Where do we go when we die?

There are several theories that people have about what happens when we die.  Spiritualists maintain that there are many different levels of spirituality after death.  Some believe that we make several trips to this earth to be perfected; this is called Reincarnation. Many religions believe many different things. Among Christians, there are several lines of thought.  That is what we will focus on here.

Do we:

1. We sleep until judgement day, then go to our final resting place at the resurrection.
2. Enter a temporary place and await the resurrection, judgement, and then are sent to our final destination:  heaven or hell
3. At the moment of death, our bodies are instantly judged and sent to their final destination:  heaven or hell.

Everyone's soul is eternal. 

Our soul existed prior to our birth and will continue long after our death.  It just changes positions.  For a period of time, it is housed by a tent of flesh and placed on earth.  That is our life as we know it now.  When we die, it merely means that this tent we are wearing is shed, because it is flesh which is physical and is subject to all the laws of entropy regarding physical things.  Everyone will be resurrected from the dead and live in Eternity, whether resurrected to eternal life with God or away from God.  (John 5:29;

Regardless of the path from Life to Eternity, those who accepted the Gift of God, travel the path to Heaven to be with God (Salvation).  Those who rejected or ignored the Gift of God, travel the path to the Lake of Fire to be away from God (Damnation - Matt 25:46; 2 Thess 1:9;

Reincarnation and sitting in a grave of nothingness are not possible.  The reasons will be explained following the next section. So now, we need only investigate the final two options:  Do we go straight to heaven, or a transitionary place. 

My position

Given my research, this is my conclusion, and I will back it up with biblical documentation and references.  If I have anything wrong during this study, I will openly state it because I am only human and certainly not all knowing.   Please know, that regardless of some details, what is important more than anything is our final eternal destination. 

Things are different in this age than it was before Christ Died on the cross.  Before Christ died, there was a transitionary place, but during the 3 days that Jesus was "in the grave" HE went to "center of the earth" and set them free.  Recall that many people saw "ghosts" during that specific period of time.   This is still a small grey area for many.  But now, after Christ's substitutionary death,  in this current age:

1. when we die our physical bodies go into the grave. 
2. Our spirits immediately go to be with the Lord.  But we are in a transitionary state; naked so to speak.  We will not have our heavenly bodies until the resurrection.
3. At the time of the Trumpet Horn, Jesus will be in the clouds, and a few things happen:
• those who died in Christ are resurrected (First the Jews, then the Gentiles)
• those who are still alive and are in Christ are taken up to the clouds to meet Jesus and those who were just resurrected. (First the Jews, then the Gentiles)
• all those resurrected get perfect resurrected bodies, unlike the tent we were wearing on earth that was subject to the physical laws of entropy.
4. The end comes, those who are alive and have not accepted God and those who died and never accepted God and his Gift, are resurrected and judged.  (First the Jews, then the Gentiles)

Reincarnation and Sitting in a Grave

But, regarding Reincarnation, according to the writer of Hebrews (many think this is Paul, that is where I am inclined as well), We all only die once and then move on to judgement. If we are reincarnated, though, we would die over an over and over. There is no biblical precendence for this.

Heb. 9:27, “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”

Regarding sitting in a grave, in nothingness, and just waiting, there is nothing biblical about this. Many point to the following verses for this:

• Eccl. 9:5, For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten."
• Eccl. 12:7, "then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."

But according to this CARM article, this misconception is due to not reading these verses in context.  This is a mistake that many, many make.  (I am certainly not exempt)

The first three verses of Ecclesiastes say,

"The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher, “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” 3 What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?"

 

Notice that he is writing about things from a human perspective, from that which is "under the sun." He is not providing doctrinal statements about life after death. From the human perspective, when you die the dead don't know anything in that the spirit returns to God who gave it.

 

Just to review: All of us sin, we know that. We know that all sin keeps us from heaven because all sin deserves the punishment of death. What we call sin is different than what God calls sin, because he is holy and HIS ways are much higher than ours. We know that because God HAS to be just and issue a punishment for our sin, He took the punishment off our shoulders and sent Jesus to tak that punishment instead of us. All through the bible describes substitutionary death for our sins. There was a long period of time that God had his chosen people use certain animals as sacrifices for their sins. But at a specific time, that was no longer necessary because the perfect sacrifice of Jesus took away all punishment for our sins. God, in heaven, is handing each of us a free ticket to heaven, we merely have to reach out our hand and take it. But most don't believe that, and won't even look in his direction while he is calling them.

