The Answerer

I have to assume that you mean what happens to my soul or spirit.

With your body, your heart stops beating and when the brain gets no blood, all movement stops and your body cools and a doctor says that you are dead and fills out an official form saying so.

Your body, your earthly remains, are buried and sometimes cremated (burned) until only ashes remain. These ashes are collected and sometimes placed in an urn and can be kept at home, maybe placed at a cemetery. Some people leave in their will that: ‘my ashes are to be scattered over an ocean’, or scattered over a particular forest.

With the soul and spirit, that is much different. The Bible does not tell us exactly what happens. Some Bible scholars, and church leaders say Christians ‘sleep’ until Jesus comes back. Others say that we go to an ‘in-between place’. Others say that Christians go into God’s presence immediately.

Bit confusing isn’t it?

But if you are a real part of God’s family I know you have no worries;

He loves us and looks after us.

Some examples:

See the story of Mr. Roberts in the appendix at the back of my first book.

My little son, after about a year of cancer treatment, was in PMH, our children’s hospital. One day while in there he must have known ‘the end’ was near. He told his Mum: “I want to go home to your bed, and I want to see ‘Her’. ‘Her’ was his second mum and they both loved each other a lot. It was in the country. He insisted. So off we went. He saw her on the way home. At our home there lived a very old ‘resident dog’ that had lived at the farmhouse we occupied for many years. When we drove in he could only see my face. No joy or tail wagging. He just hung his head and crept away. He knew death was near! We did not.

The Christian nurses at the local hospital came out to attend to him, as they knew that his end must be near.

He died the next day but at the moment of death, he took a deep breath, gave a lovely smile and died. What made him smile? I know not, maybe he saw heaven. He was a ‘little’ Christian and believed in Jesus.

Mr Dwight L. Moody: He was a preacher who travelled the world preaching about Jesus. I read the story of his life. He ’died’ three times, over several hours in his own home with his family around him at 80 years old. After he had died once he came back and said: “Mama (wife) I have seen the children who had died”, years before.

Then he died again, came back and told of his seeing heaven and said:” Oh Mama, this is hard on you.” The third time he stayed in heaven and did not come back. This is over 100 years ago.

I am convinced that if you are a Christian your soul and spirit go to heaven.

The apostle Paul wrote about death in a letter to Christians in Philippi:“ For to me, living, means opportunities for Christ, and dying well that’s better yet.” And: “Sometimes I want to live and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ.” (Phil.1: 20 –23)

Most Christians I know would rather be in heaven but their time has not yet come.

Hope that was not too long.

Some people have written whole books on this subject.

Jokes:

What’s worse than finding a worm in your apple?
Finding half a worm.

What two creatures did not go into Noah’s Ark in pairs?
Worms – they went in apples.