Some argue that Paul specifically stated that to be absent from the body “is to be” present with the Lord when speaking of his own death.

This of course, is not true and is grossly taken out of context.

This is what Paul really says:

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

As you can see, it is much different than the assumed version. This, in no way implies inherent immortality or uninterrupted life at death by the means of some immortal soul.

If you read the entire context very carefully, you’ll see that Paul was talking about the three conditions affecting the Christian: Mortality, Death and Immortality.

The one he was presently clothed upon as he spoke this, was a dissolvable, MORTAL and temporary condition he describes as a house, tent or tabernacle.

The middle stage he describes as an UNCLOTHED or NAKED condition known as DEATH. In this stage one is neither clothed upon with an earthly house- nor a heavenly house, hence the NAKEDNESS.

And the third and more desirable, PERMANENT or IMMORTAL condition (which all Christians will attain to some day at the resurrection), he describes as an eternal and more glorious building (from God) in heaven.

Read it for yourself, but pay close attention to verses 2-4, which indicate that Paul was burdened by the thought of eventually having to die, or be found naked or unclothed.

Those people who twist this verse around to accommodate their beliefs, entirely skip over this middle condition known as the NAKED or UNCLOTHED condition WHICH IS DEATH. They go from the first, directly to the third, and yet Paul clearly says that there is a middle or NAKED condition known as death, which burdened him.

Paul’s hope and desire was that Christ might return before HIS DEATH so that we might not be found UNCLOTHED and NAKED; but rather clothed upon with immortality… that mortality might be swallowed up of life!

2 Corinthians 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

2 Corinthians 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

2 Corinthians 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

2 Corinthians 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

2 Corinthians 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

 

In other words, Paul’s WILLING DESIRE was to go directly from this earthly, mortal condition to the permanent and eternal condition in heaven WITHOUT being troubled or burdened with the thought of having to go through the NAKED or UNCLOTHED stage known as death first. He didn’t want to experience the sting of death.

Notice that throughout his apostolic life his hope was that Christ might return while he still lived:

“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.” 1Thessalonians 4:16-17

Besides that, if we were indeed immortal and never really died at all, there wouldn’t be the need to groan or be burdened by the thought of having to die- or be found naked, would there?

So all that Paul is really saying is that he prefers, or willing rather to be absent from this body- or tent and be present with the Lord- or clothed with the permanent building from heaven WITHOUT having to die- or be found unclothed or naked.

Nothing of a mystery there. I’m sure we’d all PREFER to be clothed upon with immortality NOW, and be with Christ in heaven NOW, rather than to be living in this sinful and deteriorating world with the grim realization of having to ACTUALLY feel the sting of death someday, and then be with Christ LATER, or AFTERWARDS at the Resurrection of THE DEAD.

I for one don’t want to die, Paul didn’t either and I’m sure neither do you. So hopefully Christ returns in our lifetime so that we won’t have to experience the sting of death. That’s exactly what Paul had desired in his own lifetime.

I would also like to bring attention to Verse 4, especially to the phrase Paul uses, “that mortality might be swallowed up of life”.

Paul is saying that the “clothed upon” stage which he desires is the one in which “Mortality might be swallowed up of life”; which misguided men interpret as happening immediately upon death so that it accommodates their belief system.

But elsewhere, as in the following verses, this same Paul tells us exactly when this actually happens and it IS NOT immediately upon death.

Please notice also  Paul’s implication here and that is, that he refers to those who’ve ALREADY died and have DECAYED in their graves as, “CORRUPTIBLE”,  who must put on INCORRUPTIBILITY”. And those who ARE STILL ALIVE, he refers to as, “MORTALS, who must put on IMMORTALITY”.

So he’s talking about two classes of people when Christ returns, the living and the dead!

Please Note:

1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed;

1 Corinthians 15:52 in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet. For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and WE (who are alive) shall all be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible (those who’ve already died) must put on incorruption, and this mortal (those still living)  must put on immortality (or else they’d  die and also succumb to DECAY and CORRUPTION).

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, THEN will take place the word that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?”

So you see, Paul makes it clear as to WHEN “mortality might be swallowed up of life” and that isn’t UNTIL THE RESURRECTION when CHRIST RETURNS at the LAST TRUMP.

Again, the word of God DOES NOT contradict itself. So “Absent from the Body” DOES NOT mean “An immediate CONSCIOUS Presence with the Lord”.

Let the Bible reveal the answer and not misguided men who have Scholarship and Church tradition to uphold.