MYTH #25

WATCHING FROM UP ABOVE-THE WORLD TRIES TO MAKE OTHERS THINK THE DEPARTED CAN WATCH US FROM HEAVEN. SOME THINK THE DEPARTED ARE SITTING UP IN HEAVEN WITH JESUS AT THE MOMENT THEY DIE.  NOT TRUE!  WHEN PEOPLE DIE, THEIR SPIRIT DOESN'T GO TO HEAVEN.  THE DEAD WAIT FOR THE RAPTURE UNTIL THEIR SPIRIT CAN ASCEND UP INTO HEAVEN. ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE, FIRST THE LIVING WILL ASCEND UP INTO HEAVEN AND THEN THE DEAD. (REV. 20:12-13, ) IT IS TRUE EVERYONES' SPIRIT GOES UP TO HEAVEN. CHRISTIANS WILL GO UP IN A RAPTURE, NON-CHRISTIANS WILL BE SEEN ON JUDGMENT DAY.

　

WHEN SOMEONE DIES, THEIR SPIRIT STAYS WITH THEM UNTIL THE RAPTURE. A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS TRUTH IS WHEN JESUS WAS RESURRECTED. THE BIBLE SAYS MANY WHO HAD GONE TO SLEEP (DEAD) CAME BACK TO LIFE AT THAT SAME TIME. (MATT. 27:52) IF THE SPIRIT HAD LEFT THEIR BODIES, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE. PAUL HAD A VISION AND WAS "LIKE" A DEAD MAN, HE WAS "NOT" A DEAD MAN. (IICOR. 12:1-6) SOME PEOPLE TAKE THIS SCRIPTURE OUT OF CONTEXT IN REGARDS TO DEFINING WHAT HAPPENS TO A PERSONS SPIRIT UPON DEATH. THERE ARE MANY WHO SAY THEY'VE DIED AND CAME BACK TO LIFE. THIS DISPLAYS THE SPIRIT NOT LEAVING THE BODY UPON DEATH THEORY. THE SPIRIT IS NEAR THE BODY, MAKING IT EASILY ACCESSIBLE FOR "WAKING" UP AGAIN.

DID YOU REALIZE THERE ARE TWO RESURRECTIONS? (REV. 20:5) THAT'S ANOTHER TOPIC. IT'S NOT A MYTH, BUT A THEOLOGICAL ISSUE. SOME BELIEVE IN PRE-TRIBULATION OTHERS BELIEVE IN POST-TRIBULATION. SOME THINK A) NO RAPTURE HAS OCCURED B) OTHERS THINK THE FIRST RAPTURE HAS OCCURED. THAT'S ALL FOR YOU TO DECIDE ON YOUR OWN.