…having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Phil 1:23 NKJV
I was taught wrongly. There is a principle in biblical interpretation that says when you have two verses on the same subject, and one is clear and the other is murky or ambiguous, you go with the clear verse. I was taught a form of what is now called soul sleep, that the body is dead so the soul ‘sleeps’ some- where, not in Heaven, awaiting the day of Christ’s return to awaken the dead body. No! Philippians 1:23 clearly says that WHEN YOU DIE, you – meaning your spirit, your conscious life – go into the presence of Christ, which is far better than being here on earth, so it can’t even be a ‘sleeping’ situation. My first teacher said this referred to the Rapture. No! In context Paul is saying his choice was between remaining with the Philippian believers on earth in the 1st century, and helping them, or going to Heaven. Read the verse for yourself!
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. Phil 1:21-25 NKJV
When the Rapture happens, the whole Church is going to Heaven. No choice involved! Some might say, if you went to Heaven and lived there happily, why would you want your body raised up in the Rapture? The reason is because after the Rapture, you will be on earth at times as well as in Heaven. When you are on earth, you are going to need a beautiful body to dwell in, just like Jesus after His resurrection! The hope of heaven should be burning in our eyes as we deal with this present evil world…
…For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom 8:18 NKJV
I sense that believers today, the Church worldwide, are being worn down and demoralized by the present situation in the world. Yes, there are sufferings now, but there is glory coming! The Lord has given us the tools to live abundantly even now if we use them – just again this week the word of wisdom showed me how to overcome a problem – but in the future He promises no more tears but glory!
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Rev 21:2 NKJV
Hallelujah! This truth is a comfort to my soul because I heard firsthand today that we have brothers in Pakistan, Afghani refugees, Muslims who came to Christ, whole families that are being sent back to the Taliban government of Afghanistan by the Pakistanis to die at their hands because of the hasty and disastrous decision of the American government to pull out and leave them to their fate. God have mercy on us! Paul by revelation describes our lives here as a light affliction which is but for a moment…
Therefore, we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor 4:16-17 NKJV
‘Our light affliction’ – This is from a man who was tortured, beaten, shipwrecked; whose life was constantly in danger from his friends and enemies, who was even killed once but got raised. He did not lose heart. He could call his life and ours a light affliction because he saw the glory of eternity waiting for him and us. Oh glory!
How then do we live in this present evil world, with joy, enthusiasm, and love?
…while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor 4:18 NKJV
Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the Cross. What joy is before our eyes, that we might endure and stand in this present evil age? The joy of the hope of Heaven!
1 Corinthians 15 has the word for the hour to encourage our hearts and put steel in our souls…
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.
‘Unless you believed in vain’ – What does that mean? These are believers, born again ones, so it cannot refer to a loss of salvation, of eternal life. What can happen is a loss of eternal rewards. Should that loss occur, its effects will be felt for eternity! Walking faithfully becomes serious business when you think about eternity.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,1 Cor 15:1-5 NKJV
The promise of Christ’s resurrection was promised in the Scriptures. This one kind of amazed me! You would think that the truth of the resurrection would be trumpeted from Genesis to Malachi. But it seems it is almost concealed. It is alluded to several times by implication – Abraham and Isaac on Mount Moriah, etc. – but it’s only spelled out by David, and even that is almost in a ‘round about’ way, almost by euphemism. Compare these verses…
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Ps 16:9-10 NKJV
Instead of pointing to the positive (He will rise!) David simply denies the negative (He won’t corrupt!).
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth…Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Acts 2:22-27 NKJV
…He (David), foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. Acts 2:31 NKJV
The OT scriptures say a lot about the sufferings of the Messiah and what He would accomplish but very little it seems about His resurrection, even though without the resurrection the sufferings would be meaningless. Getting an appreciation of the resurrection of Christ and its implications is why we have 1 Corinthians 15. Do you see it?
Now, what is the Enemy’s strategy regarding the resurrection, to demoralize the saints and put at risk their rewards in eternity?
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 1 Cor 15:12-15 NKJV
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Cor 15:19 – 21 NKJV
The Enemy tries to say, ‘There is no resurrection of the saints, there is no Heaven, there is no hope!’ Paul says by revelation, If there is no resurrection of the saints, no Heaven, no hope, then not even Christ is risen. BUT CHRIST IS RISEN! Let me put something in here for your consideration. Do we have tangible evidence of the resurrection of Christ, confirming the testimony of Scripture? I would say, yes! Consider what Ephesians says…
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Eph 1:13-15 NKJV
‘The Holy Spirit of promise’ – refers to the presence of the Godhead in you AND His gifts, especially the one that cannot be counterfeited by demons, which is speaking in tongues. ‘The Holy Spirit of promise’ is the GUARANTEE of our inheritance – Heaven! – and tangible proof that you have the HS is speaking in tongues. Listen…EVERY TIME you speak in tongues, you are testifying to all creation – to angels, principalities, powers, demons, men and everything else – of the resurrection of Jesus! HALLELUJAH! as my friend Al would say!
The Enemy’s strategy is to get you to give up on Heaven and live for today.
If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 1 Cor 15:32 NKJV
There are two kinds of beliefs: beliefs that you accept with your head and beliefs that guide your heart, your decision making; beliefs that you say ‘yeah-yeah’ to and beliefs that mold you into their image, where you become what you believe. It’s crucial to our eternity that we perceive Heaven as being real, not just a ‘yeah-yeah’ belief. But Heaven is real. The resurrection of the saints is real because Christ arose as the firstfruits of those who have died, and we have the tangible witness. Amen?
So, the conclusion of the matter is set:
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor 15:57-58 NKJV
The great hope of Heaven is true, the great rewards for our faithfulness are being laid up daily, and the sufferings of this present hour are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us. Keep looking up, dear one! Keep Heaven in your heart as your home that you long for, because that day is coming, even sooner than you think, and it’s going to be wonderful! Amen? Love you!
Remember dear one, we must be about our Father’s business…