How could Paul write that he was well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord?
2 Corinthians 5:8
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord.
This statement is a colloquialism that Paul used. Let's see this...
1Co 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but [present in spirit], have judged already,
as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
Where was Paul? In spirit present in heaven? Nope, he was not at Corinth also
but he was some ware else on the earth as a human being in the flesh.
Col 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying
and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
This verse clarifies what he meant by being absent from the body
(the church) but present in spirit with them here.
Earnestly desiring to be [clothed upon]
with our house which is from heaven.
2Co 5:1 For we know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle
be dissolved,we have a building from God, a house not made with
hands, eternal, in the heavens.
-Paul uses the tabernacle to represent our earthly house/body which will be
dissolved/being mortal, but we have a building form God a house not made
with hands, eternal/immortal, in the heavens.
why is Paul saying this? The context from the prior chapter will help:
2Co 4:16 Wherefore we faint not; but though our outward man is decaying,
yet our inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is for
the moment, worketh for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;
while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
-Our outward man/tabernacle/body is decaying it is mortal but we have faith
in the things that are eternal. What is this in relation to? when will this be?
2Co 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus
shall raise up us also by Jesus,and shall present us with you.
-So Paul faints not because of the Grace God gives and the promise that
this corrupt outward mortal man will be raised to eternal life just as Jesus was.
2Co 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be [clothed upon] with our house
which is [from] heaven: 2Co 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
-We want that clothing that is from heaven. what clothing?
2Co 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that
we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
-mortality might put on life or [clothed with immortality] in other words, our new House.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption;
it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; 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.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying
that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
-This all takes place at the last trump at the coming of Christ. when our
mortal bodies are clothed in immortality changed in the twinkling of an eye.
So lets go back to the texts in question:
2Co 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God,
who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
2Co 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are
at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight)
-So through the earnestness of the Spirit they walk by faith not by sight,
in this earthly body and are absent from the Lord because they are here
on earth and the judgment has not yet come. but:
2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body,
and to be present with the Lord.
-They are willing or want to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Contextually we have seen this happens at the resurrection not instantly.
To them it might seem one minute they died, next the awake not knowing time past.
Paul does not say or even infer that this is instantaneous at all. He simply says
he would like to be out of this mortal body and to be present with the Lord.
He does not even say that one equals the other but rather he wants to with the Lord.
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Notice that he says, "present or absent" we may be accepted of him.
If being absent means He is already with the Lord then
how is it that the absent still hopes to be accepted of him?
Paul is simply saying that they labour in life by faith in this mortal body.
and the works that they do will follow them even in death/absent.
As it is written:
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write,
Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.