Paul's Desire to “Break Camp"

The words of Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, where he speaks of “having a desire to depart and be with Christ” (Ch. 1, v. 23), are eagerly seized upon by those who hold the popular belief in the “immortality of the soul” to support their contention that at death the righteous go to heaven to dwell with Christ.

Superficially considered, to the exclusion of the plain teaching of the Apostle elsewhere recorded, these words apparently favour the popular view. It therefore behooves us, carefully and impartially, to examine these words, while bearing in mind the circumstances in which they were written.

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Author: P. Wale

Keywords: depart, depart and be with Christ, going to heaven, Dieing and going to heaven, Departure, Departing this life, Departing soul, Departing spirit, Departed, Death, Choosing death, Choosing life death, Desire to depart, Be with Christ, Be with Jesus, life after death, afterlife, after life

Bible reference(s): Philippians 1:21-23, 2 Timothy 4:6

Source: “Paul’s Desire to Depart,” The Testimony, Vol. 13, No. 150, June 1943, pp. 155-8.

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