Paul said he was willing to be absent from his body and be present with the Lord Jesus. Lets examine the all important context of this statement he wrote.
1: For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2: For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
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.
5: Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
6: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7: (For we walk by faith, not by sight
8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9: Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
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.
2 Cor. 5:1-10
The "instant Heaven" doctrine would grant mortality being swallowed up of life at the moment of death.
However the
VERY SAME PAUL tells us
EXACTLY when mortality will be swallowed up of life. Exactly when this
MORTAL will put on
IMMORTALITY
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.
55: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 Cor. 15:51-55.
So Paul was giving his doctrine to the very same group of people. There could have been no misunderstanding on their part.
Immortality is given at the last trump at Christs coming.
When he says we are willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord observe the context. He says "if our bodies are dissolved" we have another body eternal in the Heavens.
It is clear from his
PREVIOUS TEACHING to them that the
NEW BODY OF IMMORTALITY is given not at death but at the RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD taught by him in
1 Cor. 15.
So when we are absent
FROM THE BODY THAT IS DISSOLVED then (at resurrection) we can take on the new immortal body he speaks of that is eternal in the Heavens.
It cannot be overlooked that Pauls belief was that eternal life was synonomous with
IMMORTALITY. To the Romans:
6: Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Romans 2:6-7
Eternal life is the same as
IMMORTALITY. Immortality is plainly given at the
RESURRECTION.
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.
55: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1 Cor. 15:51-55.
So the "instant Heaven" doctrine disappears from
2 Cor. 5:8 when its
CONTEXT is considered.
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