Week 5 - Leave Boldly

What allowed Paul to face his death with anticipation was his understanding of what happened when he died. I think it’s because we rarely talk about death that many of us have accepted some false teachings about what happens when we die. As a result, it’s kept us from anticipating death.

· False Teachings about Death

o Universalism

It’s basically the idea that when everyone dies, everyone goes to heaven. There are different variations of this. Some people would say, “Well, you have to believe in God. It doesn’t matter what God you believe in as long as your belief is sincere. But when you die, every person…every good person…goes to heaven, and you’re relationship with Jesus really isn’t a determining factor. Everyone goes to heaven.” This belief becomes very popular at funerals and at visitations, because we just want to say something that makes everyone feel better.

But the Bible says that “There is one name under heaven given to men by which we can be saved.” Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

o Annihilationism

Another false teaching is annihilationism. It’s this idea, the teaching, that says when you die you just don’t exist. The candle is blown out and you are simply no more. More popular than this belief is this philosophy where people just live as if this life is all they really have. But Daniel 12:2 makes it clear that there is life after death. Daniel says (paraphrased), “Some will go on to everlasting life, and some to everlasting contempt.”

o Reincarnation

Another false teaching is reincarnation. It says when you die you come back. Then you die and you come back, and you die and you come back. And what you come back as depends upon your moral behavior, or the karma, of your previous life. But the Bible teaches us in Hebrews that we are appointed once to die and then we face judgment.

o Purgatory

Another false teaching is purgatory. Some believe that when a believer dies you do not go to heaven or you do not go to hell, but you go to a place called purgatory. In purgatory you suffer as a way to pay God back for the sins you committed here on earth. Besides the fact that this is not taught anywhere in Scripture, it is also insulting to the death of Jesus. It says the death of Jesus isn’t sufficient to save you of your sins. Instead, when you die you go to a place of suffering where you pay for some of the things that you’ve done wrong. Jesus makes it clear in Luke 16 that when a person dies their destination is determined and it cannot be changed.

o Soul sleep

Another false teaching…or some would even say this is a matter of interpretation…but it is called soul sleep. The idea is that when a Christ-Follower dies they basically go into a soul coma while they wait for Jesus to return, and upon the return of Christ then they wake up and then they go to be with Jesus in heaven.

Reminder:
Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Paul said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”