In 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, the Bible reads in verse 8,
we are confident, I say, and willing,
rather to be absent from the body
and to be present with the Lord.
You see, there are a lot of people that believe that when
you die as a believer, that you're just
going to lay in the earth, and you're
going to be asleep in Jesus.
And what they think that means is that your soul will
be asleep, that you'll just be completely unconscious,
and then someday you're going to be resurrected.
But in reality, what the Bible teaches
is that when you're asleep in Jesus, quote unquote,
is that your body is asleep, but that your soul is
very much alive and awake and present in heaven.
And so the Bible says here that to be absent
from the body is to be present with the Lord.
That's why Paul said, I have a desire
to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.
He said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
And so what he's saying there is that when I die,
I know I'm going immediately to be
with Christ, which is far better than being here
on this earth.
So he says, we're confident.
We know for sure that we're saved.
We know for sure that we have eternal life.
He said, we are confident, I say,
and willing rather to be absent from the body
and to be present with the Lord.
You see, to the believer, death
is not something to be feared.
Oh, death, where is thy sting?
Oh, grave, where is thy victory?
Death is just a departure to go and to be with Christ.