Because the precise nature of the afterlife is not defined in Scripture, the Worldwide Church of God does not hold a dogmatic position on whether unrepentant sinners are annihilated in the lake of fire or experience conscious eternal ruin. Heaven Heaven is a biblical term commonly applied to the abode of God and the eternal destiny of all God's redeemed children. Heaven is characterized by everlasting joy, blessedness and peace, and the righteousness of God. The intermediate state is the condition of the dead until the resurrection of the body. Christians hold various viewpoints on the nature of the intermediate state based on their interpretation of relevant biblical passages.
Some passages suggest a conscious intermediate state, and others an unconscious state.
The Worldwide Church of God holds no dogmatic position on whether humans are conscious between death and the resurrection of the body. Eternal Security Eternal security is a term that refers to the belief that the elect in Christ, by God's power and grace, will never lose salvation. The Bible affirms that all who remain in Jesus Christ will be saved, and that nothing can snatch them out of the hand of Christ. Whether a person can fall out of belief is not made absolutely clear in Scripture. The Bible emphasizes the infinite faithfulness of the Lord, the total sufficiency of Jesus Christ for our salvation, the dynamic love of God for all peoples, and the gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe, while it urges believers to remain firm in the faith and to make their calling and election sure.