Is it true that the Bible says that no one goes to heaven until Jesus comes back?
My friend says that no one goes to heaven until judgement, which does not happen until Jesus comes back.
Answer:
Joh_11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
This context is after Jesus’ death and resurrection
Act_2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Scriptures showing the resurrection is at the 2nd coming
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Th 4:16 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:
Those that say when we die we go right to heaven need to harmonize those thoughts and scriptures with these.
In death there is no conscienceness which is why Jesus and the rest of God’s Word call it a sleep. So if you sleep in death and are awakened at his coming—no time passed for you.