What Happens When You Die?

[DiscipleOfIAm]

In the Bible we are told that when Christ returns the dead or asleep in Christ will rise again and join Him in the air.

What does that mean? Does it mean that when you die, you do not go to Heaven, but lie in the dirt asleep until the Second Coming? Does it mean that your body lies there, as we know it does, but your soul goes to heave and then your soul rushes down to earth to reunite with your body?

We are told int he Bible that Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise tomorrow. This argument is sometimes used against purgatory as well.


What's your take or interpretation?


God Bless!

[TwinCrier]

Our soul goes to be with the Lord, our body returns to the ground from which it came. We will be physicallt resurected at the second coming, which I believe is a separate event (separated by 7 years) from the rapture.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

[daveleau]

In the Bible we are told that when Christ returns the dead or asleep in Christ will rise again and join Him in the air.

What does that mean? Does it mean that when you die, you do not go to Heaven, but lie in the dirt asleep until the Second Coming? Does it mean that your body lies there, as we know it does, but your soul goes to heave and then your soul rushes down to earth to reunite with your body?

We are told int he Bible that Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with Him in paradise tomorrow. This argument is sometimes used against purgatory fit with Scripture.


What's your take or interpretation?


God Bless!

Paul also wrote that to live is Christ but to die is gain. If the soul went into some sort of soul sleep, then he would never have said this. Paul was torn between working for Christ on earth and being with Christ in Heaven. There is no such thing as soul sleep. We are either in our bodies and alive, or in Heaven. Purgatory is a theology that assume Christ's death on the cross was not enough to clean us of our sins, so we must serve in purgatory as a pennance. That denigrates the teachings of Scripture regarding the atonement. Neither soul sleep nor purgatory are correct.

In Him,
Dave

[DiscipleOfIAm]

I believe that as well. But, sometimes when it is said those asleep in Christ or whatever, it makes it sounds as if we're asleep waiting and not in Heaven. Depends on who is preaching it and how it fits into what they are trying to convey. I believe our souls go to Heaven and then reunited with our bodies at the Second Coming.

God Bless!

[daveleau]

I know what you're saying. Jesus said Lazarus and the little girl he raised from the dead were asleep. It was a figure of speech, and refers to the state of the body that will later be resurrected.

[Seeker of the Truth]

I know what you're saying. Jesus said Lazarus and the little girl he raised from the dead were asleep. It was a figure of speech, and refers to the state of the body that will later be resurrected.
Their bodies were asleep while their souls were in Paradise.

Anywho, when Christ said that He would see the thief in Paradise, He did so because He would. When Christ went to Paradise, He took all those people there and took them to Heaven.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[RayTX]

I have heard a slightly different interpretation. When you die physically your soul and body are separated. The difference I have heard is that paradise which Jesus mentioned is separate from heaven. I agree with the apostle Paul that to be absent from the body is to be in the presence of the Lord. At the 2nd resurrection bodies and souls will be reunited into glorified bodies.
To me it is all a matter of faith and trust in God. I know that when I die I will immediately be in HIS presence, whatever or wherever that is.

[Seeker of the Truth]

Ooh Ooh! What about the wormhole?

lol

jk

[BereanTodd]

I believe that as well. But, sometimes when it is said those asleep in Christ or whatever, it makes it sounds as if we're asleep waiting and not in Heaven. Depends on who is preaching it and how it fits into what they are trying to convey. I believe our souls go to Heaven and then reunited with our bodies at the Second Coming.

God Bless!

When its using the word sleep, it is simply a euphamism, a simple figure of speach where you substitute a less offensive term for some other word. For instance there is a place in the OT where it talks about someone (I think it was Elijah) going into a cave and "covering up his feet". Literally what that meant was he was having a bowell movement. "Covering up his feet" refers to the fact that his clothing would wind up around his feet while he did so.

Back to the point, the Bible is clear that to be absent from body is to be present with the Lord. We will be in heaven the instant that we die. As for "paradise" the typical evangelical understanding is that it was emptied and all who were there ascended to heaven with Christ at the point of Acts 1 when He returned to heaven.

[jasper123]

Death comes when the soul leaves the body.

When a person dies he is judged in the particul
judgement. That person will be judged by Christ,
at this judgement, satan will try to claim your soul
that persons guardian angel will be the defense
of that soul. Christ makes the decision of eternal
heaven or hell. That soul then goes to heaven or
hell until the last day when all souls will be joined
with there bodies and all must stand for the general
judgement. The verdict is the same, the reason
all are judged if front of the others is to show all
that Gods judgement is just
Ron

[BranwenUerchLlyr]

Both, I think.

To us, it'll seem like we immediately wake again and go to God and/or judgment. To the rest of the world with its limits like time, it'll seem like our bodies rest in the ground until Jesus comes. I'm personally not worried about it, because once I die, my soul is no longer trapped by the concept of time. I think all of these events we speak of--going to heaven, the resurrection, Jesus coming back--they're all the same.

Couldn’t give you any references, though.

[Flynmonkie]

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

I think this is pretty clear. Sleep as mentioned in the bible I found to have several meanings in context. Could we die, and wake in heaven years later? Who knows? Who cares? If we do "sleep" without knowledge of time that passes, to what would this defy? I never worry about such things. I am assured “absent from the body, present from the Lord.” Why are denominations so afraid of accepting assurance? Do they find concern it might be some egotistical measure, or lack of humility? I think the Bible is very clear on assurance and it befuddles me why this question is still debated. In turn, the bible is just as clear on those whom "reject." Most times the debate starts when you get a group of people whom have not studied and discerned verse, with those whom have.

If there is a question in your mind about this, search further. Another example, when David and Bathsheba's baby dies (2 Sam 12:15-23). David says; "I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." David expected to see his son when he died.

[JPPT1974]

We don't know when we will die
As we can die at anyday at anytime
But the soul does leave the body to go
To heaven
Just as long as where you are going
And if you belive the one and only God
Through Jesus Christ
Really that is all that matters the most.

[stelow]

Can anyone give one verse that clearly states our soul goes to heaven when we die? I don't think so because it's just not there, it sounds good though. It's the spirit that returns to God when we die and the bible says that the soul dies when the body dies. Our hope is in the return of Jesus Christ from heaven and then there will be the resurrection of the dead.

[John 14:3] and if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.

[CooL_Genesis]

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. That verse that you just gave, is the proof that we will be in Heaven when we die. Where Jesus is, there we will be also.

2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Mark 16:19
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Luke 22:69
Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God.

Acts 2:31-33
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Acts 7:55-56
55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

Just a few of the many verses that tell us where Jesus is right now. And we know that we will be with him when we die, according to Paul's letters.

In peace and grace,

-Genesis

[stelow]

That verse that you just gave, is the proof that we will be in Heaven when we die. Where Jesus is, there we will be also.

You would not even quote the full verse, how convenient is that to fit what you believe to be true. There are warnings about trying to change the Word of God. Here is the verse again in it's entirety.

[John 14:3] "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO."

[Seeker of the Truth]

You would not even quote the full verse, how convenient is that to fit what you believe to be true. There are warnings about trying to change the Word of God. Here is the verse again in it's entirety.

[John 14:3] "and if I go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO."
Considering he was posting more verses...