In the two previous Q&A’s, we explained that the Bible does not teach that we go to heaven upon death. The last Q&A began to discuss passages, which are sometimes quoted to teach the opposite. We continue to discuss additional passages in this Q&A.

Last time, we explained John 14:1-4, stating that in the Father’s house there are many mansions, and that Christ is preparing a place for us and that He will return and receive us to Him.

We showed that Christ, while in heaven, prepares individual positions of responsibility for each of His disciples, depending on their works (Revelation 22:12). But they all will be in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 25:34)—part of the Family of God and the Bride having made herself ready—born-again members of God’s spiritual Temple—the Father’s house—comparing it with the physical temple with mansions or chambers.

When Christ returns to this earth to establish God’s rule and kingdom over all of mankind, His disciples will be with Him here on earth also—in the Kingdom of God—ruling under Christ in their respective functions and positions as kings and priests over ten cities or five cities or two cities—which fact is signified by the different chambers in the Father’s house.

But there is another additional way of understanding Christ’s statement in John 14:1-3—which does not, of course, support the false concept that we go to heaven when we die.

In John 14:23, Christ said that if we love Him, we will keep His words, and the Father will love us, and both the Father and Jesus Christ will come and dwell and live in us—through the Holy Spirit. Understood this way, Christ was telling His disciples that Christ would go to the Father in heaven and prepare a place for them so that the Father and Christ would be able to dwell there. Remember, that the Church is the spiritual temple of God, and each member is part of that temple, but in addition, each and individual converted member is him-or herself a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19).

When Christ returns, He will take His disciples to Him and give them their reward, because they will have allowed the Father and Christ to dwell and live IN them.

Notice that Ephesians 3:14-19 explains that through the Holy Spirit, Christ dwells in our hearts; James 4:5 confirms that the Holy Spirit dwells in converted Christians; John 14:16-18 reiterates that the Holy Spirit will abide with the Father’s and Christ’s disciples forever; and 1 John 4:12-13 tells us that God the Father dwells in us, and we in Him, when we love one another, and that we know this because He has given us of His Holy Spirit.

We also read in Romans 9:23 that God has prepared us beforehand for glory. Since God the Father created everything through Jesus Christ, and since it is Christ who is the Head of His Church, it is Christ who prepares a place for us so that the Father and He can dwell there—so that we can become glorified. Remember that the word “mansion” can also mean “abode” or “dwelling place.” Understood this way, we are the mansions or chambers or abiding places in God’s spiritual temple, which is the Church—the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Corinthians 6:16: Ephesians 2:19-22).

To summarize: in the Father’s House—God’s spiritual temple—there are many mansions or abiding places for the Holy Spirit, and Christ is preparing such a home individually for the Father and the Son, so that we can become glorified and inherit eternal life, when Christ returns with the reward, which is based on our individual works and conduct.

Another passage, which is sometimes quoted for the concept that we go to heaven when we die, is the alleged ascension by the Two Witnesses to the third heaven. We read in Revelation 11:3-12 that after the Two Witnesses have prophesied for 3 ½ years, the beast (a political military leader) will kill them, and their bodies will lie in Jerusalem for 3 ½ days. After that, they will be brought back to life and ascend to heaven in a cloud.

But this does not mean that they will ascend to the third heaven. Rather, as we explain in our free booklet, “The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,”  their resurrection will take place when all the saints (those who died in Christ) will be resurrected from the dead, at the time of Christ’s return, and they will all meet Jesus in the clouds of the first heaven (the atmosphere) to welcome Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17), and they will all descend together to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:5).

Some quote the passage in Revelation 6:5-11, describing the fifth seal of the martyrdom of the saints, to claim that immortal souls of those who died are in heaven, before God’s throne. But as we explain in our free booklet, “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” this VISION is not to be understood literally—otherwise the fate of immortal righteous souls in heaven before God’s throne, unable to move, would be too much of a horrible fate to even consider. As we explained in the first Q&A in this series, there are no immortal souls, but the soul—the person–dies and sleeps an unconscious sleep, until he is resurrected from his sleep of death.

A similar passage, pertaining to the VISION of the great multitude in Revelation 7:9-17, does not support the concept that they are or will be in heaven (We explain this passage in great detail in our free booklet, “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Another passage can be found in Revelation 19:1, speaking of “voices in heaven.” But these voices do not belong to Christians who went to heaven after death, but to the multitude of heavenly angels (compare Revelation 4:8-11; 5:11-12).

Finally, some quote Revelation 19:14 for the idea that Christ will return with immortal Christians from the third heaven—claiming that therefore, Christians will have been with Christ and God the Father in the third heaven after their death and before Christ’s return.

However, Revelation 19:14 only says that the returning Christ will be seen riding a white horse, and that those who are with Him will also ride on white horses. Even if this were a reference to immortal Christians, it would refer to the time of their resurrection and their meeting with Christ in the air. The passage does not say that those who are with Christ are descending from the third heaven.

In addition, as we explain in our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” it is more likely that those who follow Christ on white horses are holy angelic beings (compare Matthew 25:31). The reference in Jude 14, explaining that the LORD will come with ten thousands of His saints, could refer to resurrected and immortal Christians, as well as to angels. The Greek word, “hagios,” means “holy ones” and could apply to both.

Taken all these passages together, none contradicts the very clear biblical teaching that we will not go to heaven when we die. Rather, the dead need to be and will be resurrected from their sleep of death, but this will not happen prior to Christ’s return to this earth.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

As we explained in the previous Q&A, the Bible teaches nowhere that we ascend to God’s third heaven after we die. Some insist on the opposite, quoting a few passages which supposedly support their belief in an afterlife in heaven after death.

One of those passages is Philippians 1:23-24.  They claim that Paul said that he wanted to die, depart from this earth and be with Christ in heaven. The Nelson Study Bible interprets the passage to mean that “he wanted to go right away to heaven and be with Christ.”

But Paul did not say that he wanted to be with Christ in heaven.

As we explain in our free booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians,” Paul did not believe that he would join Christ in heaven. Paul raised the thought that it would be better for him to depart from this life and this physical mortal body, by falling asleep at the time of his death. He concluded, however, that it was better for the church’s sake to keep on living for a while.

He knew that once he died, he would be in the grave in an unconscious state until the resurrection from the dead at the time of Christ’s return to the earth. He knew that this would occur when the seventh or last trumpet would be blown (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

He knew that at that time, he would be resurrected to immortality–but he also knew that for him, his resurrection would be within the next split second of his consciousness. He was aware and taught that he would die, and within the next split second of his consciousness–within a moment or the twinkling of an eye–he would be raised and always be with the returning Christ—not in heaven, but here on earth.

A similar passage, which is often misused to justify the unbiblical belief in life after death in heaven, is 2 Timothy 4:6. Paul says that he knew that his departure was at hand. Again, some claim that he was thinking that he would die soon, depart from the earth and ascend to heaven.

But Paul does not mention heaven. He says that he is going to depart soon. The Broadman Bible Commentary explains that this is just a metaphor for death. And reading on, Paul says in verse 8 that Christ will give Paul his crown of righteousness “at that day” of His “appearing.” Again, Paul is referring to his “departure” from this life, in anticipation of his resurrection to immortality at the time of Christ’s return, when he would also be honored with an incorruptible crown.

Perhaps one of the most often quoted passages for the erroneous teaching of life after death in heaven can be found in John 14:1-4. In that passage, Christ informs us that in His Father’s house, there are many mansions; that He was going to prepare a place for His disciples; and that He would come again to receive them “where I am.”

Those who teach life after death in heaven omit to mention the fact that Christ spoke about His return to the earth. They only focus on His statement that in His Father’s house there were many mansions and that He went to prepare a place for the disciples in His Father’s house, assuming that He was speaking of a dwelling place for His disciples in His Father’s house in heaven.

First, let us understand what Christ meant with “many mansions” in His Father’s house. The Greek word for mansion, “mone,” means a room, a place of staying, an abode, a chamber. It is only used one more time in the New Testament, in John 14:23, where it is rendered as “home” or “abode.” Christ said that the Father and Christ will make their home or abode with a disciple who loves Christ and keeps His words.

