If a man dies
shall he live again?
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What does it mean to
be absent from the body
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and present with the Lord?
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Did Jesus go with the thief
to Paradise on Good Friday?
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Did the souls of
dead people really cry out
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from below the altar?
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Pastor Bohr answers
these questions and more
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in the amazing series,
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Shall we bow our
heads for prayer?
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Our Father and our God, we're
so thankful for the awesome
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opportunity of coming into
Your presence with the express
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purpose of opening Your Holy
Book, and studying a portion
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from that book. We ask,
Father, that as we explore
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Philippians 1:21-24 that Your
Holy Spirit will be with us.
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Open our minds that we might be
able to understand what You have
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for us. Help us to set
aside all preconceived ideas
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that we might hear Your voice.
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We pray this in the precious
name of Your Beloved Son, Jesus.
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Amen. As I mentioned in my
prayer, we're going to study
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today the passage
that we find in the book of
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Philippians 1:21-24.
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And basically, in this
series, we're dealing with texts
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that have been misused to
try and teach that when a person
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dies their soul departs
the body and goes to Heaven,
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if the person was righteous,
or perhaps to hell if the person
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was wicked. We're dealing
with the texts that are used
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to try and prove that.
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We're not trying to sweep these
Bible verses under the rug.
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You know, it's very easy to
use verses that express our own
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ideas, like the living
know that they will die,
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but the dead know nothing.
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You know, the Bible is clear
on that, but then you have these
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difficult verses that you have
to deal with; you have to come
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to terms with them.
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And so today we are going
to discuss another one of these
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passages. Turn in
your Bibles with me then to
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Philippians 1:21-24, and in
a couple of moments I'm going
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to go back to verse 20
as well for the context.
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It says there, here the Apostle
Paul is speaking, For me to live
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is Christ, and to die is gain.
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But if I live on in the
flesh, this will mean fruit
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from my labor: yet what I
shall choose I cannot tell,
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for I am hard
pressed between the two,
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having a desire to
depart and be with Christ;
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which is far better:
Nevertheless to remain
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in the flesh is
more needful for you.
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So basically the idea that
people get from this passage,
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as they read it with
their preconceived notions,
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is that the Apostle
Paul was very anxious to die,
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and depart at the moment of
his death, so that he could be
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with Christ; that is so that
his soul could be with Christ.
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The question is, is this
what the passage is really
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trying to teach? And, of
course, as we examine it,
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we will notice that it
is not teaching this at all.
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Now I need to give you a little
bit of historical context about
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the book of Philippians.
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This book was written by the
Apostle Paul during his first
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imprisonment in the
Mamertine Prison in Rome.
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Now at this point the Apostle
Paul did not know yet whether
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he was going to be delivered
from prison, or whether he was
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going to die the
death of a martyr.
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So he didn't really
know what was going to occur;
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whether he was going to
die, or whether he was going
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be released and live, or whether
he was going to left in prison
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indefinitely. Now, you say, how
do we know that this book was
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written while the
Apostle Paul was in prison?
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Well, let's notice
several verses from chapter 1
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of Philippians, and we'll
read verse 7, and then we'll go
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to verses 13 and 14.
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And I want you to
notice the terminology.
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The Apostle Paul is in prison
at this point. He says this:
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That's verse 7. Now
let's go to verse 13.
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See there it's speaking
about the guards at the prison.
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There's the
idea of chains again.
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So, very clearly, in context,
the Apostle Paul is writing
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this epistle from prison.
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And according to those who
have studied the chronology
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of the gospels, and the
chronology of the books of the
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Apostle Paul, they say that
this is the first imprisonment
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of Paul in Rome. Now I'd
like us to go back one verse.
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We started in verse 21,
but let's go to verse 20,
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and notice a very interesting,
and important expression here.
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It says in Philippians
1:20; here the Apostle Paul,
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once again is speaking:
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I want you to
remember that expression.
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By the way, that's the
translation of one Greek word.
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The Greek word is apokaradokia.
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That's a long word.
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That's a mouthful, isn't it?
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Basically, that word is
translated, earnest expectation.
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And now notice:
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And what? hope.
Notice that Paul had an...
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What does the Apostle Paul want?
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He wants to magnify Jesus in
his body, whether it be alive,
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or whether it be what? dead.
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And you'll notice that he has
an earnest expectation and hope.
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Now the question is, what was
the earnest expectation and hope
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of the Apostle Paul?
