Do Christians go to Heaven When they Die?

[kalam]

Hey Bluesky and Aristotle,

The past 6 months or so, I've been listening to Pastor Doug Batchelor's radio show "Bible Answers Live" on my way to work in the mornings, and often on the way home again. He appears to be quite knowledgeable of the bible, and backs up every answer to every bible question with scripture in a manner that sounds like it makes sense.
According to him, when Christians die (presently, before the second coming of Christ) they do not go straight to heaven. Although their "next conscious thought" is the judgement day, people do not go to heaven or to hell at death. He refers to this as a "sleep", and according to his website "amazingfacts.org" "In death humans are totally unconscious with no activity or knowledge of any kind".

Is this a common Christian belief? I was under the impression that "most" (whatever that means) Christian denominations believe that you go to heaven immediately. By Pastor Doug's reasoning, virtually no one has *yet* gone to heaven, as they are awaiting the return of Christ.

They way he explains it, and the considerable scripture he uses to defend this actually sounds biblical.

Thoughts?

KaL

[Bluesky]

Good Question.

Mainstream evangelical Christianity has most often taught that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). The 7th Day Adventists and some other sects have veered away from that plain teaching and have asserted that the Bible teaches as your post describes. I would not call it a heresy, because whatever happens will happen, of course.

And the RCC teaches that most Christians will first visit purgatory where they will be cleansed (purged) from their sins for eons before they are taken to heaven,

[Aristotle]

Interesting, he's a Protestant pastor who seems to be flirting with Roman Catholic theology.

[Aristotle]

Do not want to get into a theological kerfuffle (I do believe this is the only time I've ever used the word "kerfuffle", it's fun), but here are a few reasons Catholics believe there is actually a purification before entering Heaven:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/purgatory

[kalam]

Hi there, Bluesky.

Mainstream evangelical Christianity has most often taught that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8). The 7th Day Adventists and some other sects have veered away from that plain teaching and have asserted that the Bible teaches as your post describes. I would not call it a heresy, because whatever happens will happen, of course.

Pastor Doug addresses 2 Cor 5:8 at length, generally every time this comes up on his radio show. He also addresses it here:

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-l...-from-the-body

I don't think I have ever heard mention what denomination he believes in, but after a quick google search, I believe he is seventh day adventist. This seems in line with his also often-stated opinion about the sabbath. If able, can you take a quick peek at that link, and share your thoughts? I might end up following up with another thread on the sabbath as well, (saturday vs sunday) so I will be interested in your take on that too.

KaL

[kalam]

Hey there Aristotle,

Interesting, he's a Protestant pastor who seems to be flirting with Roman Catholic theology.

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this, as it relates to purgatory. Here is Pastor Doug's view on "are the dead really dead" :

https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-l...d-really-dead-

Kal

[kalam]

Do not want to get into a theological kerfuffle (I do believe this is the only time I've ever used the word "kerfuffle", it's fun), but here are a few reasons Catholics believe there is actually a purification before entering Heaven:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/purgatory

Thanks for this - going to read.

KaL

[Anapeg]

Kalam, Blue is out of the country at this time and unable to respond, he asked me to pass on his message.

[kalam]

Kalam, Blue is out of the country at this time and unable to respond, he asked me to pass on his message.

much appreciated!

KaL

[Hans]

Ever wondered why heaven is up and hell is down?

[Anapeg]

Ever wondered why heaven is up and hell is down?

Up is good, down is not? Up, you are free to move and down you are restricted, constricted by dirt and a coffin. An interesting question that makes you pause. Where one of the thoughts of extraterrestrials being some of the people in the Bible...