The afterlife...

[fennel]

Hi folks...
I have a question about Pentecostal beliefs concerning life after death.  I went to a pentecostal funeral last night (my cousin's).  The pastors said that my cousin was with Jesus now, and that he was smiling down upon us.  There were some moving and beautiful songs about the joys of being with God up in heaven, etc.  Then, somebody mentioned the second coming of Christ, when all the dead will be gathered up to heaven first.  Now, I heard these conflicting messages before, but I'm thinking that some of you here could answer my question, as the people at his service last night seemed very knowledgeable of the bible.

If the dead are up in heaven now, the part about the second coming of Christ bringing the dead up to heaven with him doesn't make sense to me.  I did hear somebody say (I think) that my cousin is "sleeping" in Jesus.  Can somebody explain the Pentecostal beliefs?

I was raised Catholic, and catholics as a rule don't seem to have much knowledge of the bible, at least it was never stressed when I was growing up.  Also, I fell away from the church and am basically faithless.  Still, I found myself moved last night, and the question in my head has been bugging me non-stop.

Thanks in advance,

Fennel

[fennel]

Or, can anybody suggest a portion of the bible that explains it?  Or another book that perhaps delves into this a bit?  I'm sincerely curious...not trying to be a trouble-maker.

Thanks in advance...

[Third Day]

Or, can anybody suggest a portion of the bible that explains it?  Or another book that perhaps delves into this a bit?  I'm sincerely curious...not trying to be a trouble-maker.

Thanks in advance...

Hope this helps:

"The apostle Paul makes it clear that believers go immediately into the Lord’s presence when they die. He calls this being “away from the body and at home with the Lord

[fennel]

Or, can anybody suggest a portion of the bible that explains it?  Or another book that perhaps delves into this a bit?  I'm sincerely curious...not trying to be a trouble-maker.

Thanks in advance...

Hope this helps:

"The apostle Paul makes it clear that believers go immediately into the Lord’s presence when they die. He calls this being “away from the body and at home with the Lord

[Third Day]

You're welcome.

[Sherman Nobles]

Hi fennel,

I believe that the problem is that we are trying to understand the eternal realm of God when we are bound in time consciousness. 

From one perspective, when we physically die, we are immediately in the eternal realm of God, our lives will be judged, the fire of Truth will cleanse, purify us like Isaiah was purified when brought into the presence of the Lord; and are fully brought into the presence of the Lord - the new Jerusalem.

From another perspective, the Kingdom of God is not fully realized for all of humanity until this temporal world is completely done away with, until all things are wrapped up so to speak. 

We and the writers of scriptures use limited temporal earthly language to convey the best possible understanding of life that is eternal and spiritual. 

It's about like a group of blind men feeling an elephant and trying to describe it to one another.  One says it's like a fire hose (trunk).  Another says the elephant is like a tree trunk (leg), and another says the elephant is like a tanker truck (stomach).  Each is correct, but none have the full picture.

The eternal realm and the way all this wraps up is much like this.  We would be wise to listen to one another and maybe we'll get a bigger picture.  Even so, the blind men can only discuss share what the personally "feel". 

[eveh]

Those who have received the Holy Spirit will go to the Lord when they die although their bodies remain in the ground, their spirits will go to be with him. Paul says, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord"...but only those who die with the Spirit of God.
Those who do not know God, will sleep in the grave and know nothing until they are raised to eternal judgement for their sins. Those who have his spirit will have their bodies raised to become new, mortal bodies that will never die and they will rise to meet the Lord in the air and forevermore be with him on a new Earth because they old Earth will be gone.

The book of Acts will explain the Holy Spirit to you. Once you repent and are sincere about living right, just ask and he will fill you with his Spirit. Pay attention to chapter ten because that is the pattern for us. Don't listen to anyone from any doctrine...read that and see what conclusion you reach. It is for today, don't let anyone tell you different. You must have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to be saved. It is being placed in the body of Christ.

[jimmyjake]

Mar 12:24  And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Mar 12:25  For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

[jimmyjake]

Those who have received the Holy Spirit will go to the Lord when they die although their bodies remain in the ground, their spirits will go to be with him. Paul says, "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord"...but only those who die with the Spirit of God.
Those who do not know God, will sleep in the grave and know nothing until they are raised to eternal judgement for their sins. Those who have his spirit will have their bodies raised to become new, mortal bodies that will never die and they will rise to meet the Lord in the air and forevermore be with him on a new Earth because they old Earth will be gone.

The book of Acts will explain the Holy Spirit to you. Once you repent and are sincere about living right, just ask and he will fill you with his Spirit. Pay attention to chapter ten because that is the pattern for us. Don't listen to anyone from any doctrine...read that and see what conclusion you reach. It is for today, don't let anyone tell you different. You must have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to be saved. It is being placed in the body of Christ.

Mar 12:24  And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?
Mar 12:25  For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.