Are all the dead Christians in Heaven?

It has long been taught that when a Christian dies they go straight to heaven. Is this what the Bible teaches or have paganistic doctrines and myths crept unbeknown into our Christian faith?

What did Jesus say about his friend Lazarus who had died? John 11:11-14 “These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead”.

Jesus clearly showed us that the dead sleep. If Lazarus had gone to heaven Jesus would have said that he was in heaven with the Father. Also, after Jesus raised Lazarus, did anyone ask Lazarus “What was it like in heaven? Tell us about it”. No one did, because it was the belief of the day that when someone died they slept until the resurrection on the last day.

This is further clarified in Psalms where we are told that when we die our thoughts perish Psalms 146:4 “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish”.

We are also told that we will not rise again until the heavens are no more (when Jesus returns) Job 14:12 “So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep”.

Paul reinforced this understanding 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first”:

Many Christians believe that when they die they go directly to heaven, even though the day of judgment has not even occurred yet. They visualize themselves in heaven with the angels praising God. But what does the Bible say? Psalms 115:17 “The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence”.

It is clear that the Bible writers all believed that the state of the dead is like sleeping, to be awakened the moment after they closed their eyes at the final trumpet at the coming of Jesus on the day of redemption. 1 Corinthians 15:52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed”.

Job made it clear that we return to dust and are no more until the resurrection Job 7:21 “And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be”.

There are many deceptions of Satan going on in these end times and spiritism is on the increase. If people realized that the dead are all asleep and can’t communicate with us, then they would start to question who exactly it is that they are communicating with. There are many deceptive demonic spirits in the invisible world around us, who take every opportunity they can to lead people astray. It is time that we recognized that when mediums are speaking to the ‘other side’ it is actually the evil angels that they are talking to and not dead beloved relatives.

How can we help those who have been tricked by these deceptive spirits, if we don’t demonstrate to people from a Biblical perspective that the dead are asleep and have no thoughts, so it can’t be them doing the communicating?

All Bible references are from the King James Version.

For more info visit Truth about Death
By Debra Lohrere Christian Investment and Prophecy Books

Is anyone burning in Hell today?

There are various lines of thought in relation to Hell. Some believe that neither Heaven or Hell exist and that when we die that it the end of our existance. In Christian circles some teach that Hell is merely a ‘separation from God’, others contend that it is a fiery place of eternal torture where sinners instantly go at the moment of death. According to this theology, the lost are sizzling right now, somewhere in the fiery bowels of this earth. Most Christians believe that Hell is an eternal place of suffering. Is this what the Bible really teaches?

In the New Testament there are three different Greek words that are translated into “Hell” in English. They are “Tartarus,” “Gehenna,” and “Hades.” Tartarus is used only once in 2 Peter 2:4 “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” Tartarus means “dark abyss” or “place of restraint.” Notice also that it says the evil angels are reserved unto judgment, meaning that the day of judgment has not occurred yet, and they are not currently in the red hot fiery underworld. We know that in fact they are busy roaming the earth, actively tempting and attacking the people of God as well as the lost.

The second word used for Hell is “Gehenna” which is derived from Hinnon, a rubbish dump outside of Jerusalem where trash and dead animals were burned. It continually smouldered during Bible times. Jesus used this word when He warned about the danger of Hell Fire at the ‘end of the world’ Matthew 13:40-42 “The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered in burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This word does definitely relate to fire and being burned up or consumed away.

In the above verse you will notice that Jesus spoke of the Hell Fire being at the end of the world. Peter further clarified the timing of the Hell Fire to be at the day of judgment, not in the present time 2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”.

The Bible clearly shows that ungodly men will be burned up by Hell Fire after the millenial reign of Christians in Heaven. Noone’s loved ones are burning in Hell today. Our just and loving God does not sentence anyone to Hell Fire before they have been judged on the day of judgment.

The third Greek word translated to Hell is “Hades” which means the grave. Revelation 20:14-15 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”. This verse clarifies that “Hades” itself is not a fiery place, but will be cast into “the lake of fire.” This verse is really saying that death and the grave will be consumed by fire and will be no more. There will be no longer be any more death and no more graves.

For more info visit Truth about Hell
By Debra Lohrere Christian Investment and Prophecy Books

Is anyone burning in Hell today?

There are various lines of thought in relation to Hell. Some believe that neither Heaven or Hell exist and that when we die that it the end of our existance. In Christian circles some teach that Hell is merely a ‘separation from God’, others contend that it is a fiery place of eternal torture where sinners instantly go at the moment of death. According to this theology, the lost are sizzling right now, somewhere in the fiery bowels of this earth. Most Christians believe that Hell is an eternal place of suffering. Is this what the Bible really teaches?

In the New Testament there are three different Greek words that are translated into “Hell” in English. They are “Tartarus,” “Gehenna,” and “Hades.” Tartarus is used only once in 2 Peter 2:4 “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell [Tartarus], and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” Tartarus means “dark abyss” or “place of restraint.” Notice also that it says the evil angels are reserved unto judgment, meaning that the day of judgment has not occurred yet, and they are not currently in the red hot fiery underworld. We know that in fact they are busy roaming the earth, actively tempting and attacking the people of God as well as the lost.

The second word used for Hell is “Gehenna” which is derived from Hinnon, a rubbish dump outside of Jerusalem where trash and dead animals were burned. It continually smouldered during Bible times. Jesus used this word when He warned about the danger of Hell Fire at the ‘end of the world’ Matthew 13:40-42 “The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the weeds are gathered in burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of this world. The Son of Man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them that do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” This word does definitely relate to fire and being burned up or consumed away.

In the above verse you will notice that Jesus spoke of the Hell Fire being at the end of the world. Peter further clarified the timing of the Hell Fire to be at the day of judgment, not in the present time 2 Peter 3:7 “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”.

The Bible clearly shows that ungodly men will be burned up by Hell Fire after the millenial reign of Christians in Heaven. Noone’s loved ones are burning in Hell today. Our just and loving God does not sentence anyone to Hell Fire before they have been judged on the day of judgment.

The third Greek word translated to Hell is “Hades” which means the grave. Revelation 20:14-15 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”. This verse clarifies that “Hades” itself is not a fiery place, but will be cast into “the lake of fire.” This verse is really saying that death and the grave will be consumed by fire and will be no more. There will be no longer be any more death and no more graves.

For more info visit Truth about Hell
By Debra Lohrere Christian Investment and Prophecy Books