Questions & Answers with Dr. Bob Burrelli


Where does a Christian go at the moment of death?


There can be no question that the one who is what Jesus calls “Born Again” goes immediately to be with the Lord in His glory the moment he dies. The transaction from the earthly to the heavenly is instantaneous. What a wonderful hope. There is no more time to be spent waiting to see God in His majesty, because there is no more time. The believer that slips out of this earthly life awakens in a new realm, in the company of a great throng of saints basking in the brilliance of a holy God.

When speaking to the Corinthians, in 2 Corinthians 5:1 -8, about the great changes that will take place at death and the resurrection, Paul leaves not other option and no doubt as to where believers go the moment they leave their body in death: “We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord” (v. 6) and “we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (v. 8). When we examine these two verse side by side, we see that Paul refers to only two living conditions of a believer: one is in a body of flesh and blood on this earth in time and space, while the other is out of that kind of body and in Heaven with the Lord. There is no middle ground or condition. This observation speaks to where a believer goes upon death. We also see that verse 8 is the opposite of verse 6, which means that the believer in Jesus Christ is either in one or the other. He is either alive in his body of flesh and blood, or he is alive in heaven. In fact, the end of the earthly, physical condition ushers in the new and far superior heavenly dwelling. This observation speaks to how fast the believer moves from one realm or condition to the other - immediately.

When speaking to the Philippians about the same subject, in Philippians 1:23 and 24, Paul once again leaves no other option and no doubt as to where believers go when the die and how fast: “I am hard pressed between the two. My desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” The “two” that he speaks of in verse 23 refer to two conditions of life, the earthy, mortal, condition that is prone to suffering and lived out before the Lord on earth and the heaven-bound, immortal, fully glorified, condition that is lived out before the Lord in His heaven. Paul tells the Philippians that he longed for that heavenly state and would prefer to be there instead of earth, yet that decision is not his to make. Only when the Lord’s work for him is done will He take Paul to be with Him forever. But notice, there is no middle ground, third option, or intermediate state; a believer is either on earth and not in heaven or he is in heaven and not on earth.

What a great, comforting truth to motivate us to live for Christ. We have much to look forward to and can always be sure that as long as we are alive in the body, no matter how wasted and worn out it is, God has work for us to do!