Where does the idea of going to heaven when you die come from. The Bible does not teach this.?

Question

There are many scriptures and passages in the Bible that Christians point as evidence that we go to heaven when we die. But on closer examination the only way to interpret that is to read scripture out of context. Jesus never preached that we as human beings have an immortal soul. On the contrary Jesus does tell us that we as humans can and do die, all humans, a first death. Humans are not immortal. When we die we are dead, we cease to exist.

Answer 1

Luke 23:39-43: "One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

"But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

"Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

"Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.""

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John 3:11-15: "I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."

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John 4:13-14: "Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.""

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John 11:25-26: "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

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John 14:1-4: ""Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God[a]; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.""



None of these verses teach that we cease to exist. All of them are presented with adequate context, but you can look them up if you want to read more. Jesus clearly believed that we have eternal souls.

Answer 2

Upon further examination I believe you have read those scriptures out of context. How do so many scriptures get misread? It takes great leaps to say the Bible doesn't teach heaven or an eternal spirit. The word Forever means exactly that. That word is used often. Just to take it a step further, what about Jesus? Is he dead or at the right hand of God?

Answer 3

The Bible says we go to Heaven, but it doesn't say we go immediately upon death. We will go after Jesus's return, when we are resurrected, judged, and either given our new bodies and welcomed to eternity, or are burned up with the earth and the rest of the unsaved.
As for the verse where Jesus said, "Verily I say unto thee, today you will be with me in Paradise," there were no commas in the original Greek. It could have just as easily meant "I'm telling you today that you will be in Paradise," rather than "Today you're going to Paradise with me." It can be interpreted so that the comma is either before OR after the word "today," and that would greatly change the meaning. Since other verses refer to the dead as being "asleep," I tend to think that death is more like a deep restful sleep, and then comes the Resurrection. According to the Bible, the dead know nothing, which tells me that they aren't praising God in Heaven, nor are they walking around haunting or helping us....

Ecc 9:5 The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.
Ecc 9:6 Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.

Answer 4

Oh yes, the Bible does teach that believers go to heaven where Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, and no man comes to the Father except by Me." The Father is in heaven. Jesus ascended into heaven and was carried up in a cloud as the disciples watched. Jesus said in His Father's house are many mansions and He said He was going to prepare a place for us that where He was that we may be also. Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world.

2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:1
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Revelation 21:1,2
and I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Revelation 19:6,7,8
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reighneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Revelation 19:11
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse, and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

Revelation 19:14
And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Answer 5

You are incorrect in all your premises:

Besides death, the Bible also teaches about the second death. It is the spiritual death of permanent separation from God once a non-believer is cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

Revelation 2:11
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Rev. 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Rev. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Answer 6

Jesus promised to prepare a place for true Christians in heaven (John 14:2).

Answer 7

Joh 14:1 Do not let your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.
Joh 14:2 In My Father's house are many dwelling places. But if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you!
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you to Myself, that where I am you may be also.

Luk 23:42 And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come in Your kingdom.
Luk 23:43 And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you will be with Me in Paradise.

1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He according to His great mercy having regenerated us to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and unfading, having been kept in Heaven for you

Heb 10:34 For also you suffered together in my bonds; and you accepted the seizure of your possessions with joy, knowing yourselves to have a better and abiding possession in Heaven.

Phi 3:20 For our citizenship is in Heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Phi 3:21 who will transform our body of humiliation, for it to be conformed to His body of glory, according to the working of Him to be able even to subject all things under Himself.

2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in Heaven.

Rev 19:1 And after these things, I heard a great voice of a large multitude in Heaven, saying, Hallelujah! The salvation and the glory and the honor and the power of the Lord our God!

Perhaps you were reading from the wrong Bible.

Answer 8

UH? Jesus came transform our Spirit (from sin to sin free)... our soul is our mind will and emotions...

There are heaps more scriptures that prove we are

ie. Matthew I am going to my fathers house in that house are many rooms I am going to prepare a place for you...

The dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Cor somewhere)...

Sorry... it does teach it.... There is such a beautiful discription in Revelation...

Body is not immortal - Spirit is...

Are you a wolf in Sheeps clothing?

Answer 9

1)Open the Bible
2)Turn to the part that says "Revelations"
3)Now look for something that sounds like Judgment Day
4)Tell me, what does it say God will do on Judgment Day?

Good Job! Now you know where the idea of Heaven (and Hell) comes from! Aren't you smart!

Answer 10

Jesus told the thief on the cross "today you will be with me in paradise". Also, the Bible says "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord".