We live in a time when there is great fascination about life after death but we also live in a time where there is many false doctrines about life and death that even the elect will be deceive Matthews 24:24 24 For false Christ’s and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. In this study we are here to present not our opinion or the opinion of man but strictly focus on the Inspired Word of God as previous studies we ask you to enter into this study with an open mind seeking the spirit of truth; The Holy Spirit our helper and to put all personal feelings aside. I understand that for some of us this is a huge deal, because we have lost love one and as humans we are looking for any kind of quick relief and hope but God has shown his love for us thru his son Jesus and our hope is in Christ the author and finisher of our faith.

The False Teaching:

Many people teaches that when the believer dies immediately enter into the presence of the lord. For many years I believe in that promise till my step children lost their father at a very young age and I had to teach them to hold on to that promise that their father was in heaven with the Lord but as I  studied about the subject I allow my flesh to come to its own conclusions, but something in the back of my head continued to convict me, after further studies the holy spirit show me the truth; I had to retract my statement to my step children & ask for their forgiveness. I understand as a human being I want my pain and my hope to be heal and fulfill immediately. My grandfather die of Leukemia & my uncle from Cirrhosis of the liver. I was close to Papa Teddy (My grandpa) our flesh wants to hear nothing but healing words, words of encouragements but you see the word of God does that it is just not as fast as our flesh  wants to hear it but our strength and hope comes from the lord.. The promises of God are thru his son Jesus on his second coming. Let’s take a look at the scriptures:

 Luke 23:42-43 . 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[k] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

When I first came across the above scripture. One of scriptures most use to defend the false doctrine;  I struggle with that scripture because it contradict other scriptures that states the opposite views, but  the Holy Spirit led me to question the following:

1.  Luke 23:42 The thieve told Jesus “Lord,[k] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Did Jesus enter his kingdom the same day he die?

a.  Response No Mathew 12:40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Jesus did not enter his kingdom for at least 40 days Acts 1:3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

2.  Luke 23:43 43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  Did Jesus go to Paradise after he die

a.  Response  No he did not again we will use Mathew 12:40  and Peter quoting the prophecy of David regarding the resurrection of Christ Act 2:31  he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption One more . Other verses like 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and John 10:41-42 tell us about Jesus physical burial.  

3.   In the old Greek the language in which the gospel of Luke was written they did not use comas. The comas was added during the transalation see what happens when we move the coma to a new location:

Luke 23:42-43 . 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[k] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”43 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Wow crazy right? That is how easily the enemy can twist the word of God

Another controversial scripture:

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

Peter warn us about Paul writings and the fact that they are hard to understand:

2 Peter 3:14-18 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.

17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 In order to understand the context of 2 Corinthians 5:8 we must read the beginning of the Chapter 5;1-8. The bible must be read in full context not in highlighted scriptures specially with Paul

2 Corinthians 5:1-8  For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

Reading the full context of the text you can see that Paul is comparing our mortal physical bodies as an “earthly tent” and says we should not worry if it is destroyed because we have a “building from God” that awaits us. The context does not support the claim that we will be in God’s presence without a body; rather, Paul simply says we will not have THIS body. He likens our bodies to clothing that we must wear. In verse 4, Paul specifically says he does not want to be unclothed (without a body), but rather further clothed (different body). That’s quite a different picture than a disembodied spirit that lives on after death.  In a previous letter to the Corinthians Paul is even clearer:

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

We can see clearly that upon death our bodies sleep till the second coming of our lord. The following scripture is use by some to justify their false believes, except they only quote Verse Philippians 1:23 but do not make any mention of verse 21 where Paul specifically says” For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:21-23 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For[c] I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

What do the Bible says:

Based on our findings, it is clear that all of us that die will be sleep till the second coming of Christ,  for those that are in Christ, but those that are not will stay sleep will the final judgment. The following are scriptures that clearly support our believes

1.  1 Thessaloniasns 4:13-18 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.[b] 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

55 “O Death, where is your sting?[h]
O Hades, where is your victory?”[i]

2.  1 Corinthians 15:50 -55 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”[g]

3.   Hebrews 9:27-28 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

4.  Acts 7:58-6059 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

I believe the scriptures above speak for themselves even Stephen the Martyr fell to sleep. I wish I can be with Christ right after my death but  rest assure that I will be sleep resting in peace till I be awaking  to meet my lord Jesus Christ in the clouds.

Conclusion:

It is unfortunate that the church cannot agree on many very controversial issues. My brethren for me it is not about being right or being wrong or the traditions of the church. We are a self-funded ministry created for only one purpose to show the love of god to you and to stand on the truth of his word. Blessings

R  I  P

King of Kings Lord of Lords

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