Where does the dead go to?

[Omegaman 3.0]

5 hours ago, Ezra said:

3. Stephen is said to fall asleep. Is that not a metaphor for the body lying in a state of rest within the grave, even while the soul and spirit are alive with Christ? [God is not the God of the dead, but of the living is relevant here].

John 11 (because of the metaphor aspect):

12 The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. 14 So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 

[Omegaman 3.0]

9 hours ago, angels4u said:

Sorry to hear you lost your wife last year Mega, someday soon you see her again..

Ah, thank you, Angels, that is kind. I sometimes miss her a bit, married about 30 years, so understandable I guess, but it is not sorrowful in any way, I truly am joyful. When I think about it, I find myself thanking the Lord once again, for His loan of her, to me, and for His promise of redemption. Yes, I will see her again, and relatively soon, but not as my wife. Not sure what that relationship will be like, but I figure it to be like with a sister, who is closer than a wife can be, though obviously not physical. It is just another aspect of existence, which I look forward to experiencing. I like the life I have had so far, though it is not perfect, and I have not lived it perfectly. It will be marvelous to shed this earthly baggage and live forever with God in an uncorrupted environment, that shuold be pretty special.

[angels4u]

15 hours ago, Omegaman 3.0 said:

Ah, thank you, Angels, that is kind. I sometimes miss her a bit, married about 30 years, so understandable I guess, but it is not sorrowful in any way, I truly am joyful. When I think about it, I find myself thanking the Lord once again, for His loan of her, to me, and for His promise of redemption. Yes, I will see her again, and relatively soon, but not as my wife. Not sure what that relationship will be like, but I figure it to be like with a sister, who is closer than a wife can be, though obviously not physical. It is just another aspect of existence, which I look forward to experiencing. I like the life I have had so far, though it is not perfect, and I have not lived it perfectly. It will be marvelous to shed this earthly baggage and live forever with God in an uncorrupted environment, that shuold be pretty special.

God is good , I believe too that we see our loved ones back in a family setting , we're all one big family in Christ.

Its good to see you can look back and be thankful The Lord had given you 30 years together and He will gave you the strength to go on with your life.

And "Yes" it will be glorious to live with  our loved ones and the Lord forever!

[Riccardo]

hello

Edited May 2, 2017 by Riccardo

[Fidei Defensor]

On ‎7‎/‎10‎/‎2015 at 8:38 PM, cigero84 said:

WHY MOURN, INSTEAD OF CELEBRATE THE DEAD IF DEATH BEGINS THE JOURNEY TO HEAVEN AND ETERNAL BLISS? 

We mourn the temporary (albeit long from our perspective) separation from the person who has gone to sleep in Christ (repose). Mourning is the feeling of loss, that the person is not going to be near us for a however long we live here on Earth. The best explanation comes straight from Emmanuel, "“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” ¹⁷ So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” ¹⁹ Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. ²¹ When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. ²² So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one." (John 16:16-22). Like the apostles we lament and weep when a loved ones passes away, but in time those tears will turn to joy when we reunite with those reposed believers.

The only true lingering tears are when someone doesn't believe in Jesus Christ (John 3:18), and they are destined for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).

[kwikphilly]

Wow,this is a 2 year "oldie",the OP has not been here since!.....hmmm

Anyway......I did start crying when I read Omega's reply from January 2016......tears of Joy,that's one Brother that walks his talk.......he is an inspiration to me......

Quote

Ah, thank you, Angels, that is kind. I sometimes miss her a bit, married about 30 years, so understandable I guess, but it is not sorrowful in any way, I truly am joyful. When I think about it, I find myself thanking the Lord once again, for His loan of her, to me, and for His promise of redemption. Yes, I will see her again, and relatively soon, but not as my wife. Not sure what that relationship will be like, but I figure it to be like with a sister, who is closer than a wife can be, though obviously not physical. It is just another aspect of existence, which I look forward to experiencing. I like the life I have had so far, though it is not perfect, and I have not lived it perfectly. It will be marvelous to shed this earthly baggage and live forever with God in an uncorrupted environment, that shuold be pretty special.

                                                                                                                                        Omegaman

Anyone who read Megs words during the time his wife was called Home could see JESUS in Him  & the Joy of Salvation as big as life.....Glory to God!

 

[Happinessity]

On 7/10/2015 at 11:38 PM, cigero84 said:

WHY MOURN, INSTEAD OF CELEBRATE THE DEAD IF DEATH BEGINS THE JOURNEY TO HEAVEN AND ETERNAL BLISS? 

