1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
It is widely accepted that all Christians will immediately go to heaven upon their physical deaths and anyone who disagrees with this doctrine is either branded as a heretic, or said to be in harmony with Jehovah’s Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists. Well, the writer of this article is neither a JW or a 7th Day Adventist. In fact, he is fully committed to the authority of the Bible as the inerrant, infallible Word of God. And he believes that if the Bible did not clearly state something, then it should still be subject to further analysis and discussions. Just because some prominent Bible commentators believe something to be true, does not necessarily mean it has to be true. Like Bereans we should examine the Scripture to see if these things are so.
1.2
Those who say that all true believers immediately go to heaven upon their physical deaths rely on 2 Cor 5:6-8 and Phil 1:23. Let us look carefully at these verses to understand what they really mean. But before commencing, let us briefly discuss Rev 6:9 as sometimes commentators also use this verse to support their claim. Rev 6:9-10 will only be discussed briefly because it is our view that the Fifth Seal cannot be taken literally due to its symbolic language. Firstly, not all believers are martyrs and if not, then they will not be residing under the altar, and if not under the altar, where do they go after they die, since they are not martyrs? Secondly, the idea that slain martyrs for Christ all cramped up under the altar seems uncomfortable to say the least. In the vastness of heaven and with reverence for God’s word, it is difficult to understand the logic of squeezing Christian martyrs under the altar. Of course, they can argue that those spirits (or souls) do not have rigid dimensions, enabling them to overlap with each other. Still, why overlap when heaven is not lacking in space? It is our opinion that those Bible commentators have misunderstood God’s word. Rev 6:9-10 should not be read literally. The altar is where incense is offered, and incense symbolizes the prayers of God’s people (Ps 141:2). What apostle John saw was a vision about God’s people praying for vengeance and not about them residing under the altar. To use Rev 6:9-10 to support the claim that all believers immediately go to heaven upon their deaths is truly mistaken.
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ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARY
2.1
2 Cor 5:6-8 (NASB95) states:
(6) Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord – (7) for we walk by faith, not by sight – (8) we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
2.2
2 Cor 5:6-8 Commentary: Reading 2 Cor 5:6-8 by itself does seem like Paul is trying to say that all spirits of believers will immediately go to heaven upon their physical deaths. But is that what Paul is saying? If we read from the beginning of the chapter to verse 8, we would be able to see that Paul was saying something entirely different from what is normally understood. Let us now read from verse 1.
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2 Cor 5:1-8 (NASB95) states:
(1) For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. (2) For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, (3) inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. (4) For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. (5) Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (6) Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord – (7) for we walk by faith, not by sight – (8) we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
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2 Cor 5:1 Commentary: In verse 1, Paul explained that all believers will have new bodies from God, reserved in the heavens, even if their existing bodies passes away or are destroyed. It is clear that he was not referring to an actual tent or a brick-and-mortar structure.
2.5
2 Cor 5:2 Commentary: In verse 2, Paul who wrote for both Timothy and himself expressed longing for their new bodies from heaven over existing earthly ones.
2.6
2 Cor 5:3 Commentary: In verse 3, the expression by Paul of not being “found naked” is referring to their human spirits not being left without bodies. He was not referring to themselves being without clothing.
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2 Cor 5:4 Commentary: In verse 4, Paul, again, expressed his longing for their new bodies from heaven over existing ones. He also said that although their existing bodies are burdensome, he does not want their bodies to be destroyed but preferring rather that there would be a smooth transition from their old earthly bodies to new bodies from God.
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2 Cor 5:5 Commentary: In verse 5, Paul said that it was God who prepared them for, “this very purpose.” What purpose? It is clear that Paul was referring to what he had just said in the previous four verses, that is, that believers will be clothed with their new bodies in God’s time. And that He gave true believers the Holy Spirit as a pledge.
