Gone Home

A Christian is identified as one who believes and follows Jesus The Christ ,The Son of God.

In our lifetime, we have witnessed many family and friends passing from this life to the Spirit Realm. It is strongly believed when Christians die, their spirits go to a place of rest in the heavenly realm. Jesus spoke of the righteous being in Paradise, a place in the bosom of Abraham, where they find rest. Their earthly life is over. For those who we believe were faithful unto our Lord Jesus Christ, we often speak of them having ‘Gone Home’. This home is from whence they came–Heaven.

Jesus told John the righteous who die in the Lord shall have rest from their labors. Revelation 14:12-13. 12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

This rest is said to be with Abraham because of their faith as Abraham held. The dead are waiting for the second coming of Christ to usher in Heaven. Knowing the righteous who die in the Lord shall have rest, our understanding of Paradise is the place where righteous souls go. From the conversation Jesus had with the thief on the cross at his crucifixion. Jesus said they would be in Paradise together that day. Upon their death they were placed in Paradise. Paradise becomes that place of rest for the righteous.

With this understanding, believers, speaking of the righteous family and friends who have passed on, typically refer to them as having ‘Gone Home’. What does this ‘Home’ appear to be like?

Many question the activities of those now living in Paradise. Some relate it to the grave where there is no activity of any kind. The grave, also, is a holding place. Scripture, however, refers to the graves being opened and the spirits rising to meet the Lord in the clouds. Let us refer to 1 Thes. 4:13-17. 13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

We assume the spirits are left in the graves until Jesus calls them forth. Yet, Jesus went to Paradise where many others are held. 1 Peter 3:18-20. 18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Peter refers to this place as a prison for those of whom Jesus went and preached the Gospel who lived before the flood. This referees to a holding place where they were all gathered into one place. The graves of the dead are scattered over all the earth.

We, therefore, see the terms ‘asleep’, ‘rest’, ‘prison’, giving us an implication that the just people’s spirits are either left in the grave or they are in another place–bosom of Abraham or Paradise. We are led to think there is no activity there. Ecclesiastes 9:10 is a quote from King Solomon saying, 10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. Also, when we are asleep, our minds are at rest and our bodies do no activity. So, some people believe Paradise must be like the grave and being asleep; no activity. Yet Jesus said to the thief he would see him in Paradise and Peter said Jesus did an activity while there for the three days and nights–preaching to those who died before or in the Flood.