Are believers immediately with our Lord Christ Jesus upon death?

General Faith
1
Are believers immediately with our Lord Christ Jesus upon death?

5cc9d47b-1564-4966-b780-640836a431f3
5cc9d47b-1564-4966-b780-640836a431f31536×1024 76.8 KB

As Christians reflect on what happens after death and how Scripture speaks of the body, Spirit, and resurrection, we invite your voice in Crosswalk Forums.
#LifeAfterDeath #BiblicalResurrection #christianforums #crosswalkforums #forums #crosswalk #faithcommunity #faithforums

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 is used by many to say when we die we immediately go to be with the Lord in heaven, but these verses do not mean that at all.

If you go back to verse one and two in chapter 5 the tabernacle being spoken of is our fleshly body and when we are in the flesh we are separated from God because flesh and Spirit can not mix, Romans 8:6, 7.

Sin separates us from God because God is a spirit and can only recognize his own children by what spirit is living in their hearts. We have to renew, rebirth – born again Gods Spirit within us in order to be called a child of God and see the kingdom of heaven, John 3:3-7. We now put off the old man (flesh) and put on the new man (Spirit), Colossians 3:1-17. We are renewed by the word of God and through the Holy Spirit teaching us of all things, John 14:26.

John 3:6 that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. When we are in the flesh or at home in the body this is our natural carnal being. When we are in the Spirit allowing Gods Spirit to take over the flesh then we are in the presence of the Lord through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us.

God breathed life (breath/spirit) into us, Genesis 2:7, that made us a living soul and what goes back to God when this physical body dies (returns to the dust of the ground) is that very spirit of life God gave us, Ecclesiastics 12:7. Only those of faith under the old covenant (OT) and those of faith under the new covenant through Christ Jesus (NT) will God take that spirit back and reserve it until Christ returns. At that time we are raised with a new glorified body, 1Corintians 15:51-58; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18, and then we are given back that spirit of life to have everlasting life with the Father.

According to John 3:13 no one has ever ascended into heaven other than Christ.

Scripture says we sleep in the ground until the coming of the Lord. Those whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life will be raised to everlasting life with God and those who names are not found will face Gods Great White Throne Judgment and will be cast into the lake of fire, John 5:28, 29; Revelations 20:11-15.

Are the Scripture references quoted above accurate?

Johann.

2

Hi,

I am Elthia and I am new in this forum and not sure if I am on the right track with my question or this subject had been discussed before.

My bible group has been studying “Rapture”. One of the questions raised (which I am also a bit confused) is: when a person die, the body and soul are the part of our being that “sleeps”. They are the ones that will rise upon Jesus returns on the second time.

Our being, as I understand it, comprised of a physical body, the soul, and the spirit. (1 Thess 5:23). They have different function:

The body is the physical part we can see and touch, that moves and does all the action(using all the senses - touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste. The soul is the invincible part of our being, that is, our mind (intellect), emotions (sensations), and our growth (eyes). The soul makes the body alive. The soul magnifies God in our emotions and our human limitations. Our spirit is the gift of Jesus to us (also invincible) the only way to connect with God. We can use the spirit if we believe in God and receive Him through Jesus Christ gift of salvation on the cross.

Is it correct to say that the soul is the one figuratively “asleep” (1 Thess 4:15-17) that will be resurrected? The soul that God “breathed the life and became a human living”. Now, the “body” that decayed or becomes dust (cremated) will be given a “new /heavenly body” (1Cor 15:35-36) As soon as the person dies, his spirit immediately returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7).

Thank you and my apology for the long introduction.

Sincerely,
Elthia

3

Does the physical body from the time of death , shed tears when ,within the coffin , I have experienced seeing tears come the deceased as they are lying in the coffin , prepared for burial.

4

I believe everything as you understand it. When we die our soul is immediately with Jesus. Upon His return our bodies will be raised and changed from corruptible to incorruptible, from earthly to heavenly. I like your description of the spirit. Thank you for posting this question

1 Like
5

That is bad embalming. Fluid leakage from tissue breakdown.

6

The soul, is the record of the life, lived. The spirit returns to God (the Father) and the spirit is judged on the basis of the soul (record).

7

The Scripture references shared raise important questions about life after death, but they require careful contextual balance. Under the Old Covenant, those who died in faith—like Abraham, David, and the prophets—did not immediately ascend into heaven, because Christ had not yet conquered death. Before the resurrection, the righteous dead were gathered into a place often referred to as Abraham’s Bosom or Paradise (Luke 16:22), a place of comfort and rest, but not the full presence of God. It wasn’t until Christ died and rose again that He opened the way into the heavenly realm, as Ephesians 4:8–10 alludes to, where He “led captivity captive.” This signals that those faithful who had died were brought into God’s presence through the completed work of Jesus.

However, for those who die after the resurrection of Christ, Scripture makes clear that they are indeed immediately with the Lord. Paul affirms in 2 Corinthians 5:6–8 that to be “absent from the body” is to be “present with the Lord.” He also says in Philippians 1:23 that his desire was “to depart, and to be with Christ,” which implies immediate conscious presence—not soul sleep or delay. This doesn’t mean we have received our glorified bodies yet; that transformation will occur at the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:52–53), but the spirit of the believer goes directly to be with Jesus.

So yes—those who die now in Christ go immediately to be with Him, even though the full resurrection and glorified body are still to come. The Old Testament saints waited for the cross; we, who live in the light of it, do not.

8

Thanks @The_Omega

This is good news, isn’t it?

Johann.