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2 Cor 5:6 Commentary: In verse 6, this single verse must be understood in the context of 2 Cor 5:1-8 (all 8 verses). Otherwise, it may seem as if Paul is making a false statement, for how is it possible for true believers to be absent from the Lord when His Holy Spirit is with them all the time? Obviously, Paul was speaking of a future event when believers will be physically with the Lord in their new bodies. Now as they are still in their earthly bodies, they are absent from the Lord, that is, not physically with the Lord. But in the coming future, they will be physically with the Lord in their new bodies.
2.10
2 Cor 5:7 Commentary: In verse 7, Paul encouraged his readers by telling them that they walk by faith, because nothing in this observable world provides even the faintest indication that what he has just said will come to pass, that is, that they are not to trust what they can see, but to trust in God. For we walk by faith (in God), not by what we can see.
2.11
2 Cor 5:8 Commentary: In verse 8, again, this single verse must be understood in the context of 2 Cor 5:1-8 (all 8 verses). Earlier in verse 4, Paul said that they do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so Paul in this letter to the Corinthians, is definitely not saying that he prefers to die. Rather, his preference would be for a smooth transition from old earthly bodies to new bodies from God. Hence, verse 8 is confirming what he has just said in verse 4, that he prefers to be absent from his earthly body in order to receive the new body from God so as to be with Christ physically.
2.12
Concluding Comments on 2 Cor 5:1-8: We wish to emphasize again that 2 Cor 5:1-8 is referring to receiving new bodies from God, not immediate transportation to heaven. We believe the confusion caused by some commentators came from reading just verses 6 to 8, while ignoring what Paul said from verses 1 to 5. But even if we followed their selective way of reading and ignored those earlier verses, when Paul said in verse 8 that he prefers rather to be absent from the body and be at home with the Lord, did Paul say it was immediate? Did he say that the moment he is absent from this physical body, he will immediately be at home with the Lord? No. Readers can re-read verse 8 again to verify. Paul merely stated his preference to be with the Lord physically with his new body because his existing body is burdensome to him. Keeping verse 4 in mind (very importantly), if we could paraphrase verse 8 it would be, “we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from this burdensome body and be at home with the Lord in the new body that He is giving us.” We reiterate that 2 Cor 5:1-8 is referring to receiving new bodies from God, not immediate transportation to heaven. Let us now look at Phil 1:23-24, which those commentators also rely on.
2.13
Phil 1:23-24 (NASB95) states:
(23) But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; (24) yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
2.14
Phil 1:23-24 Commentary: Many also use Phil 1:23-24 as proof of immediate transportation to heaven upon death. To us, it is a case of reading something that is not there at all. Almost similar to 2 Cor 5:8, Paul only said that he wanted to depart and be with Christ, he did not say that the moment he departs he is going to be with Christ instantly. Having a desire to go home and be with a loved one is not the same as reaching home immediately. They are not the same. Bible commentators are reading something that is not stated in Scripture. So where are all the dead believers if they are not with Christ in heaven? We will prove to you from Scripture that they are still on earth waiting for His return.
2.15
1 Thess 4:16-17 (NASB95) states:
(16) For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. (17) Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
2.16
1 Thess 4:16-17 Commentary: In verse 16, we read that the Lord will descend from heaven. Yet, there is no mention of the dead in Christ descending from heaven with Him. Instead, we see the same verse stating that the dead in Christ will rise first. Then together with Christians who are still physically alive, they will meet the Lord in the air. All of them will meet the Lord in the clouds. Once again, the Lord descends from heaven to meet them, and they (believers) rise up from the earth to meet Him. Why is this so difficult to understand? It could not be simpler! If they all rise from the earth to meet Christ, then it can only mean that everyone is still earth, even now. It is crystal clear from verses 16 and 17 that there are no believers in heaven, no, not even a single one. Everyone is still on earth, regardless of whether they are physically dead or physically alive. So if dead believers are not in heaven, then where are they? We will explain more later, but allow us to give you more proof. Let us also look at John 5:28-29.
2.17
John 5:28-29 (NASB95) states:
(28) Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, (29) and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgement.
