Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord...we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:6, 8)
The words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:1-9 are supposed to teach that the apostle expected that when he died he would go into the presence of the Lord in a disembodied state. To those who have the idea rooted in their minds from infancy that every man exists as a conscious entity bodiless after death a superficial view of this scripture would seem to be a support. In determining what the apostle meant in this chapter we must be governed by his general teachings; it will not do to array one part of his writings against all others. If Paul here expected to go to Christ when he died [then] his other teachings ought to show the same expectation. What are the facts in the case? Instead of hoping and striving to go to Christ at death he strove to be worthy of a resurrection from among the dead. He gives expression to his hope as follows:
“I count all things but loss,...that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being be made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of (or from among) the dead,” (Philippians 3:8-11).
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Author: Thomas Williams
Keywords: Home in the body, Clothed from heaven, Absent from the Lord, Absent from the body, Present with the Lord, Earthly tabernacle, Earthly tent, Immortal soul, Immortal soulism, Immortal spirit, Heavenly tabernacle, State of the dead
Bible reference(s): 2 Corinthians 5:6-9
Source: The Great Salvation (Englewood: Advocate and Gleaner Pub. House, 1893?).
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.