Search the Scriptures. 1. "Absent from the body present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 8:b

[Checkpoint]

1) What do you understand Paul is saying?

2) Why have you come to that conclusion?

[Miles]

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2 Corinthians 8:b?

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[1213]

1) What do you understand Paul is saying?

I have understood it means, even though Paul is not present physically, he is in spirit there as also Jesus is with his disciples.

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.
Matt. 18:20

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to 1213 in post #3]

Do you think Paul's absence from the body is describing a disembodied spirit?

[1213]

[Replying to 1213 in post #3]

Do you think Paul's absence from the body is describing a disembodied spirit?

I don't think so. I think it means more like his thoughts are there.

[Overcomer]

We can tell from the context of that verse that Paul is saying that, when he dies, his spirit will immediately go to be with the Lord. The same is true of all believers in Christ. All resurrected souls, fully conscious, await the resurrection of their bodies when Jesus returns to earth. At that point, souls and bodies are reunited. Their bodies are glorified bodies, like that of Christ upon his return to the earth following his resurrection. They are bodies that will never get sick and die.

There's a full explanation here:

https://www.gotquestions.org/absent-from-the-body.html

This belief is reinforced in Paul's epistle to the Philippians.

Phil. 1:21-23. “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;”

There is a part of Paul that would love to vacate this earth and be with Jesus. Yet, he knows that, if he stays he can continue to serve Christ here. It's a win/win situation for him.

We find a lengthier explanation in 1 Thessalonians:

1 Thess. 4:13-18. 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve, as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

In the New Testament, the Greek word used for "sleep" applies only to believers and it is meant to illustrate that their spirits' time in heaven is temporary. When united with their resurrected bodies, they will inhabit the earth once again for the millennial reign of Christ. Ultimately, they will inhabit the new earth. You can read about it here:

https://www.gotquestions.org/new-heavens-earth.html

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essa ... new-earth/

I hope that helps.

[onewithhim]

1) What do you understand Paul is saying?

2) Why have you come to that conclusion?

We don't know just how long the timespan is between the death of someone anointed and when they regain consciousness in heaven with Jesus. It need not be immediate. People who have died have no consciousness of time passing, so to that person it will be like they had just died, when they meet Jesus.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to Overcomer in post #6]

With respect, no.

The context excludes being a a disembodied soul or spirit (unclothed/naked).

[onewithhim]

Checkpoint, you have no comment on post #7? I would enjoy hearing from you.

[myth-one.com]

1) What do you understand Paul is saying?

2) Why have you come to that conclusion?

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. (Philippians 1:21-24)

Paul's mental debate with himself is easy to understand. He believes it far better that his physical body dies and he goes to live with Christ. However, he realizes that he is more valuable alive so that he can preach the gospel to the Philippians and others. Being an apostle, it is certain that Paul's understanding of the scriptures had been opened as was done by Jesus for the twelve disciples before He ascended to heaven:

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. (Luke 24:45)

Thus, if Paul understood the scriptures, he knew that he would not go anywhere but to his grave when he died. Like Einstein, Paul also understood relativity. That is, from his perspective, he would go immediately to be with Christ! After his death, his next consciousness would be that of being born again as an immortal spirit at the resurrection and meeting Christ in the air. This is regardless of whether the resurrection occurred one second or thousands of years after his death. It would seem instantaneous to Paul. Why? Because the dead know nothing. They don't even know that they are dead:

The dead know not anything... (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

Time has no meaning to the dead. It is not there. If you have ever awakened from a deep sleep, you probably had no sense of the time when you awoke or how much time had passed. Death is similar. It will seem to every Christian that the very instant they die, they are being born again as a spirit and seeing Jesus.

Paul understood this mystery!