Consciousness after death is probably something that most believers and unbelievers have thought about, and can arouse both consternation or joy among all. The Bible has many scriptures that would suggest (fervently) that yes indeed there is not only a consciousness but an eternal awareness! Probing into scripture many scriptures reveal the Truth. With study, you will see that there are two perspectives with eternity:
First, let’s look at scripture warning of an eternal torment in Hell:
Revelation 14: 9-11 (NASB)
9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Revelation 20: 10 (NASB)
10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also;, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Jude 6-7 (NASB)
6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
Matthew 3: 12 (NASB)
12 His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Matthew 25: 41 (NASB)
41 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
Now let’s look at scripture from being with Christ after death:
2 Corinthians 5: 5-9 (NASB)
5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
2 Corinthians 5: 5-9, would indicate being “home with the Lord” would mean you would have a conscious state of awareness. As well the following scripture from Philippians:
Philippians 1: 21-23 (NASB)
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
In conclusion, there must be eternal conscious awareness, be it in Heaven or Hell! The importance of the Word is why we as Christians must go out to the world and preach the Gospel. As I have heard in the past and still agree with the saying “Eternity is a long time to be wrong!”
God Bless
Brian Mason
Beacon Apologetics 