Where Are They?
Dear creator God, life giver — I've been hearing all about a view,
One that is upheld by many Christians, who believe that it is true.
It says that a Christian goes straight to Heaven the moment that they die,
Yet, when I study Your Holy Word, Lord, such a view I cannot buy.
No, I can’t imagine Lazarus, (who lay dead for four earthly days),
Being summoned back to earth from Heaven, just so that You could him then raise,
For such would surely be unfair, and it seems ridiculous as well,
And it would be even more confusing, if he'd been burning in some Hell.
Your Holy Word tells us, Lord, that David who repented in his heart,
Is still buried on this earth, and that he didn’t from this earth depart;
And that the dead know nothing at all, and (metaphorically) sleep
Until Your second coming, when You then divide the goats from the sheep.
And Your Holy Word also tells us, that every sleeping saint “will hear”
Your loud awakening command when with clouds of angels You appear.
And that only then — these saints on rising — ascend to Heaven with You,
And not upon their natural death, as so many folk think they do.
No, You don’t act unfairly, Lord, such favouritism You don’t show,
But instead, treat everyone the same, knowing that is the way to go.
Therefore, the saints of all the ages, immortality don’t obtain
Until they're all gathered up together, when You come to Your own claim.
Your Word says that You will be bringing their reward with You, (on that day),
In other words, that it's at Your second coming that such You'll repay.
And it also states that all the saints only then their crowns will receive,
Which shows that the saints cannot be up there, if Scripture we're to believe.
You say that up in Heaven there are homes that You have been preparing
For those ones that You will come to claim at Your glorious appearing.
Now, if they already occupy these homes, (as some folk think is true),
Then coming back to get them would be a very pointless thing to do.
Many say that their departed one has gone to Heaven, even Hell,
But despite where anyone might go, such is dependent on Your will,
For only You, Lord, can read one's life — yes, only You, who judges, knows,
So, what right has anyone to think that they know that place that You chose.
Many also think that from the body a ‘soul’ at one's death departs,
Which continues on wherever — that is, without all its bodily parts.
But in those words that are translated as “soul,” there’s nothing that implies
That a conscious entity of some sort leaves the body when one dies.
Intriguingly, Your Word says, Lord, that the “soul” that sins will surely die,
Yet, the devil, as he did with Eve, tries to tell us that’s just a lie.
Plus, Your Word also tells us, that those who stop a sinner from straying
Will save that “soul” from dying, which is most unlike what Satan’s saying.
But of course that “soul” is just us, and not some separate entity,
For once Your “breath of life” has departed from us, we simply cease to be.
Yes, often “spirit,” “soul” and “body,” are just figuratively used,
And hence why there is a need for caution, lest they somehow be misused.
Well, I’m so glad that You, my Lord, have my blueprint safely in Your care,
And that You — the creator of this earth — can make dead saints reappear.
Thus, may it be that at Your coming, immortality I'll receive
Along with all the others also, who this sad old world, then, will leave.
By Lance Landall
(refer to diagram below - you may have to wait for it to appear)
The
idea of an immortal soul and an immediate afterlife originated in the
ancient pagan religions and philosophical systems of Greece and Egypt.
This pagan belief is the cornerstone of almost all eastern religions
and the new age movement. This pagan belief became established as a
Christian precept via Greek influence.
The
theories of Plato (b428 - d347 BC) heavily affected Western
Civilization, including Christianity, (especially in the Latin West).
Plato claimed there was an immortal and spiritual soul, which was said
to exist prior to, and as separate from, the material body.
The
theory of the immortality of the soul was one of those false doctrines
that Rome, borrowing from paganism, incorporated into the religion of
Christendom. Martin Luther classed it with the "monstrous fables that
form part of the Roman dunghill of decretals."
E. Petavel, The Problem of Immortality, page 255.
Eleven commonly Misinterpreted Texts, each with an answer.
(More texts may be added as time etc permits, but those already covered serve as samples. Sources available)
“And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise [Heaven. Jesus here, was speaking to the thief on the cross]” (Luke 23:43, NKJV).
Answer:
Notice that the comma in this text has been placed correctly [by me],
unlike the bias of the translators who put it this way: ‘Assuredly, I
say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise’. The comma, that has
been placed between the words ‘you’ and ‘today,’ was put there by the
translators. The original Greek text has no punctuation. After Christ
arose from the grave, He told Mary that he had not yet ascended to his
Father (John 20:17). He ascended to Heaven some time later. Therefore,
how could the thief have gone to be with Christ in heaven, immediately
after his death, when Christ himself hadn’t even gone to Heaven? Here
in Luke 23:43, Christ is clearly referring to the time when He will
return (John 14:1-3).
“He [Saul] said to her [the medium], “What is his appearance?” She said, “An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.” So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance” (1 Sam 28:14).
Answer:
1) “Knew” — Saul’s questions, together with the woman’s replies, are in
themselves evidence that Saul did not see Samuel. He “perceived” that
it was Samuel. The NKJ and KJ versions read “perceived.” If anything
was to be seen, it would have been a Satanic apparition.
2) “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up” (verse 15) — If the
doctrine held by most Christians, that a righteous man ascends to
heaven at death, had been held in this ancient period, the summons
would have been to bring Samuel ‘down,’ not up.
3) The Lord would not have spoken to Saul by a medium, a practice He
had outlawed (Lev 20:27;19:31), after He had refused to communicate
with Saul by legitimate means (1 Sam 28:6).
