2 Corinthians 5:6-9 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by believing and not by seeing. Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.
Some people teach that when we die we go into a state of suspended animation. Then later on we are called into the presence of God. But this passage clearly explains that when a believer dies, he or she will go directly to heaven to “be at home with the Lord.” This is illustrated in at least two other instances in Scripture:
1. The Thief on the Cross. As Jesus was being crucified, a thief hanging on a cross next to him asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus entered his Kingdom. To this request, Jesus replied, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:40-43).
2. The Apostle Paul. The apostle Paul wrote, “I long to go and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23). He didn’t say, “I long to depart and be suspended in a soul sleep for a few thousand years.” Paul understood better than most this truth about entering heaven, because he had already had a glimpse of heaven. It is possible that when Paul was stoned, he died and entered the presence of the Lord. But God still had work for Paul to do on earth, so he sent Paul pack to carry it out (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).
The moment you take your last breath on earth, you will take your first breath in heaven. So don’t be afraid of death. Instead, enjoy your life in Christ on earth, and spend the rest of your time here introducing others to the one with whom you will spend eternity.
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