2 Corinthians 5:6-8 “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. (7) For we walk by faith, not by sight. (8) We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”
In this series we will examine the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, which is the fifth of the six foundational doctrines taught to the body of Christ. Man is made up of two main parts. The bible refers to the inner man and the outer man. The outer man is our physical body which includes the organ of our brain. This is the part of man that has been made of dust, and this is the part of man that grows old and eventually dies, for these bodies that we now dwell in are mortal and not immortal. When our physical bodies die they once again return to becoming dust. Our current physical bodies are referred to in scripture, as tents (2 Peter 1:13). A tent is a temporary dwelling structure, and so we currently live inside temporary dwelling structures. But there is coming a day when we will receive our eternal dwellings which are reserved for us in the heavens, i.e. our resurrected bodies. As revealed in the above quoted passage of scripture we see that the inner man is the real person, for the apostle Paul teaches us that it is our inward man that is either present in our bodies or present with the Lord in heaven. Our inward man is made up mainly of the spirit and the soul. It is the spirit and soul of man that gives life to the body and it is the spirit of the believer that has eternal life. The moment the spirit leaves the body, the body dies (James 2:26). Although man’s spirit and soul are not the same, God created man’s spirit and soul to be inseparable (Hebrews 4:12). Therefore both depart to be with the Lord when our bodies die.
Philippians 1:21-23 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (22) But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labour; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. (23) For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.”
What takes place when the saints’ die, is that the spirit and soul of the believer leaves their physical bodies which are now dead, and they depart from this world to be with the Lord Jesus in heaven. In the above passage of scripture, Paul stated that when he died that he would depart from this world and instantly be with Christ. Notice that Paul stated that he would either be in one of two places, i.e. either in his physical body or present with the Lord. In both cases, it was Paul’s spirit that would be either in his body or present with the Lord. It is your spirit that is the real you. It is our spirits that are born again and are completely free from all sin. This is the reason that when saints die under the New Covenant, that they can instantly be in the presence of the Lord Jesus in heaven, where there is no sin. Notice also that Paul stated that to be with Christ was far better than to be in this world. Never feel sorry for believers that have left this world to be with Christ at the end of their time here on earth. For no matter how good a life they may have had on earth, when they are in the Lord’s presence they are in a far better place.
Michael E.B. Maher
Comments