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Was his earnest expectation
and hope that of dying,
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and having his soul depart
from the body, and go to Heaven,
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to be with Jesus; was that his
earnest expectation and hope?
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Absolutely not. You see, we
need to let Paul interpret Paul.
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So now we need to
go to Romans 8:19-23,
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where the Apostle Paul
uses that very same Greek word:
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apokaradokia. Romans 8:19-23.
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Here the Apostle Paul says this:
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There's the same word.
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You see creation is eagerly
waiting for the revelation
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of the Sons of God. What
does that mean? Verse 20:
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That is because Adam sinned.
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Nature fell into futility, but
it wasn't the choice of nature,
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and so it says;
once again verse 20:
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So is there hope for creation?
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Yes, there is. Does creation
have an earnest expectation?
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It most
certainly does. Verse 21.
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Is nature going to be
transformed according to this?
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At the same time that the
children of God are transformed.
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Absolutely! And that's
the earnest expectation of the
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children of God, and of
creation, or nature. Verse 22:
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And what are we groaning about?
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We're groaning so we can
die and have our soul fly off
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to be with the Lord, right?
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Absolutely not! It
says, once again in verse 23:
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Not only that, but we also
who have the first fruits...
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And what is the adoption?
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So what was Paul's
earnest expectation?
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Was it to die and have
his soul go to heaven? No!
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It was, according to this,
the adoption, the redemption of
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the body. And when does
the redemption of the body
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take place? The Apostle Paul
makes it very clear that our
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body will be redeemed from
corruption to incorruption,
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from mortality to immortality,
when Jesus comes on the clouds
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of heaven. Now you'll notice
here that the Apostle Paul
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says that he wants to
magnify, in his body, Jesus,
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whether it be by
life or by death.
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By the way, that word magnify
is also translated glorify God,
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either by life, or by death.
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Now the question is, how could
the Apostle Paul glorify God
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by his death? You say,
that doesn't make any sense.
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How can you
glorify God by your death?
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The fact is that you can if
you are going to die the death
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of a martyr. Notice the parallel
case of the other great apostle
00:11:18.92\00:11:24.43
of the early
church, the Apostle Peter.
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Go to John 21:18,
19; John 21:18, 19.
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You know, Jesus here was
talking about what was going
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to happen to Simon
Peter at the end of his life.
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Jesus was saying, your
arms are going to be extended,
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and you're not going to
have any control whatsoever
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over your body. In other
words, they are going to extend
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your arms and
they're going to crucify you.
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Notice John 21:18, 19.
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And, by the way, early church
tradition says the Apostle Peter
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was offered the option of being
crucified with his head up like
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Jesus was, but he chose that he
could not die in the same manner
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as his Master, and so he
requested that they crucify
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him with his head
down. Notice verse 19:
00:12:32.33\00:12:34.79
What is it that
the death of Peter did?
00:12:49.28\00:12:51.66
It glorified God, or it
magnified God, because Peter
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was dying a
faithful martyr to Jesus.
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By the way, we have another
case in scripture of a death
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of a great saint glorifying God.
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Notice Acts 7:59,
60; Acts 7:59, 60.
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This is speaking
about the death of Stephen,
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the first Christian martyr.
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And it says there in verse
59, And they stoned Stephen,
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as he was calling on
God, and saying, Lord Jesus,
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receive my spirit.
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Let me ask you, did the death
of Stephen bring glory and honor
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to God? It most certainly did.
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And we're going to
notice that it also bore fruit
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to the glory of God.
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You say, what do you mean it
bore fruit to the glory of God?
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Do you know that according to
the book, Acts of the Apostles,
00:13:58.27\00:14:03.79
when Saul of Tarsus was watching
those people stone Stephen,
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and he saw Stephen with such
a peaceful look on his face,
00:14:10.32\00:14:14.72
and looking to
heaven, and speaking to Jesus
00:14:14.75\00:14:18.85
at the right hand of God, Saul
of Tarsus was greatly impacted,
00:14:18.88\00:14:24.30
and he knew that Stephen
had something that he needed.
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Of course, in reaction to quiet
his conscience, he immediately
00:14:27.69\00:14:32.07
went to persecute the church;
to Damascus, but you know
00:14:32.10\00:14:35.05
what happened. He was
knocked to the ground;
00:14:35.08\00:14:37.72
a voice spoke to him, and
to make a long story short,
00:14:37.75\00:14:42.14
Saul of Tarsus became
the great Apostle Paul.
