I'm an 8 year veteran with a degree (I tell all not to make this mistake) and my wife as well. We can't find work since being part of a lay off last September. We have applied to over 100 companies and denied before interview on all but two. I was stood up for an interview twice by the same company and then denied when I applied again.
These are the things against us: White, Christian, Patriots, Unvaxxed.
There are many in worse positions than we are but would really be thankful for prayers on our behalf. Thank you all very much and God bless you!
Asleep means death of the physical body, but the spirit leaves the physical body at the time of death. If they believed in Jesus, their spirit goes to heaven, which is their resurrection before He returns, so they are first. When Jesus returns, He will then resurrect His believers who are still living or awake. The physical body doesn't go to heaven, just the spirit. Heaven isn't a physical location or place. Its more of a different dimension or state of consciousness where we are connected with God as opposed to separated from Him.
1 Thessalonians 4:12-16 -12And we will not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope. 13 For if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again; even so them who have slept through Jesus, will God bring with him. 14 For this we say unto you in the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who remain unto the coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them who have slept. 15 For the Lord himself shall come down from heaven with commandment, and with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead who are in Christ, shall rise first. 16 Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be taken up together with them in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air, and so shall we be always with the Lord.
There is no marriage in heaven because there are no bodies, like the angels. Matthew 22:24-30 Saying: Master, Moses said: If a man die having no son, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up issue to his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first having married a wife, died; and not having issue, left his wife to his brother. 26 In like manner the second, and the third, and so on to the seventh. 27 And last of all the woman died also. 28 At the resurrection therefore whose wife of the seven shall she be? for they all had her 29 And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.
I appreciate your point of view here. I have read several opinions in books where they discuss both ideas and I feel there is more evidence of my stated view. Even the verses you cite seem to describe my point of view here. It clearly states that those who know Christ and have passed are "asleep" and will be raised up when he returns and their bodies will be restored while those who are still alive will have our bodies changed as well to an immortal form. Are you saying that the spirit goes to heaven immediately but then has to return to the grave to get the physical dust and reassemble the bones and such? I read that just as it states. We die and we are asleep. Judgment happens later at the return include non-believers. Are you saying non-believers spirit goes to hell rather than asleep to wait for judgment day? If we die and our souls goes to heaven right away then non-believers must go to hell right away. Do they get released at the judgment day and stand before God for judgment and then return to hell?
Your approach is essentially a literal interpretation of scripture associated with dispensationalism. This is a fairly recent school of thought that was made popular by the Scofield bible in the early 20th century. It promoted the idea of the rapture and the final Judgement Day for everyone based on the Book of Revelation.
I don't take a literal approach to the language in the Bible. Jesus spoke in parables, so much of the language is symbolic. We call Him the Lamb of God, but He was not really a lamb. I don't follow the dispensationalist interpretation of the Book of Revelation and the rapture, tribulation, etc in a literal sense. When our souls leave the body, they enter the spiritual realm and stand before God for judgement at that time.