Yesterday was Easter. Christ is Risen! Hallelujah! Praise God! He also received a new body, which was evidenced by the fact that he could walk through walls. He was seen by many people between the time of his resurrection and his ascension. He appeared to Thomas, known by many as Doubting Thomas, just by appearing. No one opened a door for him to come into the room. This is well-documented in the Bible, as are many other sightings.
My great-aunt told me stories about people who had been dead for a long time appearing to do a specific task. My father told me about his father's vision of his dead friend. My father told me of waking in the middle of the night, to see his father standing at the foot of his bed. This was many years after his father had passed away. My father also told me of seeing his father and his uncle walking through our yard when my father was having difficulty with a project. My brother also has seen our maternal grandfather sitting in our living room, quite some time after he passed away. When that grandfather passed away, he had been a double amputee. He had lost his legs. When my brother saw him sitting on the couch, he had his legs.
This all tells me that what Paul said in II Corinthians 5 is true: to be absent from the flesh is to be present with the Lord. And when Jesus returns, he will bring those who have gone on ahead with him.
I do not believe that anyone just lays in that casket and is dead. The body dies when the spirit leaves. It goes, if one is a Believer, to be with the Lord. Therefore, there is no fear of death.
My friend is not sure of her destination because of the teachings of her church, which does not believe in the security of the believer. I will get into that tomorrow.
