Sermon Breakdown

1. Dr. Lloyd-Jones begins by reviewing that in the previous sermon, they discussed death and immortality according to the Bible. After death, the soul continues on.
2. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says that the next question is what happens between death and the resurrection - this is known as the intermediate state. There are various views on this.
3. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says they will not discuss the Catholic view of purgatory since there is little biblical evidence for it. They say some believe the intermediate state is a vague, ill-defined state but this is not the biblical view.
4. Some believe the intermediate state is a common place called Hades with two compartments - Abraham's bosom for believers and a place of suffering for unbelievers. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the meaning of Hades is unclear and context-dependent in the Bible.
5. Another view is the "sleep of the soul" - that we are unconscious between death and resurrection. But Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the Bible clearly teaches conscious existence after death before resurrection.
6. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites the Mount of Transfiguration, the story of Lazarus and the rich man, and Jesus' words to the thief on the cross as evidence for conscious existence after death. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we must consider the whole Bible, not isolated verses.
7. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then discusses conditional immortality - the view that unbelievers will be ultimately destroyed and pass out of existence. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the whole Bible implies eternal destiny is either eternal life or eternal punishment. Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites the use of the word "eternal" to refer to both God and the afterlife of believers and unbelievers.
8. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says Jude 6 also suggests fallen angels and unbelievers share the same eternal fate. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says Jesus speaks of eternal fire and undying worms, suggesting eternal existence in punishment. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says we must believe what Scripture teaches, not what we can conceive.
9. Dr. Lloyd-Jones then discusses the question of whether there is an opportunity for salvation after death. Some believe 1 Peter 3:19 and 4:6 teach this, but Dr. Lloyd-Jones disagrees with these interpretations.
10. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says 1 Peter is written to comfort suffering Christians. Discussing salvation after death for unbelievers would not provide comfort. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says 1 Peter 3:19 refers to Christ preaching through Noah before the flood, not after death. 1 Peter 4:6 refers to the gospel preached to now-dead believers, not unbelievers after death.
11. Dr. Lloyd-Jones says the overall message of 1 Peter is that though believers may suffer physically, they will live on spiritually, just as Christ suffered physically but lives on spiritually. There is no evidence of further opportunity for salvation after death.
12. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes by saying this makes preaching the gospel urgently important, since eternal destiny is determined in this life. We must live and preach as though others' eternity depends on belief in this life.