Did you know that writing in all capital letters is considered shouting according to text-speak protocols? I didn't know that when I first got on the computer. 

When someone is a saved Christian they go to Heaven when they die. You're right there isn't cause to weep for having lost them but we still do don't we? Because as selfish as it sounds there is so much to miss not having that loved one around us. We don't hear their voice anymore unless we have a saved recording of it. We have pictures maybe. But there won't be any new ones. No new precious memories to make with them. They leave us alone for the hole that is there without them in our life. But if they were suffering with a cancer or something it is a blessing that they are at peace rather than in that horrific place of pain. 

There are some traditions in Christianity that teach what is called soul sleep. I don't know if that has any support from Jesus and his teachings though. 

There's this verse that tells me our souls return to God when we die. I don't know if there are any that talk about our souls stay in the body after death. If that were the case what about cremated people? What happens then in the soul sleep scenario? Maybe all that is talked about in what is called the Apocrypha. That's writings that were decided not to be divinely inspired and that's why they aren't in our regular type Bibles. That's what I heard. I could have that wrong. 

Ecclesiastes 12: 7 And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.

Then there's the tale of the apostle Stephen who was stoned to death. Did you know that Saul held his cloak while that happened to him? Then God moved on Saul and turned him toward the truth and his name changed to Paul. I can't imagine watching someone die like that. That would change my mind about a lot of things real quick. 

 And they kept on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” That's in Acts 7 and verse 59 in my Lexham English Bible. 

Hope all that reference helps.

Shalom, 

 

[Happinessity]

5 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Wow,this is a 2 year "oldie",the OP has not been here since!.....hmmm

Anyway......I did start crying when I read Omega's reply from January 2016......tears of Joy,that's one Brother that walks his talk.......he is an inspiration to me......

Anyone who read Megs words during the time his wife was called Home could see JESUS in Him  & the Joy of Salvation as big as life.....Glory to God!

 

I didn't notice that till you said something. Maybe it is always a good question if someone is facing the end of their own life and they're here as a seeker. That could be why God put it here to get attention again. I think a lot of seekers would wonder about that one don't you?

[Happinessity]

5 hours ago, kwikphilly said:

Wow,this is a 2 year "oldie",the OP has not been here since!.....hmmm

Anyway......I did start crying when I read Omega's reply from January 2016......tears of Joy,that's one Brother that walks his talk.......he is an inspiration to me......

Anyone who read Megs words during the time his wife was called Home could see JESUS in Him  & the Joy of Salvation as big as life.....Glory to God!

 

That's true. The evangelist Billy Graham said when his wife Ruth died he didn't mourn. She was very sick and he rejoiced knowing she was no longer in pain and was with the Lord. I lost my parents to cancer a little over a year apart from one another. I can't say I was happy dancing around the house when they passed. Even though they weren't in pain anymore having been here in an at-home care program so we could have as much time together as possible without visiting hours getting in the way like at hospitals.

I guess I was not as mature as a Christian as I should have been then because I was deeply hurt watching them suffer and knowing they were at peace and on to Heaven as Christians. Even still , it broke my heart being I'm their only child.God knows we all take loss differently.

[Willa]

Most funerals of Christians that I attend are a celebration of the life of the individual.  We miss them but don't mourn their death.

2Co 5:5  Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

2Co 5:6  So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.

2Co 5:7  For we walk by faith, not by sight.

2Co 5:8  We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

1Jn 5:10  He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. 1Jn 5:11  And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 1Jn 5:12  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

  In Old Testament times they talked about Abraham's bosom, or about sheol and the grave. We live in the victory of the completed work of Christ on the cross.  We know that we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and live in God's presence in daily fellowship and communion in His word.  There is no fear in death to us but we look forward to being home with the Lord.

I can't imagine going through life without the assurance of salvation, thinking the good has to outweigh the bad or any such ideas of the heathen.  Those poor people that believe in reincarnation fear coming back as a bug.  Some people fear purgatory which is not a biblical concept.  Some people think they will just no longer exist and will not have to be judged for their sins.  I was brought up thinking I had to be good enough to go to heaven, and our santa clause tales reinforce that idea.  "checking the list to see who's naughty or nice".  So to be rid of that fear is a glorious thing.  Our salvation is a gift from God, pure and simple.