“The Father’s house” could refer to the physical temple of God in Jerusalem, with which Christ’s disciples were of course very familiar, and which was called the holy place in Acts 21:28. In John 2:14-16, Christ expressly referred to the physical temple in Jerusalem as “My Father’s house.” Compare Isaiah 56:7.

In the future, Christ will rule from Jerusalem, sitting on the throne of David, and as Ezekiel 40-48 informs us, there will again be a temple in Jerusalem. God’s temple had and will have chambers (Jeremiah 35:2; Ezekiel 42:1), which are lodging places. A “chamber” can also refer to a bridal canopy (Psalm 19:5).

Jeremiah 35:2 tells us that there were different chambers for people with different positions or responsibilities. Some chambers were situated above other chambers—showing the hierarchical structure of positions within the temple of God. Each chamber designated the residence or position or office, where the resident could be a doorkeeper or a prince. David said that he would love to be a doorkeeper, as long as he could be in God’s temple.

Christ told the church in Philadelphia that its members would become pillars in the temple of God, and they would go out no more (Revelation 3:12). That is, they would always be in God’s temple, being a part of it and connected with it. The Church of God is called the temple of God, and it is also the Bride of Christ.

Christ is using figurative language to say that His disciples would always be part of His Father’s house—they would never be disassociated from the Father.  He said that while He was in heaven, functioning as their Mediator and High Priest, He was preparing a place for them—that is, He would prepare individual positions of responsibility for each of His disciples, depending on their works (Revelation 22:12). But they all would be in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 25:34)—part of the Family of God and the Bride having made herself ready—born-again members of God’s spiritual Temple.

But Christ did not say that after He had prepared a place of rulership and responsibility for His disciples in God’s Kingdom and Family, He would receive them up there in heaven. Quite to the contrary, He said that He would return or come again and receive them to Himself, “that where I am, you may be also.”

When Christ spoke these words, He was here on earth—not in heaven.  And when He returns to this earth to establish God’s rule and kingdom over all of mankind, His disciples will be with Him here on earth also—in the Kingdom of God—ruling under Christ in their respective functions and positions as kings and priests over ten cities or five cities or two cities—which fact is signified by the different chambers in the Father’s house.

None of the Scriptures quoted above tell us that the dead will go to heaven when they die.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The idea that we will go to heaven after death is an entirely unbiblical concept. It is derived from paganism.

As Lewis Brown explains in “This Believing World”:

“In very early times that idea flourished not alone among the Babylonians and Egyptians, but also among the barbaric tribes in and around Greece…these mysteries [came] down from Thrace or across the sea from Egypt and Asia Minor… they declared that for every man, no matter how poor or vicious, there was a place in heaven. All one had to do was to be ‘initiated’ into the secrets of the cult.”

The Hebrews did not believe that we go to heaven when we die. Neither did the early Christians. But in time, the concept developed within the Roman Catholic Church that one will be saved and go to heaven when one has been baptized into the church as a little baby.

The Bible does not teach this. Much confusion exists because many do not understand that the Bible speaks of more than one heaven.

When the Bible speaks of “heaven,” it may refer to any one of three different locations. See Update #97. The first heaven is the atmosphere, surrounding the earth, where birds can fly and clouds move (Genesis 1:20; 27:28). The second heaven is the universe, with all its galaxies, suns, stars and planets (Psalm 8:3).

It is possible for man to reach these two heavens—at least, to a limited extent. But man cannot reach the third heaven, where God dwells—where His angels live and where His throne is located. It is spiritual, not physical. Physical beings cannot enter it—except in a vision—and we won’t go there after our death, either.

According to the biblical testimony, the only Being who entered the third heaven after death was Jesus Christ. Others saw the third heaven in a vision—such as Daniel (Daniel 7:9), Paul (2 Corinthians 12:2), Stephen (Acts 7:56) or John (Revelation 4:2), but they did not enter heaven in bodily form, or as spirit beings.

Christ said in John 3:13 that no human being–except He Himself –has entered the third heaven. The original German Luther Bible wrote: “And no one goes to heaven except for the Son of Man…”

This rendition sets forth accurately the intended meaning of Christ’s words to Nicodemus. Christ explained to him the significance and nature of being born again and the Kingdom of God, and He pointed out that only Spirit beings can enter or become part of the Kingdom, and that they won’t enter the Kingdom or Family of God in heaven, but that the Kingdom will be ruling here on earth.

