If when, someone dies, why do most religious leaders say that you are going to Heaven or Hell? How will you know where you`re going?

Oh, what an interesting question! Recently, I accepted a Watchtower magazine on what the Bible says about life and death (issue 4, 2017) and it mentions Lazarus on page 6. But as for the meanings of the Greek and Hebrew words that are often translated into English as “hell” I have to admit that it is often mistranslated. I looked into this and found the following information from the Jehovah's Witness 'Insight On The Scriptures' book. It says that the Hebrew word for 'grave' is qe'ver:

"The Hebrew word qe'ver is the common word used to designate a burial place, a grave, or a graveyard. (Ge 23:7-9; Jer 8:1; 26:23) The related word qevurah' similarly may refer to an earthen grave or to a tomb excavaed in rock. - Ge 35:20; 1 Sa 10:2

"In Greek the common word for grave is ta'phos (Mt 28:1), and the verb form (tha'pto) means 'bury'. (Mt 8:21,22)... "Since these Hebrew and Greek words refer to an individual burial place or grave site, they are often used in the plural as referring to many such graves. They are, therefore, distinct from the Hebrew she'ohl' and its Greek equivalent hai'des... [which words must always be used in the singular.]

"Nevertheless, since one's entry into Sheol is represented as taking place through burial in an individual grave or at a burial site, words pertaining to such places of interment are used as parallel though not equivalent terms with Sheol." (Vol. 1 pages 994-5)

So, when Jesus’ friend Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary, died and was buried, he did not go into Haides or Sheol. His body went into “qe’ver” or the grave. The Bible tells us that when our body dies, it goes into the grave. We then await the resurrection.

Sorry I can’t get into what other people think about heaven and hell right now, because I have to sign off and get into town for food shopping. Perhaps I can return to this question later?

Back now, and here are some thoughts on what Hades and Sheol mean. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word used to describe the realm of the dead is Sheol. It simply means “the place of the dead” or “the place of departed souls/spirits.” The New Testament Greek equivalent to Sheol is Hades, which is also a general reference to “the place of the dead.” The Greek word Gehenna is used in the New Testament for “hell” and is derived from the Hebrew word Hinnom. Other Scriptures in the New Testament indicated that Sheol/Hades is a temporary place where souls are kept as they await the final resurrection. The souls of the righteous, at death, go directly into the presence of God—the part of Sheol called “heaven,” “paradise,” or “Abraham’s bosom” (Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23).

The lake of fire, mentioned only in Revelation 19:20 and 20:10, 14-15, is the final hell, the place of eternal punishment for all unrepentant rebels, both angelic and human (Matthew 25:41). It is described as a place of burning sulfur, and those in it experience eternal, unspeakable agony of an unrelenting nature (Luke 16:24; Mark 9:45-46).

I realise the idea of a literal place of eternal torment goes against how we want to view God, but I ask you - can any Christian ignore Jesus' warnings or make out that Jesus was lying? I'm not about to attempt to contradict the Bible or try to force a more acceptable explanation on Scripture. All I know is that nobody need end up in hell (wherever or whatever it turns out to be) because God's perfect holiness, righteousness and justice have been satisfied through the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. God has provided the solution to sin and God wants us to come to repentance, forgiveness and salvation through saving faith in Christ Jesus.

Other people can think what they like. All I know is that believers in Christ Jesus have no fear of their eternal destination, although we should feel a burden to warn others of the dire consequences of rejecting Christ Jesus.

A point about Lazarus in the Bible - Jesus deliberately waited till his friend had been dead several days before doing the miracle. Why, when he could have gone right away and prevented him dying? Jesus gives the answer - "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."

Right enough, the matter did not end in death but in life! That's because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is the giver of life to those who trust in him and Lazarus certainly trusted in Jesus so we know he would never have gone to any place of punishment after he died. The Jews back then believed that by the third day of death the spirit would have left the corpse to go to its destination until a future day of resurrection. Jesus raised his friend on day four. Nobody could argue that Lazarus was not 'really' dead, or that his spirit was still in his body!

Jesus added, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there so that you may believe." But Jesus knew death would not be the end of the matter (as he'd said earlier) for he knew he is "the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

Jesus knew that bodily death is not the death of the person you see. The spirit lives on, only the body dies! Death is just a change-over in state and location. Because Jesus is the giver of life and of life eternal, he could give life back to the body of Lazarus and call his friend out of the grave. This gave great glory to God and to God's Son - himself. Large numbers of people then believed Jesus to be the Son of God, the Messiah. Others reported the miracle to the religious leaders who were so furious they plotted to kill Jesus but we know what Jesus had said in John 10:17 to 18 - "I lay down my life only to take it up again. No-one takes it from me but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

That's how the Lazarus miracle gave great glory to God and to God's Son, Jesus who knew his own death would not end in death but in glorious resurrection like no other! This isn't about whether a person dies then goes to heaven or hell my friend. This is about Jesus being the resurrection and the life. We don't need to know about the spirit existence after death - we just need to know that we're trusting in Jesus to give us life eternal. Wherever that glorious eternal life is hardly matters! Those trusting in Jesus now shall have a glorious future to enjoy for at the point of death they shall transit into life eternal and then will come the resurrection of there body later, a glorified body like his, designed to live eternally in bliss. Read 2 Corinthians 5 vss 1 to 10 and if you know what those verses mean, you know your mortality will be swallowed up by life eternal and the Spirit of God will give you that assurance.

Religious leaders who understand that speak with confidence about believers in Jesus going to be with him forever (heaven) and disbelievers having an eternity of regret, shame and anguish. Believers know where they are going because of the witness of the Spirit in them. Read Romans ch. 8 if you don't believe me!