References:

• http://carm.org/questions/about-people/where-do-people-go-when-they-die
• http://www.khouse.org/articles/2003/491/

Why would God send us to Hell

It is hard to understand an Eternal God

It is so very hard for humans to understand all the ways of an Eternal All Powerful God.  For us to understand HIM, we would have to be like HIM and live in HIS world. 

 

Much like animals are to us, don't you think?  Animals cannot understand why we do the things we do.   Why do we wear clothes, eat at tables, go behind closed doors to take care of personal business, sleep in beds, cook, etc.  It was just an example, but hopefully you get the point.

 

  

 

 

Since we humans are made with the ability to reason, we can, however, observe and study animals to find out why they do what they do.  It is very hard for us to understand why dogs urinate on the corners of our couches, or roll in stinky-stuff as soon as we give them a bath.  To humans, this is disgusting.  But if we research their territorial habits, we find that smell is very important in the animal world.   

 

Much the same, if we study and research our Loving Father through HIS word, we will come to more understanding of HIS ways. The more we read, the more we know.

 

Why Study the Bible?

 

Even within our own species, there is a severe lack of understanding.  Children do not understand why parents have to have specific rules.  Children, and sometimes the parents, do not understand why teachers give homework, teach certain ways, exercise zero-tolerance in classroom, and why they get into to trouble for some of the most menial things.  But when you become a teacher, you begin to understand why these things have to be. 

 

God is our Father, He loves us

Our God created us to Love us.  He is our Father.   If you are an adult with children, look at this from the perspective of a parent.  If not, attempt to look at it from your parent's view:  which is hard to do.  Usually we don't understand why our parents do things until we become parents and have to do the same thing. 

 

Would a loving parent want to harm his/her child?  No, of course not.  A parent wants all that is Good for that child.  That is exactly what God wants for us.

 

 

 

As a parent, would you want your child to visit you, call you, show you he/she cares?  Of course.  That is exactly what God wants for us.

 

As a parent, when your child goes astray, can you force him/her to love you?  Does that ever work?  Would you even want a forced love, or would you want it be geniune?  That is exactly how it is with God.  He gives us a choice to love HIM.  He loves us no matter what, and is so willing to accept us back into his arms if we would only go to HIM.

 

Matthew 23:37 NIV

³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.

 

As a parent, you know your child doesn't listen to everything you say even though you have already "been there, done that".  You want so badly for them to listen so they don't suffer the consequences of their actions.  But can you stop them from doing it?  No, they do it any way.  And when they do suffer the consequences, it hurts you more than them sometimes.  And sometimes they had to suffer those consequences to learn, and hopefully change that destructive behavior.  That is exactly how it is for God.

 

Parents with older children will understand this:  When your child is being self-destructive, doing some very bad stuff   (like being extremely rude and obnoxious, driving insanely, doing drugs, stealing or robbing people, hurting or even killing people), do you condone that behavior?  No.  Do you allow it in your house?  No.  If they are doing severely bad things like this, do you continue to try to have a relationship with them?  Of course.  But you won't sit on the couch and laugh and have good discussion with them about how fun this bad behavior is.  And you won't do it with them either.  You hurt for them; it breaks your heart.  It breaks God's heart, too, to see us away from HIM and hurting.

 

                          Isaiah 55:6-7 NIV

⁶ Seek the Lord while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
⁷ Let the wicked forsake their ways
and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

 

 

During times like this, you can only hope their heart hears the loving words you continue to tell them when you get the chance:  "Please stop doing these things.  I don't want you to be hurt".  And because your child wants autonomy, they won't listen.  You cannot force them.  There is nothing you can do but wait, hope and try to keep reminding them how much you love them.     That is what God is doing.  (The Parable of the Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11- 32)

 

 

 

God is Holy.  His place is Holy.  To be with HIM, we must be made Holy by HIM.

God's ways are much higher than ours.  What is bad to him doesn't seem bad to us. The fact is that science has more than proven that there is more to this world than that which is visible to our human eyes.  So we don't know everything, so we don't know all the repercussions of what we do.  Additionally, we cannot possibly see any effects our actions have on other people's lives, most of the time.  But God can and does.

 

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts

 

One day, only God knows when, He will turn his face from from the earth.  He will no longer provide his light.  What will the earth do without his light?  He currently holds everything together.  He won't always do that. 

 

In addition, some may die before God let's go.  Some will die and stay with their choice to NOT be reconciled to HIM.

