9.2

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): This Section teaches — 1st. That man consists of two distinct elements, a soul and a body, and that death consists in their temporary separation. 2d. That while the body is resolved into its constituent chemical elements, the soul of the believer is (a) immediately made perfect in holiness, (6) during all the intermediate state from death until the resurrection, continuas conscious, active and happy, and (c) is in the presence of Christ, who, after his ascension, has sat down at the right hand of God. , 3d. That the souls of the wicked also continue, during this intermediate state, conscious and active, but in a state of penal torment, reserved to the judgment of the great day. 4th. These…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): I. It is here supposed that death is an event common to all men. " It is appointed unto men once to die." — Heb. ix. 27. This is the immutable appointment of Heaven, which cannot be reversed, and which none can frustrate. When meditating upon this subject, the royal Psalmist exclaimed : ".What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death ? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the gi-ave ?" — Ps. Ixxxix, * Second Book of Discipline, chap. i. and vii. 48. Job speaks of death as an event which certainly awaited him, and of the grave as the common receptacle of all mankind: " I know that thou wilt bring me…

32.2. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

At the last day, such as are found alive shall not die, but be changed: and all the dead shall be raised up, with the selfsame bodies, and none other, although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls for ever.

Proof texts

1 Thess. 4:17 — [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.
1 Cor. 15:51, 52 — [51] Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
Job 19:26, 27 — [26] And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, [27] whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
1 Cor. 15:42, 43, 44 — [42] So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. [43] It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. [44] It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

For discussion

The Assembly cited 1 Thess. 4:17 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
4 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WSC Q37 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WSC Q38 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q37 · WSC Q38 · WLC Q82 · WLC Q86 · WLC Q87 · BC 9.1 · BC 9.2 · 1689 31.1 · SC60 6.2 · IAR 9.1 · IAR 9.2 · IAR 9.3 · IAR 9.4 · SHC 9.1 · SD 31.1

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach — 1st. That at the last day there will be a simultaneous resurrection of all the dead, both of the just and of the unjust. 2d. That those who then remain living on the earth shall not die, but be changed. 3d. That the very same bodies that are buried in the earth shall be raised and reunited to their souls, their identity preserved, although their qualities will be changed. 4th. That the bodies of believers shall be made like Christ's glorious body — " a spiritual body." 5th. That the bodies of the reprobate shall be raised "to dishonour. 1st. At the last day there will be a simultaneous resurrection of all the dead, both of…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): I. Such as remain alive upon the earth at the last day shall not die. but undergo a wonderful change. This truth was first revealed to the Church in Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (xv. 51): "Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." When Christ shall descend from heaven to judge the world, some will be found alive upon the earth ; these shall not die, and sleep for a short time in the dust of the earth ; but they will experience a change equivalent to that which shall pass on those who shall then be raised from the grave; and, as we are informed, the dead saints…

32.3. Of the State of Man After Death, and of the Resurrection of the Dead

The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonour: the bodies of the just, by His Spirit, unto honour; and be made conformable to His own glorious body.

Proof texts

Acts 24:15 — [15] having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.
John 5:28, 29 — [28] Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice [29] and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
1 Cor. 15:43 — [43] It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
Phil. 3:21 — [21] who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

For discussion

The Assembly cited Acts 24:15 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
4 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
WSC Q37 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
WSC Q38 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q37 · WSC Q38 · WLC Q82 · WLC Q87 · BC 9.1 · BC 9.2 · 1689 31.1 · SC60 6.2 · IAR 9.1 · IAR 9.2 · IAR 9.3 · IAR 9.4 · SHC 9.1 · SD 31.1

Leader's notes

A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach — 1st. That at the last day there will be a simultaneous resurrection of all the dead, both of the just and of the unjust. 2d. That those who then remain living on the earth shall not die, but be changed. 3d. That the very same bodies that are buried in the earth shall be raised and reunited to their souls, their identity preserved, although their qualities will be changed. 4th. That the bodies of believers shall be made like Christ's glorious body — " a spiritual body." 5th. That the bodies of the reprobate shall be raised "to dishonour. 1st. At the last day there will be a simultaneous resurrection of all the dead, both of…

An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): I. Such as remain alive upon the earth at the last day shall not die. but undergo a wonderful change. This truth was first revealed to the Church in Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (xv. 51): "Behold I show you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." When Christ shall descend from heaven to judge the world, some will be found alive upon the earth ; these shall not die, and sleep for a short time in the dust of the earth ; but they will experience a change equivalent to that which shall pass on those who shall then be raised from the grave; and, as we are informed, the dead saints…