Why do people say christians go to heaven when they die?

Question

As it states in the Bible that "we have to wait till judgement day" - so technically our loved ones are just rotting away in the ground waiting for "judgement day" - so whats the use in the blessings given by priests at your graveside?

Answer 1

They are comforting the living.

Answer 2

Firstly, assuming your a christian yourself, you believe that when we die, we are 'asleep', 'the dead are conscious of nothing at all'.
The only mention of people going to heaven, are the 144000 that will be chosen to co-rule with christ in the new order. These faithful ones have been chosen since the days of the prophets and are still being selected today. So not every follower of God will be in heaven after death. These 'other sheep' as we are called, will live on a paradise earth after Jehovahs/Gods day of judgement.
The point of the priests giving blessings at the graveside, there isnt really one, since your dead, you cant hear it. The only possible reason they would be doing this is to console the family. Even so they speak of the dead being ressurected after armageddon and going to heaven at the same time - its contradictory.
So even the clergy have no idea what their on about. So your right in questioning their motives, and your right in saying we all have to wait to be judged.
I hope this has answered some of your question.

Answer 3

Because a lot of them simply have not been taught.

Christians or nobody else goes too heaven or hell when they die. period. Here is what happens. I hope this helps.

Several people ask this. Where do we go after Death.

You know there are many people who believe that when people die, they go into the ground and they sleep there till the coming of the Lord. Is that true or isn’t that true, Soul Sleep…?
No, it’s not true at all and it’s a very erroneous doctrine.
James 2:26 says, “As the body without the spirit dead…” Where does that spirit go? 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “Absent from the body… present with the Lord”. That’s why Paul said, “To die is gain”. Now, when the Lord returns in I Thessalonians 4:16-18, he brings the dead with him to come after the dead, for the dead in Christ rise first. What part does he bring with him? – The spirit that left the body, that’s been there to join the body. There is no soul-sleep in this book.
A lot of people use Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 & 2, where there is a great cloud of witnesses, and they think that means that they are sitting in the heavenlies watching us and every move we make. But that is not so. The great cloud of witnesses are the great heroes of the faith of chapter 11. And because of the way they lived, we are to follow their example, but they can not look down from heaven and see what is going on in this earth, if they could it would make heaven hell, because they’d see so much heartache, even among their children and grandchildren, etc.
Now, the Bible teaches that there will come a time when we are like Christ. In Acts 15:18 it says, “known unto God are all His works...” And Christ is the 2nd member of the Trinity, and now in His heavenly body, He knows everything about everything, because He is God. That means He is Omniscient, knowing all things about all things. When we are raptured, then we get bodies and minds like His. That’s why David said in Psalms 17:15, “I shall be satisfied when I awaken with your likeness.” And when we see Jesus we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is, I John 3:2. So there’s an hour coming when we get these new bodies and new minds, and then we will be all knowing. And not until then. So nobody in the heavenlies now can see what’s going on.In Luke 15, whenever anyone is converted upon the earth, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over 1 sinner that repents, because the message is relayed to the angels, and the angels relay it throughout the heavenlies. So that if a mother’s son finds Christ, and one for whom she’s prayed for years, there is joy because the message has been related. It’s not because she knows everything, she won’t until she gets that body, the new glorified body of the resurrection. So, I hope that answers the question, because it is exactly what the Word of God teaches. And oh, Jesus is coming soon, and we’ll have that great mind in the near future.

Answer 4

The problem for you is that you believe the Bible. Its just a story with some good wisdom. Take out the parts you like ignore the rest. People who make this statement have no idea. They are trying to make a fantasy future to feel better. Why wait until you die. Go to heaven now! Does the Bible not also say The kingdom of heaven is within. So go within.

Answer 5

Jesus said; "Leave the dead to the dead, come follow me"! The graveside hoot just a psychological thing to help the living find closure. I would rather be Cremated and have my family and friends throw my ashes in the ocean or flower garden as they have a big BBQ with Beer and everyone having fun. Then as I sit with Jesus and look at them we can joke how people are Crazy. May get Jesus to turn a little water into wine, for old times sake and have a toast to Eternity.

Answer 6

The only people that have to wait until judgment day are the people who are still living on the earth. On judgment day, whenever that will be, God will judge who was a good christian on earth to go to heaven in the rapture and the rest will be left on the earth for 7 years of agony call the tribulation.
After the 7 years, God will come back and take the people who decided to become christians to heaven and all the other people will burn in hell forever.

Answer 7

It's a way of comforting the living. You are correct, but the thought that after our mortal bodies die they just sit and rot in the ground is very frighterning to many people. As for me, though I am faithful and do have every intention of spending eternity with the savior, I have no fear about being part of the circle of life when I die. Just toss me over the side of a boat and let the fishes dine. I've eaten enough of them over the years...

Answer 8

For the first question: I guess those people are just dreaming. Because till now those who died before us don't even visit to their relatives to just to tell that they are in heaven.

For the second question: If you belong to Christian Catholic or Roman Catholic those blessings given by the priests are only one of the many rituals done for the dead person/s and is for pay. You know religion is also a good business!

Answer 9

That's right you will have to wait till judgment day. But the rotting is of the body not of the spirit. You are a spirit living in a body. It also says to be barried so our love ones are berried facing the east waiting for the coming of Jesus.

Answer 10

I agree.

Some will quote 2 Corinthians 5:8, however, they misinterpret the meaning.

Keep in mind, Paul, who wrote to the 2 Corinthians, also wrote this:

1 Corinthians 15:51  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Read both carefully and see the TRUE meaning of the passages.

GOD bless.

Answer 11

This is hard to explain because I am no pastor. However, I am a Christian. Being a Christian means that you KNOW that God sent Jesus to this Earth to die for ALL of our sins; realizing you are a sinner and asking God to forgive you of your sins; asking God to help you live a different life that is pleasing to Him - in other words - being Saved by God's miraculous grace and mercy. Although our loved ones' bodies are rotting in the ground, the spirit of those who were Christians have gone on to be with the Lord. Yes, there will be a judgement day for ALL of us, Christians or not. However, the type of Judgement is different. When you become a Christian, God wipes your "slate" clean. He remembers your sins no more. Yes, we all sin, Christians or not, each and every day because we are human. However, we realize it and ask God to forgive us and help us not to commit these sins again. He knows when you are asking for forgiveness earnestly. On the day of Judgement, those who have not been saved will be judged to Hell. Christians, however will be judged for their works (not just good deeds but how they helped to lead others to Christ) and receive their rewards...."jewels in their crowns". They are not going receive punishment on this day because God has wiped their sins clean when forgiveness was asked for. Good works alone will NOT get you into heaven. You must be "born again" - saved by God's grace.