00:14:42.17\00:14:45.94
It all began when the stoning
of Stephen was taking place,
00:14:45.97\00:14:50.39
and the Bible says in Acts 6:15
that the face of Stephen was
00:14:50.42\00:14:55.01
like the face of an angel.
00:14:55.04\00:14:57.62
And so what is the
Apostle Paul saying?
00:14:58.14\00:15:00.99
He's saying, if I die the death
of a martyr, because he knew
00:15:01.02\00:15:04.59
he was going to die the death
of a martyr, he says, my death
00:15:04.62\00:15:08.80
will what? my death will
bring glory and honor to God.
00:15:08.83\00:15:13.16
My death will magnify the Lord.
00:15:13.19\00:15:17.24
Now notice what the
Apostle Paul continues saying
00:15:17.27\00:15:20.22
in Philippians 1:21. He says:
00:15:20.25\00:15:23.98
Now you say, now wait a minute!
00:15:33.76\00:15:34.79
How can the Apostle
Paul say that to die is gain?
00:15:34.82\00:15:40.55
We can understand that to
live for Christ, you know,
00:15:40.58\00:15:44.70
that is a blessing. But in
what sense is the Apostle Paul
00:15:44.73\00:15:52.59
gaining by dying? Well, the
fact is that the Apostle Paul,
00:15:52.62\00:15:59.39
at this period in his
ministry, was very, very tired.
00:15:59.42\00:16:02.64
In fact, I want to read you
what the Apostle Paul had gone
00:16:02.67\00:16:07.49
through at this
point of his life.
00:16:07.52\00:16:09.45
2 Corinthians 11:23-28.
00:16:09.48\00:16:12.73
This was quite an
experience of the Apostle Paul.
00:16:12.76\00:16:15.62
2 Corinthians 11:23-28.
00:16:15.65\00:16:18.56
Here the Apostle
Paul is describing
00:16:18.59\00:16:20.42
the many trials of his life.
00:16:20.45\00:16:22.41
He's speaking
about his accusers.
00:16:25.32\00:16:26.78
Would you say that the
Apostle Paul, at this point,
00:17:33.15\00:17:35.62
was pretty tired? After going
through all these experiences,
00:17:35.65\00:17:39.98
the Apostle Paul is worn
out, so he's saying, you know,
00:17:40.01\00:17:43.51
for me, actually, to die
would be what? would be gain!
00:17:43.54\00:17:47.72
Why would it be gain?
00:17:47.75\00:17:48.78
Notice Revelation 14:13.
00:17:48.81\00:17:51.55
You see, in death what happens?
00:17:51.58\00:17:53.96
The Bible uniformly says
that at the moment of death
00:17:53.99\00:17:57.89
we go to sleep. We just read
it in Acts 7:60 about Stephen.
00:17:57.92\00:18:05.12
It says there that when
he was stoned he fell asleep.
00:18:05.15\00:18:10.76
Let me ask you, is
sleep an enjoyable experience?
00:18:10.79\00:18:14.01
Do you rest from your
daily labors? Absolutely!
00:18:14.04\00:18:17.88
Now notice what it
says in Revelation 14:13.
00:18:17.91\00:18:21.18
Then I heard a voice from heaven
saying to me, Write, blessed are
00:18:21.21\00:18:25.85
the dead who die in
the Lord from now on.
00:18:25.88\00:18:29.27
Yes, says the Spirit, that
they may rest from their labors,
00:18:29.30\00:18:33.45
and their works follow them.
00:18:33.48\00:18:36.26
So what happens with
people when they die?
00:18:36.29\00:18:40.10
They go and they
what? and they rest.
00:18:40.13\00:18:43.07
Even today we say the
person was laid to what?
00:18:43.10\00:18:46.83
The person was laid to rest.
00:18:46.86\00:18:49.22
We don't mean that
the body was laid to rest,
00:18:49.25\00:18:51.61
we mean that the total
person was laid to rest.
00:18:51.64\00:18:55.48
And so the Apostle Paul is
saying, you know, for me to die
00:18:55.51\00:19:00.66
that would be gain,
because I would rest.
00:19:00.69\00:19:03.24
Did the Apostle Paul have the
security that if he died he was
00:19:03.27\00:19:07.44
dying in Christ, and he
would resurrect someday?
