VIEWS about life and death are many and varied. Some feel that after death they will live on, perhaps in another form or in another place. Others feel that they will be reborn to live another existence. Still others think that death simply ends it all.

You may have your own belief on the subject, depending on your upbringing or cultural background. Since opinions as to what happens at death differ so widely, is there someone or somewhere we can turn to for reliable and truthful answers to this puzzling question?

For centuries, religious leaders have taught the doctrine of the immortality of the human soul. Followers of nearly all major religions​—Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and others—​believe in the existence of an immortal soul, which is said to survive the death of the body and live on in the spirit realm. Buddhists, on the other hand, believe that by way of countless rebirths, the force, or mental energy, within a person can reach a blissful state called Nirvana.

On account of such teachings, the majority of people around the world have come to believe that death opens the door to life in another world. To many, death is therefore an important step in the cycle of life, and dying appears to them to be part of God’s will. But what does the Bible say about the matter? Please read the following article. The answer may surprise you.