There are many things that people who follow Jesus, go to church and even claim to believe the Bible who believe things that are completely unbiblical. This happens because some things are said that sound good, spiritual and biblical and they gain traction because people actually believe they are in the Bible.
Fact Check – “God needed another angel in Heaven, so God called them home.”
This statement is wrong on so many levels but let’s start with the basics.
- Angels and people are not the same thing.
(Psalms 8:4-6 NLT) what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? (5) Yet You made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. (6) You gave them charge of everything You made, putting all things under their authority-
- Angels are created beings. Since Adam’s creation, people are born.
(Psalms 33:6 NKJV) By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
(Nehemiah 9:6 NKJV) You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.
- Angels have a will but do not have the right to use it. People do have that right.
God gave people the right and the ability to use their wills to make choices.
(Isaiah 14:12-14 NKJV) “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! (13) For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; (14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Our eternal destiny is determined by what we do with our will during our lives here on earth.
What happens when a person dies?
(1 Thessalonians 5:23 NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- While you are living in the body, you have the choice to determine where you will spend eternity.
(Ecclesiastes 8:8 NKJV) No one has power over the spirit to retain the spirit, And no one has power in the day of death…
- When your spirit leaves your body, you no longer have a choice in where you go for eternity.
Your loved ones that have passed on are either with the Lord in Heaven or they are separated from God in Hell, but they are NOT here in the earth to complete unfinished business.
- Jesus prepared the way to Heaven and into God’s presence. He made it possible for us to go.
(John 14:1-4 NKJV) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (2) In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (4) And where I go you know, and the way you know.”
(2 Corinthians 5:1 TPT) We are convinced that even if these bodies we live in are folded up at death like tents, we will still have a God-built home that no human hands have built, which will last forever in the heavenly realm.
The body is the tent that Paul is referring to, but we will get an eternal house to live in for eternity.
- As a Christian, we should never fear death.
(Hebrews 2:14-15 AMPC) Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death–that is, the devil– (15) And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.
- Jesus has taken the sting out of death.
(1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NKJV) “O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?” (56) The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Never view the death of a Born Again believer as a win/lose proposition. For the Christian, death is a win/win proposition.
Some mistakenly think that if a Christian recovers from an illness, it is a victory, but if he dies, it is a defeat. (Rev. Tony Cooke: Life After Death)
Living and experiencing long life is more about calling and purpose than anything else.
(Philippians 1:21-25 AMPC) For me to live is Christ [His life in me], and to die is gain [the gain of the glory of eternity]. (22) If, however, it is to be life in the flesh and I am to live on here, that means fruitful service for me; so I can say nothing as to my personal preference [I cannot choose], (23) But I am hard pressed between the two. My yearning desire is to depart (to be free of this world, to set forth) and be with Christ, for that is far, far better; (24) But to remain in my body is more needful and essential for your sake. (25) Since I am convinced of this, I know that I shall remain and stay by you all, to promote your progress and joy in believing,
- Remember, God never sees His children die. He just sees them coming home. That is why the death of His saints – His children – is precious in His sight.
(Psalms 116:15 NKJV) Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.