I was sent an e-mail asking, "After we die, where do we go while awaiting judgment?" It is a great question and it shows that many a sincere believer has questions about what happens upon death. That shows the confusion that has been created in much of the teaching.
I will share with you some brief thoughts in my studies and I am open for further insight. Mountains of material have been written and people debate this or that. Many jump back to the rich man and Lazarus to show what happens (Luke 16) but I am not sure that will not do because Lazarus is in the bosom of Abraham, the father of the Old Testament. For many believers in the Lord, they think the believer "sleeps" until the resurrection, while others think that one receives a resurrected body immediately, while some teach the righteous are holding up in Hades (back to the rich man/Lazarus) and still others think the believer literally ceases to exist until newly created. I have heard all these ideas at one time or the other.
Paul says in Phil. 1:22-24 that he struggles in choosing to live or die. Here is the part he says if he dies: "But I am hard- pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better." What did he see as better? To be with Christ. He speaks nothing of waiting or a state of limbo. He speaks of being with Christ, where Christ lives! I have heard the arguments over the word "with" but I take things for what they say and try to leave them as they are stated. To "depart", Paul uses a word that soldiers used when they pulled up stakes of their tent and march home to stay or when a ship pulls up anchor and sails to home.
For the true believer in Christ, they depart and goes wherever Christ is! When John gets his visions in the book of Revelation, John sees in heaven, under the altar, the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God (Rev. 6:9-11). They were with the Lord. In my studies, and time will not allow me to go into any depth here, I find that the saint dies and goes to be with the Lord. The only thing awaiting is a new body to be resurrected to bring the three parts of man (body, soul and spirit) back together (I Thes. 5:23/I Cor. 15). The judgment day, well that's for the ungodly and unreconciled! Oh, I know the verses of standing before the judgment seat (I Cor. 5:10/Rom. 14:11-12), but when you look closely at the context, we are speaking about the Lord having to sort out anything that needs to be sorted out, so we don't have to worry about anything getting by. I probably didn't say that well. In other words, just live for the Lord and let Him determine opinions and situations if they need to be determined.
Just think with me for a second: if the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin (and it does), what do we have to be judged on? If my sins were completely taken away (and they are) and I have held with all my heart to the death of Jesus as my salvation, why would I be tried for sins or misdeeds in my life? If we have been clothed with Christ through baptism (and we have), who does God see and who stands good on my account? When we die, like Paul said, we go and be with the Lord. At the judgment, there will be the revealing of the sons of God (Rom. 8) to which creation is awaiting! In the return of Christ, Paul says that "God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus." (I Thes. 4:14) If He is bringing them with Him, where are they?
Do some studying on your own. Look carefully at things and be honest with Scriptures. If I have misspoken, please show me better. I am always willing to learn! Death is the entry to being with Christ.
1 comment:
Based on my personal study, the context of the scriptures cited, and faith I do not believe that you are off-base with what has been presented. In fact, I believe it hit the mark very well indeed. Even though you mentioned struggling with some of the wording, the points made are good and provide invaluable information. The topic is a tough one given everyone believes their own views are right even though they fail to provide scriptural support for them.
The point about Lazarus was excellent. There are other similar situations such as when Moses and Elijah appeared speaking to Jesus as recorded in Luke 9. I think it helps to remind us the New Covenant wasn’t fulfilled until the death and resurrection of Jesus, when He overcame death on our behalf.
I know, as you mentioned at the beginning, people have these questions quite often. They struggle to seek answers for very specific points they want to know. I believe this comes from the human mind thinking in a linear, sequential manner. Even the title of this posting demonstrates how we think when we ask these kinds of questions. We think in the context of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We want to know the first, second, third, etc. of all that we encounter. Death is no different. We want to know how, when, and where we will be with Christ. We want to know the sequence of events and the specifics to fulfill this need of how we think in this physical world.
Here’s the bombshell I’m dropping on those that read this blog. Why? In case you missed it, here it is again…..WHY? Why do we want to or need to know these things? What purpose does it serve in our worship to God through Jesus? If we are in Christ, and He is in us (Col. 1 27-28), then does this kind of question really have merit? I’m not trying to make light of the matter, so please don’t take it that way. My stance is, as mentioned in the posting, we will be with Christ (if we have been faithful) wherever that may be. Is there any more that really matters, or should matter to us now in this life, given we have salvation in Him and keep His Word? Why then do we have this anxiety about death and what happens or where? I know, the question may seem important now, but take pause and ask yourself if it really is.
This type of thinking is not new though. Please read the end of Mark 10 where James and John asked Jesus to let them sit on His right and left in His glory. Even then, the focus wasn’t on being with Jesus, but rather what was going to happen and how (among the multitude of other lessons there in those passages).
Real peace and comfort now are in the Lord. Paul’s struggle with wanting to be with the Lord is so very understandable when your focus is on being with the Jesus and not how or where it will happen. The world is full of false teaching when it comes to the subject of being with Christ after death and the Judgment that is to come. I am very thankful for those willing to study and proclaim the Truth from God’s Word on this subject.
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