Now I will bring up the state of the dead. I will probably lose many Christians at this point, but I don’t write to please people. Are our dead forefathers, and other loved ones, dwelling in “heaven” at this time? Jesus said: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (John 3:13). But many say that Christ opened the graves after the crucifixion. I point you to the faith chapter of Hebrews 11. It tells us of how the patriarchs of old have not ascended to heaven. “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11:39,40). Mind you, this was written after the crucifixion. I urge you to also read the whole chapter of I Corinthians 15, but note especially the following verses: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming” (I Corinthians 15:20-23). Also consider the following: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [Gr. precede] them which are asleep. But every man in his own order; Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: And so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:13-17). So are our loved ones already with Christ? If they have to be resurrected at His coming—they must not be. I believe our lost loved ones are asleep; they have no awareness of time. Somehow God preserves our spirits for a future resurrection. We don’t know exactly how He does this, but we don’t know many things.
Some believe that if we meet the Lord in the air, that we will ever be in the air or heaven. The Bible doesn’t say that, it says we will ever be with the Lord. Remember, heaven is wherever God is. Once we meet the Lord we shall return to the earth: “And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9,10). Even though we are on the earth, we will be in the heavenly realm. We will be spirits, just as God is.
Some believe that if we meet the Lord in the air, that we will ever be in the air or heaven. The Bible doesn’t say that, it says we will ever be with the Lord. Remember, heaven is wherever God is. Once we meet the Lord we shall return to the earth: “And they sung a new song, saying, thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9,10). Even though we are on the earth, we will be in the heavenly realm. We will be spirits, just as God is.
