Our Reward Is In Heaven
And Christ brings it with him...
This is the Sixth and final post from Chapter 9 of Friends With God: Life After Death, in which we are exploring what God tells us about what may happen to us when we die, depending on what we do in this life.
In the previous posts in this series, we have seen that scripture talks about two resurrections, and two deaths, but it never directly says that we go to heaven or hell when we die. In this post we will examine some of the few scriptures that seem to indicate we go to heaven after death.
Are Abraham, Isaac, And Jacob Alive In Heaven?
Jesus told us that God is not the God of dead people, but of living people:
But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?”
God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. (Matt 22:31-32)
Does this prove that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were alive in heaven when Jesus said this? That is a common assumption of those who believe that we go to heaven when we die. However, this scripture does not mention heaven, but the topic is the resurrection of the dead.
What is the point of being resurrected from the dead, if you are already alive in heaven?
This is a very difficult question for those who believe that a Christian immediately goes to heaven when he dies. Yet, logically, the fact that people are resurrected from the dead, (not from heaven) totally undermines the unbiblical idea that we go to heaven. Scripture tells us what we need to know, we don’t need to add ideas to scripture in order to understand its meaning.
These verses don’t even mention ‘heaven’, let alone going there. Therefore what Jesus said here proves nothing at all about anyone going to heaven, but it does clearly say that there is a resurrection of the dead in the future.
Not The God Of The Dead?
However, what did Jesus mean when he said God is not the God of the dead, but of the living”?
The answer is not that they are now alive in heaven, no matter how convenient that answer may be to those who believe in going to heaven, as heaven is not mentioned at all in these verses, or the surrounding verses. The topic being discussed is not heaven, but the resurrection from the dead.
You will not find any scripture to show that heaven is the place we go after we die. However, we could assume that this verse means the saints are alive in heaven, but we could only assume this if we already have a preconceived notion (not based on scripture) that we go to heaven when we die.
As discussed in the previous post, we are told to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. (1Thes 5:21) We need to test our assumptions about what scripture teaches us, and only hold fast to that which is supported by what is written.
We are warned many times not to add to or take from scripture, but we all need to develop a base of knowledge upon which we build our understanding. We cannot use this verse to prove the idea that we go to heaven, therefore from this scripture we cannot hold fast to the idea that we go to heaven.
The God Of The Living
So what did Jesus mean, when he said God is not the God of the dead, but of the living? In Luke’s account of the same discussion, something important is included:
Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him. (Luke 20:38)
The point is that we now, in this life, live to Him. This is a poetic way of saying that we walk the same way that he walked. The same poetic expression is used by Paul:
For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.
So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. (Rom 14:8)
If we live the life of a Christian, such that we “live to the Lord”, then we will be granted eternal life in the resurrection, for “we are the Lord’s”.
God will always be with us, in death or in life. When Jesus said “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” it does not mean we won’t actually die, but that we are the Lord’s, both now and in the future when we die, and also in the resurrection from the dead.
Those who love God, and live His way of life do not follow the path of sin that leads to death:
… for as you have (in your former life) yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now (as a Christian) yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
For when you were the servants of sin, you were free from righteousness.
What fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed?
for the end (result) of those things is death.
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end (result) is everlasting life. (Rom 6:19-22)
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived to the Lord in their lifetime, which is all the proof we need to know they are to be resurrected from the dead and granted eternal life. It is also the same proof that we have, that we too will be resurrected from death to eternal life.
The Resurrection Of The Dead
The topic being discussed when Jesus said “he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him”, was not heaven but “concerning the resurrection of the dead”
This verse should therefore logically raise the question “what is the resurrection of the dead?” Yet those who believe in going to heaven rarely address this question. If they would do so, then they would also need to honestly address the next logical question, stated above: “What is the point of being resurrected from the dead, if you are already alive in heaven?”
Once we begin to confront the simple logic of what Jesus is saying, then we will begin to unravel the false assumption (that the dead go to heaven), from the truth of God, which is that you will sleep the sleep of death, and then be resurrected at the return of Christ.
As explained previously in this series of posts from this chapter, “Life After Death”, there are many references in the Bible showing that those who are dead are in a state that is somewhat analogous to being asleep: Deut 31:16, 2Sam 7:12, Job 7:21, Psalm 13:3, Dan 12:2-12, John 11:11-13, Acts 13:36, Acts 17:10, Acts 24:15, John 5:25, 11:25, 1Cor 15:12-51, 1Thes 4:14-15, Heb 6:2, Rev 20:5-6.
The resurrection from the “sleep of the dead” is the truth that is proven in scripture, and the truth is what we need to hold fast to. (1Thes 5:21)
Paul, when on trial, said in his defence:
It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial. (Act 23:6)
He did not say he was on trial for “the hope of going to heaven when I die”.
The Apostles were arrested because they preached about the resurrection of the dead:
And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. (Acts 4:1-2)
They were not preaching about going to heaven and never dying.
The simple truth of scripture is that nobody ever speaks in scripture of going to heaven when they die.
Lazarus Resurrected From The Dead
Will those who believe in Jesus never die? When Jesus was talking to Martha about her brother Lazarus, who had just died, he said:
Your brother shall rise again. Martha said to Him,
I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life!
He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live.
And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
Do you believe this?
She said to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ,
the Son of God, who has come into the world. (John 11:21-27)
Lazarus was dead and in the grave, and Jesus raised him from the dead. When Jesus said “ whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die”, did he mean that when they die, they don’t actually stay in the grave, but were still alive in heaven?
As the word ‘heaven’ is not even mentioned in this context, it would be a major assumption to think that is what Jesus meant.
What Jesus said was: He who believes in Me, though he die, yet he shall live. People will die, and yet shall live in the resurrection, as Martha said: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
If what she said was wrong, then this would have been an opportune time for Jesus to say “don’t you know he is in heaven even now?” Yet he did not contradict what she said. He agreed with her when he said “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die”. They shall never die because when they are raised in the resurrection they shall be immortal.
The whole context of this discussion with Martha is about the resurrection, it has nothing to do with going to heaven. Yet people who have this assumption don’t actually read the scripture, and believe it, but want to add their own ideas to the clear truth of scripture and totally distort what is being taught.
To reiterate: when we die we will be resurrected from death by Jesus, who said “I am the Resurrection and the Life!”, and, as a demonstration of his power over death, he then went on to resurrect Lazarus.
If you go to heaven when you die, then Jesus would not have said “I am the Resurrection and the Life!”, but “you go to heaven when you die”, for there is no need for a resurrection if you are already in heaven.
Clearly, Jesus was talking about the need to have a resurrection from the state of being dead. Nothing else is mentioned, or necessary, or has any relevant meaning in the context of this conversation between Martha and Jesus.
Being With Jesus In Paradise?
Another tricky question about going to heaven is when the thief on the cross said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he (Jesus) said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:42-43)
Many assume that he meant that the thief would be in heaven with Christ the same day, as both of them would be dead within a few hours. However, again, we must notice that the word “heaven” is not mentioned.
What was requested by the thief was remember me when you come into your kingdom. When is that going to happen? It is when Christ returns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Rev 19:15-16) Then will be the time when “The kingdoms of the world are become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”(Rev 11:15)
That will be the time of the Kingdom of God on Earth. Not now. Not in Heaven.
Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection:
on such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ,
and shall reign with him a thousand years.
(Rev 20:6)
Those in the first resurrection will reign with Christ on Earth for 1,000 years, after being raised from their graves.
When Jesus said this to the thief, he was therefore not saying that you will be in heaven today with me. The problem is with the translation from Greek to English. Despite the fact that commas are important punctuation marks in English, there are no commas in the ancient Greek manuscripts. The meaning of the verse is quite clear if you put the comma behind the word ‘today’, not in front of it, as such:
Truly, I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise.
Or to put it even more clearly: I am telling you now, that you will be with me in paradise.
