LITERALLY, Where do we go after death?
NOTE: All scripture quoted from the New International Version unless otherwise stated.
I have heard those conducting funerals say that "...the departed is now with Christ." Really? Do you have scripture to back that up? Most do not attempt to give scriptural reference for their statement. Is that because there is none?
Obviously we need a place to be since our soul never dies (Ezekiel 18:4; Matthew 10:28). But, the Bible does not say "WHEN" one arrives in heaven after death. In fact the opposite seems true with many of the passages like (Acts 2:29-35; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) when Jesus makes His return those who are dead will rise from their grave to meet Jesus in the air before those who are still alive. If the dead rise first, then it would seem logical that their location was not in heaven.
Let us examine the scripture more closely. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (English Standard Version - ESV); "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep (dead), that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (deceased). for this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (dead, deceased added). How literal can we be and get the idea that the deceased are already in heaven before Christ returns? This passage does not indicate that to us. The same is true of the Acts 2:29-35 passage.
Those who desire to claim that those who die in Christ go to heaven, also use 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (specifically verse 8); 1 "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the (Holy) Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (added Holy)
6 "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Please examine this closely. There is nothing here that says anything about an immediate change from death to heaven. Obviously as long as we are here in the body, it is more likely that we will not be in heaven in the presence of God.
There are more scripture related to this subject than one might suspect. However none of them tell us where we (soul and spirit) go immediately upon death. Isaiah 57:1-2, "The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death." This passage indicates that those who die in Christ (called the righteous) are resting from their toils in peaceful rest. Now Revelation 14 describes the 144,000 as purchased from among men and offered as first fruits; Revelation 11 the two (2) witnesses who laid slain in the street for 3 days come to life and are called to heaven. They go up in a cloud to heaven. Revelation 19, there are 24 elders who were martyred for their unshakable faith in Christ were serving and worshiping at the throne of God. Yes, there are those saints (believers in Christ) who died and are in heaven. These examples also helps us understand the words of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
Matthew 17 relates Jesus transfiguration with disciples, Peter, James, and John present as Moses and Elijah come and converse with Jesus. What a marvelous story witnessed by the 3 disciples. Elijah was taken from the earth to heaven, 2 Kings 2, and was not in a sleeping state but with God. Moses we do not have a clear statement as to what God did with him. The fact that he is here as Jesus is transfigured gives us proof that he was with God and not sound asleep in death.
But, what about you and me? Where do we go immediately upon our death? Does it matter? When we draw our last breath, it no longer matters. Our opportunity to engage in an intimate personal relationship with Christ is then over (John 14:23-24). Either we accomplished what God prepared for us to achieve or we failed. Either way it is over and where we are no longer matters. For those who die in Christ are eternally saved and will live in His presence forever (Romans 8:1).
Now you decide where our literal location will be at the moment of death. Here are scriptures relevant to the topic. Genesis 3: 19; 15:15; 25:17; 46; 49:33; 50; Numbers 19:16; 20:3; 1 Kings 19:4; Deuteronomy 31:14; Joshua 23:14 (CEV); 1 Samuel 4:12-18; 28:12-19 (Living Bible); 2 Samuel 1:19; 8:2; 12:16-23; 19:2 (LB); 23:1-7; 1 Kings 22:34-37 & 2 Chronicles 18:33-34; 2 Kings 20:1; 1 Chronicles 17:11; Job 3:21-22 (CEV); 4:7, 20; 5:26; 6:11; 10:9, 22; 11; 13:19; 14:1, 10; 16:22; 17:1; 18:17; 21:23-25; 26:6 (CEV); 27:15; 29:18; Psalms 10:4; 13:3 (KJV); 16; 23:4, 6; 48:14; 49:14, 19-20; 55:4; 66:13-14; 76:5; 78:63-64; 88:6,15; 89:15, 47-48; 90:9; 94:17; 102:23-24; 112:6; 116:3,15; 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 2:16; 3:21; 4:2; 5:15; 7:1-2, 17; 8:8; 9:5; 11:8; Isaiah 2:22; 28:15; 38:1,9, 18; 57:2(CEV); 61; Jeremiah 8:1-2; 14:16; 15:8; 16:5-7; 34:4-5; Ezekiel 13:19; 24:15-27; 26:20; 32:23; Daniel 12:13; Jonah 2:6; Habakkuk 2:5; Zechariah 3:1-10; 6:11; Matthew 4:16; 8:21-22; 22:23-30; Mark 5:38-42; 15:37-39; Luke 7:11-13; 20:38; 23:46; John 5:28-29; 8:51; 11:4, 11-15 & Acts 7:60; John 12:1-10; 11:1-44; 12:10; 16:5-7; 17:4; 18:1; 19:28-30, 33; Acts 1:18; 2:29-35; 7:54-56; 7:60 & John 11:11-14; Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 53; & Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Timothy 1:10; 4:6-8; Hebrews 9:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10; James 1:10-11; 5:11; 1 Peter 1:24-25; 2 Peter 1:13-14; Revelation 9:4-6; 1:13; 16:3
Whatever you conclude, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, will be the right resolution. God bless your inquiry, R
My Link
Let us examine the scripture more closely. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 (English Standard Version - ESV); "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep (dead), that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (deceased). for this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. (dead, deceased added). How literal can we be and get the idea that the deceased are already in heaven before Christ returns? This passage does not indicate that to us. The same is true of the Acts 2:29-35 passage.
