The minute we die, there is a separation - our spirit from our
body and us from the earth. We also are separated
from loved ones which causes grief.
For those that love God and profess a true faith in him, they are
escorted to a place referred to in the Bible as "paradise,"
"Abraham's side" or sometimes "heaven." It is a spiritual location where the spirits
are aware and in relationship with other believers, as seen in Luke 16 where
the beggar was with Abraham himself.
We are confident, I say, and would prefer to
be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8
For those that rejected God, they go to a different spiritual
place called "Hades" or "Hell." Their spirits are tormented and apparently
alone. They too are aware of their
surroundings and not happy about it.
So the minute we die we are transported into a spiritual state to
a spiritual place where we are awaiting the resurrection, the reuniting of our
spirit with a new body that will last for eternity.
For those that love God, that new body will enter a new heaven and
a new earth, surrounded by relationships with fellow believers and God himself.
For those that rejected God, they too get a new body, but are sent
to hell where they are separated forever from God and without any meaningful
contact with others.