For the life of me, I can't figure out where this idea of "Gone to be with Jesus" when one dies comes from. As far as I can tell, very few people have actually been transliterated into Paradise or brought up early (the thief on the cross, for example). The resurrection happens all at once on Judgment Day, and it is a physical resurrection. Until then, the dead are "asleep in the Lord", ie nowhere, temporarily nonexistent. The "soul" does not exist apart from the body and will be resurrected with the body.
Subjectively speaking, the resurrected dead might feel as if they have just died (assuming the same sort of temporality in eternity).
I am glad to be able to clear this up for my imaginary readership.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
From a former student of mine:
"Easter is the only day Christians admit that Jesus got nailed. But, if you mention that, they get kind of cross."
Post a Comment