 

Those that chose to walk with HIM will go with him; those who chose not to, will not go with HIM.  It deeply saddens him, but we made that choice.  So, in short, we send ourselves to hell.

 

 

Pictures taken from:

• http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/02/23/site-of-the-d-7/
• http://www.scntx.com/articles/2012/07/20/frisco_enterprise/news/654.txt
• http://www.mooseyscountrygarden.com/garden-journal-09/fall-garden-journal-090504.html
• http://loveourchildrenusa.org/nurturingparent.php 
• http://www.thesacredpage.com/2010/03/prodigal-son-new-life-and-sacramental.html 
• http://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/bible-study/why-study-the-bible/
• http://www.survivingdrugaddiction.com/teens-and-drug-abuse.html
• http://rcspiritualdirection.com/blog/2009/12/12/love-beyond-love

 God calls to us day in an day out.  Our world is noisy and full of "things", so we are shutting him out.  Other things are more important.....   See this video that represents God's heart..... see him in the beginning sharing his creation with us.... then the things of life take us away while in the background HE is trying to get through to the person.... when the person finally decides to shut everything else out and hear God and Let HIM have control, then God steps in.... But it is our choice.     

Why did God Create us?

 

Our Father Created us, not in vain, but for a true purpose. But what can we tell you is the reason?

He is all powerful.  He doesn't need us. 

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers … what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4).

"The God who made the world and everything in it … is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything" (Acts 17:24-25).

 BUT

God IS LOVE, he gives, he loves, He wants to share his love with more and more...

"I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3).

Human love is so much different from God's love.  So we cannot grasp this anymore than our loving pets can understand why we go inside the bathroom and close the door.

Christian Families Today has a wonderful example from our world which helps illustrate God's reasons for creating us, which I will share below:

As a healthy couple is to birthing babies, so is God to creating humanity. It is an unhealthy couple who says, “Let’s have babies so we will have someone to love us.” “Let’s have children so they will serve us.” “Let’s have children so we can boss them around.” “Let’s have children so we can get praise from their success.”

 On the other hand, it is the healthy couple who says, “Because we have an abundance of love in our marriage, let’s share it. Let’s have babies who will look like us, have our life within them, and love like us.

 Then they can enjoy an intimate love relationship with us.” It is this couple’s pure love that motivates them to give children life.

God is love (1 John 4:8), and because of that love and his wonderful creativity, he made us so we can enjoy all that he is and all that he's done.


According to one CARM Article: 1 Corinthians 1:9, Why did God make you?:

God wants fellowship with you not because of what you are but because of what He is.

• He is loving
• He is giving
• The best He can give is Himself.
• He has given you the Holy Spirit so that you might have God living within you. Not in a desert sanctuary or a stone temple, but in a living intimate way.
• You can know Him, experience Him, and feel Him.
• He made the universe for you.
• He created you for Him.

Enjoy Him.

For HIS Pleasure

Colossians 1:16 reiterates the point: “All things were created by him and for him.”

I absolutely love how Got Questions put it in their article:

Being created for God’s pleasure does not mean humanity was made to entertain God or provide Him with amusement. God is a creative Being, and it gives Him pleasure to create. God is a personal Being, and it gives Him pleasure to have other beings He can have a genuine relationship with.

He is Worthy of All Praise

 Revelation 4:11 says, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

He is so powerful that He created everything we see. There is no other explanation for such wonders as our complex bodies that heal themselves, complex systems in nature and science.

He is so powerful that HE holds all things together by providing light, and all that we need.  All the rules of nature and science are made and kept by Him and Him alone.  He wants us to know and understand these things and have a deep respect and AWE for it.

If He is that powerful to do all those things, why on earth would anyone think HE is not powerful enough to violate the law of science that HE created and HE upholds.  He has done it over and over, and He did it with the Virgin Birth. 

Thank you Lord that you are so powerful that you take care of everything.  So sad, dear Father, that we do things to ourselves, our communities, each other, and then want to point the finger at you and say "What kind of a Loving God would allow these things?"  I guess that would be the same God that wants us to Love him of our own choice, so He gives us free will to do what we want.  And He loves us enough that we don't ALWAYS reap the negative benefits of our bad choices.

He wants to love us and He wants us to show others how much he loves us.

Portions of this blog were taken from the following:

• Christianity Today Article: Why Did God Create Us? He doesn't really need us, so why did he create anything?
• Picture taken from http://dailybibleplan.com/2012/06/25/the-promise-of-heaven-2/
• Picture taken from http://www.gotquestions.org/why-did-God-create-us.html