21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;
Message: Death and the Intermediate State
Time: Paul likely wrote this epistle at the end of his Roman imprisonment, around 61 or 62 AD. Paul wrote to express his appreciation and affection for the Philippian believers. Paul ministered at Philipi during his second missionary journey, spending about three months in the city and, later visited Philippi briefly on his third missionary journey.
What the Lord is Saying: As I continue to study the glory of God, toward the end of this study I have now thought of the excitement of seeing God in His glory one day. These last days are under the doctrinal heading of eschatology. In thinking of the life of Jesus, the next event that we look forward to is Jesus' return or His Second Coming. For most, this will be experienced after our physical death, though many will experience it while they are living.
Death is naturally not popular or not something we look forward to. Thus, it is almost right to hate death and prefer life. Materialists in our world today believe this life is all there is as this is a way for them to push out the notion of God. But for everyone else, the afterlife is a promise that we hold onto. Death is the result of sin. Romans 5:12 says, "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned." Death spread to all men because all sinned.
In death, we lose the experience of the person in our lives. Most will have a funeral service that will include the body, otherwise we will have memorial services or now what is being called - celebration of life - services. Memorial seems like it is remembering versus celebrating. Either way, these services should be a time to think about the person's life and yet for the Christian it is also a time to look forward to better days. Today's passage reminds us that we are far better off from our present world to be with Christ - "and be with Christ, for that is very much better."
In this we are reminded that we live now in our current state, and ultimately we will be in a final state, as resurrected persons with glorified souls and glorified physical bodies. These verses remind us of that promise:
Daniel 12:2 - Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.Romans 6:5 - For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,Romans 8:23 - And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
But before that final state is what we frame as an intermediate state and in this state we do not lose consciousness, live in the presence of Christ as spirits dwelling in perfect holiness in heaven, awaiting the resurrection.
Summary: Before we arrive in the presence and glory of God, Christians, after death will be in an intermediate state in the presence of Christ.
Promise: When people die their consciousness continues, either with Christ or in eternal conscious punishment.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the instruction today in understanding what awaits me after death and before your return. I pray that this understanding would be evident among all Christians everywhere.
No comments:
Post a Comment