When You Step Out of this Body*
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. Col. 3:3.
*Reposted for new subscribers.
Two months ago I wrote a weekend post You Can Let Go of Worry in this Landscape if You Are Secure in the Invisible Landscape. Here is a snippet:
The fact that there is a spiritual landscape, besides the physical landscape that we all see, changes everything once we are able to “see” it.
Recently departed Dallas Willard put it this way, “You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe.” Wow. If life is more than just what we can accumulate and accomplish before our physical body stops functioning, that changes everything!
If I am an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in God’s great universe, how does that work? Doesn’t everyone die someday?
In the New Testament there are four scriptures describing what a disciple of Jesus experiences when they step out of this body:
The Thief on the Cross
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John all record that when Jesus was crucified, there were two criminals crucified at the same time. Jesus really did identify with sinners at his death. Here is Luke’s report:
Luke 23 (NLT): 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him (Jesus) to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left. . . . . . 39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” 40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” 43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Even though the thief had very little time to have a personal relationship with Jesus, he had seen enough that day to realize that Jesus was authentically who he said he was. He trusted him enough to make his request. Jesus had been inviting people into his kingdom in the invisible landscape for years. It is obvious this criminal had a change of heart and wanted to join Jesus in his kingdom. Can you imagine the emotions the man felt, condemned by Roman authorities, dying for his crimes, and yet forgiven by God! It is incredible because God’s love is amazing. I doubt that the thief understood the doctrine of the atonement. In the same way, we don’t have to understand everything to trust Jesus either! He believed Jesus was the Lord and could bring him through death into his eternal kingdom, and that faith was enough.
“Today you will be with me in paradise.” What person would not want to hear those words as they were dying?
At Home With the Lord
Paul wrote a letter to one of the churches he ministered to, and he spent some time in this fairly lengthy passage explaining about the transition we experience when we leave this earthly body behind:
2 Corinthians 5 (NLT): 1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
“at home with the Lord.” I don’t think I need to elaborate on this one.
Paul Awaiting Execution
Most Bible scholars believe Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians in prison waiting to be beheaded as punishment for his proclamation of Jesus and his resurrection. You should read the whole letter some time with those circumstances in mind. It is quite a monument to Paul’s faith. He writes:
Philippians 1 (NLT): 20 And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.
“I long to go and be with Christ,”
At Jesus’ Return If We Are Still Here
Paul wrote a letter to another church and it seems some false teachers had been causing a disturbance with various untrue claims about what happens to believers when they die. Paul wanted to make it clear what is in store for God’s people:
1 Thessalonians 4 (NLT): 13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. 15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
“caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.”
With Jesus
We have seen the four scriptures that describe what a disciple of Jesus experiences when they step out of this earthly body:
“Today you will be with me in paradise.”
“at home with the Lord.”
“I long to go and be with Christ,”
“Then we will be with the Lord forever.”
All four say our experience when we leave this body behind is “with Jesus”.
With Jesus -
not a destination unbelievers would desire.
But a mature disciple of Jesus can’t imagine a more wonderful place to be.
___________
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or execution? (See Rom 8:35).
No. Because even if we starve or they kill us . . . We win!
The world is a crazy place right now, and getting more hazardous by the day. If you are in Christ, not even famine or execution can separate you from God’s love through his Son. No matter what happens to you in this landscape, God will carry you into his presence where there are eternal pleasures for you:
“at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Ps. 16:11