I just read The 100 Most Asked Questions about Heaven, Hell, and the Afterlife by Shea Michael Houdmann which was published near the end of 2025. I am going to save you money because you actually do not need to buy this book. Every full answer nearly word for word in this book can be found on his gotquestions.org website. I checked several of his entries, and yes, all you have to do is find the book on a store page, open a free preview, find the contents page, and type out the question you want an answer to on his website.
1. What is eternal life?
Eternal Life is life outside of time with no death.
2. What determines if a person goes to Heaven or Hell?
Whether you repented of your sins and put your faith in Jesus or not.
3. Where did Old Testament believers / saints go when they die?
Sheol, which is the realm of the dead. But eventually they are resurrected to Heaven when Jesus returns to Earth to set up his kingdom (Heaven on Earth)
4. Who will go to Heaven?
Sinners who repent, seek forgiveness, and place their faith in Jesus.
5. Who will go to Hell?
Sinners who do repent, do not seek forgiveness, and do not place their faith in Jesus.
6. Will more people go to Heaven or to Hell?
More will go to Hell than Heaven.
7. Will there be a second chance for salvation after death?
No.
8. What does the Bible say about death?
Death is a result of sin and the separation of your Soul from your Body.
9. Do we have an appointed time of death?
Yes.
10. How can I overcome the fear of death? How can I stop being scared of dying?
Abide in Christ. Stay connected to him.
11. How can I be prepared to die?
Repent of your sins, seek forgiveness, and place your faith in Jesus.
12. How do I find comfort and peace when I have lost a loved one to death?
Pray to God, and ask him to carry your burdens for you so that you may have peace. You can also live out the things your loved one represented that will honour God
13. How should Christian parents handle the death of a child?
Pray for your child. Worship God. Spend time with Family and friends. Take care of yourself.
14. How can I find comfort when an unsaved loved one has died?
Know that God is fair and just. God in his great patience, gave them the opportunity to turn to Him. The truth is that even though God gives everyone the invitation to be with him in Heaven, not all choose to receive it.
15. Can people in Heaven look down and see us?
Unlikely.
16. Can I ask God to deliver a message to a loved one who has died?
You can ask, but he probably won't deliver it. God would rather you speak to him than someone who is dead.
17. What does it mean to be absent from the body?
To die and have your spirit move to either Heaven or Hell.
18. Is God sovereign over death?
Yes.
19. Is there an afterlife?
Yes.
20. Do unbelievers immediately go to Hell when they die?
No. They go to Hades to receive judgement, and then Hell.
21. Do believers immediately go to Heaven when they die?
Yes.
22. What happens after death?
You go to either a temporary place of comfort (Heaven) or torment (Hell) until you finally reach your eternal destination.
23. Where do you go when you die?
Eventually Heaven or Hell.
24. Do we become angels after we die?
No.
25. Do babies and children go to Heaven when they die?
Yes.
26. How is physical death related to spiritual death?
Physical death is a permanent separation of life from your body. Spiritual death is not permanent. You can be reborn through faith in Jesus..
27. What does it mean that the dead know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5)?
Life on this Earth without God makes no sense.
28. Is it possible to be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good?
No, and if anything, it would have the opposite effect. To be heavenly minded would result in you being a great amount of earthly good.
29. Is (person’s name) in Heaven or Hell?
That person is either "probably" or "probably not" in Heaven or Hell..
30. Is Heaven real?
Yes.
31. Is Heaven eterna?
The new Heaven will be..
32. How can Heaven be perfect if all of our loved ones are not there?
Because there will be no more pain or mourning. Missing loved ones falls under mourning.
33. Will Jesus still have the scars of crucifixion in Heaven?
Not sure, But the scars he received are so symbolic, it seems very likely they will be.
34. Will we remember our earthly lives when we are in Heaven?
We will not remember our past troubles, but our memories would likely be healed and restored, and not forgotten.
35. Will we be able to see all three members of the Trinity in Heaven?
Yes to Jesus. Seeing God or the Holy Spirit may not be possible.
36. Do pets/animals go to Heaven? Do pets/animals have souls?
The Bible does not say specifically to either of those questions.
37. Do we receive mansions in Heaven?
...No...
38. How can we store up treasures in Heaven?
Commit your money, time, and talents to loving Jesus and loving people. Live sacrificially for Jesus.
39. What is Heaven like?
Heaven is beyond words. It is an Eternal place of perfection and paradise with Jesus.
40. Where is Heaven?
The Bible does not speak of the exact location, but if you find God, you will find Heaven.
