Colossians 3:3-4 KJVS
[3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

In a large potion of denominational Christianity, it is taught that when you die you either go to heaven or hell. That doctrine presumes the immortality of the soul. The above scripture and others shows that to be untrue.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 KJVS
[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.

Only in Christ is there life.

John 1:4 KJVS
[4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
John 14:6 KJVS
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Numerous times our Lord mentions that he will raise up those in him at the last day, day of the Lord or seventh day.

John 6:54,56 KJVS
[54] Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. [56] He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

Just to make clear that when our Lord talks of raising up individuals he is talking about the resurrection. Note the conversation our Lord has with Martha, who was Lazarus’s sister. Which also demonstrates that it was common knowledge in that day, that a person was in the grave until the resurrection.

John 11:23-25 KJVS
[23] Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. [24] Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. [25] Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

A few more verse that record what our Lord said regarding the resurrection and when it takes place.

John 6:44 KJVS
[44] No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:38-40 KJVS
[38] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. [39] And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. [40] And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Prophecy in the epistles, especially Apostle Paul’s, gets more specific regarding the resurrection and when it takes place and make clear when Jesus Christ returns for his body the church and resurrects those that are dead in him and changes those that are alive.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44,50-53 KJVS
[42] So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: [43] It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: [44] It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. [50] Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. [51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, [52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. [53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Immortality is not a inherent quality of the soul.

Ezekiel 18:20 KJVS
[20] The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Apostle Paul also makes this clear in the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians. One would do well to read and study the verses in that chapter? It is only through the power given to our Lord Jesus Christ by God, that a man is given life and he makes that clear in the gospel of John.

John 17:1-2 KJVS
[1] These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: [2] As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Let us look at Jn 17:2 using the Young’s Literal version.

John 17:2 according as Thou didst give to him authority over all flesh, that — all that Thou hast given to him — he may give to them life age-during; Young’s Literal

What often appears as eternal life in the scriptures is a intentional mistranslation and refers to the reign of Jesus Christ and his body on earth in the age to come, that lasts for a thousand years, Rev 20:6. Three and a half years before that age starts, the resurrected Saints meet the Lord in the air at the last, seventh, trumpet.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 KJVS
[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: [17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Dead in Christ means just that, people that are dead and in their graves.

John 5:28-29 KJVS
[28] Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, [29] And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

But often in the New Testament scriptures the word asleep is used to describe those who are dead. See Acts 7:60, 1 Co 15:6&18, 1 Th 4:13&15, 2 Pe 3:4. If you the reader are with me so far, you certainly have noticed the excessive use of scripture I use when writing about doctrine. The reason I do this is because cultural and religious indoctrination is hard to overcome. It can be overcome if God has given you the love of the truth. Moving on, we know that the body of Christ is caught up together with those that were dead in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air at the seventh trumpet in the book of Revelation, because Apostle John makes that clear, Rev 10:7, Rev 11:15. The mystery of God is Christ in you the hope of glory, Col 1:27. And that mystery is finished at the sounding of the seventh trumpet. The very same mystery and event that Apostle Paul mentions in 1 Co 15:51.

Revelation 10:7 ESV
[7] but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

It may seem as if I strayed off topic a bit, but I wanted to make it clear when the first resurrection takes place for the body of Christ. Apostle Paul also makes clear the order of the resurrection in regards to our Lord and his body, the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:20-23 KJVS
[20] But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. [21] For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. [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.

Verse 20 defines the meaning of the term firstfruits as it applies to the resurrection. The term derives its meaning from the Jewish feast of First Fruits, where the first fruit of the grain harvest was offered to God. So clearly in terms of the resurrection, Jesus Christ was the first man to be resurrected. Then, as the scripture states, afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 1 Th 4:16-17 agrees with this. Apostle John is in agreement with Paul in Rev 10:7,11:15, in regards to when the body of Christ is resurrected. Again, our Lord in many verses in the gospel of John makes it clear that life is in him, see those verses from the gospel of John at the beginning of the article. Then at the end of the thousand year Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven is the white throne judgment, where the rest of humanity is resurrected and judged, Rev 20:11&12. I grew up a Roman Catholic and many of my family members believe that our Lord’s mother, Mary, is in heaven along with other Saints. There is no scriptures to support this belief. The above scriptures clearly prove that Mary is in her grave, as are the Saints, awaiting the resurrection. Our Lord said this concerning his mother and brothers

Matthew 12:46-50 KJVS
[46] While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. [47] Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. [48] But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? [49] And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! [50] For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

It makes sense to me that our Lord often made statements that can be used to clarify matters of doctrine for the time he lived and for future believers. I think the Lord wanted to make it clear that his mother, as a human, holds no more importance in God’s kingdom to come, than any other member of the body of Christ. She was blessed among all woman due to the fact she was given the grace to give birth to our Lord, and be a part of his life for over 30 years. Which was a great honor, of which she was well suited, as she possessed great humility accompanied with a kind and gentle nature.