The Heavenly Time Warp

Many years ago, the church I was attending was leading an evangelism course. They believed that folks didn’t like to evangelize the lost mainly because they didn’t know how to. They figured if people were taught what to say and how to say it then it would be easier.

They believed that evangelizing the lost was summed up in one pertinent question. “If you were to die tonight do you know for sure where you would go and why?” The question was supposed to solicit a Heaven or Hell answer. It seemed to be a direct question and one worthy of pondering.

I tried it with conviction and thought it was a solid way to approach the situation of Heaven or Hell.

Now through my re-learnings I think I am seeing that when I die I will not go to Heaven… or Hell… or at least straightaway. It seems that in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 it mentions the dead in Christ rising first to meet him in the air. If… when I die and I go to Heaven, presuming I am a Christ follower, and I am IN Heaven when the trumpet sounds and Christ comes back to gather his own, then… if Christ is coming DOWN on the clouds and I am UP in Heaven already, shouldn’t I be coming down with him?

Would this assume that I will not go directly to Heaven when I die? That possibly I will go into a very long deep sleep.

Funny thing is that as I am asking this question of anyone I can I am getting only 2 answers. They will either say, ‘definitely Heaven!’ or… gee I am not sure. Not because they ponder their salvation but because they are not sure of when the resurrection of the dead will be.

Nowhere in the bible does it say that we go right to Heaven when we die. That’s the way I was taught. That’s what they sing about in most of the contemporary Christian songs. That is what they say at a funeral or about sister so-and-so who just passed away. ‘She is in a better place now. She’s in Heaven with Jesus.’ Is she? Please share with me what scripture says that?

If I am missing something please feel more than free to share with me. I do not want to be reading something that is not there. I have no problem being told I am wrong as long as you can back it up with scripture and preferably not one-liners taken out of context.

Note: For all of you out there in blog-reading land, I am sorry if my past post about me not going to Heaven caught a few of you unaware. Actually, I was wondering if any would read what I wrote or hear what they thought I said. I didn’t say I wasn’t going to Heaven. I said, I wasn’t going to Heaven when I died. I think we all read and hear what we want to believe even if that is not what was truly said.

Thanks and be blessed!!