41. How big is Heaven?
Don't know, but just as time in Heaven is eternal, its size could be eternal too. Regardless, space will never be an issue.
42. Are there different levels of Heaven?
No, but there are different levels of rewards.
43. Will there literally be streets of gold in Heaven (Revelation 21:21)?
It's possible that John had a literal interpretation of gold streets.
44. Will we experience time in Heaven?
Not sure, but it seems likely you will not.
45. Will we have free will in Heaven?
Yes, since everything chosen will be done out of righteousness, and not sin. Your free will is sanctified without a sin nature.
46. Will it be possible for us to sin in Heaven?
No.
47. What will we do in Heaven?
From what the Bible says, enjoy God's home, receive rewards, worship and serve, learn and grow, fellowship with others. Eternity is a long time, so the things done in Heaven will be wonderful beyond your imagination.
48. Will we work/have jobs in Heaven?
Yes, but it will be so much fun and rewarding.
49. Will we be able to see and know our friends and family members in Heaven?
Very likely we will.
50. What will we look like in Heaven?
Your body will have the same identity, but with major key changes. It will be heavenly, imperishable, glorified, spiritual, immortal, while bearing Christ's image.
51. How does the Bible describe the glorified bodies we will possess in Heaven?
Your glorified body will no longer suffer from pain or sickness or hunger or thirst. They will not be shameful. They will be pure without sin.
52. What age will everyone be in Heaven?
The Bible does not say.
53. Will there be such a thing as gender in Heave?
The Bible does not say, but since our identity will remain the same, and gender was never part of the curse of sin, it is likely gender will not be removed from Heaven.
54. Will there be tears in Heaven?
If there is, it would be shortly after the creation of the new Heaven when God wipes away every tear. Afterwards, any other tears would never be out of pain or sorrow and more likely our of joy, praise, and laughter.
55. Will we sleep in Heaven?
Maybe, but it will not be necessary.
56. Will we eat food in Heaven?
Maybe, but it will not be necessary.
57. Will we be naked in Heaven?
Not sure. The Bible never suggests people will be unclothed.
58. Will there be marriage in Heaven?
No.
59. Will there be sex in Heaven?
No.
60. Does Hell exist?
Yes.
61. Did God create Hell?
Yes
62. What was Jesus’ teaching on Hell?
It's an inescapable eternal place of regret for those that reject God.
63. What is the difference between Sheol, Hades, Hell, the lake of fire, paradise, and Abraham’s bosom?
Sheol and Hades are used interchangeably. Sheol is the Hebrew Old Testament term that is the realm of the dead. Hades is the Greek New Testament equivalent of Sheol. Abraham's bosom is a part of Sheol/Hades where the righteous enter the presence of God. Hell is a place of final punishment. The Lake of Fire is the final eternal destination within Hell that is an eternal punishment. Paradise is a synonym for Heaven.
64. Why is the idea of eternal damnation so repulsive to many people?
It's scary to think about being in a place of eternal suffering forever. It doesn't feel like a loving God would do that.
65. How is eternity in Hell a fair punishment for sin?
Crimes against an infinite person warrant an infinite penalty. The fairness was that the punishment was already paid in full. All one had to do was accept and receive the payment.
66. How is an eternity in Hell a just punishment for only a human lifetime of sin?
If someone is sinning for their entire life, they are going to sin for eternity.
67. How can a loving God send someone to Hell?
A loving God sacrificed his son so that nobody would be sent to Hell. Anyone sent to Hell is based on an intent decision to reject God's love.
68. Why does God send people to Hell?
People are sent to Hell because they refused and rejected God's loving payment that would have saved them. They don’t want to be with God.
69. Does God love the people who are in Hell?
Yes.
70. What does it mean that Hell is eternal separation from God?
An irreversible and forever situation where you will never be with God.
71. What does the Bible say about Hell?
Same thing Jesus taught about it. It's an inescapable eternal place of regret for those that reject God. The Bible says it is an eternal place of torment where sinners are punished. It was originally created for Satan and his demons (angels).
72. What does Hell look like? How hot is Hell?
We don’t know what Hell will look like or how hot it will be, but the Bible often mentions fire and darkness.
73. What does it mean that Hell is referred to as a lake of fire?
It is referred to as the second death and the ultimate consequence of sin. It is a place of suffering and misery.
74. Is Hell literally a place of fire and brimstone?
Some of it is, but not all of it.
75. Where is Hell?
Not sure. The Bible does not say specifically.
76. Are there different levels of punishment in Hell?
The Bible does not specifically say, but it may indicate that there is.