Those who desire to claim that those who die in Christ go to heaven, also use 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (specifically verse 8); 1 "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the (Holy) Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (added Holy)
6 "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due them for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad." Please examine this closely. There is nothing here that says anything about an immediate change from death to heaven. Obviously as long as we are here in the body, it is more likely that we will not be in heaven in the presence of God.
There are more scripture related to this subject than one might suspect. However none of them tell us where we (soul and spirit) go immediately upon death. Isaiah 57:1-2, "The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death." This passage indicates that those who die in Christ (called the righteous) are resting from their toils in peaceful rest. Now Revelation 14 describes the 144,000 as purchased from among men and offered as first fruits; Revelation 11 the two (2) witnesses who laid slain in the street for 3 days come to life and are called to heaven. They go up in a cloud to heaven. Revelation 19, there are 24 elders who were martyred for their unshakable faith in Christ were serving and worshiping at the throne of God. Yes, there are those saints (believers in Christ) who died and are in heaven. These examples also helps us understand the words of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
Matthew 17 relates Jesus transfiguration with disciples, Peter, James, and John present as Moses and Elijah come and converse with Jesus. What a marvelous story witnessed by the 3 disciples. Elijah was taken from the earth to heaven, 2 Kings 2, and was not in a sleeping state but with God. Moses we do not have a clear statement as to what God did with him. The fact that he is here as Jesus is transfigured gives us proof that he was with God and not sound asleep in death.
But, what about you and me? Where do we go immediately upon our death? Does it matter? When we draw our last breath, it no longer matters. Our opportunity to engage in an intimate personal relationship with Christ is then over (John 14:23-24). Either we accomplished what God prepared for us to achieve or we failed. Either way it is over and where we are no longer matters. For those who die in Christ are eternally saved and will live in His presence forever (Romans 8:1).
Now you decide where our literal location will be at the moment of death. Here are scriptures relevant to the topic. Genesis 3: 19; 15:15; 25:17; 46; 49:33; 50; Numbers 19:16; 20:3; 1 Kings 19:4; Deuteronomy 31:14; Joshua 23:14 (CEV); 1 Samuel 4:12-18; 28:12-19 (Living Bible); 2 Samuel 1:19; 8:2; 12:16-23; 19:2 (LB); 23:1-7; 1 Kings 22:34-37 & 2 Chronicles 18:33-34; 2 Kings 20:1; 1 Chronicles 17:11; Job 3:21-22 (CEV); 4:7, 20; 5:26; 6:11; 10:9, 22; 11; 13:19; 14:1, 10; 16:22; 17:1; 18:17; 21:23-25; 26:6 (CEV); 27:15; 29:18; Psalms 10:4; 13:3 (KJV); 16; 23:4, 6; 48:14; 49:14, 19-20; 55:4; 66:13-14; 76:5; 78:63-64; 88:6,15; 89:15, 47-48; 90:9; 94:17; 102:23-24; 112:6; 116:3,15; 146:3-4; Ecclesiastes 2:16; 3:21; 4:2; 5:15; 7:1-2, 17; 8:8; 9:5; 11:8; Isaiah 2:22; 28:15; 38:1,9, 18; 57:2(CEV); 61; Jeremiah 8:1-2; 14:16; 15:8; 16:5-7; 34:4-5; Ezekiel 13:19; 24:15-27; 26:20; 32:23; Daniel 12:13; Jonah 2:6; Habakkuk 2:5; Zechariah 3:1-10; 6:11; Matthew 4:16; 8:21-22; 22:23-30; Mark 5:38-42; 15:37-39; Luke 7:11-13; 20:38; 23:46; John 5:28-29; 8:51; 11:4, 11-15 & Acts 7:60; John 12:1-10; 11:1-44; 12:10; 16:5-7; 17:4; 18:1; 19:28-30, 33; Acts 1:18; 2:29-35; 7:54-56; 7:60 & John 11:11-14; Romans 5:17; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 53; & Isaiah 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55; 2 Corinthians 5:1; Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Timothy 1:10; 4:6-8; Hebrews 9:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:8-10; James 1:10-11; 5:11; 1 Peter 1:24-25; 2 Peter 1:13-14; Revelation 9:4-6; 1:13; 16:3
Whatever you conclude, with the Holy Spirit's guidance, will be the right resolution. God bless your inquiry, R
My Link
This is one topic that is best determined by each individual. God bless your search and decision, R
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