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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | life after death? where is heaven? | 1 Thess 4:13 | santamonica woman | 128795 | ||
hello, I have some questions... the Bible talks about those who "fall asleep" in the Lord...I think that means they die as believers. Jesus told the thief on the cross...TODAY you will be with me in paradise. Then there is a scripture that talks about Jesus' return and says that he will raise believers from the earth, (the rapture)and then those who are asleep....the dead....will meet the Lord in the air... question 1. Do the believing dead go to sleep? or do they (as Paul says...to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord..). straight to heaven? I also don't understand ....Will we really be united with our love ones (belivers) who have died and gone to be with Jesus...is that heaven? Or will heaven be a new place that is created after Christ returns? A new heaven and a new earth? If Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father...where is that? I don't know if my father received Christ's forgiveness before he died...it makes me sad to think he will not be there (with the Lord) to greet me...will I remember my family members...? or will we be ..(.as Jesus states...(no giving or receiving in marriage in heaven for we will be) as the angels? all of this is so confusing to me, I can't figure it out.......the verses seemingly contradict each other, but I think I am misunderstanding some things. I wonder if you might be able to help |
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2 | life after death? where is heaven? | 1 Thess 4:13 | Morant61 | 128796 | ||
Greetings Santamonica woman! Prior to the resurrection of Christ, those of faith who died were placed in a temporary holding place called 'Paradise.' This place is also referred to as 'Abraham's Bossom.' It was a part of Sheol/Hades. However, since the resurrection of Christ, Scripture is very clear that believers who die immediately go to be with the Lord. Consider the following two passages. 1) Phil. 2:21-23 says, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;" 2) 2 Cor. 5:6-8 says, "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." Since believers who die go to be with Christ, how does this relate to 1 Thess. 4:13-18? Simply put, 1 Thess. 4:14 says that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. They come with Christ, then their bodies are raised in v. 16. One thing we must be careful about with the 1 Thess. 4:13-18 passage is not to make the mistake of thinking that the symbolism of sleep means that those who die in Christ are not aware. The term is a symbolic reference to death. The believers who have died in Him are actively aware and in the presence of Christ from the moment of their death. The word translated "those who are asleep" is the Greek word 'koimao.' It is used 18 times in the New Testament. In 13 of it's occurances, it obviously refers to physical death. Mt. 27:52, Acts 7:60, 13:36, 1 Cor. 7:39, 11:30, 15:6, 15:18, 15:20, 15:51, 1 Thess. 4:13, 4:14, 4:15, and 2 Peter 3:4. The other 5 occurances refer to physical sleep, though two of these are used symbolically in reference to Lazarus. Mt. 28:13, Lk. 22:45, John 11:11, 11:12, and Acts 12:60. The context makes it clear that physical death is referred to in this passage. The are not to sorrow or grieve as those who have no hope. For just as Christ died and rose again, so God will raise those who have died in Him. So this passage does not refer to Christians who are asleep in their walk with Christ, but to Christians who are literally dead. So, the answer to your first question is that since the resurrection of Christ, believers go straight to Heaven to be with the Lord. 'Sleep' is simply a euphemism for death, not a description of their actual status. As for you second question, we will be united with those loved ones who have died and are believers. After Christ's return, Scripture does teach that there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth. The main difference will be that the new Heaven and new Earth will be untouched by sin. As for your last question, Scripture does't say what our memories will be of those who didn't make it to Heaven. But, Scripture does say that there will not be any tears there, so we will not be sad. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |
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Questions and/or Subjects for 1 Thess 4:13 | Author | ||
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Shannon | ||
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bubbamaloni | ||
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beaman | ||
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arizona | ||
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santamonica woman | ||
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Morant61 | ||
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jbc | ||
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DGB454 | ||
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Erick | ||
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Erick |