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NASB | 2 Corinthians 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Corinthians 5:8 we are [as I was saying] of good courage and confident hope, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. |
Bible Question: I've always believed when a person dies they go directly into the presence of Christ. But, I've become confused lately. Is there any possibility that death is similar to falling asleep? When a person falls asleep it seems like only a few moments until they wake up but actually they've been sleeping for hours. Can it be that when the Bible says at the end of time the dead will rise and be judged that this is what has happened? They will rise but feel as though it has been only moments since death? |
Bible Answer: Dear Erusni: In 2 Cor.5 Paul discusses the fact that we have an earthly or (tent) house which is our mortal body. I believe we must remember that we are soul and spirit which have a body not the other way around. Our physical body will eventually die if Christ be not come and this temporary body will return to dust. However, our soul is eternal and will not die. We "the real person" will be with Christ! In v. 2 Paul tells us "we have a building of God" which is eternal and immortal in contrast to our earthly body. However, we will not get that eternal body until Christ comes and we all are changed. Thus "We are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" This would show us that for the believer the moment we take flight from our body we will be with Christ. Paul yearns for this "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Phil 1:23) Paul wants to be with Christ and yet he realizes the Lord still has work from him. I do not believe that in either instance is there any suggestion of soul sleep. But rather that our soul is separated from our bodies and with Christ. (present) When a christian is promoted to glory the scriptures do not speak of death, but rather that they sleep in Jesus. (1 Cor. 15:51) "we shall not all sleep,(die), but we shall all be changed". In Paul's references to being with Christ, I believe has the sense of conscious knowledge of whom we are with. John in the Revelation of Jesus Christ writes "when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice saying, How long O LOrd holy and true, does thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth" Rev, 6: 9 to 10 These souls are not sleeping nor are they silent and unaware. Some day the silver thread will break, And I as now,no more shall sing, But O the joy when I awake, Within the palace of the King! We look for the Saviour from heaven Robert |