In the catholic faith, for example, there are people in heaven, like the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints, but doesn't this deny the Judgement Day, when people would then be punished or recompensed. Shouldn't people be judged only then?
There are two "judgments" for those who die -- the Great White Throne for those who die outside of Christ, and the Judgment Seat of Christ for those who die as saved believers.In the catholic faith, for example, there are people in heaven, like the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints, but doesn't this deny the Judgement Day, when people would then be punished or recompensed. Shouldn't people be judged only then?
In the catholic faith, for example, there are people in heaven, like the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints, but doesn't this deny the Judgement Day, when people would then be punished or recompensed. Shouldn't people be judged only then?
Judgement of the saved takes place before the return of Christ. When He returns the 1st resurrection happens.
The Return of the Lord
13Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
15By the word of the Lord, we declare to you that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. 17After that, we who are alive and remain 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.
18Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Later the 2nd resurrection (the unsaved) happens.
Revelation 20
11Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them. 12And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne.
And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. 13The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds.
14Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire.15And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
But are the dead in Christ in heaven or are they just resting asleep? Is there any general consensus on this throughout all the denominations?
I think there are plenty of verses indicating each person is judged at death. This comes soon (within 100 years, within one generation) for every one.In the catholic faith, for example, there are people in heaven, like the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints, but doesn't this deny the Judgement Day, when people would then be punished or recompensed. Shouldn't people be judged only then?
In the catholic faith, for example, there are people in heaven, like the Virgin Mary and the blessed saints, but doesn't this deny the Judgement Day, when people would then be punished or recompensed. Shouldn't people be judged only then?