Absent From The Body
Letting Christ Be Our Example
ABSENT FROM THE BODY, PRESENT WHERE?
by Rodney A. Brown Sr.
Thought Nugget #15
6/4/2010
We have often heard after the death of a loved one, that they are in a better place, looking down on us. And I have often wondered, do they really believe that? After all, if everyone ends up in the place they should be, why on earth would there be any resurrections? This has always puzzled me! The Bible says "The wages of sin is death"!
Although I do understand why one would want to think that, it is not logical or Biblical! I understand that it is much more comfortable to believe that we & our loved ones will never experience REAL death. This is why Satan has established this belief from the beginning. He knew that it would be the ground work for many dangerous deceptions. It was the very first lie that he told to mankind, remember? He told Eve "Thou shalt not surely die".
Once we believe that lie, it opens the door for more dangerous evils such as: Spiritualism, Witchcraft & communication with the dead, etc. There is a great misconception among God's people that leaves them deceived & vulnerable! The Bible does not mention anyone dying & going directly to any destination! This would indicate an undying soul, but the Bible says in Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die." So, what should we believe?
2 Corinthians 5:8 says "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." What does this really mean?
There are a few things that I've learned in my life when it comes to ones beliefs, one is that most people go with the flow! If the majority is doing it, then it must be right because it is the norm or because it has been done traditionally. People don't usually study into what they believe. This text is a prime example of a lack in research. 2 Corinthians 5:8 is one of the most misinterpreted text in the Bible.
In fact, the majority of the world has followed it's misinterpretation. It seems to be saying that when we die, we leave our bodies and are immediately present with God in Heaven. But is this so? Or is this the misinterpretation?
One rule to remember when studying the word of God is to always prove a text with other texts! Especially the ones surrounding it. Also consider the tone of the Bible. Ask yourself, does it fit in with the overall character of God's word?
I must admit, I was a bit confused about the meaning of this text. And I am grateful for the help of a Pastor friend of mine who brought more clarity to the confusion. Now, let's dig deeper.
Some people use this text (vs 8, that is) to try to prove that a person is immediately taken into the presence of God when he/she dies.
But Paul is the author of this passage, and he makes it clear in 2 Tim 4:8 when he expected his reward - at the Second Coming of Christ. At that day, which is the Lord's appearing. Paul says "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."
1 Thess. 4:13-18 also makes it clear that the dead are sleeping until Christ returns. It says "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."
Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul cannot contradict himself - so the 2 Cor. 5 passage cannot possibly mean that Paul expected to be whisked immediately into the presence of God.
So what does it mean? Read it through very carefully. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-9 Paul talks about two "tabernacles" or bodies - the one we have in this world, subject to suffering ("our earthly house," "in this we groan," etc.), and the new body we get at the resurrection ("a building of God," "an house not made with hands," "eternal in the heavens", etc.)
Explaining verse 5 is like unto this: We still use the term "earnest money" today when someone who wants to buy a house, it includes a deposit with their bid. Literally translated, it means "down payment".
The word for "earnest" in 2 Cor. 5 is "ἀρραβών", or "arrabon". It means the same thing: a deposit.
So in 2 Cor. 5, Paul says that the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is a down payment on the future promise of the resurrection and Second Coming. At that point, we will have our resurrection bodies and be present with the Lord - but until then, Jesus is still present with us through the Holy Spirit.
Thus, the Holy Spirit is a down payment on the future fulfillment of the promise that we will be with the Lord.
In verse 6, when Paul says "whilst we are at home in the body," he's referring to the earthly body we now have, the one we have when we're "absent from the Lord."
In verse 8, it's the other way around - we're absent from the body (meaning our EARTHLY body) and present with the Lord.
But he makes it clear, at the same time, that we still have a body - "a building of God," "an house not made with hands," "eternal in the heavens", etc.
Important points:
1. Nowhere does this passage suggest that we become ghosts. In fact, it tells us that we will be clothed, and NOT naked. (v. 3) The only time we're "naked" is in the grave. On earth, we have a body that groans and suffers, in heaven, we have a perfected body that is in the presence of the Lord. (Phil. 3:21) But we always have a body.
2. Nowhere does Paul give a time frame for WHEN we'll be absent from the earthly body and present with the Lord. For the time frame, you go to the rest of scripture, which makes it clear that it happens at the Second Coming, not at the very moment of death.
MAY GOD BLESS US ALL TO UNDERSTAND, ACCEPT, AND OBEY HIS WORD!!!
~RABS~
