ANSWERS: 45
  • Even though the body is in the ground, the Scriptures are pretty clear that the spirit is already in the next world, either for comfort or torment. I Corinthians 5:6-8, Luke 16, Luke 23:43 Later, at the resurrection, body and spirit are reunited for eternity, either for punishment or reward. Revelation 20-21
  • Christian religion tells us two, quite conflicting things: 1. You die, and go either to heaven or hell 2. You die, and wait for the Last Judgement [aka Second Coming] If #1 is true: a. As we all know, the Bible forbids fortune-telling, horoscopes, tarot cards AND talking to the spirits of those who already passed away. If people go straight to either heaven or hell after death, why make such a law? Whose souls are you going to talk to if they're already in heaven or hell? Can these souls just casually step out of heaven or hell to be spoken to? b. Why are there ghosts? [even the Bible talks about ghosts] If #2 is true, that would answer the questions above, but will generate the questions below: a. Why does the Bible declare that some people went straight to heaven after dying? I dunno. I just believe in reincarnation.
  • I think the Islamic perspective is that when you're buried you (some say) see or (some say) have a taste of what awaits you but (all are agreed that) you get what is due (heaven or hell) after the resurrection.
  • remember,when speaking about god,1 minute is equivalent to a million years.so you see, a minute or two sleep ain't so bad. sweet dreams!!!!!!!!
  • Then he (the penitent thief) said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:42-43) This Scripture shows that heaven can be an immediate reward. With love in Christ.
  • The bible doesn't forbid fortune telling or any of that other stuff. It says "Suffer not a witch among you for I will raise prophets among you". That's not exact but you get the point. It also shows a belief in reincarnation when it states "--------- came among you and you knew him not" can't remember the name but someone out there will. Also Jesus practiced necromancy...raising the dead. Energy transferance through the use of object...sent his staff to be used to raise the dead...There are many references of these deeds...And where you go after death is based on what you believe in life...but we all end up becoming one with God....
  • To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8)
  • You decompose and fertilize a tree.
  • The body sleeps, the soul goes elsewhere. If you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, that somewhere is Heaven. If you reject Him with full knowledge, you get your wish; you eventually cease to exist. If you don't do either of those, you could become a ghost before you reincarnate, but either way you eventually try again. This is not a popular teaching anymore, but it IS Scriptural.
  • The question is flawed, since Heaven is not really the antithesis of Hell. When we die, we go to the Spirit World—Paradise or Prison, the latter a.k.a. Hell—and await the resurrection. Since God is perfectly just, all those that never had sufficient chance to accept Christ during this life are given that chance in the next. While those that lived before Christ used the term “the first resurrection” to describe when He and many (if not all) of the early Saints would be resurrected, the “first resurrection” we speak of will begin with the return of the Savior and continue throughout the Millennium. After this thousand years, everybody else will come forth in the “second resurrection.” Finally, once we’ve been resurrected, everybody will have to stand before the Father and account for his or her sins. T(hank God Jesus will be available as Advocate to any that accept Him!) HTH!
  • you go immediately
  • hey all... read the comments... sad to say, i cant agree with what i see posted here. the bible doesnt teach that when you die, you live in heaven or hell. the bible teaches that the dead sleep. the bible teaches that the dead do not live IN ANY WAY. their thoughts perish. they have no clue as to what is going on. Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. the bible teaches that it takes two things to make a man a living being, that is... body (from the dust of the ground) and breath. without anyone of these, that is a DEAD MAN. a man who is NO LONGER LOVING ANYWHERE. look through Gen. 2 and 3.. you will see how God made man ... the process is reversed when man dies (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7) now, someone said Jesus did Nacromancy and those other things. Nacromancy, telepathy, sorcery and any form of witchcraft is from satan, NOT GOD. so... get your facts straight. JESUS DOES NOT OPERATE IN satanic POWER!! EVER!!!! GOD does miracles. satan does SORCERY and witchcraft, wizardry, magic, necromancy etc. which are ALL FAKE MIRACLES BY THE WAY! JESUS is the giver of life. He is GOD - the ALpha and Omega... He can raise the dead. NO ONE ELSE. the dead stay dead till the resurrection day. the first to rise when Jesus comes are the righteous who died, 1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ************************************ the wicked who died, stay dead till after the 1000years... __________________________________________________________ Revelation: 20:5-7 5But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. 7And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison... ************************************************************************** so, the dead ALL SLEEP till JEsus comes.. there is a FIRST resurrection unto eternal life. thats for the saints of God... and that happnes when Jesus comes back... (which is anytime now) and the other resurrection is unto damnation. .. thats the second resurrection. ______________________________________________________________________________________ so, you see.. the bible does teach what happens when we die. no need to guess people, jus read it.
  • The bible teaches us that when as christians we are absent in the body we are present in with Lord. We immediately go to be with the Lord.
  • hmm... well, if we go to be with the lord at death, why would Jesus come back to raise the people who die in him? that would be crazy. the bible says the breath of life goes back to God, NOT the living person. just the air that God breathed in man. the body goes to the earth. thats what the bible says.
  • There seem to be contradictions concerning this. I believe that everyone goes to Hell when they die. This is not the "fire and brimstone" place that is used to threaten people, but a place for spirits. I believe that it is separated into two sections, one for believers and one for non believers. I have read parts of the Bible, but not all of it. I listened in church (most of the time, anyway). It seems that I have heard the believer's section referred to as "Abraham's Bosom" (I could be wrong here). At the second coming the ones who are "asleep in Jesus" will be raised up from hell first and then everyone else. Satan's reign will be over and Christ's will begin. I used to worry about all this a lot until I decided it was worry over nothing. Whatever happens after I die will happen and I will find out (or not) when that day comes. I choose to believe that the spirit lives on and if I am wrong, so be it. As long as I am not hurting anyone and my beliefs give me comfort, what's the harm? All it does is make me try and be a better person.
  • there are two words the bible translate the english word HELL to mean, one is sheol (hebrew). that means... 1) sheol, underworld, grave, hell, pit the other is Hades (greek) and that means: the grave, death, hell. so when its said that the soul will go to hell... it can mean: grave, death, or... the lake of fire (HELL). we have to read the texts in the bible with these meanings in mind. so the question: Do you immediately go to heaven or hell when you die, or just "sleep" until Jesus comes back? which one of the places are you guys speaking of... LAKE OF FIRE? THE GRAVE? DEATH? which one?
