This leads us, naturally enough, to our third reference, which occurs in the second epistle to the Corinthians, “For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. (For we walk by faith not by sight.) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Chap. 5:4-8.
Here, then, we have the case of any poor, groaning, burdened saint, looking forth from a crumbling, dissolving tabernacle, and sighing to get away. Not that the unclothed state is the proper object of hope. Let no one imagine this. The believer looks to the moment in which he shall be clothed upon with a glorified body like the body of Jesus. In other words, he waits for the glorious appearing of the Son from heaven. Still, it would be happy, at any moment, to lay aside a body of death, and be present with the Lord. It is far happier to wait for the day of glory, in the bosom of our loving Lord, than in this dark and dreary world. Hence, the apostle says, “We are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” That moment which, to an unconverted man, is death, with all its terrors, is, to the saint, simply a laying aside of all that hinders his communion with Christ. It is just getting rid of all that is mortal. What very different work the Roman soldiers did for the two thieves! They sent one to be with Jesus, and the other to that place where hope never comes. How deeply important it is for each of us to possess the confidence that, in our case, to be “ absent from the body,” is to be “present with the Lord!” How truly appalling—how unspeakably dreadful—the condition of those who, when absent from the body, must be present with the devil and his angels!
4. Let us, in conclusion, look at our fourth and last quotation, which we shall find in that lovely epistle to the Philippians: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.” (Chap. 1. 23.) Here, a laborious workman looks up from amid his golden fields of labor, and breathes forth his ardent desire to get away into his Master’s presence. He is in a strait. His spirit longs to depart, but he casts his affectionate eye upon those who would so sorely feel his loss, and the thought of them checks his desire. “Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh,” he says to his beloved Philippians, “ is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all, for your furtherance and joy of faith.” What thorough devotedness! He longs to be in heaven, but he is needed on earth, and therefore he is ready to remain. So far as he is concerned, it was “far better” to depart; but so far as others were concerned, it was “more needful” to remain; and hence, he, being full of the spirit of Christ, was ready to sacrifice himself for their profit.
Now, if my reader will just group these four scriptures together, he will not only have before his mind all that is given in the New Testament in reference to the souls of those who have departed in the faith of Christ; but he will also see that the Holy Ghost has presented the subject in such a way as to meet every possible condition in which a Christian can be found—every aspect in which he can be contemplated. In Luke 23 we see one just saved and forthwith taken to heaven. In Acts 7 we see one who was permitted to suffer martyrdom for the name of Jesus. In 2 Cor. 5 we see a groaning, burdened Christian, longing to lay aside his poor crumbling tabernacle, and be present with the Lord. In Phil. 1. we see a laborious workman, with many precious sheaves around him, looking up and sighing to find his place at his Master’s feet.
This gives great fullness, completeness, and beauty to this most interesting theme. And let my reader note, distinctly, that there is not a shadow of foundation for the idea entertained by some, that the soul is in a state of sleep while the body is in the grave. Indeed, one might reasonably suppose that, even though we had not such an overwhelming body of scripture evidence on the point, this strange idea would carry with it its own refutation. Who could admit aught so monstrous as the notion of a spirit asleep? Ah! no; the Lord Jesus did not say to the thief, “Today shalt thou be asleep.” Stephen did not commit his spirit to sleep, but into the hands of his Lord. The apostle does not say, “We are willing rather to be asleep;” or, “Having a desire to be asleep, which is far better.” One can only wonder how such an idea could have found a place in any rational mind. Blessed be God, His word teaches us, most clearly, that, should it be His holy will that we leave this world previous to the glorious advent of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our place will be with Himself, in that bright and blessed world above, where sin and sorrow are unknown, there to enjoy uninterrupted communion with the One who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and there to await that moment when “the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”