The question of whether anyone is in heaven before Jesus returns is one that has intrigued theologians, scholars, and believers for centuries. To adequately address this question from a non-denominational Christian perspective, we must delve into Scripture, consider historical interpretations, and reflect on the nature of God's promises about eternal life.
Firstly, it's essential to recognize that the Bible speaks of heaven as a real place where God resides and where believers hope to spend eternity. In John 14:2-3, Jesus comforts His disciples with the promise of heaven, saying, "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."
This promise suggests a future event where Jesus will return to take His followers to be with Him. However, it raises the question of what happens to believers who die before this return. Are they immediately in heaven, or do they await a future resurrection?
One key passage that sheds light on this is found in Luke 23:42-43. As Jesus was crucified, one of the criminals beside Him expressed faith, saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." This statement from Jesus seems to indicate that the repentant criminal would be with Him in a state of blessedness immediately upon death, which many interpret as being in heaven or a heaven-like state.
Additionally, the Apostle Paul provides insight into this matter in his letters. In 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, Paul writes, "Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." Here, Paul suggests that to be absent from the body (i.e., to die) is to be present with the Lord, indicating an immediate transition to being with Christ upon death.
Furthermore, in Philippians 1:21-23, Paul expresses his personal struggle between living and dying: "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far." Paul's desire to "depart and be with Christ" again points to an immediate presence with Christ after death.
However, some passages in the Bible suggest a future resurrection and judgment. For instance, in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Paul describes the second coming of Christ: "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." This passage describes a future resurrection of the dead in Christ, which seems to occur at Christ's return.
To reconcile these perspectives, many theologians have proposed the concept of an intermediate state. This intermediate state is a temporary condition where the souls of believers are in a conscious, blessed presence with the Lord, awaiting the final resurrection and the full realization of God's kingdom. This view aligns with the immediate presence with Christ described by Paul and the future resurrection mentioned in 1 Thessalonians.
The intermediate state is further supported by the vision of the martyrs in Revelation 6:9-11: "When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, 'How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?' Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been." This passage depicts the souls of martyrs in a conscious state, awaiting the final judgment.
The intermediate state, therefore, provides a coherent framework for understanding the biblical data. It suggests that believers who die before Christ's return are indeed in a blessed presence with the Lord, experiencing a foretaste of heaven, while still awaiting the final resurrection and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth.
In Christian literature, the intermediate state has been discussed by various theologians. For instance, John Calvin, in his "Institutes of the Christian Religion," argues for the immediate presence of believers with Christ after death. He writes, "But to pry into the secret things of God, and to seek to know more than he has revealed, is not only foolish but wicked presumption. Let us, then, rest contented with this simple doctrine, that the souls of the pious, when they leave the body, are commended to the custody of the Lord, and that they remain in joyful expectation of the final resurrection, when they shall put on glory and immortality."
Similarly, the Westminster Confession of Faith, a foundational document for many Reformed churches, states, "The bodies of men, after death, return to dust, and see corruption: but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous, being then made perfect in holiness, are received into the highest heavens, where they behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies."
In conclusion, from a non-denominational Christian perspective, it is reasonable to affirm that believers who die before Jesus returns are indeed in heaven, or more precisely, in a blessed presence with the Lord. This intermediate state is a conscious, joyful existence with Christ, awaiting the final resurrection and the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises. The Scriptures provide ample evidence for this view, and it has been a consistent theme in Christian theology throughout history. As believers, we can find great comfort and hope in the assurance that, whether in life or in death, we are with the Lord, and we eagerly await the glorious return of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
