do we get to heaven right after death?

[vibrant]

do we get to heaven right after death? i've stumbled across verses that puts this into question, notice i'm not saying we won't get to heaven, just when:

for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with a call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. first, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

1 thessalonians 4:16.


"He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return"

1 thess. 5:10


it almost seems like those who die before the day of the Lord are in their graves, not in heaven.

any verses that beyond thess. that i've yet to come to that can shed some light on this?

 

[vibrant]

someone else already has a similar topic but i guess you can answer my question as well.

 

[dcyates]

do we get to heaven right after death? i've stumbled across verses that puts this into question, notice i'm not saying we won't get to heaven, just when:

for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with a call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. first, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

1 thessalonians 4:16.


"He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return"

1 thess. 5:10


it almost seems like those who die before the day of the Lord are in their graves, not in heaven.

any verses that beyond thess. that i've yet to come to that can shed some light on this?

This is a good question, and one that broaches a subject I think is too misunderstood (like the concept of the 'kingdom of God'). The reason texts such as these speak of believers being in their graves is because, in point of fact, they are. Too many of today's Christians have been inordinately influenced by Greek philosophy in their Christian theology. By that I mean that we tend to read the Bible through Hellenistic philosophical glasses, especially using Platonic lenses. The upshot here is that we tend to think of the physical body as something we leave behind after we die, and in many instances, good riddance to it. But in Hebrew thought the physical body was a virtually essential aspect of who we are, who God created us to be. In other words, it's not so much that we have bodies, as that we are bodies.
Does this help at all?

 

[.Mikha'el.]

do we get to heaven right after death? i've stumbled across verses that puts this into question, notice i'm not saying we won't get to heaven, just when:

for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with a call of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. first, all the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.

1 thessalonians 4:16.


"He died for us so that we can live with him forever, whether we are dead or alive at the time of His return"

1 thess. 5:10


it almost seems like those who die before the day of the Lord are in their graves, not in heaven.

any verses that beyond thess. that i've yet to come to that can shed some light on this?

I am in total agreement with you. As far as I am concerned, the idea that Christians go to heaven once they die is one of the many "feel-good" ideas that pervade in our religion. We will get to heaven, it just does not happen immediately upon death.

 

[vibrant]

But in Hebrew thought the physical body was a virtually essential aspect of who we are, who God created us to be. In other words, it's not so much that we have bodies, as that we are bodies. Does this help at all?

not really.

the bible does make it clear that we are more than our physical bodies.

as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it [the body] aside, (2 peter 1:13-14)

if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 corin. 15:44

i'm reading 1 corinthians 15, and it's reassuring me that there's a resurrection but it keeps using the future tense to when the last trumpet will sound and God will come again. if we die before then, where are we?

the same paul also writes that he is rather eager to die, knowing he'd meet God, but begrudging loved his churches enough to keep going so... he's seems rather certain he'd immediately meet with God.

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

phil. 1:21-24

 

[tel0004]

whether or not we instantly go to heaven really dosnet matter. If we sit idle for 10,000 years, then get risen from the dead, it will still seem instant. Heaven is eternal, so im not worried if I have to wait around a few years, but my viewpoint is that it is indeed instant in both the physcal and time sense.

 

[vibrant]

excellent point tel, the concept of time...

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

I agree with the concept of time thing...doesn't really matter because we won't notice a difference.

I don't have an answer but Jesus does tell the thief on the cross that He'll see him in Heaven that day (or words to that effect)

However, heading in a different direction, if we do go to Heaven immediately, I truly believe we cannot see or know what is happening here on earth. There is no pain in Heaven so I do not believe we can witness the pain and sin here on earth.

 

[Theophorus]

I am in total agreement with you. As far as I am concerned, the idea that Christians go to heaven once they die is one of the many "feel-good" ideas that pervade in our religion. We will get to heaven, it just does not happen immediately upon death.

How about Christ's statement "truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise." Also the transfiguration on the mount, and Moses was there, without his body I presume. Plus quite a large section of the book of revelation, those elders and saints and stuff.

 

[Theophorus]

for unbelievers, do they go to hell just after death?

No, they go to the department of motor vehicles.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

for unbelievers, do they go to hell just after death?

No, I believe non-Christians and Christians alike meet God face to face just after death.

 

[Defiance]

Hey vibrant,

There's biblical evidence to support either view. I'm personally of the view that we remain in our graves until Jesus returns as described by Paul and John. I then think that even though hundreds or thousands of years may have passed between when a person dies and when Jesus returns, Jesus tells us that the dead have no perception of time. To them it'll be, IMHO, like a blink of the eye and they'll be judged.

It's impossible to come to a conclusion about what will happen. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[BLUEEYEANGEL]

LORD I ASK A SPECIAL PRAYER , LORD YOU KNOW MY HEART.
IN JESUS NAME

No, they go to the department of motor vehicles.

 

[Theophorus]

Hey vibrant,

There's biblical evidence to support either view. I'm personally of the view that we remain in our graves until Jesus returns as described by Paul and John. I then think that even though hundreds or thousands of years may have passed between when a person dies and when Jesus returns, Jesus tells us that the dead have no perception of time. To them it'll be, IMHO, like a blink of the eye and they'll be judged.

It's impossible to come to a conclusion about what will happen. We'll just have to wait and see.

Revelation 6:9-10
When he broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of all the people who had been killed on account of the word of God, for witnessing to it. They shouted aloud, "Holy, faithful Master, how much longer will you wait before you pass sentence and take vengeance for our death on the inhabitants of the earth?"

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

1 Peter 3:18-19
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison.
Genesis 35:18
And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died)...

Revelation 20:4
I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus... they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Luke 23:43
And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

Matthew 17:1,3
And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

 

[BLUEEYEANGEL]

Yes To Be Absent From The Body Is To Be Present With The Lord.

Remember When Jesus Was On The Cross With The Two Theifs And One Was Saying If You Be God ,get Us Down From Here, And The Other Said ,
When Thy Go Into Thy Kingdom , Remember Me.
Then Jesus Said, From This Day Forth Thy Shall Be With Me In Paradise.

Also When The Rich Man Died, And Went Right To Hell, And He Said I See Abraham A Far Of In His Bosom.

The Soul Of Man Will Never Die!!!!!!!

Love You Sweetie.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

you mean God got face? Is He handsome or not?

Revelation 22
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. 6The angel said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place."


I just know that I'd want to be right with God when I meet Him.

God bless.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

How can u wait and see? As you said, no perception of time, there is no waiting.
Very contradictory of you.

Did you suddenly lose all perception of time here on this earth?

 

[BLUEEYEANGEL]

i agree , this is bible
to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

How can u wait and see? As you said, no perception of time, there is no waiting.
Very contradictory of you.

 

[Theophorus]

you mean God got face?

It is the face of Christ.

 

[vibrant]

thank you for all the replies.