I found this interesting chart, while looking for some graphic on Google images. I thought it was pretty spectacular, so I decided to put a link to it in my articles section.
Although its pretty comprehensive and accurate, I do see a few things which could be in error on it. Click on the image above and then zoom in to see it at life size.
Some Potential Errors On The Chart:
Well, I think this one was on purpose and is pretty obvious. He does not show the non-believer going before the Judgement Seat of Christ in the same manner as the believer. I am guessing its implied, though it does not show correlation.
I think there is a bit of error at the point of death. Going from left to right, you see that the person dies and then the body is left in the grave, while the soul either goes to Heaven or Hell. I believe this is more theological than what the Bible actually says. When looking at the Greek terms for the Grave, you discover the term "Hell" and "Grave" are one in the same word (i.e. ~ Acts 2:27), "Hades" in Greek. Further, you learn that Hades just means the place of the dead (Strong's Greek 86). So, when we die, we goto the place of the dead and there are different levels as indicated in Psalms (Psalms 16:10, quoted in Acts 2:27, terms Sheol and Hades). The term Heaven in Greek is not actually used when refering to the place you go when someone dies. Rather, we see with Lazarus in Jesus' Parable, he goes to "Abraham's Bosom" (Luke 16:22), which appears to be synominous with "Paradise" (Luke 23:43) as Jesus indicated to the man on the cross next to him, "today you will be with me in Paradise".
Paradise and Hades appear to be temporary places upon which we wait until the Judgement Seat of Christ, which appears to be shown in this chart, but he sort of separates the place of the dead for your physical body and Hades and Paradise for your spirit (paradise is separate of course from Hades by a fixed gulf). Yet, Hades and "the place of the dead" are one in the same place. Some argue that Paradise is in the upper levels of Hades, while the Lower parts are for those who do not follow Christ.
What this means is, Paradise/Abraham's Bosom may not be in Heaven. It would explain why it says in this verse "no man has seen God at any time" (John 1:18 ).
Many protestants argue that Paradise/Abraham's Bosom was transfered to Heaven. However, there is no scripture I know of that says such a thing. The earliest of church fathers also taught that we do not go directly to Heaven (literal heaven, the term heaven in the Greek), but wait in Paradise/Abraham's Bosom until we are before the Judgement Seat of Christ and then after, we may be declared righteous by Christ's blood, and allowed into Heaven.
There is also the question if some in Hades could repent and become Christians. Some of the earliest fathers said no, it was not possible, as one has to be in the flesh to accept salvation. While others, believed it was possible for some to be saved who died in an unregenerated state and would pray for such people. This is where the idea of Purgatory came from, yet I believe it is quite clear that Purgatory as many understand it, is incorrect, as one can not work off your sins by punishment. Only by grace through living faith in Christ can one be saved. When reading the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, you would think its not possible for someone who was unrepentant to be saved after death, by how it reads. Yet, when read carefully, you will note that it never says its not possible for the Rich man to repent in the afterlife. He seems to have his full mind when talking to those in Paradise and is sorrowful for his sins. It does mention there is a Great Gulf between where the righteous and unrighteous dwell, but it can not be concluded there is no hope for salvation when brought before the Judgement Seat of Christ. Perhaps one could repent, but still be in agony until the time came for judgement.
He also has a door, which shows "Matthew 25:1-13" on it and shows this door at the point of death. However, the parable it is refering to is talking about the Marriage of the Lamb, which would be after the Judgement Seat of Christ. So this door also should be after the Judgement Seat of Christ.
He shows also the Judgement of Non-Believers maybe at a different time than the time when all are brought before the Throne. But, in actuality, I believe everyone is brought before the throne, as shown in Matthew 25:31-46. So, in Revelation 19, we are seeing the first part of the Parable mentioned in Matthew 25:31-46, where those who are sheep are brought into Christ's Kingdom, as His Bride. And then, in Revelation 20, we are seeing the latter part of the Parable in Matthew 25:31-46, where the goats are cast into fire. So, it is one and the same Judgement Seat of Christ, just in succession the events.
