- Home
- About the NAC
- Questions & Answers
The Catechism in Questions & Answers
- Introduction
- Contents
- 531. Is there a life after death?
- 532. What is death?
- 533. How else does the Bible understand “death”?
- 534. Who has power over death?
- 535. What is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
- 536. Are there any references to life after death in Holy Scripture?
- 537. Where do human beings find themselves after physical death?
- 538. What do we mean when we talk about “the beyond”?
- 539. Is there a reincarnation of the dead?
- 540. Can we connect with the departed?
- 541. What is the condition of the souls in the beyond?
- 542. Who are the “dead in Christ”?
- 543. Can the condition of the souls in the beyond be changed?
- 544. How is it possible for souls in the beyond to change?
- 545. What statements does Holy Scripture make concerning help for the dead?
- 546. Can we help the departed attain salvation?
- 547. In what way do the departed receive salvation?
- 548. How and through whom is salvation imparted to the dead?
542. Who are the “dead in Christ”?
In 1 Thessalonians 4: 16 we read of the “dead in Christ”. These are departed individuals who have been reborn out of water and the Holy Spirit, and who have allowed themselves to be prepared for the return of Christ. They belong to the congregation of the Lord and find themselves in a condition of righteousness before God, which is attained through grace and faith.
The rebirth out of water and the
Spirit: see Questions 528. et seq.
“But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery. And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.”
Wisdom of Solomon 3: 1-3