What Happens IMMEDIATELY after death?

[RileyG]

Hello!! Greetings!!!
If I understand correctly, (correct me if I'm wrong, and as much as you feel like), the particular judgment doesn't happen until the 40th day after death, and the 1-39 days after death is basically the soul being tormented/accused of sins by demons?

Is the soul aware of its earthly life, of all its material attachments, and earthly pleasures etc? Is the soul aware of it's own sins and it's own good deeds?

What about those toll houses? They sound horrifying.

Thanks!!! God Bless

Forgive my ignorance...

 

[jckstraw72]

this should answer your questions for you Life After Death: A Homily by St. John the Wonderworker

 

[RileyG]

Thank you

 

[Lukaris]

Here is another explanation:

"Those who have acquired perfect love for God and have through their virtues risen with the wings of the soul, will be 'caught up in the clouds' , as the apostle says (1 Thess. 4:17), and will not be brought to judgement. On the other hand, those who have not acquired love in all its perfection, but have both sins and virtues on their account, will appear before the court of judgement. There they will be tried as it were by fire; their good actions will be put in the balance against the bad, and if the good outweigh the bad they will be delivered from punishment."

St. Maximos the Confessor (7th c.) interpreting an explanation of St. Diadochos of Photiki (5th c.). Philokalia vol.1 Faber & Faber Publ. ISBN 0-571-13013-5 (p. 296).

 

[ArmyMatt]

What about those toll houses? They sound horrifying.

they only sound that way because they are easier to discredit. nothing happens in the toll houses that are not happening right now to all of us. all of us have demons around us whispering tempations and accusing us, all of us have angels and saints trying to help us. the toll houses is just the same trial, experienced more fully since we are past the veil.

 

[RileyG]

they only sound that way because they are easier to discredit. nothing happens in the toll houses that are not happening right now to all of us. all of us have demons around us whispering tempations and accusing us, all of us have angels and saints trying to help us. the toll houses is just the same trial, experienced more fully since we are past the veil.

I see. Are the toll houses accepted by all Orthodox Christians? Forgive my ignorance.

Also, when someone dies, is there earthly attachments remembered? (What I mean by "early attachments" is for example- Susie enjoyed golfing and swimming, she majored in mathematics, she loved to watch TV, she was married with six children etc, Susie later departs...does she remember any of those things she enjoyed/details?)

Thanks.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Are the toll houses accepted by all Orthodox Christians? Forgive my ignorance.

no, but they are very present in our tradition.

Also, when someone dies, is there earthly attachments remembered? (What I mean by "early attachments" is for example- Susie enjoyed golfing and swimming, she majored in mathematics, she loved to watch TV, she was married with six children etc, Susie later departs...does she remember any of those things she enjoyed/details?)

while I don't know for sure, I would say yes because that is who Suzie is. I would say that the driving thought would be standing in awe of Christ, either as the joy she always yearned for or the judgment she always avoided.

 

[simplegospel1144]

The believers spirit is already with Jesus, and continues after death. When we die, the soul sleeps, until that day of Judgement.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The believers spirit is already with Jesus, and continues after death. When we die, the soul sleeps, until that day of Judgement.

soul sleep is a condemned heresy in our Church.

 

[simplegospel1144]

soul sleep is a condemned heresy in our Church.

That's strange, in Christ there is now no more condemnation. hmm

 

[ArmyMatt]

That's strange, in Christ there is now no more condemnation. hmm

no, we believe there is rest in Him, and repose, but not sleep. Lazarus and the rich man shows that the dead are very much aware. also the saints that are praying and already departed in the book of Revelation, St Peter tells the Church in his epistle that he will continue his work after his departure (his death), the long dead Moses appears at the Transfiguration and speaks to Christ about His upcoming Passion, and Rachel weeps for the Holy Innocents murdered by Herod.

the departed do not sleep.

 

[agua]

Hello!! Greetings!!!
If I understand correctly, (correct me if I'm wrong, and as much as you feel like), the particular judgment doesn't happen until the 40th day after death, and the 1-39 days after death is basically the soul being tormented/accused of sins by demons?

Is the soul aware of its earthly life, of all its material attachments, and earthly pleasures etc? Is the soul aware of it's own sins and it's own good deeds?

What about those toll houses? They sound horrifying.

Thanks!!! God Bless

Forgive my ignorance...

At death the body goes into the ground ( returns to dust )

Gen 3:19 KJV In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.


And the spirit returns to Yahweh.

Ecc 12:7 KJV Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

There aint any "toll houses" aside from mythology ie. Paying the Ferryman is a waste of good coin

 

[simplegospel1144]

"And those in Christ who are asleep will rise." That is the soul. Spirit is with Jesus always when He becomes Lord.

 

[ArmyMatt]

There aint any "toll houses" aside from mythology ie. Paying the Ferryman is a waste of good coin

that is not what we mean by toll houses

"And those in Christ who are asleep will rise." That is the soul. Spirit is with Jesus always when He becomes Lord.

yeah, the return of the soul to the body at the Resurrection, and those asleep in the tombs will rise in their risen state at the Second Coming. the soul is not asleep. and Jesus is the Lord, He does not become the Lord.

 

[simplegospel1144]

Thanks

 

[ArmyMatt]

no probs

 

[RileyG]

no, but they are very present in our tradition.



while I don't know for sure, I would say yes because that is who Suzie is. I would say that the driving thought would be standing in awe of Christ, either as the joy she always yearned for or the judgment she always avoided.

Oh, ok. Thanks

 

[RileyG]

The believers spirit is already with Jesus, and continues after death. When we die, the soul sleeps, until that day of Judgement.

I wholeheartedly disagree with soul sleep.

That is not an Orthodox belief. (Or a Roman Catholic one, majority of Protestants do not believe in "soul sleep" either)....

You do realize this is a discussion forum for Orthodox Christians, correct?

 

[RileyG]

no, we believe there is rest in Him, and repose, but not sleep. Lazarus and the rich man shows that the dead are very much aware. also the saints that are praying and already departed in the book of Revelation, St Peter tells the Church in his epistle that he will continue his work after his departure (his death), the long dead Moses appears at the Transfiguration and speaks to Christ about His upcoming Passion, and Rachel weeps for the Holy Innocents murdered by Herod.

the departed do not sleep.

I agree. Well said.

In a way, the departed are actually more alive than we are.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I agree. Well said.

In a way, the departed are actually more alive than we are.

indeed they are, that is why when we petition them, we say that we pray for (or to) the departed, not the dead.