4) If the spirits of the dead were disembodied souls, they obviously
would not need to be wrapped around with cloths (verse 14)
5) If the doctrine held by most Christians, that a righteous man
ascends to heaven at death, had been held in this ancient period,
“Tomorrow you and your son shall be with me” (verse 19) would mean that
God’s prophets and apostate kings share the same living quarters after
death.
6) “Samuel said to Saul” (verse 15) — This clause must not be
interpreted as meaning that it was actually Samuel who spoke. The
Writer simply describes events as they appeared, which is the normal
way in a narrative.
7) “Your enemy” (verse 16) — These words identify their author. Satan
has always endeavoured to paint the character of God in false colours,
as a revengeful tyrant. He depicts God to men as their enemy.
“And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ (John 11:26, NKJV).
Answer:
The reference here is clearly to the second death (Rev 21:8; 2:11;
20:6). From this experience those who live and believe in Jesus will be
delivered (Rev 20:6).
“...I saw under the alter the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on earth?” (Rev 6:9,10, NKJV).
Answer:
Here we have a ‘symbolic’ representation. This representation is simply
designed to reassure those who are facing martyrdom and death, that
ultimately, they will be vindicated by God. These martyrs may be
thought of as sacrifices presented to God, their blood shed on earth
poured symbolically at the heavenly altar (2 Tim 4:6; Phil 2:17), just
as the blood of sacrificed animals was poured at the base of the Old
Testament Hebrew sanctuary altar, the alter of burnt offerings (Lev
4:7,18,25,30) .
“And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni; but his father called him Benjamin (Gen 35:18, NKJV).
Answer:
“As her soul was departing” — Gen 35:18 is simply stating the fact,
that Rachel, in her last moments of consciousness and with her last
fleeting breath, gave her son the name Ben-Oni.
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, God will bring with Him [with Jesus, from the grave] those who sleep [have died] in Jesus” (1 Thess 4:14, NKJV).
Answer:
Here Paul
is speaking about those who are “asleep” [metaphorically] in Christ (1
Thee 4:13) — those who have died and are awaiting the Second Coming
resurrection.
“so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess 3:13, NKJV).
Answer:
A) “Saints” — God’s angels. The Greek word for “saints” simply means
‘holy ones.’ God’s angels pertain to that category, and thus this verse
parallels such texts as Mark 8:38, which describe Christ’s coming “in
the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Or,
B) The saints who are united at the time of Christ’s appearing (1 Thess
4:13-17) and with whom Jesus will be associated at that time — those
alive at Christ’s coming, and those raised from the dead at Christ’s
coming, gathered up together.
“It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I forbear, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me” (2 Cor 12:1-6, NKJV).
Answer:
Paul here, is clearly speaking of himself. He uses the ‘third person’ in order to avoid the appearance of boasting.
“Whether in the body...or whether out of the body” — A clear reference
to being in ‘vision.’ Paul often received visions (Acts 9:4-6; 16:9;
18:9; 22:17,18; 23:11; 27:23; Gal 2:2). In vision there is complete
absence of sensibility to earthly surroundings. The perception of
things seen and heard in vision, and at times participation in the
scenes presented, are fully as real to the consciousness as the normal
sensory experiences of life.
“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Cor 5:8, NIV).
Answer:
“Away from the body” – that is, from life in the present world. Paul here, is simply using poetical language.
“For I am hard pressed between the two: having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you” (Phil 1:23,24, NKJV).
Answer:
“In the flesh” — that is, tied to earthly, fleshly life. Here Paul is
simply stating his “desire”, which is to leave his present troubled
life on earth and to be with Christ without reference to a period of
time that may occur between these two events. Paul here, isn’t giving
some doctrinal exposition of what happens at death. The failure to
recognize that the apostle Paul is speaking about two different modes
of existence and not about the state of the body or soul after death,
has led to unnecessary, misguided speculations about the afterlife.
The rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
Answer:
A) Not every time that Christ told a parable did He state that it was
one. Clearly, the story of the rich man and Lazarus, is a parable, as,
according to the account given, Lazarus received his reward and the
rich man his punishment, immediately after death and before God’s
judgement day. God’s Word clearly states that rewards and punishments,
as well as the separation between those who are saved and those who are
not saved, will only take place at Christ’s return (Matt 25:31-41;
16:27; Rev 22:12; 2 Tim 4:8; Heb 11:39,40).
(B) According to the account given, very little distance separates
Heaven and hell, so much so, that they are within speaking and seeing
distance from each other. According to the account given, the saved and
unsaved can see and communicate with one another. Imagine it! How would
you feel watching a loved one agonizing and burning. That would
certainly destroy your heavenly joy and peace.
The
purpose of this parable was to simply teach that future destiny is
determined by the use we make of the opportunities of this present
life. Christ met people on their own ground, capitalising on certain
things that they sometimes erroneously considered to be so [e.g. things
that the Pharisees already accepted as fact], in an attempt to teach
them vital truths.
The details of a parable must not be pressed
as having a literal meaning in terms of spiritual truth unless the
context makes it clear that such a meaning is intended. In a parable in
Judges 9:8-15 we have trees talking to each other yet we certainly
don’t conclude that trees actually do. That would take the parable
farther then it was intended to be taken.
You might like to read my poems "What Rapture?", "The Witch Of Endor".