SUBJECT:  “Absent from the body, present with the Lord”

QUESTION:  What is meant by this phrase found in 2 Corinthians 5:8

ANSWER:

Here are the verses:

2 Corinthians 5:1-8

1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not

made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

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

3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

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.

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

6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst 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, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

As you can see, this is not talking about heaven or even death specifically.  He is talking about the difference between

a physical body and a Spiritual body and our longing for the latter. 

Verse 1 says that after the physical body there is another body that we will have.

Verse 2 is saying that we, as Christians groan waiting for that time to be in a Spiritual body

Verse 5 says we have the down payment on that Spiritual body, the Spirit of God in us, given at baptism.

Verse 6 and 7 are saying that because of that Spirit in us we can be confident knowing that while we are in the

physical body we are absent from the Lord and our Spiritual bodies to come.  Verse 7 continues the thought saying

that we walk by faith...faith that we will have those bodies and be with Christ.  We are not walking by sight for we

would indeed be lost to the who concept.

Verse 8 continues the thought saying that we are very confident and willing to be absent from the physical body and

with the Lord.

And when does this happen?

1 Corinthians 15:52-55

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised

incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be

brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

Note:  Verses 53-54 are talking about the new body

1Thesslonians 4:16-18

16 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:

17 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.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Note: We rise up to meet Jesus in the air after we get those new bodies.

Note that Paul is writing all these verses so we clearly must put them all together.  Let us look at other scriptures about

bodies:

Philippians 1:23-24

23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

24 Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.

Philippians 3:20-21

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working

whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

I John 3:2

2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall

appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

So we see that Paul is talking about bodies and not the subject of death and sleep.