If I could just ask one more quick question, I get a little bit confused sometimes and
I actually have two family members that are going through a death, a pending death.
Sometimes I thought I had heard you say to be absent from this world is to be present
with the Lord, but then I often hear a sleep in Jesus.
That's a great question.
So here's the thing, Paul said, for example, in Philippians chapter one, he 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.
Why?
Because he had a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.
Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, he said.
So he said he wanted to die to go be with Christ.
And then it says in second Corinthians chapter five, that to be absent from the body is to
be present with the Lord.
Now this thing of asleep in Jesus, it is talking about the body, not the soul.
So for example, it says in Daniel chapter 12, many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
So that sleeping in the dust of the earth and rising is talking about the body.
The body is asleep, but the soul is in heaven.
And here's more proof.
I gave you Philippians one, second Corinthians five, but also in revelation, when the fifth
seal is open, John sees the souls in heaven of them that were beheaded for the witness
of Jesus and for the word of God.
And it says that they cried with a loud voice saying, how long O Lord, holy and true does
that not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth.
And white robes were given unto every one of them.
And it was said unto them that they should rest yet for a little season till their fellow
servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were should be fulfilled.
So they're up there waiting and conscious and saying, how much longer do we have to
wait?
But he said, he saw the souls, see the body is still in the grave asleep in the dust of
the earth.
But basically when the rapture comes, the Bible talks about those who are asleep in
Jesus and first Thessalonians four, he said, he's going to bring them with him, but then
it also says the dead in Christ shall rise first.
So how can Jesus, when he comes in the clouds, bring the saved with him, but then also the
dead in Christ are rising first.
Well, it's simple because the body is rising and he's bringing the soul with him and then
they're going to meet in the air and, and be transformed into a, you know, a brand new
body for that soul.
Does that make sense?
Yes, it does.
It makes perfect sense.
All right.
Great.
Yeah.
Thanks for the call.
Great questions.
God bless you.
Bye bye.