What happens when we die 10.

Does the Bible somehow contradict itself? We have learned that there is no life after death in any form; we are not going straight to heaven or hell; no purgatory or place of waiting; just death unless Jesus decides otherwise or it is the coming of the Lord and we are resurrected.

There are certain portions of scripture that may look like contradictions to what we have learned this far. Where did we get the idea of immortality from; the 'soul' that leaves the body and go to God or is floating somewhere?

Mark 9:1-13 - The Transfiguration

2. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.

3. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.

4. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.

5. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

7. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

8. And suddenly, when they had looked about, they saw no man anymore, save Jesus only with themselves.

9. And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead.

10. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean.

When Jesus was transfigured, the disciples saw Elijah and Moses with Him. This influence the thinking of a lot of people. With these two next to Jesus they reason that people automatically go to heaven when they die. The disciples with Jesus questioned what this rising from the dead should mean. Some people will use this piece of scripture to try and proof that there is life after death, a soul, a spirit somewhere.

What happened to Elijah?

2 Kings 2:11 "And.............. there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven".

Elijah and Elisha were walking were walking together when Elijah was suddenly taken to heaven. He never died. This is what is going to happen with those who serve the Lord on the last day. They will be caught up into a cloud and transported to heaven.

Moses died; why then was he in heaven?

Jude 1:9 "Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, ........."

Michael, He who is what God is (Jesus), fought with the devil to get Moses' body. Jesus is the only Person that can dispute with the devil for ownership of your body. Moses did not go to heaven when he died, Jesus came to fetch him. This is what is going to happen to those who die, or call it 'fall asleep' if you want, in Christ.

Hebrews 9:2,7,8 "For there was a tabernacle made; .........

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing"

Here we have the New Testament referring to the Old Testament sanctuary. The priest had to bring an offering of blood for the sins of himself and the people. The very important thing here is that The Holy Spirit worked in the Old Testament through the earthly tabernacle. The power of The Holy Spirit was available in the Old Testament.

1 Peter 4:6 "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit".

Note, 'WAS the gospel preached'. While these people were alive, the gospel was preached to them, through the 'Old Testament Gospel'. We know that the Old Testament tabernacle was fulfilled in Jesus. God made sure that these people could be saved by availing the Holy Spirit to them. They will be judged the same as those who are alive now or lived in the New Testament time. 

(Please do a study on the Old Testament sanctuary.)

1 Peter 3:18-20 "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

which sometime were disobedient; when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water".

No! No! No! People who died without Christ are not put in a prison. The prison refers to there sinful state. The Holy Spirit even worked in the time of Noah; only eight were saved in the end. God wanted to free all of them from their prison of sin.

Romans 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and became servants to God, ye have your fruit into holiness, and the end everlasting life".

Then there is Lazarus. Jesus was telling this parable to the pharisees.

Luke 16:14,15 "The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, .......

And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for what which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God".

He was speaking to them in the context of their understanding. The Pharisees believed that when you are wealthy and successful you automatically qualify to go to heaven. To the poor, the lowest of the low, would not qualify for heaven.

This parable turned their believe upside down. Riches do not qualify you for heaven, who you serve does.

They also believed that you can rise from the dead. Jesus told them that you cannot come from death to warn people, the Word is there for them. Read Luke 16:19-31.

Let me conclude:

1. There is no life after death.

2. Those who died in Christ will rise with the coming of Jesus on the cloud.

3. Man does not have a soul, he is a living soul.

4. There is no place of waiting.

5. There is no purgatory.

6. None of your family members is looking down from heaven on you.

Keep the faith. Let us keep on serving the Lord. We will be on the same cloud as our beloveds who 'fell asleep' in Christ.

God bless you.