19th May 2026

19th May 2026


Pray (ACts) 


Read (Ecclesiastes 12v7) 


Message (Scott Woodburn) 


What happens to the Christian when death comes? At first glance this seems like a straightforward question with a simple answer - the Christian goes to Heaven. Because of our faith in Christ this is certainly true but there is a wee bit more to it than that.


In our study of Heaven we have already heard about human frailty - we are jars of clay (2 Corinthians 4v7) and so when death comes our weak fragile body is placed in the grave. Death was not part of God's creation, it entered in on the heels of sin (Romans 5v12) and one day it will be placed beneath the feet of Christ (1 Corinthians 15v25-26). Nevertheless, for the vast majority of humanity death will come. Are there those who won't die? Yes. The Bible tells us that Enoch and Elijah did not die (Genesis 5v24 & 2 Kings 2v11) and there will be those alive at the return of Jesus who also will not taste death (1 Thessalonians 4v15). But almost certainly most of us who read these words will die.


When that happens a great separation occurs. Your body and your soul are divided for a time. The body sees corruption in the grave but the soul goes to Heaven to be with Jesus. The human soul makes us unique in all creation and the human soul cannot die (Genesis 2v7). Therefore, when the body dies, the soul leaves the body and returns to the Lord who made it (Ecclesiastes 12v7).


This same separation happened to the Lord Jesus Christ and it was why He was able to promise the dying thief that they would soon be together in Paradise (Luke 23v43). Christ's body entered the tomb but Christ's soul entered Heaven and stayed there until the Resurrection. It will be this way for you and I, although the time between our death and resurrection will be much longer than three days.


It is this that we call the intermediate state. The Christian will dwell in Heaven with Jesus for a time waiting for the resurrection to come. The intermediate state is not forever, it is for a little while, it is, as the name suggests, intermediate but even so, the one who is in Heaven today is perfectly happy and experiencing fullness of joy. I think the Apostle Paul said it best when he acknowledged that the intermediate state was better by far (Philippians 1v23).


Lorraine Boettner was right when he wrote "What we call death is not the end, but only the entrance of the soul into a new and more wondrous world...we may be sure that the first five minutes after death will bring experiences for the soul far more remarkable and awesome than anything that has ever been experienced in this world." I am not arrogant enough to say that I don't fear death but I can't help but look forward to those first five minutes that Boettner once spoke of. Make no mistake there is no one who will ever be disappointed by Heaven.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q71 What is required in the seventh commandment? The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behaviour.
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