As we shall see, it is NOT TRUE that “everyone else sleeps until Judgment Day.” The moment someone dies, their “spirit departs from their body” as we see in James 2:26, “…the body without the spirit is dead.” When a believer dies their spirit goes to be with Christ in Paradise. The following passages teach us this truth:

“And Jesus said to him (the saved thief), ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise…And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit’” (Luke 23:43 & 46).

“And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60).

Notice, after the Lord promised the saved thief that he would be with Him in Paradise, Jesus cried to the Father, “Into Your hands I commit My spirit.” This teaches us that the “spirits” of the thief and the Lord Jesus went to Paradise. Their bodies, which had died, were buried. In the case of Stephen, he called out to the Lord just before he died saying, “receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and died. It is the BODY that is spoken of as being “asleep,” not the spirit. His spirit was “received by Christ” in Paradise and he was consciously enjoying the presence of the Lord in heaven. The Apostle Paul spoke of this in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, yes, well pleased to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” He spoke with this same confidence in Philippians 1:21 & 23, “For to me, to live is Christ, and TO DIE IS GAIN…I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to DEPART AND TO BE WITH CHRIST, which is far better.”

We have just learned that “the body sleeps” and “the spirit is with Christ.” There is no such thing as “soul sleep” which is taught by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Seventh Day Adventists, and others. The spirit and soul of every person leave their body the moment they die. As we have seen, the believer’s spirit goes to be WITH CHRIST. What about the unbeliever? Where does his/her spirit go? I would encourage you to read the true story of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” in Luke 16:19-31. In verse 22 we read that Lazarus “died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.” In other words, “his spirit went to heaven.” Next, we read that “The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom” (verses 22c-23). His “body was buried,” but his “spirit was in torment in Hades.” We do not know exactly WHERE he was (Hades speaks of being “disembodied”) but we do know WHAT he was experiencing. He was in “conscious TORMENT.” He then cried out to Abraham, “Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am TORMENTED IN THIS FLAME” (verse 24). Abraham replied, “Remember that in your lifetime you received good things and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is COMFORTED and you are TORMENTED.” Again, this teaches us clearly that the “saved go to heaven where they are with the Lord and comforted” while the “unsaved go to a place of torment.” Their spirits and souls are NOT SLEEPING (though their BODY SLEEPS in a grave); they are conscious of their surroundings and of what they are experiencing (comfort or torment).

I was saddened when I read your words, “it seems unfair to wake up to eternal judgment.” I say this because “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). You do NOT need to die unsaved (like the Rich Man) and perish someday in the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:11-15). God loved the world (every person in it) and “sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). God loves YOU, Jesus died for YOU, and if you will trust in Him as your Savior, you WILL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. When you die your spirit will join the saved thief, Stephen, the Apostle Paul, and every other believer in Christ in heaven. And later Christ will come to raise your body from the grave and reunite your spirit with your body. Or perhaps you won’t even die, for you may be alive when Christ returns to take every believer home to heaven (see John 14:2-3 with 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).  (DO)  (612.5)