What happens after death?

The Bible teaches that after death there are two destinies, depending on whether the person trusted in Christ or not.

✅ For the believer in Christ: The believer, upon dying, will be with the Lord: "absent from the body, present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6–8; Philippians 1:23). This happens because their sins were forgiven through faith in Jesus (John 3:16, 36).

But the Bible also speaks of a future resurrection, where the body will be transformed and glorified (1 Corinthians 15:50–54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). That is: the believer is with Christ after dying, and then will receive a glorified body in the resurrection, to live forever in the new creation (Revelation 21–22).

❌ For the one who rejects Christ: The Bible shows that the unbeliever faces judgment and condemnation (John 3:18, 36). Luke 16 describes a man in torment after dying (Luke 16:22–24). And Revelation teaches that there will be resurrection and final judgment, and then the "lake of fire" as the definitive destiny (Revelation 20:11–15).

In summary: after death there is a conscious condition of comfort or torment, and then the resurrection and final judgment lead to the eternal destiny.