Quote:
Originally Posted by byHismercy
Can you clarify, Raptor? My position is that I don't believe some believers are present with the Lord at the time they leave their bodies whilst some are placed in 1,000 years of outer darkness. I don't see scripture supporting this LC teaching. ZNP agrees with that peculiar doctrine, so I was wondering if he believes some believers only temporarily are with the Lord posthumously, or how he reconciles 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord' with that teaching. It seems to contradict with this word.
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22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
The dead in Christ rise first, then those of us who remain. So the idea that when we die we are in Christ is consistent that after that we are also raised to stand before the judgement seat of Christ.
Also, even in this section Paul says it is more necessary for him to remain with the believers for their progress and joy in the faith. Why? I would say that is because we all are still "working out our own salvation".