It seems that Jesus accepted this man as one of his disciples, and perhaps even granted him the honour of being in the first resurrection, due to his belief and confession on the cross!
Jesus Not In Heaven When He Died
In addition to the correct placement of the comma, it must be noted that when Christ died, his body was placed in a tomb where He stayed for three days and three nights, before He was resurrected by God the Father. This is a critical point, as Jesus said that the fact that he would be in the grave for three days and three nights, was to be the only proof given to that generation of people that he was the messiah:
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matt 12:38-40)
But, some claim that he was he actually in heaven during this three days and three nights. Yet that is not true, nor does scripture state anything about his going to heaven when he was in the grave. That is an assumption that those who believe in going to heaven add to scripture.
When did Jesus go to heaven? It was after he was resurrected, for Jesus said to Mary:
Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
(John 20:17)
Jesus had not been in heaven during the preceding three days and nights, or he would have already been to the Father.
Therefore, there is no way that Jesus could have been meeting up with this thief in heaven on the same day they had both died, as Jesus himself was not going to be in heaven.
Neither Christ, nor the thief, went up to heaven that day.
Again, you should notice that nowhere in this account does Jesus even mention heaven at all. But in fact, when you understand what this verse is actually saying, it clearly demonstrates that Jesus was in the sleep of death before he was resurrected from the dead.
…in the likeness of his death…
The death that Jesus experienced, is exactly the same death that all people will experience. For, as discussed in the first post in this series, we will all die and will be resurrected at the time of Christ’s return, or at the second resurrection:
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgement. (John 5:28-29)
What will this resurrection look like? It will be the same type of resurrection that Christ had:
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection… (Rom 6:5)
Christ’s dying and being resurrected to life demonstrated what being resurrected from the sleep of death is like, and it also provides the example of what the resurrection will be like for us too:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept (die).
For since by man (Adam) came death, by man (Christ) came also the resurrection of the dead.
(1Cor 15:20-21)
The resurrection of Christ after three days and three nights proves that death is akin to sleep, and also proves that our soul does not go to heaven when we die.
To Die And Be With Christ?
A similar tricky question about going to heaven, is raised when Paul said he desires to die, and be with Christ:
For to me, to go on living is Christ, and to die is gain. Now if I continue living, fruitful labour is the result, so (however) I do not know which I would prefer. Indeed, I cannot decide between the two. I have the desire to leave this life and be with Christ, for that is far better.
But for your sake it is better that I remain alive. (Philipp 1:21-24)
Paul was confused as to what he wanted to do, to live or die.
Was he desiring to be with Christ in heaven? Again, you will notice, that heaven is not even mentioned.
When we use the perspective of the truth of scripture as out guide, we can see that what Paul is actually talking about is dying and being resurrected. For in his next waking moment after the resurrection, then he will be with Christ.
There is nothing mysterious about Paul’s wanting to die and be with Christ, for the sleep of death is not something we will know anything about, nor will we be aware of the passage of time. Our bodies will be gone, and our next awareness after death will be in a new body, which is incorruptible and immortal!
This, of course, will be far better than living in this physical life, particularly for Paul as he had many trials and difficulties throughout his Christian life. However, Paul knew it was better for those in Philippi at that time that he stay alive: But for your sake it is better that I remain alive. (Philipp 1:24)
to be present with the Lord
Paul said something similar when writing to the Church in Corinth:
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2Cor 5:8)
Did he did mean he was going to heaven to be with Christ? No, for in verse 10 he explains when he will be present with the Lord:
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the (reward for the) things done in his body,
according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad.
This is the judgment of the resurrection of the dead. That is when he will be present with Christ, for the previous verses also talk about being resurrected:
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed (die), but clothed upon (given a new life), that mortality might be swallowed up of (eternal) life. (2Cor 5:4)
The unfortunate problem with this verse is the rather outdated analogy of being “unclothed” meaning to die, and being “clothed upon” meaning to gain eternal life, yet that is what Paul is talking about.
