What really happens when we die

[deedee310]

The thought about the after life always come across my mind. I have looked up scriptures regarding what happens to believers once they pass away, and I also read books about what happens to us as well. I'm confused because the Apostle Paul said in Thessalonians that we are "asleep" once we die and that once the rapture comes the dead in Christ will rise first. But then again, Jesus told the thief on the cross that he would be with him that same day in paradise. I also read in a book by David Jeremiah (what in the world is going on), that we will be in a "peaceful state of sleep" once we die until Jesus returns to rapture the church.My pastor believes that when we die, our spirits immediatly go to heaven or hell according to what we choose to believe while we are alive.
I guess this opinion is divided among many pastors and biblical scholar's because I keep reading both opinions from a number of people. There are also accounts of people that supposedly have died and came back and told what happen to them. Some say they actually went to heaven, and some reported that they have went to hell ( 90 min in heaven by Don Piper). So I been reading everything that I could find out about it to get a clear understanding about it.
I know that it really does not matter what happens when we die because we have no control over it and we all have to face it. But it's kind of important to me right now, I was under the impression that our loved ones go immediately to be with Christ until the new earth is set up. I always though that sleeping refers to the physical body that was dead, I didn't think that our spirits was asleep, I thought the spirit lives on forever. It really saddens me to think that our loved ones are in a state of sleep, not knowing what's going on or where they are truly at.

[deedee310]

Wow, that's a very interesting story...... I've always assumed that when we die and do go to heaven the first person that we meet is Jesus. In your experience, what did heaven look like? Did you even meet God at all?

[Mary Munsey]

It is different for each individual. In my experience, I was outside the city in a park like area. I remember the colors being so vibrant they looked alive. The grass in the park was like no green I've seen on earth. We sat at a picnic table and had a milkshake. I observed the others walking and children playing in the park. I can only give you what happened to me. I have talked to others that have seen God. But I did not go inside the city where the throne room is. You can see the light coming out of it. Just know, the trials we have here are nothing compared to the glory that is waiting for us there. Mary

[deedee310]

Very interesting and you are right, there are so many people who claim to have after life experiences and everyone's experience is different and unique. I don't know anyone personally how has experienced a life after death experience. As I started studying the scriptures and learning more about God, I've learned that when it's a person's time to die, it's their time to die. God all gave us a date to be born and a date to die. I was under the impression that once we do die, then that's it, there is no returning from wherever our destination is in the after life. Maybe I am wrong, but this is what I have believed just based on what I have researched (researched in the bible) on this subject. According to the bible, the scriptures tells us that there is a "time to be born and a time to die" Ecclesiastes 3:2. So based on that, I figured that once our spirits leave our bodies, then that is it.... there is no more of our life here on earth. So in a way I get sort of confused when I read about people who has had life after death experiences because of what the bible tells us, or maybe my interpretation of the scriptures is not correct.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not saying that anyone who professes to have a life after death experience is not telling the truth.....when a person dies and goes to heaven or hell and comes back to life to tell about it seem to contradict what the bible says about this subject. But as I stated earlier, I just started really studying the bible about at the beginning of this year and there are a lot of things that I don't know and I am still learning, so it could be that my interpretation is totally wrong.

[Mary Munsey]

I'm sure the Bible is referring to when you are dead for good. Yes, I died and went to heaven, and so have many others before me, but Jesus raised the dead and he tells us to in Matthew 10:8. My husband called me back and Jesus allowed me to go back to my husband. I'm proud of you for studying the Bible. Keep up the good work. You will find all kinds of treasures in His word. Go for all that God has for you. Mary

[Glenn Robichaux]

I have written befor on this and I was raise Roman Catholic. Topic...Soul Sleep
Brother Glenn...The problem we just do not see What Jesus taught on The Kingdom of God in complete picture