2.18
John 5:28 Commentary: Verse 28 states that all who are in the tombs will hear His voice. According to Oxford English dictionary, a tomb is a place of burial; and excavation, chamber, vault or other space used for interment (action of placement) of the dead; a grave. Thus, a tomb can be a formal structure with special wordings or decorations, or a cave in a mountain, or even cremated ashes scattered over plants or scattered somewhere into the sea. Essentially, somewhere that is still on earth. But can a dead body, or skeletal bones, or cremated ashes, have an active hearing function? No. It is the human spirit who will hear the voice of the Lord. His ashes may be scattered to the winds, but his spirit is still temporarily spending time somewhere here on earth. How do we know they are on earth? If we read verse 28 again, you would be able to see that they are coming forth from tombs and not coming down from heaven with Christ. When believers come forth from their tombs, they are instantly transformed and become imperishable. Believers will be given an imperishable body, putting on immortality (2 Cor 5:1 and 1 Cor 15:52-55).
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John 5:29 Commentary: In verse 29, human spirits of both believers and unbelievers, upon hearing His voice will come forth either to a resurrection of life or to a resurrection of judgement. Once again, they come forth from the tombs on earth. Nowhere in Scripture does it say that believers descend from heaven together with Christ, then go back into their tombs in order to come back out from their tombs after hearing His voice. If it sounds ridiculous, that is because it truly is. Every person from ages past to the present time and future has been and will be right here on earth waiting for His return. They are NOT in heaven with Christ. So where on earth are they? Please read further.
2.20
Rev 20:11-15 (NASB95) states: (11) Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. (12) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. (13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. (14) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (15) And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
2.21
Rev 20:11 Commentary: The one who sits on the great white throne is not the Father, but Christ. We know this because the Father has given all judgment to the Son (John 5:22). Other websites and Bible commentators have said that there are two judgment seats – the judgment seat of Christ (also known as the Bema Seat) and the other is the great white throne judgment. But in our view, there is only one judgment seat, that is, the great white throne judgment seat which is also the Bema seat. Only one session of judgment, not two sessions. Nonetheless, believers and unbelievers are judged differently by Christ as we shall see in the following paragraphs.
2.22
Rev 20:12 Commentary: We find it difficult to understand why some Bible commentators insist that the great white throne judgment is only for unbelievers. In verse 12, it states that the book of life was also opened. What is the point of opening the book of life, if only unbelievers are there? It will not apply to them because every unbeliever will be thrown into the lake of fire. So, there must be believers among unbelievers that gave rise to the need for the book of life to be opened. In fact, it seemed to us that every person who has ever lived will be there before Him who sits on the throne. All will have to give an account, and all will be judged according to their deeds. For believers, even through they will not be condemned to the lake of fire, they will be judged and rewarded according to what they have done for Christ (Rev 22:12).
2.23
Rev 20:13 Commentary: Verse 13 tells us that only three places held the dead, and all three places were on earth. They are the sea, death and Hades. All three places gave up the dead which were in them, and they were judged. All (believers and unbelievers) were judged according to their deeds. Even as believers are judged, it is good to note that there will be no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). True believers are eternally saved but Christ will see how they have lived their lives (2 Cor 5:10). But unbelievers will perish in the lake of fire – the greater their sin or amount of sins, the greater will be their punishment, that is, the longer their stay will be in the lake of fire before they perish (permanently destroyed). It is not our view that all unbelievers are eternally tormented together with the devil in the lake of fire, apart from the one exceptional group of unbelievers. Please read our article, “Is eternal conscious torment in hell, biblical? Or will sinners be annihilated?” for further discussion.
2.24
Rev 20:14 Commentary: In verse 14, we see that death and Hades will be destroyed in the lake of fire. What death is destroyed, it means that the day will come when there is no more deaths, then there is also no more reason for Hades to exist, because there no one will be sent there anymore. There will be no occupants in Hades in future because death is destroyed. Rev 21:1 also states that there will no longer be any sea. So, no death, no Hades and no sea. No more holding areas for the dead because in the new heaven and new earth, nobody dies. And in the new heaven and new earth, God Himself will dwell among His people (Rev 21:3).