The Eternal Building In Heaven
Yet again, those who believe in going to heaven will quote what Paul said just a few verses earlier:
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: (2Cor 5:1-2)
Does this mean we go to heaven to live in this building? No, the verse tells us that the building is in heaven, and the building comes from heaven, but it does not say we go to heaven to live in it.
Jesus is not talking about a literal building but the gift of eternal life, which is the gift that he has for us, which is reserved for us in heaven. This gift is in heaven, which is where God is, which simply means this gift of eternal life can’t be taken from us:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1Peter 1:3-5)
It is only when Christ returns to Earth from being in heaven, and will then “be revealed in the last time” , that he will bring this reward of eternal life with him from heaven:
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (Rev 22:12)
When Christ returns he will give us the reward of eternal life:
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, (the reward will be) eternal life:
(Rom 2:6-7)
We don’t go to heaven to receive this reward, but it is kept for us in heaven, for Christ brings it with him in the form of resurrecting us to eternal life.
Moses And Elijah Talk With Jesus?
The final scripture we shall look at which people use to claim that the dead are in heaven, is when Matthew records that Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus. Some assume that Moses and Elijah had come from heaven, where they were actually alive. However, we just need to read the context and we will see that, yet again, heaven is not the topic, as heaven is not even mentioned in these verses.
Only three of Jesus disciples were with Jesus when Moses and Elijah spoke with him:
And after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart. And He was transfigured before them. And His face shone as the sun, and His clothing was white as the light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. (Matt 17:1-3)
We don’t need to wonder what this meant, because Jesus told Peter, James, and John what it was just after it occurred:
as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. (Matt 17:9)
Jesus said that this was a vision. It was not reality. The fact that this was a vision is also in the wording: Jesus was transfigured and Moses and Elijah appeared to them.
This vision was given to show them what the Kingdom of God would be like, for in the previous verses, which was six days before this event, Jesus had said:
For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He shall reward each one according to his works. Truly I say to you, There are some standing here who shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.
(Matt 16:27-28)
Then the next verse tells us that six days later Peter, James, and John were taken by Jesus to see this vision of him as the risen glorified King Of Kings and Lord Of Lords, which is as he shall appear in the Kingdom of God. (Rev 19:11-16)
At that future time, in the Kingdom, Moses and Elijah will also be alive, for it is a vision of the future after the resurrection of the dead, which happens at the return of Christ.
As heaven is not mentioned in the context of this vision, this scripture provides no evidence that any human being is alive in heaven.
Jesus said this was a vision, which was given to show Peter, James, and John what the Kingdom of God was going to be like after Jesus has returned, and also after the first resurrection had occurred when Moses and Elijah are to be alive again.
Conclusion For Chapter Nine, Life After Death
From the detailed discussion over these six posts from Life After Death, we can see that we sleep in the grave after we die, and then we are resurrected to life. This sleep is similar to but obviously not the same as physical sleep, for our body is destroyed in the grave, but our “sole” or “spirit” are somehow kept by God till the time of resurrection.
Most scriptures that people use to justify believing that we go to heaven or hell often don’t even mention heaven or hell, and are easily explained when looking at the context and approaching the scripture with the understanding of the resurrection of the dead.
The only way that any scripture can be seen to support the doctrine of going to heaven or hell, and the immortal soul theory upon which it is based, is that you first must assume that we go to heaven or hell before you start to read God’s word, for there is nothing in scripture that says anything about our going to heaven or hell.
If you read the actual words and the clear context of all these scriptures, you will see that we need not worry that any unsaved dead loved ones are burning in hell, nor are they looking down on us from heaven. The historical foundation of these ridiculous ideas comes from many ancient pagan religions, not from God’s written word. We should not add such made up pagan foolishness onto the profound and simple truth of God’s revealed word.
God unequivocally tells us that he will raise all people from death, in either the first or second resurrection. This is what happens after death. We must therefore be sure to look at all scripture with this God-given perspective and understanding, and in doing so we will then be able to prove all things and hold fast to that which is good. (1Thes 5:21)
I just wanted to thank you for these posts. You are a wonderful teacher.