Do We Go to Heaven When We Die?

by Andy Burnett

Do those who accept Jesus and give themselves to the Lord actually go to heaven immediately when they die? The biblical truth may surprise you.

Do we go to heaven when we die? What does the Bible say?

What awaits us after death? Many Christian denominations teach a “heaven or hell” afterlife. What does the Bible really teach about this subject?

Nestled in a passage that discusses the role Jesus Christ played in willingly offering Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, this statement is made: “And as it is appointed for men to die once …” (Hebrews 9:27). Since death awaits us all, what happens after death is certainly worth considering!

Death is like sleep

In several locations the Bible likens death to sleep. Notice the apostle Paul’s comforting instruction to the believers in Thessalonica: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [those who had died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

Before continuing with this passage, we need to address two matters: How is death similar to sleep? And second, if God is bringing these people “with Him,” from where is He bringing them?

Death is similar to sleep in that no conscious thought occurs when one has died. Two statements in the book of Ecclesiastes tell us of this reality:

• “For the living know that they will die; but the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes 9:5).
• “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going” (verse 10).

Psalm 146:4 adds: “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish” (King James Version). Once death occurs, human consciousness ends. Nothing’s going on in the mind.

After his children had died suddenly, his possessions were taken away, and he was afflicted with “painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head” (Job 1:7), Job accurately summed up the nature of death while longing for it: “Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? … For now I would have lain still and been quiet, I would have been asleep” (Job 3:11-13).

Returning with Jesus?

We have established that death is like a sleep in that a person is not actively engaged in any activity—no conscious thoughts, no labor, no anything. Now, let’s return to our second question regarding 1 Thessalonians 4:14: From where does God bring these people who “sleep in Jesus” (i.e., people who are dead)? Some would say He brings them from heaven. Is this what the Bible teaches?

Jesus Christ said in John 3:13: “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” That seems clear! Why is it so hard for so many to believe?

People who have died are not awake in heaven! They are “sleeping” or resting in their graves. The remaining verses of 1 Thessalonians 4 confirm this. Notice:

“For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [are dead]. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:15-16).

When Jesus Christ returns, the dead will “rise.” For one to “rise,” one would have to come up from somewhere. If one had died and gone to heaven already, then the individual wouldn’t be rising from the grave when Christ returns. He or she would be descending from heaven, yet this is not what Paul taught the Thessalonians.

This teaching of our being raised from the grave at Jesus Christ’s return is reiterated in 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Jesus Christ Himself also taught the principle of being raised up in John 6:39-40: “This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

It is appointed for all of us to die, but when Jesus Christ returns to the earth at the last day, the followers of Jesus Christ who have died will be raised from their graves and given eternal life.

While it may be comforting to those struggling to cope with the death of loved ones to think of them as looking down from heaven, this belief is unbiblical and false. Instead, God’s Word comforts us with the fact that there is no suffering in the grave. And since there is no thought for those in the grave (Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10), there can be no awareness on their part of the passage of time. When they are resurrected, it will be as though they have awakened from sleep.

We can take great comfort in knowing that when they awaken, they will rise in a much different world, a world that Jesus Christ and the resurrected saints will be ruling (read more about this by searching our section on the Kingdom of God).

Why isn’t this taught?

Why do many churches not understand this basic teaching? In part, they try to explain away these clear verses by bringing up other passages that seem to contradict scriptural teaching on the subject.

One is the story of Lazarus and the rich man—a story often misinterpreted. To read more on this subject, see our article on “Lazarus and the Rich Man.”

Secondly, they refer to Jesus Christ’s statements to the “thief on the cross” who was crucified alongside Him: “And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise’” (Luke 23:43). From this statement, people say, “See, Christ tells the man that he will be with Christ in Paradise that day!”

There are two reasons why we should not draw this conclusion when reading this passage:

1. Jesus Christ very clearly stated He would be in the grave three days and three nights upon His death (Matthew 12:39-40). The grave is not paradise.
2. In the original manuscripts of the New Testament, punctuation was not used. Punctuation has been added by translators to try to provide clarity. The passage could also be translated, “Assuredly, I say to you today [comma], you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

To put it in the vernacular, Christ could have been saying, “I’m telling you today that one day you’re going to be with Me in Paradise.” Translated this way, with the comma after the word “today” instead of before it, the passage fits with the other teachings of the resurrection found in Scripture.

The Bible speaks of other resurrections that lead us to discussions surrounding the subjects of heaven, hell and the Kingdom of God, which are beyond the scope of this brief article. We invite you to learn more about these subjects in the related articles in this section.

Seeking God’s truth

Are you really seeking to understand the truths contained in God’s Word? As you learn more about these and other truths in the Bible, what will you do about it? It really does matter what you believe, and it really does matter how you live based on what you believe.

Christ made this statement to His disciples: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24).

For Christ to say there would be true worshippers, it is implicit that He was saying there would also be false worshippers. Sadly, there are many well-intentioned but false worshippers in the world today—those who are not worshipping God in truth.

Accept the challenge of seeking God’s truth! Pray for God to guide you in your pursuit of His truth. And as you learn it, be sure to live it. That’s the surest way to life, hope and truth!

Learn more about this vital subject in the article “What Is Heaven?”