1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV)
Believers Who Have Died
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 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. 17 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.


1 John 3:2 (NIV)
2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.


I beleve these two scripture should help with your question. We, as children of God, should not greave. Sure, those who have "gone" before us are probably, here on earth, nothing more than bone and....well, don't want to think of that. But, the spirit, the "real" part that makes us what we are is with Jesus, in "heaven" (whereever that may be). Those of us who will be alive when Jesus returns, will be called in the air, to be like Him. But, it is not for us to imagine what we shall look like because, in I John, we are told we shall "be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

I hope this helps!!

I was taught in my church that when we die, we receive our own particular judgment at that time, and go to the place designated. Also taught that everyone will be at the Final Judgment, and some will already know where they are to go back to, the living won't know for sure on that horrible day.

Mary this is confusing.
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. And then it contradicts itself,
asleep. 16 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.
Or does verse 16 refer to the Old Testament dead?

Judy,
If we are in Christ how can that be a horrible day? I believe that my sins have been cleansed daily by my belief in Him. His mercy is renewed every day.

I Corinthians ch15 is a great source of info in answering the question -what happens after we die. I believe he was teaching on this in this chapter because some of the early Christians and apostles at the time died or "fallen asleep". Some among them were then saying that there "was no resurrection of the dead"; or in other words-- no life after death.
ICor 15:16-19 (KJV)
For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
If in this life only (our flesh body) we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

Further down the chapter he asks: How are the dead (nekros, corpse) raised up? And with what body do they come? He relates the process of death of our flesh body to a seed of grain. "That which thou sorest is not quickened (made alive), except it die. The seed must die before it transforms into a new plant- just like the resurrection of our flesh body into a spiritual body.
I Cor 15:49-50
And as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption(decay) inherit incorruption.

He teaches that there is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. Every human, nonbeliever or Christian has a natural (flesh) body and a spiritual body. When the flesh dies we put on our incorruptible body (spirit) because we are resurrected like Christ is. The spiritual body is where our soul resides. Vs 53--"For this corruptible (decayed) must put on incorruption, and this mortal (libel to die--referring to our soul) must put on immortality (deathlessness). When Christ returns at the last trump (the seventh trump is the last trump)-- then those who are still in a flesh body at that time will be changed into a spiritual body because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
Remember- no one is judged yet; the Book of Life has not been opened. Right now no one is in the lake of fire. No one has experienced "the second death" yet- in other words, the death of the soul. Revelation Ch 20 is very specific about the order of events and what the second death is. The thousand years must pass first, Satan loosed for a little while, then Judgement for everyone. ( Satan is already judged.) Read Rev 20 (KJV)-- it is not a horrible time. It is a wonderful time- All that offends will be removed forever.
I always wondered where the unbelievers go when they die-- they are not judged yet-- according to Rev 20. Jesus spake in a parable that gives us a little insight to where we go when our flesh dies. Luke 16:19-31. It is a parable- but involved real people: Abraham, Lazarus, and a rich man. Vs 26 describes a "great gulf (chasm) which cannot be passed". Perhaps this is where those didn't believe remain until judgement. They are alive in a spiritual body, but their soul is mortal (libel to die) and they are separated from God.

This should comfort us. Hebrews 2:14-15
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself (Christ) likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Very good, Ladybugged. This is a great scripture. I did not want you to think I had shied away from the subject, Pogo. I was just very careful to be able to quote verse and scripture. I also realize that there is some terminology that is particular to the "church" group. Not everyone is familiar with these terms. I was having problems putting the thought in understandable terms. I tend to use "church" terms because I was raised in the church. I realize that not everyone was. There are some "terms" that are not widely used. Some my not be familiar with them. Pogo, I am not trying t put you down. I'm saying Christians should be able to speak clearly with anyone. We shouldn't think we are "special" because we have a special language.

I'm ranting a little here. I will stop now!!!