When we die, we give up the physical body and then reside in a spiritual body.
Take what I say as you will, my words are based on my study of the Bible.
You said that Jesus accepts you as you are. I agree with that, that we are loved as we are. But I also believe that Jesus will change me. He will purify me.Yes, he loves us just as we are, warts and all.
But He loves us too much to leave us that way.
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:26-27)IMO, this is what happens when a person becomes a Christian. I know it happened to me.
I waited a long time and was very sincere when I finally realized that Jesus has the "formulae" for salvation and everlasting life.
I repented of my sins and gave my life over to Him.
He DID change out my heart. He did "purify" me. He took all of my sins and I was forgiven and cleansed, washed in the Blood of Jesus so to speak.
I was a new person, the old "man" was gone.
Romans 6:6--Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that we should no longer serve sin.
Then the process went on, and a lot of other things happened and it was fantastic. But that's another story...
I believe when we die we go to a spiritual "world" with God.
At that time we enter into a life without time, because God lives outside of time and I believe that is where he has us go.
So it's my understanding that there could be no "time" to spend in purgatory because time will not exist.
I don't need explained to me how purgatory works, I'm fine not knowing...
Do you think you will enter God’s Presence in the exact same state you are in now?
I don't think any Christian could answer that with an unqualified "yes" and so my answer is no.
I'm not sure how the transformation works, but I do know that God's ways are not our ways, and no matter how much we think we have it figured out, I really doubt it.
But I know that God does things in a "twinkling of an eye" and so I think that He has a way to work out our situation when we pass over to spend eternity in His presence.
Of course we have to be purified to enter into the presence of God, because He cannot look upon sin, which is why He sent His Son, Jesus.
I think the "pretty or easy" part will depend on what our walk with God is like at the moment we die.
(I don't expect you or others I have bumped heads with a bit on this thread to agree with all I have said.)
I appreciate the comments to me, and have actually gone a bit too far IMO as this thread isn't about me, you, other posters or divergence beliefs.
It's about mourning a Christian man that I have known about for years (along with the rest of the crew at The Berean Call) who passed away.
RIP Mr. Hunt.
I agree. Catholic thought agrees.
How about that?
I agree that someone's funeral thread is a bad time for any of this. But here we are, so I think I will take a mutual win at this point.
The main thing as this point is that you said you are "purified," while I believe that this process takes all of my life and some more.
So, at this point, and in the week of Easter, Good day.
Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Alleluia
Our triumphant Holy Day, Alleluia
Who did once upon the Cross, Alleluia
Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia