What happens once we die?
What happens if we are saved in Jesus Christ? What happens if we are not saved?
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Asked September 02 2013
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Frank Garcia
Supporter
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
D W
The Jehovah Witness organization, the Mormons, the Catholic church hierarchy, so-called "Christian" Science, and lots of others, provide misinterpreted information. Far better to pray and place your faith, hope and trust in what the Holy Spirit reveals to you as you study in the Gospel according to Paul, that was given to him by Jesus Himself.
D W
The soul is the mind, will and emotions. It is the soulish, sinful nature that we were born with. its opposite is the Spiritual Nature that we received when we accepted God's offer of eternal salvation. It never dies. Those without it head for the Great White Throne Judgment. Those with it are Heaven Bound, instantly, Hallelujah!!
Danny Hickman
I don't think the people who believe we die and are "asleep" until "SOME DAY," a day that even Jesus Himself says He doesn't even know when that day is, I don't think they understand much of what the bible says about the resurrection of the dead.
Paul wrote extensively to the Corinthian church about it.
If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can SOME OF YOU say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1 Cor 15:12 .
Listen closely: If the dead ARE NOT RAISED, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished (1 Cor 15:16-18).
He said 'the dead are raised.' You can read this however you wish, and he never says the dead WILL BE raised. He says, 'By a man CAME death, by a man HAS COME also the resurrection of the dead. (vs 21)
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (vs 20).
Paul states that Jesus was dead, but never says the others are dead, but says every time they are mentioned that they have "fallen asleep."
Why doesn't he say that Jesus "fell asleep?" Because Jesus died in the others' place. They have not perished. To perish is to cease to live. If they are "in Christ," then they are alive with Christ, who died in their place, and was raised to life.
Waiting for a day of ressurection in a distant future is equal to being dead. I don't see a difference.
Danny Hickman
Continuing,
As a precursor to this, the story is told in John 11 of the time when Lazarus of Bethany died. His sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. When told, Jesus said, "this illness does not lead to death." So He stays two days longer.
Lazarus was in fact dead (in our estimation) but Jesus tells the disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." (John 11:11)
Is this story a characterization of what happens to the dead "in Christ?" Jesus said it was not unto death. Lazarus was "sleep" for four days. He was, for all intents and purposes, DEAD.
That's how my dad looked to me in November 2012, but I think the bible teaches that he fell asleep, and Jesus came and awakened him, (his spirit) since he was a man of God, a pastor, born again many years before his death.
Why is the story of Lazarus "falling asleep" and Jesus going to his tomb to awaken him, told to us? Is Jesus padding His record? Why is Lazarus said by Jesus to be asleep? Is Jesus trying to reduce the scope of the miracle? Even the disciples said, "Lord if he's asleep he'll be alright." Then Jesus says, "Lazarus has died."
Listen to Jesus' words: "This illness does not lead to death."
The story is a harbinger to what happens to the "dead in Christ," the one (in Lazarus' sisters' words) whom Jesus loves. (John 11:3) He awakens us from "falling asleep."
It's all really quite clear when we study it with discernment given to us by the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord!