After Life

Dear Victorious,

When people die, do they really go to heaven? Are they really looking down on the living? My grandmother died and she was a very good Christian woman. The family speaks of her as being in heaven, fellowshipping with Jesus ... and watching what we do (like God does). Is this right?

Corrie Lynn - Copperas Cove, TX

Dear Corrie Lynn,

This may be a pleasant way to look at or think about the death of a loved one. But I don't believe it's an accurate perspective. Look at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. This makes it about as clear as it can be. Those who have died "in Christ" (as Christians) are "sleeping" until Christ returns. Their body decomposes, but their soul is sleeping. When Christ returns, those who have died in Christ will be awakened and rise up to meet Him first, before those Christians who are alive are taken.

In this truthful view, those loved ones who have died before us are not fellowshipping with God, didn't become angels, aren't looking down on us, etc. While it may be comforting to think of them in that way, it is not an accurate view. They are resting, waiting for Jesus to call them out and raise them up. We will all enter heaven together when that time comes, regardless of when we died our earthly death, or if we died our earthly death.