00:19:07.47\00:19:10.28
He knew that it was just
a moment of unconsciousness,
00:19:10.31\00:19:13.33
and so he knew that if he
died the next thing he was going
00:19:13.36\00:19:16.75
to hear was the voice of Jesus,
so he says, if I could rest
00:19:16.78\00:19:19.58
from my labors, if I could just
pass away, that would be gain,
00:19:19.61\00:19:23.25
because I wouldn't have to
suffer and go through these
00:19:23.28\00:19:25.30
tribulations anymore.
00:19:25.33\00:19:26.46
Are you understanding what
the Apostle Paul is saying?
00:19:26.49\00:19:30.04
But then the Apostle
Paul says something else.
00:19:30.07\00:19:33.04
Notice verse 22: but if
I live on in the flesh...
00:19:33.07\00:19:39.93
That is if I don't die.
00:19:39.96\00:19:41.37
To die would be gain, he says.
00:19:41.40\00:19:44.16
Now we need to ask the question,
what does the Apostle Paul
00:19:50.20\00:19:53.68
mean when he says, if
I live on in the flesh?
00:19:53.71\00:19:58.40
You know, some people take that
and say, see, the Apostle Paul
00:19:58.43\00:20:00.90
was saying that he didn't want
to live in the flesh anymore.
00:20:00.93\00:20:03.83
He wanted to live as a
disincarnated spirit or soul
00:20:03.86\00:20:07.18
in the presence of the Lord.
00:20:07.21\00:20:08.59
What did the Apostle
Paul mean when he said,
00:20:08.62\00:20:11.29
to live in the flesh?
00:20:11.32\00:20:12.78
What he's actually saying
is that if I live in my present
00:20:12.81\00:20:18.32
body, in my present existence,
in a world where my body is
00:20:18.35\00:20:22.98
corruptible and mortal.
00:20:23.01\00:20:24.95
Let's notice several other texts
from the Bible that use this
00:20:24.98\00:20:29.79
expression, flesh
or flesh and blood.
00:20:29.82\00:20:33.17
Notice 1 Corinthians
15:50, 1 Corinthians 15:50.
00:20:33.20\00:20:40.90
It says there:
00:20:40.93\00:20:42.17
Let me ask you, does that
mean that in the kingdom of God
00:20:50.79\00:20:53.72
we're not going to
have flesh and blood?
00:20:53.75\00:20:55.25
Does that mean that we're going
to have some just kind of some
00:20:55.28\00:20:59.09
ghostly existence with no flesh
and blood at all? Of course not!
00:20:59.12\00:21:03.26
When it says, flesh and blood
shall not inherit the kingdom
00:21:03.29\00:21:07.55
of God, that phrase is
explained in the next phrase.
00:21:07.58\00:21:11.66
It says, nor does
corruption inherit incorruption.
00:21:11.69\00:21:19.05
So what does
flesh and blood mean?
00:21:19.08\00:21:21.29
It means our body in
its present state of what?
00:21:21.32\00:21:25.20
of corruption. It's not
talking about living in a spirit
00:21:25.23\00:21:31.01
existence outside the body.
00:21:31.04\00:21:32.78
When the Apostle Paul
says, to live in the flesh,
00:21:32.81\00:21:35.62
with flesh and blood, he's
saying, to stay in this body,
00:21:35.65\00:21:39.24
which is mortal and corruptible,
is better right now because
00:21:39.27\00:21:42.89
it will bear fruit.
00:21:42.92\00:21:44.18
We'll talk about the
fruit in a few moments.
00:21:44.21\00:21:46.18
By the way, when God's people
resurrect, are they going to
00:21:46.21\00:21:49.91
have a body, a real body?
00:21:49.94\00:21:51.93
Yes! What kind of body?
00:21:51.96\00:21:53.84
Well, go with me
to 1 Corinthians 15,
00:21:53.87\00:21:56.47
and let's start at verse 51.
00:21:56.50\00:21:59.28
We're already there.
00:21:59.31\00:22:00.34
Behold, I tell you a
mystery; we shall not all sleep,
00:22:00.37\00:22:03.43
but we shall all be
changed, in a moment,
00:22:03.46\00:22:06.47
in the twinkling of an
eye, at the last trumpet:
00:22:06.50\00:22:09.49
for the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised.
00:22:09.52\00:22:12.76
How? incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
00:22:12.79\00:22:17.60
Now notice this: For this
corruptible (that is this flesh
00:22:17.63\00:22:21.78
that we have now)... this
corruptible must put on what?
00:22:21.81\00:22:25.25
incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality.
00:22:25.28\00:22:29.99
So when this corruptible
has put on incorruption,
00:22:30.02\00:22:34.22
and this mortal
has put on immortality,
00:22:34.25\00:22:37.90
then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written,
00:22:37.93\00:22:41.04
Death is
swallowed up in victory.
00:22:41.07\00:22:43.10
O death, where is your sting?
00:22:43.13\00:22:45.26
O Hades, where is your victory?
00:22:45.29\00:22:48.18
So let me ask you, are we going
to have a body in the kingdom
00:22:48.21\00:22:51.76
to come? Yes, we are.
00:22:51.79\00:22:53.44
What kind of body?
immortal and incorruptible.
00:22:53.47\00:22:57.30
But now we are in the flesh.
00:22:57.34\00:22:59.42
We have flesh and blood, which
means our present existence,
00:22:59.45\00:23:02.97
our corruptible, mortal body.
00:23:03.00\00:23:05.19
It's not that we now have
a body, and then we're not
00:23:05.23\00:23:08.35
going to have a body.
00:23:08.55\00:23:09.58
It means that now our
body is corruptible, immortal,
00:23:09.61\00:23:12.95
then our body will be
immortal, and incorruptible.
00:23:12.98\00:23:16.33
Are you
understanding what I am saying?
00:23:16.36\00:23:17.72
Now let's look at another text
that speaks about being in the
00:23:17.75\00:23:23.28
flesh. Notice Hebrews 5:7.
00:23:23.31\00:23:26.80
By the way, while
you're looking for Hebrews 5:7,
00:23:26.83\00:23:29.21
let me ask you this question:
Do you believe that Jesus
00:23:29.24\00:23:32.24
today has a body? Do you
all believe He has a body?
00:23:32.27\00:23:35.26
Does that body
have bones and blood?
00:23:35.29\00:23:38.20
Yes? Absolutely! We're
going to notice it in a minute.
00:23:38.24\00:23:42.40
But now notice the expression
that is used about Jesus
00:23:42.43\00:23:46.53
while He lived on this earth,
in a body that was subject to
00:23:46.56\00:23:51.78
death, and subject to weakness,
and subject to suffering.
00:23:51.82\00:23:55.71
Notice Hebrews 5:7: Who
in the days of his flesh,...
00:23:55.74\00:24:01.87
So now He doesn't
have flesh, right?
00:24:01.91\00:24:03.70
Of course He does! Is it
a different kind of flesh?
00:24:03.74\00:24:07.60
Yes, because His
flesh now is what?
00:24:07.64\00:24:09.99
incorruptible, and immortal.
00:24:10.02\00:24:13.21
Notice also Hebrews 2:14,
Hebrews 2:14. It says there:
00:24:26.12\00:24:34.07
So did Jesus have
flesh and blood like we have
00:24:43.47\00:24:46.12
flesh and blood? Yes.
00:24:46.16\00:24:47.74
Was He subject to
death at that point?
00:24:47.77\00:24:50.47
Of course, because He did die.
00:24:50.50\00:24:52.27
And so it says:
00:24:52.30\00:24:53.81
So Jesus had flesh and blood.
00:24:59.69\00:25:01.42
Question, did Jesus still
have flesh, and blood, and bones
00:25:01.45\00:25:05.66
after His
resurrection? Of course He did.
00:25:05.69\00:25:08.14
So when Jesus came forth from
the grave was He some kind of
00:25:08.17\00:25:13.07
ghost, or some kind of soul,
or spirit entity? Of course not.
00:25:13.10\00:25:17.97
Notice what we find in
Luke 24:39, Luke 24:39.
00:25:18.00\00:25:24.28
This is after the resurrection.
00:25:24.31\00:25:25.77
Jesus says to His disciples,
Behold my hands and my feet...
00:25:25.80\00:25:31.91
Did Jesus have hands and feet?
00:25:31.95\00:25:34.97
So did He have a body?
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.89
Of course He did!...
Behold my hands and my feet,
00:25:36.92\00:25:39.70
that it is I myself: handle me,
and see; for a spirit does not
00:25:39.73\00:25:46.47
have what? flesh and
bones, as you see that I have.
00:25:46.51\00:25:51.29
So, does Jesus have
flesh and bones today?
00:25:51.32\00:25:56.03
Of course, He does!
What is the distinction then?
00:25:56.07\00:25:58.71
The distinction is, in the days
of the flesh, simply does not
00:25:58.74\00:26:03.15
mean contrasting the flesh
with the spirit, or the soul.
