Hebrews 9: After Death, Judgment or Paradise?

Introduction

"Where will I go after I die?" Few questions are more serious. As part of a series on the end of the world and the return of Christ, Pastor Sugawara of Kobe Christ Glory Church (神戸キリスト栄光教会) takes time to answer it from Hebrews 9:27-28.

For those who have received in Jesus the assurance that their sins are forgiven, his answer is clear: paradise awaits them. But he does not stop there. He also addresses the question many people quietly ask: what happens to those who die without having known Jesus, with their sins? And he reminds us of something essential: believing in Jesus is not one religious option among others, it is a necessity.

Outline of the Message

1. One Death, Then Judgment

The passage read is Hebrews 9:26-28. Christ "has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." The pastor insists: no great man, no sage, no founder of a religion can forgive sins. Only God can, and he did it in Jesus. Verse 28 also announces that Christ will appear a second time for the salvation of those who are waiting for him, but on this day the message focuses on verse 27: "it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment."

Everyone sees death coming. It is certain. Judgment is fixed in the same way, but it still lies ahead of us: all we can do is believe it. The pastor compares this to a marriage proposal. When a man promises "I will make you happy," the young woman cannot verify it in advance, she has to believe it (and he remarks with humor that some people change after the wedding). God's Word, however, does not change.

2. Believing in Jesus, the Most Reasonable Choice

The pastor then uses an image he admits is a little awkward: car insurance. Nobody sets out on the road expecting an accident, and yet we get insured. If we never have an accident, we do not regret having been covered. Even from a purely rational point of view, believing in Jesus is therefore the winning choice.

And even supposing there were no judgment, a life with God is still a life of peace, joy and answered prayers. Many people think that after cremation, everything is over. The pastor simply asks them: what if judgment really does exist?

3. All Judged by What They Did in the Body

To answer the question of those who die without knowing Jesus, the pastor reads 2 Corinthians 5:9-10: "that each one may receive the things in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." Those who have not known Jesus will therefore be judged by God according to their works.

He also relies on Matthew 25:40 and 45: welcoming the stranger, visiting the sick and the prisoner, feeding the hungry. "Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." The pastor points out that God counts as done to himself the kindness shown to people, even outside the church, even by someone who does not know him. Coldness toward others is counted in the same way. Christians often think that only deeds done in church or directly for God will be rewarded: this is not the case. And the wrong a person has done may also bring a penalty. The criterion is what was done in the body.

He adds Matthew 10:28 (fear the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna): it is God who has authority over the afterlife. Matthew 10:32-33 reminds us how important it is to confess our faith publicly, and Romans 6:23 sums up what is at stake: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

4. The Rich Man, Lazarus and the Criminal: the Cross as a Turning Point

The pastor next reads Luke 16:19-31, the story of the rich man and Lazarus. He explains that it is often regarded as a real account rather than a parable, because one of the characters has a name. Lazarus, who is poor, is carried to Abraham's bosom. The pastor points out that the text does not speak of paradise: it is the realm of the dead. The rich man, who had ignored the poor man lying at his gate, finds himself there in torment. Yet both were Jews.

Then he opens Luke 23:39-43, also written by Luke. Two criminals are crucified with Jesus. The pastor distinguishes in passing between a sinner before God and a criminal in the eyes of the law: these two men were both. One insults Jesus. The other rebukes him: "Don't you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he says: "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus answers: "Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

For the pastor, the difference between the two accounts comes down to the cross. Before the cross, Lazarus was waiting in Abraham's bosom. Since the work accomplished by Jesus, all who are in him go to paradise, even a man condemned to death who turns to him at the last moment. This is why we can say to those we love: "we will see each other again in paradise."

5. The Realm of the Dead and the Wait for Judgment

The pastor mentions the line from the Apostles' Creed: Jesus "descended to the dead" for three days. According to an interpretation he draws from the letter to the Ephesians, Jesus joined the believers of the Old Testament there, Abraham and the others, to take them to paradise.

As for those who die without knowing Jesus, he thinks they first go to the realm of the dead, where they wait for God's judgment. Some there are perhaps waiting in peace, others are perhaps suffering like the rich man in Luke 16. He speaks of this with caution. What he affirms clearly comes down to two sentences: those who are in Jesus and have the assurance of forgiveness go to paradise; as for the others, the Lord will judge them according to their works, and they await that moment.

6. No Condemnation for Those Who Are in Jesus

Then comes the good news: "For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21). "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). Whatever your life has been, even the most foolish, if you come to Jesus and repent, all your sins are forgiven through the cross.

The pastor tells the story of a well-known evangelist who preached from town to town. A school principal had heard this very simple Gospel without reacting. Years later, struck by an illness and close to death, he remembered it, called for that preacher, confessed his faith and departed in peace. Whether young or just before dying, anyone who believes enters paradise: the criminal on the cross is the model.

But the pastor distinguishes between grace and reward. Salvation is the same for the one who has served God all his life since Sunday school and for the one who was converted on his deathbed. Rewards, however, differ: "Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink ... he will in no way lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42). Hence the call of Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth." The sooner you meet Jesus, the longer you can serve him, the happier your life, and the greater your reward. And since we are justified by his blood, "we will be saved from God's wrath through him" (Romans 5:9).

The pastor concludes with Paul, in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness." He shares that he will turn 82 next month, that he does not have much time left, even though he is in good health. He blesses the congregation that they may keep the faith to the end, and invites everyone to say to their neighbor: "a crown of righteousness awaits you."

Key Takeaways

• Death is certain and judgment is fixed by God: it cannot be seen yet, it is believed on the basis of the Word.
• Believing in Jesus is not one religious option among others: only God can forgive sins, and he did so at the cross.
• God judges each person according to what they did in the body, and he counts as done to himself the good done to the least of these.
• Since the cross, those who are in Jesus go to paradise, even if they turn to him at the last moment, like the criminal.
• Salvation by grace is the same for everyone, but rewards differ: serving God early is never wasted.

Personal Application

• Do you have the assurance that your sins are forgiven in Jesus? If not, what keeps you from saying to him today, like the criminal: "remember me"?
• What act of kindness toward a vulnerable person (someone sick, a stranger, someone hungry) can you do this week, knowing that Jesus receives it as done to himself?
• Is there someone around you with whom you have never simply talked about Jesus? The Gospel heard one day can bear fruit years later.
• If you are young, how can you start serving God right now, instead of putting it off?
• What would help you keep the faith to the end, so that you can say one day with Paul: "I have finished the course"?

Verses Cited

• Hebrews 9:26-28
• 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
• Matthew 25:40-45
• Matthew 10:28
• Matthew 10:32-33
• Romans 6:23
• Luke 16:19-31
• Luke 23:39-43
• Ephesians 4:8-9
• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Romans 8:1
• Matthew 10:42
• Ecclesiastes 12:1
• Romans 5:8-9
• 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hebrews 9:27 say about what happens after death?

Hebrews 9:27 states that it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment. Pastor Sugawara stresses that death is certain and visible, while judgment is just as fixed by God but still to come: all we can do is believe it, on the basis of the Word.

What happens to those who die without having known Jesus?

According to the preacher, they will be judged by God according to what they did in their body (2 Corinthians 5:10), including the good done to the least of these (Matthew 25:40). He thinks they first go to the realm of the dead while awaiting this judgment, but he speaks of it with caution and leaves the decision to the Lord.

Can a person be saved just before dying?

Yes. The criminal crucified beside Jesus received this promise: "today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). Salvation by grace is the same for everyone, but Pastor Sugawara points out that rewards differ: the sooner you meet Jesus, the longer you can serve him.