  • "I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious theories of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a personal god" – Thomas Edison
  • in order to believe heaven or hell exists, one has to believe in the Holy Bible totally. thats where the proof is... but its based on faith in the word of God as in, trusting what God said. if for any reason, we seek to scientifically prove that this place exist, then... we will fail in that area cause it cant be done that way. the bible states what heaven will be like, in revelation chapter 21. take a look at it for yourself. the question now is, will you believe what you read in the bible, or not? if you chose to follow what God says in the Holy Bible, then the question we are discussing will be easy to understand.
  • Within the Christian faith, there is a significant amount of confusion in regards to what happens after death. Some hold that after death, everyone “sleeps” until the final judgment, after which everyone will be sent to Heaven or Hell. Others believe that immediately after the moment of death, people are instantly judged and send to their eternal destinations. Still others claim that when people die, their souls/spirits are sent to a “temporary” Heaven or Hell, to await the final resurrection, the final judgment, and then the finality of their eternal destination. So, what exactly does the Bible say happens after death? First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death, believers’ souls/spirits are taken to Heaven, because their sins were forgiven from having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16,18,36). For believers, after death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified and perfected, and then reunited with the soul-spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the inhabitance of believers for eternity, in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation chapters 21-22). Second, for those who do not receive Jesus Christ as Savior, after death means everlasting punishment. However, similar to the destiny of believers, unbelievers also seem to be sent immediately to a temporary holding place, to await their final resurrection, judgment, and eternal destiny. Luke 16:22-23 describes a rich man being tormented immediately after death. Revelation 20:11-15 describes all the unbelieving dead being resurrected, judged at the Great White Throne, and then being cast into the lake of fire. Unbelievers, then, are not sent to Hell (the lake of fire) immediately after death, but rather are in a temporary realm of judgment and condemnation. However, even though unbelievers are not instantly sent to the lake of fire, their immediate fate after death is not a pleasant one. The rich man cried out, “I am in agony in this fire” (Luke 16:24).
  • You cease to exist. No heaven, no hell, no jesus. Just dust to dust.
  • You must go immediately to heaven or hell because humans were around for 18,000 - 20,000 years before Jesus. That's a long sleep...
  • First, for the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death, believers’ souls/spirits are taken to Heaven, because their sins were forgiven from having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16,18,36). For believers, after death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified and perfected, and then reunited with the soul-spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the inhabitance of believers for eternity, in the New Heavens and New Earth (Revelation chapters 21-22).
  • There have been studies done that show that for roughly five minutes after a person's heart stops beating that there is still some brain functioning. I personally believe that this is sort of the window of opportunity that a person's soul has to leave the body. Personally, I think that it is at this point in time that the soul exists with their loved ones for a few brief moments before they take the leap to Heaven or Hell. There's a lot more that I could say about this, but it has to do more with Nearing Death Awareness; so I'll just digress and say that I believe that within a few short moments of a person officially dying, they either go to Heaven or Hell. However, I'm not going to discredit the existence of ghosts, because I am a firm believer in them as well. I hope that helps?
  • we Muslims belive that getting to hell or heaven is in the day of judgment but when you die .. we don't belive that we are totally sleep but we can feel and there is another life (Barzakh life) .. your body is dead but ur soul is life.. you can see what i've said in this verses 40:54-46((So Allah saved him from the evils that they plotted (against him), while an evil torment encompassed Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people...The Fire; they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon, and on the Day when the Hour will be established (it will be said to the angels): "Cause Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) people to enter the severest torment!" )) 23:99-100((Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allah), he says: "My Lord! Send me back..."So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!" No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected)) BUT the you wouldn't feel the time as it's...probaly you won't feel the long time till the day of judgment...because god said when you wake up in the day of judgment you feel that like if it's one hour.
  • You’ve always heard that you’ll go to heaven if you’re "saved. "And most have assumed that their loved ones have already "gone to heaven" when they died. But what does the Bible say? Is heaven really the "reward of the saved"? WHY, if the righteous go to heaven, did the Apostle John write: "No MAN hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven"—referring to Jesus Christ Himself (John 3:13)? If the "saved" go to heaven when they die, why did Peter say that King David, a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), "is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.... For David is NOT ascended into the heavens" (Acts 2:29, 34)? Yes, WHY? What a paradox! Millions today believe the "saved" go to heaven, yet David didn’t! And if the saved go to heaven when they die, what need is there for a resurrection from the dead? Why a resurrection if they have already "gone to their reward"? Isn’t it about time these puzzling yet vitally important questions were answered? What MOST People Believe Belief in a heaven beyond the grave is not limited to professing Christians. People around the world have always believed in some kind of after life—some type of "reward" after death. It is a "recognized article of the creed of heathens, Jews and Mohammedans.... Eternal blessedness was, in the view of the ancient pagans, reserved for those only who were distinguished for their exalted virtues, and who were accordingly admitted into the society of the gods..." (The Faiths of the World, vol. 5, p. 10). States this same authority: "The heaven of the Hindu is absorption in Brahma and of the Buddhist, annihilation or Nirvana. The priesthood of the ancient Egyptians taught the immortality of the soul under the name of Palingenesia, or a second birth, being a return of the soul to the celestial spheres, or its reabsorption into the Supreme Being..." (p. 11). The eleventh edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica declares there is "a bewildering variety in the views of the future life and the world held by different peoples.... The scene of the future life may be thought of on earth, in some distant part