do we go straight to heaven when we die

Beliefs about whether we go straight to heaven when we die vary among Christian traditions. Many Christian theologians and traditions teach that believers in Jesus Christ do go immediately to heaven in their soul or spirit upon death, entering a real place of comfort and presence with God, while their bodies remain on earth awaiting resurrection. This is known as the "intermediate state," where the soul is consciously with Christ until the final resurrection and the reunion with the glorified body. However, other groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists believe in "soul sleep," where the dead remain unconscious until a future resurrection. The Roman Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of purgatory, where souls are purified before entering heaven. In summary, many Christian beliefs support immediate presence with the Lord after death, while some maintain that final judgment and resurrection come later before entering heaven. The key biblical passages often cited include 2 Corinthians 5:8 (being absent from the body and present with the Lord) and the parable of the repentant thief spoken to by Jesus (Luke 23:43).