Most translations render the passage as, “No one has ascended up to heaven…”, but even then, it is at least clear that no one before Christ ever went to the third heaven. This means that contrary to popular belief, Elijah and Enoch did NOT enter God’s third heaven. See Updates #128 and #130.

The same must be true, then, for Abraham, the father of the faithful and a friend of God; Noah; Moses; Samuel; Job; the major and minor prophets, including Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel; as well as King David, a man after God’s own heart who will rule in the Millennium under Christ over the nations of Israel and Judah. The Bible stresses expressly that David did NOT go to heaven when he died (Acts 2:34, 29).

The Bible compares death with a dreamless sleep without consciousness, out of which one must awake. Compare John 11:11-14; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6, 10; Psalm 6:5.

Man is not nor does he have an immortal soul. Man IS the soul that can and will die (Ezekiel 18:4, 19-20), and that must be resurrected from the dead. In order to enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of God, man must be changed to immortality (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; Job 14:14-15; Philippians 3:20-21).

The very fact that man is mortal and that he must be brought back to life through a resurrection from the dead PROVES that he does not go to heaven when he dies. Martin Luther asked the pertinent question, why there should be a resurrection from the dead if the dead are already living in heaven. He concluded: “The fact that there is a resurrection from the dead proves that man does not go to heaven when he dies.” Sadly, today’s Lutheran Churches have totally rejected the words of their “founder.”

God promised man the gift of eternal life (Titus 1:2)–here on earth (Matthew 5:5). Abraham was promised eternal life on the earth as an inheritance (Romans 4:13; Galatians 3:29). Until now, no one has inherited the promises of eternal life and rulership on the earth (Hebrews 11:13, 39-40).

When the righteous enters into eternal life, he will reign under Christ during the Millennium. However, he will not reign from or in heaven, but he will reign ON the earth and over the earth (Revelation 5:8-10; 11:15; Daniel 2:44; 7:13-14, 21-22, 26-27).

Christ will return to the earth—His feet will stand on that day of His appearing on the Mount of Olives—and He will sit on the throne of David… here on earth (Zechariah14:1-2, 4, 8-9, 11, 16-19; Isaiah 9:6-7; 2:1-4; Jeremiah 23:5). We read that all nations will appear before the judgment seat of Christ… here on earth (Matthew 25:31-34,41).

Some claim that we will “rule” in heaven for one thousand years, while the entire earth will be empty and void—with no human being alive at that time. This is the viewpoint of the Seventh Day Adventists, but as we have seen, this position is unbiblical. Please note too that the earth will not be without inhabitants during the Millennium. Christ told us that the days will be shortened just before His return so that NOT everyone would be destroyed… some WOULD survive. Isaiah 24:6 tells us that a few men WILL be left. Compare, too, Isaiah 11:1-12, 16. During the Millennium, the survivors will be “fruitful,” bear children and multiply, and everyone will live in peace and prosperity (Micah 4:4).

Why do the Seventh Day Adventists teach that the saints will be in heaven for the duration of the Millennium, and that the earth will be destitute and constitute the habitation of demons?

The reason lies in the person of Ellen White. On April 7, 1847, she claimed that she was transported, in a vision, to heaven, where she saw, in combination with subsequent visions, the righteous ruling for 1,000 years in heaven, while the earth was “emptied of its inhabitants” and “the home of Satan with his evil angels for 1,000 years.”

The Seventh Day Adventists regard Ellen White as a prophetess and accept her visions as godly revelations and as the truth–contrary to the clear teachings of the Bible. However, visions and revelations, which are in opposition to the Word of God—the Holy Bible—must be rejected. They must never be used to establish “new” understanding.

The biblical understanding is not complicated, but pure and simple, and very easy to comprehend: When a man dies, he is dead, but he will live again through the resurrection from the dead. Until then, he will sleep a dreamless sleep, without any consciousness. He will not go to heaven when he dies, nor will he suffer in a purgatory or “hell.” Rather, he is asleep, until Christ awakes him out of his sleep. And He will, because as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22).

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link