Peter M. Lopez, one of my blogging buddies, posted back on the Nov. 4: When You Die, Where Will You Go? Are Your Sure?—a post that has generated not a few interesting comments.
A number of suggestions have been offered by various commenters:
- Soul Sleep,
- Soul Rest,
- Paradise/Abraham’s Bosom
- Immediately to Heaven
- Immediately Before the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20)
- Conscious State vs Unconscious state
- An Intermediate State
Even N.T. Wright’s Surprised by Hope was tossed into the discussion as a recommended read on the issues being raised (I’ll second that).
But I think a simple Pauline eschatology provides the answer:
6 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. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 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. (2 Cor. 5:6-8, NLT, emphasis mine; see Phil. 1:20-24)
Yes, no rigorous course in eschatology is needed. No reading of charts and the like. Just read Paul the Apostle.
Or C.S. Lewis’s The Great Divorce.
See what I mean about making too much sense?
Peter, I’m slowly getting it.
Yep, Paul is pretty clear, he wants (in order of desire):
1. Jesus to come back, which would mean a resurrected body.
2. Otherwise, he’ll settle for death, because he’ll be with Jesus, but conscious enough to know he’ll be “naked” (without a resurrected body, David Garland’s interpretation notwithstanding).
3. Interpolated from Philippians, alive to do Kingdom work.
Forgot to mention that points 1 and 2 are from 2 Cor 5
Bryan,
We’ve complicated the matter. Too many chart and the like.
I just read that text today (one of those journeys of mine through Paul’s Letters).
I still need to get Garland’s work. But isn’t his commentary 1 Corinthians? Or is this another you’re referencing?
I’m actually thinking about Harris, who took his cue from Garland. Harris is the NIGTC one. Dr. Seifrid, my prof for my Greek Exegesis of 2 Cor mentioned the Garland connection, because he was a prof at SBTS years ago.
Garland did both 1 and 2 Cor but in different commentary series. 2 Cor NAC.
Jeff
Bryan, I got you.
Jeff, I haven’t seen that one, but I’m sure it’s good.
Thank you for this. Scripture really is clear here. Just because we do not quite understand in our reason what “being with the Lord” will be like — still it is true. Such comfort. I am with Him now — I will be with Him then in a much fuller way. Glorious!
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Iris, yes, it really gets right to the issue. As simple as that. At least, for me.
I like the way NT Wright says that even his comments on the matter (which I think are mostly spot-on) are nothing more than “sign posts pointing into a fog.” We know just enough to be comforted and confident, but not enough to make charts!
Will,
That’s good and comforting indeed! Just enough.