Absent From the Body … Part II

In the interval between death and the resurrection, there is a state of absence from the body, during which time the spirit and soul (considered as one for the purpose of this discourse) exist either in Heaven or Hell separated from the body. During this time your spirit will not be in a state of inactivity or sleep, but as Paul and John both found out, our spirit will be in Heaven enjoying the presence of the Lord.

I'm not too sure that the phrase we covered in Part I, "those that sleep in the Lord" is all that bad. The word sleep is applied only to the part of death concerning the body, and in the Scriptures it is used to intimate that death will not be final; that there will be an awaking out of this sleep … meaning the resurrection of the dead.

The term sleep is an expression that helps remove all that is dreadful about death, the idea of a calm repose after life, with a reference to an awaking and a future resurrection in a new glorified body when both body and soul will be united together again; after which there will be no more absence, neither from the body, nor from the Lord.

Remember what Jesus said about Lazarus in John 11:11 … "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."

There was a man in Luke 8:52, the ruler of the synagogue's house whose daughter was dead; but Jesus said … "Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth."

Paul states in 2nd Timothy 1:7 … "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Continuing in verse 10, Paul makes an interesting remark about what Jesus has already done when he says … " by the appearing (after His resurrection) of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light …"

This is why we shouldn't have a spirit of fear about death. Jesus has made it so certain that death will be abolished; that Paul speaks of what God intends to do as a thing that is already done. Jesus has brought life and immortality to light by appearing after His resurrection.

What if some say there is no resurrection? How do we answer them? The same way that Paul did in the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians.

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain …

For if the dead rise not, then Christ is not raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished …

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

Paul is saying that the last enemy, death will cease to reign. All believers raised up will live forever; and the effects of sin in this world, death, will come to an end. Mortality in the New Testament is never applied to anything but the natural body. The separate existence of the soul, as not dying with the body, is plainly taught in scripture.

Paul has been teaching that a grain of wheat must die and leave its outer shell behind before the seed can birth the new growth it was designed to become … so in like manner … we die and leave our natural body behind before we receive a new spiritual body.

1st Corinthians 15:42-44 … "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."

No one can doubt that there is a natural body, we all have one. So, Paul says with equal certainty … there is a spiritual body. It is just as certain and indisputable, not because the evidence of both is the same, but it is to be received by faith on the authority of Christ.

Jesus is quoting Moses in Matthew 22:31-32 …

"But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been dead for a long time when God spoke this through Moses … Abraham for 329 years, Isaac for 224 years, and Jacob for 198 years; yet God said He was still their God. They must therefore, still be living somewhere because … "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."

When Old Testament saints died, their souls went to what was called Abraham's bosom or Paradise. In Luke 16, Jesus spoke of the death of a beggar named Lazarus, and also of a rich man who died about the same time. With the fact that Jesus called the beggar by name proves this was not just another one of His parables. If people knew Lazarus, it is most probable that the rich man was also known in the community.

"And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried. And in hell he (the rich man) lifted up his eyes, being in torment and sees Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me …"

Neither the beggar nor the rich man was asleep. Both of them were aware of their surroundings and could remember their past lives. I believe this also proves both spirit and soul leave the body at death and remain as one … the spirit, (the part that is eternal) and the soul, (the mind, memory and emotions) which the rich man is shown to still have.

Before Jesus died and abolished sin, believers went to Paradise because their sin was still there; it was just covered by the blood of animals. No sin can enter Heaven … therefore they had to wait before going to be with God until Jesus removed that sin. This is why Paul can now say … To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

1st John 3:2 … "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."

John 14:1-3 … "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also."

Later Jesus was praying …

John 17:24 … "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am …"

And then we have the repentant thief on the cross …

Luke 23:42-43 … "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."

The scripture is unclear, but I believe the thief made it to paradise that day. But before Jesus could go to paradise and join the thief, He first went into Hell (in our place) and took our rightful punishment because He was made sin for us; and then as He left the underworld, He took the keys of both Hell and death with Him.

Psalm 16:10 … "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One (Jesus) to see corruption."

The word soul, Hebrew "nephesh" means breath; the vital part of life … the spirit, the rational soul, the mind, the thing that lives … the real you inside your flesh.

The word hell, Hebrew "sheol" means the region or abode of the dead; of which the grave was regarded as the door or entrance to that underworld. Sheol included the grave, hell and paradise.

Revelation 1:18 … "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

I know its all symbolism … but I can hear the tinkle of the keys as Jesus shakes them at Satan after He destroyed his power over death. (Hebrews 2:14-15) "… through death he (Jesus) might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them …"

Here's Samuel speaking to Saul with the witch of Endor …

1st Samuel 28:19 … "Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines."

Tomorrow … the same day he dies, Saul and his sons will be with Samuel in the underworld or the realm of the dead, sheol. This shows there isn't much, if any waiting time after death … the spirit leaves the body and goes into God's presence or is sent away from His presence. Heaven or Hell; two choices, it's just that simple.

Let me say, I don't believe in … spooks. Nor ghosts for that matter.

I do not believe that at death a person's spirit just wanders around aimlessly like a cloud floating in a breeze. God always has purpose; we are His. Our breath is His. Our breath is only on loan to us. If He calls it back, we stop breathing … in fact that's why we die … Psalm 104:29 speaking of God says; "… thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust."

With your last breath, the spirit He breathed into us; when He calls it back … your spirit will leave your body. You don't have a choice.

Job 12:10 … "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind."

Breath shows whether your spirit, your life is still there. Years ago people would hold a mirror up to a dead persons nostrils to check for any sign of life. If they were alive their warm breath would fog up the mirror.

Job 27:3 "… my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils …"

In real simple terms, I am of the opinion, that our breath may be part of our spirit. Why do I say that? Because God breathed into Adam the breath of life and he became a living soul. But that's just my opinion … everyone has one.

In closing … one of the last things, if not the last thing God does for us is found in …

Revelation 21:4-5 … "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new."

The phrase … there shall be no more death … doesn't just mean that no longer will anyone die, (which is true); but rather it shows that the former things (death and the grave) are passed away because all who have died have been resurrected making null and void all previous deaths. Death itself … past, present and future will have been destroyed.


Comments welcome.