2.25
Rev 20:15 Commentary: There is no doubt that unbelievers will be thrown into the lake of fire. But since they are also judged, everyone according to their deeds, the duration of each unbeliever’s torment in the lake of fire will vary. When that unbeliever’s penalty is paid, he will perish, that is, his torment will end even as he is obliterated. However, as previously mentioned, there is one category of unbelievers who will be consciously tormented together with the devil forever with no rest day or night. Once again, please read our article, “Is eternal conscious torment in hell, biblical? Or will sinners be annihilated?” for further discussion.
2.26
Concluding Comments on Rev 20:11-15: Verses Rev 20:11-15 show that there are three places holding all the dead, that is, human spirits whose physical bodies have died. These places are either the sea, or death, or Hades. They are temporary holding places until those human spirits are “given up” to stand before the Judge (Rev 20:13). All three of those holding places are on earth. In our view, death, as the name suggests, is likely to be more of an activity related to Hades than a place to hold the dead. Or it could be a kind of “waiting area” for the newly dead just before being posted to Hades, we are not sure about this. With regard to the sea, we are also uncertain as to how it can be a holding area for the dead. But since it is found in Scripture, then there should be no question that these are holding places for the dead, somehow. In our next commentary, we will explain how “Upper” Hades is the most likely temporary holding place for all believers, before Christ’s return.
2.27
Luke 16:19-26 (NASB95) states:
(19) “Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. (20) And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, (21) and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. (22) Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. (23) In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. (24) And he cried out and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ (25) But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. (26) And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.’
2.28
Luke 16:19-26 Commentary (Introduction): Many say that because the story of the rich man and Lazarus comes after a string of parables from Luke 15 to Luke 16, this story had to be a parable too. But parables do not have names. Parables are simple fictitious stories told in order to illustrate and teach important spiritual truths. For example, if we said, “Two men went on a missionary journey and on that journey they cursed God and immediately they fell sick. Truly, truly, men must never cursed God,” then this short story can be considered our parable to teach a spiritual truth. But if we said, “Paul and Barnabas went on a missionary journey and on that journey they cursed God and immediately they fell sick. Truly, truly, men must never curse God.” Can this short story be considered a parable? No. This is because Paul and Barnabas were mentioned. In fact, our story immediately becomes an untruthful account of their missionary journey as they did not curse God. Similarly, the story of the rich man and Lazarus cannot be a parable because two of the three main characters were named by Jesus and one of them is Abraham, a well-known Old Testament figure. Therefore, the story of the rich man and Lazarus is an actual real-life account of what took place in Hades and that Jesus merely omitted the name of the rich man. Now that we have highlighted this, let us discuss the story.
2.29
Luke 16:19 Commentary: In this verse, we see that the rich man had an excess of many things. Jesus said that he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen and that he joyously lived in splendor every day.
2.30
Luke 16:20 Commentary: In verse 20, we read that poor Lazarus being unwell was placed at the entrance of the rich man’s house. There was no way the rich man could have missed noticing Lazarus. Yet, the rich man was nonchalant. He did not care or showed Lazarus any mercy.
2.31
Luke 16:21 Commentary: In verse 21, we read that Lazarus was terribly impoverished, sick and hungry. And he was so weak physically that he was not even strong enough to ward off the dogs from licking his sores.
2.32
Luke 16:22 Commentary: In verse 22, Jesus said that Lazarus died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom and the rich man also died. Readers should take note that Jesus did not say that Lazarus was carried to heaven. People just assume that Abraham’s bosom is in heaven when it is not. If Abraham’s bosom is in heaven, then it would have been God’s bosom. In the Amplified Bible, Abraham’s bosom is translated as Abraham’s bosom (paradise). John 1:18 (NASB95) tells us that Christ (the Son of God) is in the bosom of the Father. This means that Jesus was and is with the Father in heaven. Thus, when Jesus said that Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s bosom, it means that he was carried to Abraham’s side, to be next to Abraham with love and affection. So, if Lazarus was not in heaven, but carried to Abraham’s bosom, where is their location?
