What Happens to Christians when We Die?

Admin Sat 26 Jan 2019, 9:21 pm

Today's Daily Encounter

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that

we who are alive and remain until the coming of the

Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For

the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout,

with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of

God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we

who are alive and remain shall be caught up together

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And thus we shall always be with the Lord."1

Here's an interesting question posed by a Daily

Encounter reader: "When a Christian dies, does he/she

go directly to heaven to be with the Lord, or does

he/she remain in the grave until the resurrection and

return of Jesus when the ‘dead in Christ’ shall rise?"

My challenger believed that I was in error saying that

my friend who died is now in heaven with the Lord.

And certainly the Apostle Paul in today's Scripture

seems to indicate that when we die, we will remain in

the grave until the Lord returns.

On the other hand, the Apostle Paul also said, "So we

are always confident, even though we know that as long

as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the

Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by

seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would

rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be

at home with the Lord."2

Again Paul seems to indicate that when a Christian

dies, he goes directly to be with the Lord in Heaven.

He said, "For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is

even better. Yet if I live, that means fruitful service

for Christ. I really don't know which is better. I'm

torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and

sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would

be far better for me, but it is better for you that I

live."3

I don't claim to be a theologian by any means, but it

seems to me that it is our bodies that will be raised

at the resurrection and return of the Lord, and that

our soul/spirit goes directly to be with the Lord when

we die.

As an interesting sidelight, another Daily Encounter

reader shared the following: “When my grandmother (who

was the strongest Christian woman I've ever known) was

on her deathbed from cancer in her last moments, I

vividly remember her having a smile on her face and

saying, ‘Oh my, Oh my!’ I firmly believe that this was

because she was seeing heaven. It is truly there!"

Either way, the most important thing of all is that we

are ready to meet God face to face. I'm not in a hurry

to prove my point as I hope by the grace of God I can

keep publishing the gospel for many years to come.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, how can I ever thank You

enough for Your great love and so great a salvation,

and for the blessed hope I have as a Christian, knowing

that after this life on earth is over, I will live

forever with You in Heaven for all eternity. And

because You loved me enough to die for me, please help

me to love You enough to live for You all the days of

my life--or until Jesus comes if that should come

first--to take me home to Heaven. Thank You for hearing

and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus's name,

amen."

NOTE: If you are not sure that you will go to Heaven

when you die, be sure to read the article, "How to Be

Sure You're a Real Christian" at:

http://tinyurl.com/8glq9.

1. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NIV).

2. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NLT).

3. Philippians 1:21-24 (NLT).

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