What Really Happens to an Unsaved Person When They Die?

Evangelism is the spreading of Jesus’ message—also known as the gospel—to others, with the goal of bringing them to faith in Jesus Christ. This message is life-saving and can help those who hear it and accept it to receive eternal life. The goal of evangelism is to lead people to a saving relationship with Jesus and encourage them to live according to His teachings.

Those that do not heed this message are often referred to as “unbelievers” or “unsaved persons.” So, if they don’t believe in Christ and achieve salvation, what happens when an unsaved person dies?

According to the Bible, an unsaved person who does not have faith in Jesus will face judgment and spend eternity in hell. Hell has many different names throughout the Bible, including “Hades” and “the lake of fire.”

Luke 16:23-26 recounts the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus: “In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’”

This is also mentioned in Revelation 20:11-15, which says: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”

While God is loving and merciful, His holiness and justice demand that sin be punished. Therefore, since heaven is a place of perfect holiness, it cannot be contaminated by sin. This means that those who have not accepted Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for their sins will face the consequences of their refusal of God.

God does not take pleasure in the punishment of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). Rather, his desire is for all to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). This is why evangelism is so important; it gives people the opportunity to hear the gospel and respond in faith, avoiding being unsaved and spending eternity in hell.

GO! Evangelism Ministry is a champion of street evangelism. We have developed GO! Gospel Tracts in more than 50 languages to aid efforts preaching eternal life and hope beyond the world's hardships. Consider becoming a street evangelist by using our GO! Gospel Tracts to preach to the masses in the open streets! Contact us or visit our website to learn more and get started with spreading the message of God effectively!

About GO! Evangelism

We, at GO Evangelism Ministry, Inc., have been supporting gospel ministries across the globe in their mission to spread the Word. Thanks to our tracts, the Gospel is spread every day, in countless parts of the globe, in numerous languages.

At GO Evangelism Ministry, Inc., we have GO! Gospel Tracts that will move anyone into lending their ear to your message. You can develop a highly effective Tract Ministry by including a select choice of tracts in your evangelism efforts. In doing so, you and everyone you touch through your ministry will reap the eternal reward of The Word!