"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHEN CHRISTIANS GO TO HEAVEN"

"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT WHEN CHRISTIANS GO TO HEAVEN"

Php 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
2nd Cor 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Some explanatory thoughts, application, and a prayer:

1. Paul in talking about heaven, and his own desire towards going there makes it very clear, that when a christians dies, they do not go into some mysterious soul sleep, and then later are received into heaven by the Lord, to be with Him.

2. But, rather, Paul states without any equivocation, that when a christian dies they go immediately into the presence of the Lord, or to put it another way, the Christians's last breath on earth, is followed by their first breath in heaven. Christians, go right to heaven, the moment their bodies can no longer contain their souls, because their bodies cease to function, their bodies die as it were, but their saved soul goes to heaven.

3. Let's look again at what Paul says.........

Php 1:23 For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

And, then again in another place he says..........

2nd Cor 5:8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

4. In the NLT the above verses read this way.....

Php 1:23 I’m torn between two desires: Sometimes I want to live, and sometimes I long to go and be with Christ. That would be far better for me,

2nd Cor 5:8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

5. You will notice as you look at these verses, that Paul says things like, "depart ( body dies ) and be with Christ". Simply, and clearly meaning, that the departure out of this body, means, that one is with Christ, Immediately is the idea.
And, then in 2nd Cor 5:8, he says, "to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."

6. One last thing, Paul says, in Php 1:23, "which is far better" No other way to understand this, then to know it means, it's much better to be with the Lord then it is to be here in these bodies. So, two things about Christians, and going to heaven.

(1) The Christian, will go immediately to heaven upon their last breath here on earth. When the Doctor says on his chart, Time of death, it's at that very moment, that the patients soul has now arrived in heaven.

(2) It's far better to be in heaven then to be here in these bodies on earth. Why? Well, here's what we are told about being in heaven from Rev 22, and the focus of these verses, is what will not be in heaven, and they are the things that are with us now here on earth. But, there is also much said about what is not with us now, but will be with us in heaven. 

Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.

Rev 22:4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

Rev 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.

A prayer:

Father, You are the one who has saved us, and given us the sure steadfast hope of being with You in heaven. We are like Paul and desire to be with you, and we know that being with You in heaven will be far better. We look forward to seeing Your face. It's truly impossible for us to know what that blessed moment will be like, but we will find out one day. Also, we do not know what Your voice will sound like, but we will hear it, and we will know once we arrive in heaven. And, Lord, we look forward to what You will say to us, the very first words we hear from You. Thank You for the glorious hope we have. We love You Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia.