E-MAIL QUESTIONS ANSWERED
DAVID L. ODOM
>Why did Paul say to be absent from the
body means to be present with the Lord? Where >do you imagine that would be?
I always thought it meant heaven.
In II Corinthians 5:1-10 Paul is dealing with the fact that
as long as we are in the physical body here upon this earth, we are not able to
be with the Lord beyond death. I don't think it means Heaven completely because
of what we find in Luke 16:19-31. Here we find Jesus showing us what happens
when we physically die! We all will go to a place called 'Hades', either to
'Abraham's bosom', or to 'torments'. Notice that there is a great gulf fixed
between these two places in Hades. I believe if we are 'true worshipper's' and
are faithful unto death, we will be with Jesus in some sense in 'Abraham's
bosom', but the Scripture does not explain this to us in any detail.
>Second, the bible also speaks of the man
who lifted his eyes in hell and saw Abraham in >the bosom of God and asked
that someone put a drop of water on his tongue. This man >certainly went to
hell when he died according to the bible and he wanted to tell his family >and
everyone else not to come there. Do you know what I'm referring to? I know the
first >reference is 2 Corinthians 5:8 but the second reference is slipping
me, although I have >seen that passage already.
This Greek word for 'Hades' is NOT the Greek word for 'Hell'. These are two different
places, but they are similar! This is also true of 'Abraham's bosom', which is
where Jesus went when He died upon the cross: Remember that He told the thief
that believed He was the Messiah, "...Today, shalt thou be with Me in
Paradise." They both died physically that day, and in Acts 2:27,31, we
find the apostle Peter quoting David in Psalm 16:8 ff. that the Messiah went to
'Hades'! We, of course know He didn't go to torments, He went to 'Abraham's bosom'
which is also 'Paradise'! So this is similar to Heaven, since Paul
used the word 'Paradise' in II Corinthians 12:4 speaking of Heaven.
So you are partially correct! In Hades, both places are 'similar', perhaps extensions
of the real Heaven and Hell. But the total Heaven and Hell won't be realized
until after the Day of Judgment.
I hope this has helped you some in your endeavors to find and adhere to only
God's Truth, free from the additions or subtractions of men. Deut. 12:32;
4:1,2; Proverbs 30:6; Rev. 22:18,19; I Cor. 4:6; I Peter 4:11; II John 9.
