Bible Study - Life After Physical Death - 2 Corinthians 12:1-5 Plus - August 30, 2026

 

Bible Study – Life After Physical Death – 2 Corinthians 12:1-5 Plus – August 30, 2026

2 Corinthians 12:1-21:

Greetings to all with prayers for blessings and thanksgiving.

In a previous study, I mentioned that Brother Paul went to Heaven. Copied below is his brief account of that event in his life. Let’s go on that journey with him.

Paul’s journey to the third Heaven as recorded in:

2 Corinthians 12:1-5: Christian Standard Bible

Sufficient Grace – Paul’s Journey to Heaven

Sharing what we have encountered may seem to others that the person who had the experience is boasting. NO!!! The person is sharing an encounter that may help others to add to their knowledge of the mysteries of the unknown and desire to be “Born Again” in his/her spirit through faith in JESUS.

Sufficient Grace

12 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows. ³ I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows— ⁴ was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak. ⁵ I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

The first Heaven is where the birds, clouds, etc... are.

The second Heaven is where the sun, moon, stars reside.

The third Heaven is where GOD is.

Those who have read the studies our LORD has led me to write, know that a number of fellow Christians have shared with me their journey to Heaven and back. Our LORD has allowed me to have an experience as well. (My experience is recorded in actsclass.blogspot.com – in the upper left corner of the blog is a blank space. If you type in the name Mrs. Green, it will take you to the experience that came to me, I was not seeking, it was GOD’S Gift.

I quickly add, I am in no way trying to compete with Brother Paul or Brother Ron. I will repeat Brother Ron’s visit to Heaven. Such experiences make us more accountable to GOD.)

Heaven is real and it is the final destination of all who place their faith in JESUS and are “born again.”

Christian Standard Bible

12 Boasting is necessary. It is not profitable, but I will move on to visions and revelations of the Lord. ² I know a man in Christ who was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether he was in the body or out of the body, I don’t know; God knows. ³ I know that this man—whether in the body or out of the body I don’t know; God knows— ⁴ was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a human being is not allowed to speak. ⁵ I will boast about this person, but not about myself, except of my weaknesses.

Where is the third Heaven?

The first Heaven is what we, and the birds enjoy and is vital to our existence – mainly oxygen/the air we breathe.

The second Heaven is where the sun, planets, moon exist.

The third Heaven is where GOD is.

A friend/acquaintance of mine, brother Ron, was in an automobile accident, while he was in Seminary at Clear Creek. Brother Ron was in the hospital in Knoxville; TN. Brother Ron died and was pronounced dead. His body was taken to the basement of the hospital for the funeral home to pick up his body.

A nurse happened to walk past his body, in the basement, and saw his eyelid move and she began resuscitation.

In the meantime, if Brother Ron had not been in the hospital, he would have been in a class at Clear Creek Seminary. The class stopped and began praying for Brother Ron at the seminary.

At the end of their class, the class went to a Chapel program. The class told those who assembled in the Chapel that they could not have their planned program; they had to pray for Brother Ron. Those who attended the Chapel assembly began praying for Brother Ron.

And They did!

Putting the timeline together, when Brother Ron was pronounced dead coincides with his classmate announcing to the class that they had to pray for Brother Ron. When Borther Ron was resuscitated it corresponded to the time the Chapel time ended.

Brothern Ron told me what I have written, himself.

He told me that he went to heaven and was led around Heaven by a horrible looking creature. He said, “There are no human words for him to describe what he saw. He said, he has prayed and asked The LORD to give him the words but as of that time there were no human words to describe what he saw.”

When we have these extraordinary experiences, how do we handle it or them? We know these experiences are out of the ordinary and those who experience it or them are not to get puffed up but to share as GOD gives opportunity.

Back to Paul’s testimony about his experience ------

⁶ For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷ especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. ⁹ But he (THE LORD) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.”

Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

To sum up Paul’s experience seeing Heaven:

1 Corinthians 2:9

But as it is written, What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human heart has conceived— God has prepared these things for those who love him.

Paul knew, JESUS and that JESUS was in him and was his Savior and LORD. Paul knew his eternal destination was Heaven and eternal life through faith in JESUS.

Do you know where you will go when you die?

If not, eternal life is just a breath way:

Dear JESUS, I am a sinner and I ask YOU to forgive me for all my sins and for YOU to come into my heart/life and make me whole through the miracle of Spiritual Birth when YOUR HOLY SPIRIT unites with my human spirit and I am born again into the eternal family of GOD, never to be unborn.

I rejoice that my citizenship is eternally in Heaven as the result of me being “Born Again” in my human Spirit.

Blessings!!!