of it, or above the earth, in the sky, sun, moon or stars, or beneath the earth. The abodes of bliss and the places of torment may be distinguished, or one last dwelling-place may be affirmed for all the dead. Sometimes the good find their abiding home with the gods; sometimes a number of heavens of varying degrees of blessedness is recognized" (vol. 9, p. 760). Mohammedans believe in a heaven prepared for the blessed, the professors of the "true religion," followers of Mohammed. In paradise, they believe they shall enjoy perpetual light and all heavenly pleasures. Their belief includes eight heavens or different degrees of happiness. Mohammed taught about a paradise of carnal, sensual pleasures, but at the same time he taught in the Koran that the height of happiness will consist of seeing God face to face, and that this pleasure will cause all the other pleasures of paradise to be forgotten. Many Australian tribes have had a belief in a happy "other-world." In particular, those scattered over the southeastern region believed in a future happy life "beyond the great water" or in the sky. This "paradise" was often called "gum tree country." The path to "sky-land" was believed to be by the rays of the setting sun or by the Milky Way. Tasmanian aborigines looked forward to a happier life after death, in which they would pursue the chase and forever enjoy the pleasures which they coveted on earth. Ancient Teutonic peoples believed in a heavenly abode called Valhalla. To this heaven of the gods—a warrior’s paradise—all brave warriors hoped to go. "It is raftered with spears, it is decked with shields, its benches are strewn with coats of mail. A wolf hangs before the western door, an eagle hovers over it.... So great was Valhalla that it possessed five hundred and forty doors. Every day the warriors, fully armed, issued from the gates to amuse themselves in combat with each other, returning to feast and drink heavenly mead from the cups presented to them by the Valkyries" (Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. II, p. 709). Some Eskimos of Greenland still believe in two regions of paradise: The first in the cold sky or "over-world," with hills and valleys and a heaven; the other, an underground domain, a blissful place with sunshine and perpetual summer. Clearly, the idea of going to heaven when one dies is not the sole property of professing Christians. Pagans since time immemorial have had similar notions! The Egyptian "Heaven" History tells us that many of the ideas of professing Christianity concerning heaven came directly from ancient Egyptians. Writes Adolph Erman in The Ancient Egyptians (translated by Aylaward M. Blackman): "The Pyramid Texts are mainly concerned with the desire of the august dead to avoid leading a gloomy existence in the underworld—the fate of ordinary mortals—and to dwell in the sky like the gods. There he might voyage with the sun-god in his ship, or dwell in the Fields of the Blessed, the Field of Food-Offerings, or the Fields of Iaru [or Alu]. He might himself become a god, and the fancy of the poets strives to depict the king in this new role. No longer is he a man whom the gods graciously receive into heaven but a conqueror who seizes heaven from them" (p. 2). The Egyptians believed that before the souls of the dead could reach the Egyptian "heaven"—the Fields of Iaru—and appear in the presence of Osiris, they must traverse a vast under-world region called the Tuat which was inhabited by gods, devils, fiends, demons, good and bad spirits and the souls of the wicked, besides snakes, monsters and serpents. The Egyptian sacred book, The Book of the Dead, prescribed spells, incantations, prayers, charms and amulets to help the dead man overcome the dangers of the Tuat and to reach Sekhet Aaru and Sekhet Hetep—other names for the Egyptian heaven—to take his place among the subjects of Osiris in the "Land of Everlasting Life" (E. A. Wallis Budge, The Literature of the Ancient Egyptians, pp. 40-41). The arriving dead, the Egyptians thought, were ushered into a Hall of Judgment presided over by Osiris. "When the verdict is favorable and he has been cleared of any impurity, his heart is restored, and after several other ordeals, he is ushered into the bright Elysian Fields (the Fields of Alu) beyond the water.... Henceforth, he enjoys the perennial life of the blessed under the shadow of the tree of life, or the sycamore of Nut, the goddess of the sky, a true Osiris" (Kohler, Heaven and Hell in Comparative Religion, p. 22). When the verdict was unfavorable, the poor sinner experienced the "second death." His dismemberment followed, and the fiercest tortures awaited him, including burning by hot coals, plunging into deep waters, or cutting the body into pieces by sharp swords. Says Kohler, "We have here the very origin of the Inferno and Paradiso" (p. 23, emphasis ours). What the Early Church Taught But astounding as it may seem, neither Jesus nor His apostles taught that the righteous go to heaven! Notice the admission of a secular encyclopedia: "The dominant view in the early church seems to have been that until the return of the Lord upon the clouds of heaven to raise the dead, those who had died were asleep, and that they would be suddenly awakened to be given their new bodies, after which they would reign with Him on earth for a thousand years..." (The New International Encyclopedia, art. "Heaven," vol. 9, pp. 700-701). The early Church clearly did not teach the concept of "going to heaven." Such teachings did not become popular until long after the death of the apostles! Notice, however, what gradually happened: "But, largely under the influence of Greek thought, other conceptions [gradually] prevailed. The fate of the patriarchs, prophets, and pious men of the old dispensation naturally occupied much attention and led to the idea that they [their "immortal souls"] were detained in a preparatory abode which the fathers called limbus patrum, awaiting the advent of the Redeemer. The general belief of Christians has been that since the resurrection of Christ the just who are free from sin are admitted immediately after death into heaven, where their chief joy consists in the unclouded vision of God" (ibid.). History shows that the teachings of Clement of Alexandria, Origen and others gradually turned most professing Christians from the belief of a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. The floodgates were opened. Hellenistic philosophy, which had borrowed heavily from ancient Egyptian mythology, began to replace the teachings of the Bible as the source of doctrine. Prevailing concepts such as the immortality of the soul, an ever burning hell, purgatory and heaven all came directly out of ancient mythology! The popular church, in order to become universal, adopted and taught these prevailing pagan philosophies rather than the plain teachings of the Bible! Today, the idea of heaven being the "reward of the saved" is nearly universal among churches. The vast majority of professing Christians look forward to going to a "heaven" where the righteous sit on clouds, pluck harps, shuffle through harp music, and look up into the face of the Master for ALL ETERNITY! The hit song of the 50s about that "lucky ole sun" that has "nuthin to do, but roll around heaven all day" aptly depicts the nebulous belief of millions of what "heaven" is like. But as we shall soon see, this common belief did NOT come from the teachings of Christ or the apostles! What is the truth about heaven? What DOES your Bible teach about the "reward of the saved"? The Promised Land There is a