There is no greater hope for any Christian than the anticipation of entering God's presence one day. The Word promises an unimaginable reunion when we are joined with other believers, experiencing the greatest of sensation. Controversial within the faith is the understanding of when exactly Christ followers enter heaven. For this topic, there are 2 schools of thought. One suggesting that heaven is available immediately after death. The other contending that the second coming must take place first, as there is only one judgement.
As with all things, to obtain an accurate understanding of such matters, Christians, must go to their one primary source, the holy bible. That being said, there are many unanswered questions for those who take the position of immediate access into heaven's gates, chiefly what would be the need for a second coming of Christ if judgement was achieved after each person's death? Many loved ones of the deceased find great comfort in the idea of a heavenly resting place. It aides in the releasing process. Regardless, it is not in line with the reality of what actually takes place.
Once we resolve the question of entering heaven after death, we are faced with an even greater one looming ahead: Where does the spirit go after death, especially for the believer? I hope to explorer that further through scripture, in the next post. For now, I will just say that we rest until the appointed time.
Jesus stated, "No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven-the Son of Man." (John 3:13 NIV). This is clear, and comes from God himself. It is fair to say that as the author of time, we need no other confirmation of this point.
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