Christians Go to Heaven Upon Death: Does a Christian go to heaven when they die? [John 5:24, 2 Corinthians 5:1-8, Philippians 1:21-23, I Thessalonians 4:15] Intermedate State Under an Altar: What do you think about a denomination teaching that upon death believers go to a place under an altar unti later? [Revelation 6:9], Thief on the Cross: Did the thief on the cross go to paradise? [Luke 23:43].