Where does the faithful Christian go when they die? To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
so close...you got the destination correct just nor the timing...
“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body
AND to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:1–8).
Did ya catch that “AND”... ? I bolded it for you...it is NOT “is to be”
Moving isn’t easy. Let’s pretend we were going to move to New York a weeks drive away...to start a new job on Valentine’s Day. And let’s also pretend we are going to move from our tent we live in now presently to move into a building made without hands across the country in New York. Neat eh?
Ok so we have to pack all our stuff maybe have a yard sale and load up the truck and drive all week and get there to unload all our stuff and move into this new building a mansion...made without hands...
Now we all know packing and ain’t fun...neither is moving all the furniture and boxes into the truck...and that drive...ugh
Tell me...wouldn’t at some point during this move you or I wish and be well pleased that we were already absent from the tent
AND to be present with the mansion in New York?
It’s like that...
We are groaning in our earthly tent not to be unclothed or naked but to be further clothed with our building of God our habitation of heaven not made by hands...we have a guarantee that that has prepared us for that and we can be confident that while in our earthly tents we are absent from the lord but we would much rather to be absent our tents AND to be with Him...
So when does Paul say that happens? At the last trump...when we are changed in a twinkling of an eye
1 Corinthians 15:52
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...
SEE? Moving from from earthly tent to being further clothed in a heavenly building in a twinkling...neat eh? Never just a naked spirit floating about (or burning forever)...before judgment day...
But at His appearing...”For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. 2 Tim. 4:6-8
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart,
andto be with Christ; which is far better Phil. 1:23.
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom. 2 Tim. 4:1
Even John agrees...writing Yahushua says:
And behold I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Rev. 22:12
To give a full and COMPLETE reward and not coming back to complete the award by finally reuniting the soul/spirit back into the new glorios body...
So at death the body returns to dust spirit back to the One Who lent it...and the Soul...sleeps...until His appearing...
The dead in Christ sleep...like poor stoned Stephen fell asleep...like Lazarus slept until raised from the dead...
