Death and Judgement Day

Tirisilex

I'm having a hard time with this. What does the Bible say what happens when you die? When Jesus was on the Cross he said to the man that when he Dies he will be with Jesus in Heaven. Lazurus and the Rich man who is in Hell.. after he dies.. And I always hear of people saying My loved one is in Heaven now. But my question is how can this all be if Judgment day has not come yet? We all need to be ressurected and Judged but these people seem to be Judged before Judgment Day, they goto there respective places before Judgment has come. Can someone clarify this for me?

steve2

Tirislex

Good to hear from you and note that you've been signed up here for 14 years! You do seem highly concerned, if not anxious, about the after life and/or Biblical end-times statements and, in particular JWs take on these topics.

All three topics you have started have centred round these kinds of "doctrines".

I am not implying there is anything "wrong" with your questions but, as someone said to me many years ago when I too was searching (and asking) for definitive answers to these topics: "One of the problems with asking people these sorts of questions is, It depends on where you look and who you ask".

In this regard, no matter how sincerely or adamantly people claim to be "only" basing answers on the Bible, it is obvious that a significant level of interpretation and extra-Biblical explaining occurs. Each person who answers your questions cannot help but succumb to their own perspective. Consequently, you will get as varied answers as the number of people you ask.

And the questions and answers will go round and round and round.

Proof of that in your instance is your need to periodically bring up these sorts of questions. At some stage, one of two things happens:

1. You have to make up your own mind "whose" answers, including interpretations you believe.

2. You realize that at the heart of difficulties and confusion over Biblical doctrine is a pretty interesting premise (one I dare to articulate but which I must): the Bible is not the "Word of God" but a collection of writings gathered over the millennia and declared by humans to be "of God". Hence, the many and varied explanations and interpretations with no "sincere" group of believers being unquestioningly possessors of the truth.

I cannot add much more than that. No doubt other posters will disagree with me - but disagreement would occur regardless of what I write; if I posited a literal belief in Biblical inerrancy, other believers in its inerrancy would declare my conclusions to be wrong. That is the nature of Biblical doctrine.

Crazyguy

Don't worry about it , it's all from the ancient Egyptian religion. Judging based on your heart Egyptian , lake of fire Egyptian, paradise earth called field of reeds or Elysian in the Greek language again Egyptian.

Tirisilex

Steve2 that is the best answer I have gotten yet.. I posted this question at 2 other sites. I havent gotten a strsight answer on either of them. I like getting advice from JW's because they dont believe in Hell and I agree with that from my own studies.

One sight they tell me a story about a blind man healed by Jesus and it has no bearing on my question.. I've asked repeatedy for them to explain their answer and they answered back "Oh Ye of little faith." right?

But I thank you for your straight foward answer.. It's the best I have gotten yet.

James Mixon

Yes belief in judgement of the dead, likely Christianity copied the mythology from Ancient Egypt. Also up to the middle ages and beyond the stuff about sitting on clouds was accepted by Christian Fundamentalist.

krismalone

The subject of death is contradictory in the Bible. There is no clear answer.

For example:

Gen 3:19 man just returns to the ground ...... game over.

But then you have the Bible saying that when Rachel died her soul left her body. Ecc 12 says the spirit returns to God. The same book says the dead are conscious of nothing. Psalms 146 says your thoughts perish once dead. Ezekiel 18 says the soul dies.

On the other hand you have Samuel rising from the dead world underground and speaking to Saul after dying and what he prophesied to Saul came true. You also have Jesus parable about the rich man being conscious and tormented after death. Revelation says the souls of the dead were crying for justice under the altar.

So in conclusion the Bible is so confusing about the afterlifts ridiculous to believe that the bible has the answer.

Tirisilex

Krismalone.. Thank you for your reply.. It's these kinds of answers I'm looking for.

shepherdless

What does the Bible say what happens when you die?

The answer that mainstream Christians would point you to is probably 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (I think that there are other passages as well.)

Essentially, according to 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, the moment you die, your spirit/soul goes to the "Lord" and you jet judged on the spot. (No waiting until Judgement Day, for those that have died beforehand.)

Personally, I think 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 is pretty clear and unambiguous. It contradicts JW theology, but there is nothing unusual in finding contradictions between the bible and JW theology.

When Jesus was on the Cross he said to the man that when he Dies he will be with Jesus in Heaven.

The exact wording from Luke 23:43 according to NWT: 'And he said to him: "Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise"'. That comma is a Watchtower add in. "Truly I tell you" is one of Jesus' favorite phrases, and appears a number of times in each of the 4 gospels. In my view, it is obvious that what Jesus actually said in that passage is "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise". This would also be consistent with mainstream Christian theology, but contradict JW theology.

smiddy

Tirisilex

Take your pick their are over 40,000 different Christian sects in the world today and the vast majority disagree in one form or another with what the other sects say

Does the Bible say what it means ? or does it mean what it says.

It`s true that the bible is like a musical instrument that you can play any tune on.

Tirisilex

I would still like to know what these sects think are answers to my questions. I like to hear others opinions thus the questioning..

Death and Judgement Day

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