77. If God is omnipresent, does that mean God is in Hell?
He will forever know what is happening in Hell. He will be spatially present but relationally distant.
78. What kind of bodies will people have in Hell?
Similar to Heaven in that it will be imperishable, spiritual, and immortal.
79. Is Satan the master of Hell? Do Satan and his demons punish people in Hell?
No, Satan is not the master of Hell which means his demons also do not punish anyone. If anything, Satan and his demons will be tormented.
80. Is Hell real? Is Hell eterna?
Yes and Yes.
81. When will the resurrection take place?
Only God knows.
82. What is eternal death?
A spiritual death that involves eternal separation from God.
83. What does the Bible say about when God will judge us?
There are two judgments. One for believers and one for unbelievers. The one for believers will likely be during the seven year tribulation on Earth after they die and resurrect or when the rapture happens. The second is for unbelievers. For unbelievers, they will be judged after they die and at the end of time after the millennium and the final rebellion of Satan on earth.
84. What is the judgment seat of Christ?
Where believers will give an account of themselves to Christ which will determine if they receive rewards or not.
85. What is the purpose of there being rewards in Heaven?
The rewards in Heaven are not the kind you get on Earth. Rewards in Heaven are the completion of our earthly story and will be eternally satisfying.
86. What happens at the final judgment?
The end of history and the beginning of the eternal state. All unbelievers will stand before Jesus as the judge. Every judgment will be carried out just, fair, and perfect.
87. What is the second death?
The second death is the lake of fire where everyone ends up if their name is not found in the book of life.
88. What is the new Heaven and the new Earth?
The Bible gives few details. The new heaven and earth will be free from sin. It will be Eden restored.
89. What is the New Jerusalem?
A massive holy city that comes down from the new Heaven and dwells into the new Earth. This is where God will dwell with his people forever.
90. Why will the nations need healing in the New Jerusalem?
The healing is not the type that we experience now. It is a reference to the perpetual blessing of the new Heaven and Earth.
91. How to get to Heaven–what are the ideas from the different religions?
Atheism says there is no Heaven. Buddhism says follow the Eightfold path. Hinduism says accumulate good karma and live a righteous life. Islam says to have your good deeds outweigh your bad deeds. Judaism says repentance, good deeds, and a life of devotion.
92. What do Jews believe about the afterlife?
Jews are divided on this. Traditional Judaism views that God assigns people to Heaven based on a merit system of actions and motive. Only the very righteous go directly to Heaven. Everyone else must be cleansed of residual sin. Hell is viewed as a temporary place where the soul is cleansed or refined. Only complete unredeemable people will be in Hell.
93. Is annihilationism biblical?
No. It is a misunderstanding of what the Bible says.
94. What does the Bible say about soul sleep??
It doesn’t say anything as it is not biblical. Sleep in the Bible is used as a metaphor for death, as it is temporary until the resurrection which also uses the metaphor “awakening”.
95. What does the Bible say about purgatory?
Nothing. That is Catholic theology.
96. What does the Bible say about reincarnation?
Nothing. It is a misunderstanding of what the Bible says and is unbiblical.
97. If reincarnation is not true, why do some people remember their past lives?
Human memory is generally unreliable and has the tendency to embellish. Watch any court case, and you always get two different stories.
98. What does the Bible say about near-death experiences?
While not impossible, it should not be common considering the Bible takes precedence over anyone’s experiences. While not all near death experiences are fake, there are concerns about their validity and should be held up against the truth of scripture.
99. Is the idea of seven heavens / the seventh Heaven biblical?
The Bible says nothing about a seventh Heaven, but Heaven can have several meanings.
100. What is the biblical view of mortality?
The biblical view of mortality is that all life becomes subject to death. Death is inevitable and inescapable. All mortals die. But death should not be feared by those that place their faith in Jesus.
Obviously these answers are incredibly short without any references to scripture. So I would encourage you to read the full answers in this book or for free at gotquestions.org, because he references a lot of scriptures to support his answers which is very important. Also some of his answers online have a video that gives a visual explanation.
Are Shea’s answers credible? Well, his bio shares that he has a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies, a Master of Arts in Christian Theology, and a Master of Theology in Christian Apologetics. He is the Founder and CEO of Got Questions Ministries. So Shea knows a little bit about the Bible.
For the most part, Shea does eventually give you a straight answer. There were only a few I felt did not give a straight direct answer. But if you read in between the lines, you will eventually find the answer. I just know some people always prefer a direct statement. Thankfully most of the answers do provide that.
But as always, keep exploring, because these are some of the most important questions in your life worth finding answers to, while you are still and alive, and while it’s still not too late.