What happens at the point of death?

Do we lie asleep in the grave till the resurrection, or are we immediately in the presence of the Saviour?

From scripture, Jesus said to the criminal on the cross who was also crucified, '...today, you will be with Me in Paradise.'

I don't doubt there are other scriptures, but I can't think of them right now. Others might.

Take care. God bless.

"...today, you will be with Me in Paradise.'"

This statement has been used many times to inform us that a deceased saint will be in the presence of the LORD.

There are many testimonies of people on the verge of drawing their last breath who spoke of the things they were seeing, be it heavenly or satanic.

My husband's uncle, who lived a life of sin, upon his deathbed was in such agony that his attending nurse said it was so awful she hopes she will never, ever again witness anything like this. He cried for water, saying his feet are in the fire...

I know of two persons - one the mother of a childhood friend and the other a young man from our church - on their death bed talked about the music they were hearing "don't you hear that beautiful music?" Or, "Oh! look! it is SO beautiful!!" and then she died.

Blessings.

Keeping it simple - I believe we fall asleep in Jesus. He will resurrect those asleep in Him when He returns. Those dead in Christ will arise and those still alive in Him will be changed. Both those who slept in Him and those faithful to Him will form His eternal kingdom in a new place God is preparing for us.

Keeping it simple - I believe we fall asleep in Jesus. He will resurrect those asleep in Him when He returns. Those dead in Christ will arise and those still alive in Him will be changed. Both those who slept in Him and those faithful to Him will form His eternal kingdom in a new place God is preparing for us.

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Ok, what exactly does this mean?
Reading it for myself and not looking at root words it would seem to imply that when we die our spiritman must stay in darkness somewhere much like literally sleeping,as a result the soul does not go to heaven. Maybe it goes to a holding cell to sleep? Then this sleep goes on for years until Jesus returns? So it should be said that really nobody is in the heaven because Jesus has not returned? This is what I understand from this words.

Something is missing or maybe something isn't taught right?

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

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On its own it tells me that when the body dies the soul stays with it somehow until something happens and then it awakes to everlasting life or to shame. It wouldn't agree with what Paul said about 'Being absent from the body is to be present with the Lord'.

What do you suppose happens to a body when it has been cremated and spread over some area to become at one with the land or the water?

1Th 4:15 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 them which are asleep.

1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

1Th 4:17 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.

Phi 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Luk 23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee,
Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Luk 23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Act 7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.

Act 7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Some are saying that in Eph 4:8-9 the 'paradise' is transferred to heaven.

Is this verse a figurative representation?

Heb 12:1 Therefore, we also having so great a cloud of witnesses set around us, every weight having put off, and the closely besetting sin, through endurance may we run the contest that is set before us,

QUOTE:
"Do we lie asleep in the grave till the resurrection, or are we immediately in the presence of the Saviour?"

It seems that our soul will not be in the grave after our death, but is it asleep or conscious?

If it is conscious, is it already glorified? if not, are we still prone to sin?

What will be glorified, the body or the soul, or both?

2 Corinthians 5

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

I think what makes it difficult to come to an understanding is that we are in time at this moment. The moment we die, we will not be subject to time. Eternity has began. So if we are sleeping (seen as a time issue) until the Lord Jesus Christ comes or we are immediatly (another time issue) with Him in Heaven, it isn't under time constraints. Time will be of none effect after death. I often think of the martyrs in Rev 6:9-11

9When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; 10and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

So are they resting in the Lord Jesus Christ in Heaven or in death?

Oh curiousity, I wonder how the other question developed and why we wonder anything other than being with the Lord happens? Perhaps someone could help me with that, how does anyone scripturally see our bodies as waiting in the grave. Does anyone know the origin of this view? again just curious :)

Understand that Jesus is the first to rise from the dead according to scripture.

Let's start by looking at the Mount of Transfiguration. We have all read in the Gospel of Matthew.... how Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and Jesus He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light and how Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him.

So hear we have it, Moses died before entering the promise land. And yes Moses did die...God buried him.

But there is Moses clearly alive talking with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Some will say that Moses was already resurrected and in body when that took place, but what does scripture say?

Does it not say that Jesus is the first-fruit of those who rose from the dead?

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20

What that means that no one will rise from the dead before Jesus, but there was Moses clearly talking with Jesus on the Mount, before His death on the cross ...so now it can be reasonable deduced that Moses was in spirit form when he appeared to Jesus on the Mount and NOT in body because Jesus had not yet been crucified and resurrected.

Therefore when you die, you are very much conscious in spirit form awaiting the resurrection from the dead (physical body that is).

Many thanks for all your replies.

It has helped me form my own understanding.