What Happens When A Saint Dies?

2nd Corinthians 5:1-3, “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.”

Here is a helpful article that I wrote titled: "Where Are The Dead?"

When Jesus died, I believe Biblically that He went to the Paradise side of Hell to bring the Old Testament saints to Heaven. It is my humble opinion, based on Luke 16:19-31 and 2nd Corinthians 5:1-11, that when a saint dies, we will be escorted by our guardian angels to Heaven. Matthew 18:10, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.” Dying, I think, will be a startling experience. I do not think we will notice a break in conscience when we die. When that moment of death comes, when our soul separates from our physical body, I expect to see my dead body from my departed spirit. I cannot imagine God leaving us to panic, not knowing what is going on when we graduate from this life to the next. Death is not truly death for the believe in Christ, it the the beginning of a new life in Heaven. Death is only true death for the unbeliever (Revelation 21:8). So I think, as Lazarus saw himself, at least two angels will be there to greet us at death, and they will kindly explain to us what has happened to comfort us. That is speculation mind you, I do not know. But we do know that at least two angels met Lazarus when he died in Luke 16:9-31.

In sharp contrast, the unsaved rich man died in his sleep and woke up directly in Hell. There were no angels to greet him, nor comfort him, he just laid his head down on his expensive comfortable pillow, and then woke up burning in the torments of Hell beneath. What a horrifying thing to happen to anyone! But dear friend, this will also be YOUR FATE if you die in your sins without Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

Ah, but if you have been born-again dear reader, by simply believing the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-6), then you will die in the Lord instead. Revelation 14:13, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.” So which will it be for you dear friend? Will you DIE IN YOUR SINS and spend eternity suffering in Hell with the former rich man; OR, will you DIE IN THE LORD with me and others who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31), without works (Romans 4:4-7), so we can spend eternity with Jesus in glory?

I humbly think we will be taken directly to Heaven when we die as saints. I also think that God gives us some type of temporary body in Heaven. Abraham had a body in Paradise. I agree with Pastor Max D. Younce that Hell (Hades in Greek is compartmentalized. We see this truth in Luke 16:19-31. Abraham was on the Paradise side (also called "Abraham's Bosom"). The place of Torment is on the other side, and there is a Great Gulf the Bible says between them, so that no one can pass over. The rich man (now poorer than poor) begged for a single drop of water, but was denied. That is horrifying! He was conscious, and feeling pain in his body. He did have a body. How else could he find a single drop of water refreshing to quench his dire thirst? How else could he feel pain in the fire?

I highly recommend that you read the book by Dr. Max Younce titled: "A BIBLICAL EXAMINATION OF HELL." You can either purchase a hardcopy of the book, or read and/or download the free .pdf version at the preceding link to the Heritage Baptist Bible Church. Dr. Younce expounds the reader about the topic of Hell in the inspired Word of God.

In the Bible God's good angels always appeared in a physical body, never as a mere spirit entity. I believe that Heaven is a physical place in the northern part of the universe, based on Psalm 75:6-7.

When Jesus ascended to leave the earth, He physically departed, escorted by angels, SEEN by the disciples:

Acts 1:9-11, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

So Jesus left in a physical body. And the angels said that Jesus is coming back in a physical body. Revelation 1:7 says that every eye shall see him. Some flat earth nuts like Pastor David Hoffman, use this passage to prove that the earth is flat. That is crazy. We can see via cameras what is going on all around the world today. But the Bible says even people in Hell, those who crucified the Lord, shall also see Him. I am not sure how God will make this happen, but there is nothing too hard for God to do. But I can say without a doubt that the earth is definitely NOT flat, it is a sphere (not perfectly round, kind of egg shaped scientists tell us, but a sphere nonetheless). Even the book of Isaiah says that the Lord sitteth upon “the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22).

I think that Heaven is a physical place, with physical thrones upon which God the Father and God the Son sit. Colossians 3:1, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

By the way, this Scripture passage refutes the diabolical heresy of Modalism (the Devil's lie that Jesus is not a physically separate person from God the Father). As Christians we are what in theology is called “TRINITARIAN” in our beliefs. That is, we believe that God is triune in nature (3-in-1). There is only one God, but He has manifest Himself to humanity in the three persons of; namely, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 2:2, 9; 1st John 5:7 - only King James Bible, all modern Bible revisions are corrupt). I think the departed saints have physical bodies in Heaven, but not their glorified bodies yet. This is mere speculation, I cannot prove this. But our text passage from 2nd Corinthians 5:1-3 seems to indicate that believers in Heaven have a body of some sort, as did Abraham in Paradise. In the book of Revelation, a saint appeared to John in physical body. When John bowed down to worship him, he rebuked John, because he was a like brother, a saint in the Lord.

I also do not believe in “Soul Sleep,” a popular false teaching taught among Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-Day Adventists, which says that the spirit and soul of a deceased person also stays asleep with the body until a future resurrection. Jesus said that the Sadducees erred in their doctrine, knowing not that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. This is further evidence against the idea of soul sleep. Our bodies mortal dead bodies will remain asleep until the Rapture, at which time every saint will receive our immortal eternal bodies...

1st Corinthians 15:51-58, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Amen and amen! Whatever happens to us as saints, we have the blessed Scriptural hope that our future will be bright, cheerful and rewarding in the Lord; versus the eternal damnation, undoable rot, bitter regret, immense tears and inexplicable suffering for all unbelievers. I am so thankful to God for His free gift of eternal life, through simple faith in Jesus Christ...

1st Thessalonians 4:14-15, “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.”