statement in the book of Galatians which actually summarizes the very PURPOSE and PLAN of God for mankind. The Christian’s hope of an eternal "reward" depends altogether on the subject covered in that greatly misunderstood passage! While addressing Gentile-born converts in Galatia, the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, "Now to ABRAHAM and his seed were the PROMISES made.... And if YE be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham seed, and heirs according to the PROMISE" (Gal. 3:16, 29). The Christian is not yet a possessor of his reward—he is now only an "heir." What Christians shall inherit, if "saved"—whatever shall be the "reward of the saved"—wherever they shall spend eternity—is a definite, specific PROMISE of God. And that promise was made to Abraham, called, in this same book of Galatians written for Gentile converts, the "father" of the faithful (Gal. 3:7). If one is converted, regardless of race or color or sex; IF one is "Christ’s"—a Christian—then he becomes one of Abraham’s children, and an "heir" of the PROMISE made to Abraham. What he is to inherit, then, is whatever was promised to Abraham! Let’s see if it was heaven. 1. Precisely what did God promise Abraham? Gen. 12:2-3, 6-7. COMMENT: "Seed" means offspring. So the promise to Abraham and his offspring—his descendants—was the LAND OF CANAAN! 2. Abraham went to Egypt for a short time (Gen. 12:10). When he returned to Canaan, did God reiterate His promise to Abraham and his offspring? Gen. 13:14-15. What are the boundaries of this land? Gen. 15:18. COMMENT: The land of Canaan, much of which is occupied by the Jews today, was promised to Abraham and his descendants. That’s why it’s called "the promised land"! Notice that it is a region on this earth, not up in heaven somewhere! 3. How long did God promise Abraham that he and his seed would possess the land? Gen. 13:15. COMMENT: Since the inheritance is to be an ETERNAL inheritance, it of necessity involves and includes EVERLASTING LIFE! More about this later. 4. Was this promise expanded until it ultimately included inheritance of the WHOLE EARTH? Rom. 4:13. COMMENT: Not one word about heaven! Through Abraham, all true Christians are promised the earth! 5. Were the same promises God made to Abraham also made to his son, Isaac? Gen. 26:1-5. 6. And were the same promises then given to Jacob, Isaac’s son? Gen. 35:9-12. And to Jacob’s children—the Israelites? Rom. 9:4. COMMENT: Jacob, whose name was changed to "Israel," had twelve sons. Each son gave rise to one of the twelve tribes of Israel, known collectively as the "children of Israel," or Israelites. Obedience BEFORE Inheritance 1. In making this promise to Abraham, God conditioned it on obedience. What did God tell Abraham to do? Gen. 12:1. 2. Did Abraham resist, quibble and argue with God about leaving his homeland? Or did he just DO what he was commanded? Gen. 12:4; Heb. 11:8. Into what land did God lead Abraham? Gen. 12:5. COMMENT: God called Abram (as his name was then) out of Ur of the Chaldees, the land of his birth. That land was under the sway of the political system that began at Babel, symbolic of the spiritual "Babylon" in which we live today! Today, God calls us out of this present world—this modern Babylon! (Rev. 18:1-4.) Abraham did obey! First, he left his native land, his friends and relatives, his old ways of life—he forsook ALL and followed where God led. But God did not stop here in testing Abraham’s willingness to obey Him. Let’s notice: 3. How did God further test Abraham? Gen. 22:1-2. COMMENT: The proper translation of the word "tempt," as used here, is "try." God tempts no man (James 1:13). When the King James translation of the Bible was made, the word "tempt" meant to "try," or to "test." That is why the translators used the word "tempt" in Genesis 22:1. 4. Did Abraham, in facing this test, stop to reason it out, make excuse, or rebel? Or did he faithfully OBEY God—even rising early in the morning to obey His command? Gen. 22:3. 5. Did God allow Abraham to kill his only son? Gen. 22:10-12. COMMENT: God did not really want Isaac’s life—He merely wanted Abraham’s WILLINGNESS to obey Him in faith! Because Abraham was faithfully obedient to God, the Bible refers to him as the "father" of all who live by faith (Rom. 4:11; Gal. 3:7). 6. After Abraham obeyed—had been put to the test and found faithful—were there any other conditions to God’s original promise? Gen. 22:15-18. Note the words, "because thou HAST DONE this thing," in verse 16; and the words, "because thou hast OBEYED MY VOICE," in verse 18. COMMENT: The promise was now UNCONDITIONAL! Abraham had performed HIS part of the covenant, or agreement. 7. What other scripture shows us that this promise is ABSOLUTELY SURE? Gen. 26:5. All Can Become "Heirs" to the Promise! Let’s notice how people of all nations can become "heirs" to the same promises made to righteous Abraham and his descendants. 1. Did God promise Abraham that ALL nations of the earth would be blessed through his "seed"? Gen. 12:3; 22:18. Who is this "seed"? Gal. 3:8, 16. COMMENT: The word "seed in Genesis 22:18 refers specifically to One Seed—Christ—rather than to Abraham’s multiple "seed" or offspring mentioned in Genesis 13:16; 17:8. 2. Does Luke 3:23, 34 prove that Jesus was a direct descendant—a "seed"— of Abraham? Did He clearly spring from the tribe of Judah, one of the sons of Jacob or Israel? Verses 33-34. Also notice John 4:22 and Hebrews 7:14. COMMENT: Luke records Jesus’ genealogy through His mother Mary. Joseph, mentioned in Luke 3:23, was actually the son-in-law of Heli, the father of Mary. And so Luke shows that Mary was directly descended from Abraham (verse 34). 3. How does one who is not a direct descendant of Abraham by birth become an "heir" to the promises made to him? Gal. 3:28-29. COMMENT: All people who have not descended from Abraham through Isaac and Jacob (Israel) are called "Gentiles" in the Bible. And so Paul went on to show these Gentile-born Galatians that the only way they could become heirs to the promise made to Abraham was by becoming children ("seed") of Abraham by spiritual adoption THROUGH CHRIST! 4. What did Paul say the Ephesian Gentile Christians were before their conversion? Eph. 2:11-12. COMMENT: As Gentiles, they had been "strangers from the covenants of promise, having NO HOPE, and without God in the world." 5. But through Christ and His sacrifice, were they brought near to the promise? Eph. 2:13. And were they strangers and foreigners anymore? Verse 19. Were they then a part of the spiritual household of God? Same verse. COMMENT: And so today people from EVERY nation may become "heirs" of the promises God made to Abraham by becoming his "seed" through Christ! We read in Galatians 3:7, "Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." If you are a converted Christian, regardless of race, Abraham is your "father" in the faith, and you will inherit whatever God promised to him. Isn’t that clear? And so ALL true Christians are heirs with Abraham to inherit (1) ETERNAL LIFE and (2) ETERNAL INHERITANCE OF THE ENTIRE EARTH. "Heaven" was NOT included in the promises God made to Abraham! But when will Abraham and his "children" receive their inheritance? When will they receive the promises? Has Abraham already "gone to his reward"—has he already inherited the promises? Promises YET to Be Fulfilled 1. Has Abraham yet received the inheritance God promised to him? Acts 7:2-5. Notice especially verse 5. COMMENT: These inspired words of Stephen plainly state that Abraham never received the promised inheritance—even though God’s promise was made UNCONDITIONAL because of his obedience. 2. Were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob merely sojourners—that is, temporary inhabiters, visitors—in the land God had promised to them? Heb. 11:8-10. Had they, at the time the book of Hebrews was written, received the promises? Verses 13, 39-40. Was Abraham still dead during the time of Christ and the apostles? John 8:52-53. COMMENT: Do you grasp what these inspired scriptures of God are saying? They say in plain language that all these men died, in faith, NOT HAVING RECEIVED THE Promises! The very fathers to whom the promises were made did not "go to their reward at death"! Nor had they "gone to their reward" YEARS after the resurrection and ascension of Christ to heaven! 3. What about David, an heir of Abraham and one of God’s prophets during Old Testament times? Did he inherit the promises, or is he still dead in his grave? Acts 2:29. COMMENT: We read in the New Testament that Abraham and all the patriarchs have NOT received the promised inheritance, even to this day! They, and all Christians who become Abraham’s children through Christ, are now only HEIRS to the promises. An "heir" is one who has not yet come into his inheritance. And so they have not yet become "inheritors"! The BIG question that still remains, then, is: When will they receive the promised inheritance? To Inherit the "Kingdom of God" In order to understand when the promises will be inherited, let’s study more fully what Abraham and his heirs are to inherit. 1. What did Jesus Christ "confirm" during His ministry on earth? Rom. 15:8. And what message did he proclaim? Mark 1:14; Matt. 9:35. COMMENT: In confirming the promises of eternal inheritance God made to the "fathers" (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) Christ always preached the Gospel--the GOOD NEWS—of the KINGDOM OF GOD which is to occupy and govern the earth—the same earth that has been promised to Abraham and his heirs for an eternal inheritance. Is there any connection? Absolutely! Notice further: 2. Will all the righteous men of old be "in" the Kingdom of God? Luke 13:28; Matt 8:11. COMMENT: The promises God made to the fathers included ENTRANCE into the Kingdom of God! And so their inheritance will include (1) ETERNAL LIFE in (2) the KINGDOM OF GOD and (3) the EARTH on which that Kingdom will reign—the very SAME INHERITANCE you and I may receive through Christ! 3. What did Jesus say Christians should strive to enter? Matt. 6:33; 7:21. COMMENT: Notice in Matthew 7:21 that it is the Kingdom "of" heaven—not in heaven! "Of" does not mean "in." It is the Kingdom of, or owned and ruled by, heaven in the same sense that "the Bank of Morgan" was not in Mr. Morgan—but was owned and ruled by him. Matthew’s Gospel always uses the term "kingdom of heaven" to express exactly the same thing that Mark, Luke and John express as "kingdom of God." It does not mean a kingdom in heaven, any more than it means a kingdom in God! But it does mean a kingdom owned and ruled by GOD whose throne and dwelling place is in heaven. 4. What did Jesus, in His "sermon on the mount," say the "meek" shall inherit? Matt. 5:5. But what did He say of the "poor in spirit"? Matt. 5:3. Is this a contradiction? COMMENT: Of course not! The "meek" and the "poor in spirit"—in other words, humble Christians—shall inherit THE EARTH for an everlasting possession, and shall enter the "Kingdom of heaven" which will be set up on earth! That Kingdom, as we learned in a previous lesson, is the divine, ruling government of God which Christ will establish on earth at His return. To enter into—or "inherit"—the divine Kingdom of God is a destiny of such marvelous glory that the human mind cannot fully grasp it! Men today have no conception of what is in store for the obedient. The inheritance that awaits every true Christian surpasses anything you have ever conceived in your mind! As we read in I Corinthians 2:9, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God bath prepared for them that love him." The full extent of the inheritance God has promised the righteous cannot even be remotely imagined by the natural mind of man—but God does reveal it to us "by His Spirit" (verse 10). Precisely what God reveals will be covered fully in the next lesson! 5. What does Matthew 6:10 also tell us about God’s Kingdom? COMMENT: Christians today are to pray earnestly: "THY KINGDOM COME!" Obviously, then, it has NOT come to the earth yet. 6. Where is the Christian’s inheritance being kept? I Peter 1:3-4; Matt. 5:12; Luke 6:23. COMMENT: These verses do NOT say, "Great is your reward when you get to heaven." They do not tell us when or where Christians will receive their inheritance and rewards—only that they are being "reserved" for them in heaven! 7. When will the righteous inherit the Kingdom of God—receive their inheritance and rewards? Matt. 25:31-34. Clearly it is WHEN CHRIST RETURNS that Abraham and his children will become inheritors of the promises! But notice what else must happen at Christ’s coming. Importance of the Resurrection 1. Can anyone inherit the Kingdom of God while still a mortal flesh-and-blood human being? I Cor. 15:50. COMMENT: No HUMAN can inherit the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is not a human kingdom—there are NO humans in it. It is a DIVINE KINGDOM—the GOD Kingdom! 2. What did Paul say must happen to our mortal bodies in order to inherit and actually become a part of that Kingdom? I Cor. 15:51, 53. When will our bodies be changed—converted from flesh to spirit? Verse 52. Does that trumpet sound at the SECOND COMING of Christ? I Thes. 4:13-16. Is this when Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and others will inherit the promises? Same verses. What did Jesus call this change, while explaining it to Nicodemus? John 3:6, 8. And if we are "born of the spirit," can we finally "see"--ENTER—the divine, spiritual Kingdom of God? Verse 3. COMMENT: At the second coming of Jesus Christ all the dead in Christ will be raised with new SPIRIT bodies; and those mortal Christians still alive at His return will be instantly changed into the same kind of SPIRIT BODIES—bodies which can INHERIT the Kingdom of God. Our present flesh is corruptible, subject to death and decay. But spirit beings are ETERNALLY NEW—immortal, incorruptible, never subject to death and decay! 3. Did Jesus declare that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will—in the future—be resurrected in order to be in God’s Kingdom? Matt. 22:31-32. COMMENT: This text is often twisted around and perverted in an attempt to prove that Abraham is not dead—that he has already gone to his promised reward WITHOUT having to be resurrected—just the diametric OPPOSITE of what Jesus used this illustration to point out. God is the God of the living, not the dead. Jesus was speaking of their future resurrection to immortal life! For He plainly said, "As touching the RESURRECTION of the dead...." We can now see why Abraham and his children through Christ have not, as yet, inherited the promises. They simply cannot come into this ETERNAL INHERITANCE until they receive ETERNAL LIFE! This, as Paul explained, will happen at the resurrection from the dead! Without a resurrection, the dead would never live again! (I Cor. 15:16, 18.) Therefore, the resurrection of the dead is central to God’s plan. And unless Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all deceased Christians are RESURRECTED from the grave at Christ’s coming, they cannot inherit the promises! Let’s briefly summarize a few points: The resurrection of the dead shall occur at the second coming of Christ—when He comes as the KING of kings and the LORD of lords to reign over and to rule all nations of the earth. When He comes to set up His Kingdom, then Abraham and his spiritual children in Christ shall be given immortality and will inherit the Kingdom of God—a world-ruling GOVERNMENT headed by and ruled by Christ, occupying the very land promised to Abraham—the land stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates River. And this Kingdom or government composed of IMMORTALS shall rule over all the nations of earth composed of flesh and blood mortals! How different the plain truth of God’s Word is from the ancient religious fables and myths which the world embraces today! How Christ Made Eternal Inheritance Possible Jesus Christ came to "confirm" the promises made to the fathers (Rom. 15:8). We need to understand what this means. Let’s notice how Christ made it possible for all mankind to inherit these glorious promises. 1. What is sin? I John 3:4. Will anyone who sins—transgresses God’s law- inherit the Kingdom of God? Eph. 5:5; I Cor. 6:9-10. What is the penalty— "the wages"— of sin? Rom. 6:23. Have all people sinned? Rom. 3:23. COMMENT: God is Creator of the entire universe. He is also the great Lawgiver. Whoever is not obedient to Him commits sin. Sin causes sorrow, suffering, anguish and DEATH! And so the Bible shows that anyone who disobeys God is worthy of death—ETERNAL DEATH! Since all have sinned, all have come under the same penalty. If each one of us were to pay the penalty of our own sins, none could receive eternal life—none could inherit the promises made to the fathers. 2. But did Jesus Christ voluntarily give His SINLESS LIFE as a sacrifice FOR US so we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty of our sins, and thus be deprived of eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of God? John 10:17-18; I Tim. 2:5-6; Rom. 5:8-10. COMMENT: God, the Father, created all things by Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:9; John 1:1-3). Jesus was GOD incarnate—God made flesh (John 1:14). Therefore, as God and our Maker, Jesus’ physical life was of GREATER VALUE than the sum total of all human lives ever born! So by dying Jesus was able to pay the penalty of death for ALL the sins of ALL mankind! Christ "confirmed" the promises God made to Abraham by preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and then by dying for our sins. His death makes it possible for us to receive eternal life! (John 3:16.) 3. But what conditions must we fulfill before Christ’s sacrifice can be applied to pay the penalty our past sins have incurred? Acts 2:38. What must we become? Gal. 3:29, first five words; Rom. 8:9. . COMMENT: Whether a direct descendant of Abraham or a Gentile, ALL MUST become "Christ’s"—a "Christian"—in order to become eligible to receive eternal inheritance! 4. Has Jesus become the "Captain," or fore-runner—the leader—of our salvation through His suffering, death and subsequent resurrection to glory? Heb. 2:9-10. Of what has Jesus been appointed "heir" by the Father? Heb. 1:1-2. And will we, if we become "Christ’s"—Christians—and overcome, INHERIT ALL THINGS with Him as co-heirs? Rom. 8:16-17; Rev. 21:6-7. COMMENT: Jesus Christ, at His resurrection, inherited all the promises made to Abraham! And by living a sinless life He made it possible for all who accept His sacrifice to become CO-HEIRS of the same promises with Him! 5. Did Christ leave a will, or last testament? Heb. 9:15. (A "testament" is a will.) What kind of inheritance will the heirs of this will, or "testament," receive? Same verse. When a person makes a will, must he die before it comes into force? Verses 16-17. COMMENT: Christ left a will—a "testament." This is why the last fourth of your Bible is called the "New Testament." It teaches us what we must do to become co-heirs with Him of the promise of eternal inheritance in the Kingdom of God. But a testament, or will, is of no effect unless the one making it dies. So Christ died that we may inherit the promises through Him. But He lives today at the Father’s right hand, ready to intercede for us (Heb. 7:25), to help us, to give us strength so we can all overcome sin and inherit the glorious promises of God! Has Anyone Gone to Heaven? There is absolutely NO scripture in all the Bible that promises HEAVEN as the "reward of the saved." NO scripture speaks of the saints—true Christians—going to heaven when they die! And yet most people seem to be ignorant of the plain teaching of the Word of God and have carelessly taken for granted, without question, the false idea of "going to heaven"! Let’s notice a few more scriptures which have been either overlooked or carelessly interpreted by those who want to believe in this false doctrine. 1. What did Jesus tell His disciples, as recorded in John 13:33, 36? COMMENT: Some have assumed that Christ taught His disciples they would follow Him into heaven "afterwards." All the plain scriptures we have studied thus far in this lesson show that this clearly is NOT what Christ was saying! Peter later also died and still lies unconscious in his grave. He will rise later—at Christ’s return—in the resurrection with the rest of the saints, and become an immortal member of the Kingdom of God! 2. Does the Bible give us a clear idea of where the resurrected saints will be and what they will be doing after Christ returns? Rev. 5:10. What did Christ say He is preparing for them? John 14:2-3. COMMENT: "Mansions" is an improper translation. The correct rendering is "abodes" or "dwelling places." In this case the abodes refer to rooms in the "Father’s house" or God’s Temple. In Old Testament times the rooms in the temple were occupied by God’s priests. These rooms represent positions of authority—those positions which the saints will be given in God’s ruling Kingdom at Christ’s return! These positions will not be in heaven. Christ plainly said He was going to heaven to "prepare" a position of authority for each Christian. But it is only when He comes to earth again that these positions will be awarded. When Jesus returns to this earth, as King of kings, He will tell the saints: "Come, ye blessed... inherit the Kingdom, PREPARED FOR YOU" (Matt. 25:34). And the Scriptures declare that they will rule all nations here on earth, having POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY in God s Kingdom! 3. Does the Bible dogmatically state that NO ONE, except Jesus Himself, has ever ascended up into heaven? John 3:13. Could anything be clearer? 