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Luke 16:23 Commentary: Verse 23 states that the rich man was tormented in Hades and that he saw Abraham and Lazarus far away. Again, there are Bible commentators who insist that Abraham and Lazarus were in heaven. But how can Hades be such a short distance from heaven? We agree that Jesus did say that the rich man saw them far away, but how far can it be, given that the rich man was still able to see them? If we have problems recognizing a person standing on top of a skyscraper, how much more if he is standing in heaven? And more importantly, apart from Abraham and Lazarus, no one else was mentioned. Where is God and His holy angels? Thus Abraham and Lazarus could not be in heaven but somewhere else much closer to the rich man’s location.
2.34
Luke 16:24 Commentary: In verse 24, we see that the rich man being in agony cried out to Abraham for help. This strongly indicates that Abraham and Lazarus could not be in heaven. With both the rich man and Abraham being able to see each other and communicate, the distance between them could be no more than 100m. We agree that God could have empowered them to see and to communicate, but since it was not mentioned by Jesus in Scripture, then we should not assume what God did or did not do. What we could assume is that normal physical laws still applies because the rich man, although he was already dead, still felt extreme heat and thirst. And he could not fly towards Abraham and Lazarus even though he was a spirit.
2.35
Luke 16:25 Commentary: In the story, Jesus did not tell us the spiritual condition of the rich man or Lazarus. But based on the circumstances surrounding each of them, it can be seen that Lazarus is saved while the rich man is not. Salvation is by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9). There was nothing that the rich man or Lazarus could have done to earn their salvation. But the way a person lived his life will give an indication if he is truly saved. A clear indication of a saved person would be his obedience to God’s commands. From the story, we see that the rich man did not love his neighbor as himself (Luke 10:27). No mercy at all was shown to Lazarus even though he was at the entrance of his house. And looking at Abraham’s reply to the rich man, Jesus is not saying that the circumstances of the poor and the rich will be exchanged when they die, so that some rebalancing can take place. No. Jesus was trying to imply to His hearers not to count on Abraham to save them. If readers will give a relook at Abraham’s statement to the rich in this verse again, they will be able to see that Abraham was just stating the obvious – an obvious and pointless, even useless statement indicating his inability to change the rich man’s circumstances.
2.36
Luke 16:26 Commentary: In verse 26, we see the continuation of Abraham’s pointless statement to the rich man that was clearly obvious to both the rich man and himself. But apart from the helplessness of Abraham in such a situation, what Jesus said in these verses also offer a glimpse into what is going to happen after people die and where they are going. Let us discuss this further in our conclusion of Luke 16:19-26.
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Concluding Comments on Luke 16:19-26: When Jesus was on the cross, He said to the criminal hanging next to Him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43). And because of this verse, many Christians think that Jesus had brought that criminal up to heaven with Him on that same day of His death. Yet immediately after His resurrection, Jesus told Mary that He has yet to ascent to the Father (John 20:17). So, it is clear that Jesus did not go up to heaven with that criminal. He and that criminal went to another place that is also called “Paradise.” Where, then, is this Paradise? 1 Pet 3:18-20 states that when Jesus died, He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison. Those spirits that Jesus spoke to, were from the days of Noah. Jesus preached the gospel to them even though they had all died a long time ago. And if they accept and receive His message, they too, will live according to the will of God (1 Pet 4:6). But where are these imprisoned spirits? In Acts 2:31, Peter told his hearers that Christ’s spirit was not abandoned to Hades, not did His flesh suffer decay. Readers should take notice that he did not say that Christ did not descend to Hades, but that He was not abandoned to Hades. If a person say that he did not abandon his son in school or hospital, it means that he did not leave his son there but came back for him. Similarly, when Christ was not abandoned to Hades, it means that Christ descended to Hades, but the Father did not leave His Son there as we all know that He rose again on the third day.
All that happened between Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day, happened in Hades (Acts 2:31, Eph 4:9). In Hades, He preached to human spirits who died during the days of Noah, and in Hades, He also brought the criminal who hung on the cross with Him, to Paradise. Christ did not ascend to heaven nor go anywhere else during those few days. The only place He went was Hades. Therefore the Paradise of Luke 23:43 has to be located in Hades as well, because according to Scripture, that is the only realm Jesus descended to after His death on the cross.
There are a few Paradises mentioned in the Bible. There is a Paradise that is located in the third heaven (2 Cor 12:2-4). There is another one located on earth but is hidden – the garden of Eden that holds the tree of life (Gen 2:8-9 and Rev 2:7). And the last Paradise is located in Hades. We have proven to you earlier that between Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection, He was in Hades and that the Paradise mentioned in Luke 23:43 is in Hades. This is the same Paradise that Abraham and Lazarus are in. If readers can turn to Luke 16:25 again, they will read about Lazarus being comforted there. Therefore, it is our view that this is also where all Christians will go immediately upon their physical deaths. Lazarus who is saved is there, the criminal who hung beside Jesus is also there and even Abraham is there. If Jesus called that place, “Paradise” then it should be a restful place while we wait for His return.
We wish to add more information regarding Hades before we conclude this article. The reason why we have called the Paradise in Hades, “Upper Hades” is because the rich man looked up (Luke 16:23). This tells us that the lower region is a burning place of extreme heat (Luke 16:24). While the higher region of Hades is a place of peace, comfort and flowing with water (Luke 16:24-25). And because Christ has called Upper Hades, “Paradise” which means garden, it also indicates to us that the place is filled with plants and landscaping – not quite heaven but it still sounds like a relaxing place to wait for Christ return. Finally, both the burning place of Lower Hades and the comforting place of Upper Hades are separated by a great chasm (Luke 16:26). In our estimate (not in Scripture), this great chasm should be no more than 100m wide. Otherwise, facial recognition and conversation will be difficult, if not, impossible. Finally let us conclude this article.
3.0
CONCLUSION SUMMARY
3.1
Those who claim that all Christians will immediately go to heaven upon their physical deaths rely on 2 Cor 5:6-8 and Phil 1:23. But in 2 Cor 5:6-8, Paul was referring to receiving new bodies from God, not immediate transportation to heaven upon death. And in Phil 1:23, Paul was only stating his desire to be with Christ – he did not say that the moment he departs, he was going to be with Christ immediately. Bible commentators are reading something that is not there at all. So where do Christians go when they die physically?
3.2
As we have explained earlier, according to our reading of Luke 23:43 and Luke 16:19-26, all believers who are physically dead are temporarily located in a special region within Hades, also known as Paradise of Luke 23:43. Hades is still on earth or rather, under the surface of the earth. Other verses in the Bible strongly corroborates this view. In 1 Thess 4:16-17, it states that Christ will descend from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise first. If physically dead Christians are in heaven why are the dead in Christ rising? Clearly, they are not in heaven but still on earth. And similarly, in John 5:28-29, the dead who are in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth, some to a resurrection of life and some to a resurrection of judgment. Again, if the dead in Christ are already in heaven, do they not have to descend first in order to come forth from their tombs to a resurrection of life? Clearly, they are not in heaven but still on earth. Whenever Bible commentators say that dead believers are in heaven, 1 Thess 4:16-17 and John 5:28-29 will not make sense anymore. Their views disagree with Scripture and thus they ought to change their minds about this.
3.3
Thus, for the question, “Will Christians go immediately to heaven upon their physical deaths?” The answer is no. They will go to the Paradise of Luke 23:43, which is located in a higher region of Hades. We called it, “Upper Hades.” All other temporary holding places will be for unbelievers. Upon the return of Christ, the sea, death and Hades will be emptied out. Then everyone, believers and unbelievers will be resurrected to stand before the great white throne of Christ to be judged (Rev 20:11-15). Anyone whose name is not found in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire. As for believers in Christ, they will always be with their Lord thereafter forever.