4. But what about the "thief on the cross"? Didn’t he go to heaven with Jesus that very day? Luke 23:43. The very plain and simple answer is No! Let’s understand why. COMMENT: In the first place, Christ Himself did not go to heaven that day. Instead he was placed in the tomb—in "hell"—where He remained dead for the next three whole days and nights. Second, the word "paradise" does not mean heaven at all. The word actually describes the earth when God will dwell on it. "Paradise" simply means a "garden, pleasureground; grove, park"—"a grand enclosure or preserve...shady and wellwatered...enclosed by walls." That is the definition you will find in Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. And third, in many versions of the Bible, this verse is mispunctuated. There were no commas in the Greek when the New Testament was written. So when the translators supplied the commas in the English, they were placed where the translators thought they should be. Actually, Christ did not say, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise," but rather, "I say unto thee today, shalt thou [or thou shalt] be with me in paradise." By using the word "today," Jesus was stressing the time of His promise- not the time He would be in paradise. Jesus discerned the man’s repentant attitude and was able to tell him that he would eventually live again, with Christ, in a beautiful world. That "paradise," however, has not yet come to this earth, and the repentant malefactor is still dead! 5. What will those who "wait upon the Lord" inherit? Ps. 37:9. What shall those "blessed of God" inherit? Verse 22. What shall the "righteous" inherit, and how long shall they dwell there? Verse 29. And what does God promise to those who "keep His way"? Verse 34. COMMENT: Is there anything wrong with having the earth as an eternal inheritance? Would you "settle for" earth? The earth today would be an extremely wonderful place in which to live were it not for sin—rebellion against God and His eternal spiritual laws that bring peace, happiness and joy! Happiness and joy are not a matter of geographical location. Happiness is a state of mind—a spiritual condition! There will be NO SIN in the spiritual Kingdom of God. No liars, no murderers, no thieves or robbers. Think of it—there’ll be no devil to deceive anyone, no locks on doors, no jails, no hospitals, no poor houses! No strife, no war—no sickness or disease—no poverty, no hunger, no want! What a wonderful inheritance! When we put all the Scriptures together, it becomes crystal clear that the reward of the saints is not strumming on harps up in heaven for all eternity. It is infinitely more glorious and exciting than that! Heaven on Earth! In a previous lesson we studied what the Millennial rule of Christ on the earth will be like. We found that the whole world will then become a glorious UTOPIAN PARADISE—resplendent as the Garden of Eden! But what will the earth be like when the Millennium is over—when all the righteous will have been given immortality and eternal life, and all the wicked will have been burned to ashes? 1. Will there be a NEW earth and NEW heavens after the present earth’s surface is purified? II Pet. 3:7-13; Rev. 21:1. 2. Who will dwell on the new earth? Rev. 21:24-27. Will these "nations" be the resurrected, immortal sons of God—the saved? Verse 24. Are their names written in the book of life? Verse 27. 3. What will be the capital city of the new earth? Rev. 21:2, 10-14. How big will this city be? Verses 15-17. Will it be a sparkling, glorious city with streets of real gold? Verses 18-21. Where will this city come from? Verses 2, 10. COMMENT: How clear, therefore, that although Christians do not go to heaven when they die or when they are resurrected, the "HEAVENLY JERUSALEM" IS COMING TO EARTH! 4. Will God the Father, at that time, come and dwell on the earth in person and make the new Jerusalem the location of His very THRONE? Rev. 21:3, 22-23; 22:3. Will those who enter this city be able to look upon God’s face? Rev. 22:3-4. COMMENT: The new Jerusalem—with streets of gold—will descend to this earth and will become God’s headquarters for all eternity! The EARTH is destined to become the center of all activity in the universe! Understanding the great future plans God has made for the earth, and seeing that the Father Himself will eventually move His headquarters to this earth, why should anyone desire to "go to heaven"? To be with God? Why, God will be here on earth! After studying the Bible carefully, as we have with this lesson, the inescapable truth is that heaven is NOT the "reward of the saved"—that Christians do NOT go to heaven when they die, or when resurrected. Rather, heaven is coming to this earth. The earth will become the very headquarters from which God the Father will rule all His creation! Will you dwell on that new earth? Will you be a part of that glorious world? When Jesus Christ returns, He will say, "Come, ye blessed of my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM prepared for you..." (Matt. 25:34). Will you be among those who will inherit the Kingdom of God, along with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? May God help you to understand—and qualify to have a part in that glorious kingdom!
  • So a 87 year old Granny dies and may pop into Hell if she is unsaved?
  • My opinion we still roam the earth until our judgement day....
  • door number one. no door number two- three! oh monty I cant decide. what was behind one? nobody knows so nobody can help you. there are those who believe they know and will try their best to tell you so that you will follow them but no one really knows. You can have faith in one of the 3 doors, but you will only have that as knowledge until that day comes for you.
  • The return of Christ is just a astrological event called Neb Heru (not nibiru). It means the return of light (or as you've been brainwashed to believe Christ). When the event of the Equinox occurs u will be alone in blackness for 28 hours or days, which we are not sure of yet but the Mayans say 28 hours & we (Nubians) say days. If that's going back to God to u then ok but i suppose if u don't make it u will go somewhere else besides the 5th dimension. Good luck in the dark & the dark that's coming. Jesus is not what u think it is, take it from me. We gave u the concept as a codified astronomical science in story, which was twisted to cheat u from the truth about this all. Haven't u noticed no one ever told u the scientific explanation of REALITY & what this u are experiencing really is? Haha, not even your holy book does (none of them, so don't poke fun) & i think it's odd u believe so much in my cultures history, which u have nearly nothing to do with. Moses=Mises, Jesus=Heru, Virgin Mary=Auset, Set=Satan, The Light= Ra & it goes on & on.... snap out of it cuz if u wanna know where your faith or religion comes from we can show u the root of it all. Constantine screwed u all big time & we were villified so u would never believe us if we told u the truth but the entire story happened with my people. Not anyone else! What exactly do u believe in? Osara
  • My daughter had a BIBLE study about this and told me what they found out...I had already come to this conclusion myself more or less. To sleep is refered to alot in the BIBLE...that is to be in the grave...our spirit is no longer on earth...but with GOD who first put it in our bodies....as the scripture says..."I knew you before you were formed." I think that means that HE assigned or assigns a spirit to each body as a child is concieved. Our body is resting in the ground to be joined with our spirit on the day of JESUS' return. Then there will be judgement day....but I've heard there will be 2 judgement days....so I need to read on that to understand the 2 and the differences. Those who are in CHRIST will be reunited with their spirit on the day of JESUS' return.....and then be judged and sent to Heaven....those who denied CHRIST'S sacrifice and did not believe...will also be judged but have no Lawyer.....(JESUS)....they will be thrown into Hell with Satan and all his demons.....a place that GOD created for them and not mankind. HIS wish is that none of us be there.....but it is our choice.....that is the kind of GOD we serve.....he told us (Adam and Eve)at the beginning what to do and they didn't listen....so now HE is allowing us to chose......we make our own destiny....by the choices we make....so we can't blame anyone......so to answer your question.....we all just sleep till Christ returns....but our spirit is back where it started from in the beginning......till HIS return!!!! Halleluia.....!!!!
  • ...and emotional state (the sense of guilt for our sins when we are in the presence of a just and righteous God) will have a profound effect on those who must endure hell. However, even David, who committed both adultery and murder, was shown by God in vision that his soul would not be left in hell. His spirit (soul) is currently still in hell. It will not be redeemed until after all those more righteous than him have been redeemed. Just as those who were ill and were healed were also forgiven of their sins by Jesus during his mortal ministry, so it will be with all of those who are resurrected. "D*mned" as scriptures use the word also means those who are "stopped in progress". Those who are the most righteous will be co-inheritors of Eternal Life, which life is with Christ and God the Father. And, those who receive this inheritance will be like them, for they shall know even as they are known. God's life is without end. All will live forever. All will achieve immortality. But few there will be who will attain to Eternal Life (to live forever with Christ and his God).
  • You immediately go to heaven or hell.
  • We are will the Lord until judgement day. "To be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord"
  • Irrelevant. If you love the lord your God with all your heart and mind and strength, and love your neighbor at least as much as you love yourself, all things will fall into place.
  • Look at the account of Lazarus and his resurrection in the Bible and you will have your answer. If Lazarus was in Heaven, why would Jesus bring him back to earth. If Lazarus was in a place of torment, he surely would have been happy to be liberated from that. John 11:1-53 Now there was a certain man sick, Laz´a·rus of Beth´a·ny, of the village of Mary and of Martha her sister. 2 It was, in fact, the Mary that greased the Lord with perfumed oil and wiped his feet dry with her hair, whose brother Laz´a·rus was sick. 3 Therefore his sisters dispatched word to him, saying: “Lord, see! the one for whom you have affection is sick.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said: “This sickness is not with death as its object, but is for the glory of God, in order that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Laz´a·rus. 6 However, when he heard that he was sick, then he actually remained two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples: “Let us go into Ju·de´a again.” 8 The disciples said to him: “Rabbi, just lately the Ju·de´ans were seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered: “There are twelve hours of daylight, are there not? If anyone walks in daylight he does not bump against anything, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he bumps against something, because the light is not in him.” 11 He said these things, and after this he said to them: “Laz´a·rus our friend has gone to rest, but I am journeying there to awaken him from sleep.” 12 Therefore the disciples said to him: “Lord, if he has gone to rest, he will get well.” 13 Jesus had spoken, however, about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 14 At that time, therefore, Jesus said to them outspokenly: “Laz´a·rus has died, 15 and I rejoice on YOUR account that I was not there, in order for YOU to believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Therefore Thomas, who was called The Twin, said to his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 17 Consequently when Jesus arrived, he found he had already been four days in the memorial tomb. 18 Now Beth´a·ny was near Jerusalem at a distance of about two miles. 19 Accordingly many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary in order to console them concerning their brother. 20 Therefore Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, met him; but Mary kept sitting at home. 21 Martha therefore said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. 22 And yet at present I know that as many things as you ask God for, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” 24 Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; 26 and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him: “Yes, Lord; I have believed that you are the Christ the Son of God, the One coming into the world.” 28 And when she had said this, she went off and called Mary her sister, saying secretly: “The Teacher is present and is calling you.” 29 The latter, when she heard this, got up quickly and was on her way to him. 30 Jesus had not yet, in fact, come into the village, but he was still in the place where Martha met him. 31 Therefore the Jews that were with her in the house and that were consoling her, on seeing Mary rise quickly and go out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the memorial tomb to weep there. 32 And so Mary, when she arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, fell at his feet, saying to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Jesus, therefore, when he saw her weeping and the Jews that came with her weeping, groaned in the spirit and became troubled; 34 and he said: “Where have YOU laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus gave way to tears. 36 Therefore the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he used to have for him!” 37 But some of them said: “Was not this [man] that opened the eyes of the blind man able to prevent this one from dying?” 38 Hence Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the memorial tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39 Jesus said: “TAKE the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it is four days.” 40 Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Therefore they took the stone away. Now Jesus raised his eyes heavenward and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 True, I knew that you always hear me; but on account of the crowd standing around I spoke, in order that they might believe that you sent me forth.” 43 And when he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Laz´a·rus, come on out!” 44 The [man] that had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his countenance was bound about with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.” 45 Therefore many of the Jews that had come to Mary and that beheld what he did put faith in him; 46 but some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Consequently the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the San´he·drin together and began to say: “What are we to do, because this man performs many signs? 48 If we let him alone this way, they will all put faith in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49 But a certain one of them, Ca´ia·phas, who was high priest that year, said to them: “YOU do not know anything at all, 50 and YOU do not reason out that it is to YOUR benefit for one man to die in behalf of the people and not for the whole nation to be destroyed.” 51 This, though, he did not say of his own originality; but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was destined to die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that the children of God who are scattered about he might also gather together in one. 53 Therefore from that day on they took counsel to kill him.
  • How can anyone possibly know the answer to that question? Unless you ask the dead of course then you would know, bit creepy though!
  • You can't sleep after you die. When you are dead, that's it. * Would you believe if I borrowed 100s of hours of prayer from your life and kept telling you, 'I'll reward you tomorrow' that never comes?
  • Different branches of Christianity have very different wievs on this. Some put a lot of emphasis on the apocalypse of John and they interpret it to mean that there will be a final armageddon, and that the souls of everyone who die before then are in some sort of storage to be reawakened and judged by God before being sent to fight for either God or Satan in that final cataclysm. Most however think that after death the soul go straight to hell or heaven. regards JakobA
  • According to the Apostles Creed, the dead will be judged along with the living on "judgement day," so when you die your soul lies in wait of this to happen.
  • i'LL Opt for the least crowded waiting room. I do not believe in trying to rush the powers that be, whoever they may be.
  • From Quran point of view the time of dead people is shrinking to aproach zero so in many verses god said( when people get up in the day of judgement, they said to each other, we are sleeping for a half day or a day) and Mohammed said that the day of judgement is at the dieth of each one... which mean when you dead, the day of judgement is very close maybe hours after your deith it has to do with relative theory :)
  • What if you do not meet the requirements to go to either place.Even Satan would have standards to meet to qualify entrance.
  • have no idea since i havent been there yet
  • Why did Jesus speak of death as a sleep? Because a sleeping person is inactive. During deep sleep there is no consciousness of surroundings or the passing of time. There is no pain or suffering. Similarly, in death there is no activity or activity or consciousness. But the comparison goes further with sleep. With sleep, one expects to wake up. And that is exactly the hope that the Bible offers for the dead. This would be the resurrection that Jesus spoke about. Jesus’ early disciples clearly understood the true condition of the dead. To the followers of Jesus death was a sleep, and the grave a resting-place.
  • According to Revelation 21, when people die, they just die. Someday, in the future, everyone is resurrected. The followers of Jesus are all granted a second life and the wicked people are sentenced to a second death by burning. The chapter also gives the area of heaven as about half the size fo the USA.

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