00:26:03.18\00:26:07.44
It's contrasting our present
existence of corruptibility,
00:26:07.47\00:26:11.66
and mortality, with our
future existence of immortality,
00:26:11.70\00:26:15.85
and incorruptibility.
00:26:15.88\00:26:17.61
Now, notice 1
Corinthians 15: 42-44.
00:26:17.65\00:26:21.71
It puts it altogether.
00:26:21.74\00:26:24.34
1 Corinthians 15:42-44.
00:26:24.37\00:26:26.93
I'd like to read a very
interesting statement from
00:26:59.09\00:27:01.94
Ellen White in the book
Maranatha, which is a devotional
00:27:01.98\00:27:05.25
book, page 301, where she
speaks about the spiritual body,
00:27:05.28\00:27:09.95
and its relationship to
the physical body. She says:
00:27:09.99\00:27:14.20
Paul illustrates this subject,
(the subject of the verses
00:27:14.23\00:27:20.60
that we just read).
00:27:20.64\00:27:21.67
Paul illustrates this subject
by the kernel of grain sown
00:27:21.70\00:27:27.01
in the field. The planted kernel
decays, but there comes forth a
00:27:27.05\00:27:33.96
new kernel. Is this true?
00:27:33.99\00:27:35.40
Those of you who are
into agriculture? Sure!
00:27:35.44\00:27:38.40
The natural substance of
the grain that decays is never
00:27:38.43\00:27:45.23
raised as before.
But God giveth it a body
00:27:45.27\00:27:49.29
as it hath pleased Him.
00:27:49.33\00:27:51.20
A much finer material
will compose the human body,
00:27:51.24\00:27:56.65
for it is a new
creation, a new birth.
00:27:56.68\00:28:00.67
It is sown a natural body,
it is raised a spiritual body.
00:28:00.70\00:28:07.74
Now why does the Apostle Paul
say, But if I live in the flesh,
00:28:07.77\00:28:11.86
this will mean
fruit from my labor.
00:28:11.89\00:28:14.06
In other words, if I live
in this present existence,
00:28:14.09\00:28:16.70
this will produce fruit.
00:28:16.73\00:28:18.81
What did He mean by fruit?
00:28:18.84\00:28:20.85
Well, let's go to
Colossians 1: 5, 6.
00:28:20.89\00:28:24.62
Let's allow Paul
to interpret Paul.
00:28:24.65\00:28:28.35
Colossians 1:5, 6.
00:28:28.39\00:28:31.43
Here the Apostle Paul says:
00:28:31.46\00:28:33.02
So he's talking about
the preaching of the gospel.
00:28:42.33\00:28:45.35
So how was the preaching
of the gospel bearing fruit?
00:29:01.38\00:29:05.06
It was bearing fruit
because souls were being won
00:29:05.10\00:29:08.75
to the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
00:29:08.78\00:29:10.56
Notice also, John 12:24, on
what the Apostle Paul means,
00:29:10.60\00:29:15.63
that if I live in the flesh,
in other words, if I live in my
00:29:15.66\00:29:17.97
present existence, in my
corruptible, mortal body,
00:29:18.01\00:29:21.57
I'll be able to preach the
gospel, and people will come
00:29:21.61\00:29:24.40
to the feet of
Jesus and be saved.
00:29:24.44\00:29:26.84
John 12:24 speaks about
some Greeks that come to Jesus,
00:29:26.88\00:29:32.71
and they want Jesus to
come and preach over in Greece.
00:29:32.74\00:29:35.78
And Jesus says something
strange, he says, you know,
00:29:35.81\00:29:40.05
it's not time to
go to Greece now.
00:29:40.08\00:29:42.25
The time has come for the
Son of Man to be glorified.
00:29:42.29\00:29:45.41
The time has come for Me
to die, is what He's saying.
00:29:45.45\00:29:48.54
Notice John 12:24.
00:29:48.57\00:29:51.62
And, of course, that's talking
about souls that are saved.
00:30:07.66\00:30:11.55
So the Apostle Paul is
very clearly saying that to live
00:30:11.58\00:30:15.01
in the flesh, in his present
existence, will allow him to
00:30:15.04\00:30:18.87
preach the gospel. And as a
result he will have the fruit
00:30:18.91\00:30:22.70
of souls coming
to the feet of Jesus.
00:30:22.74\00:30:25.63
So he says, if I live in
the flesh, I'm going to bring
00:30:25.66\00:30:30.80
souls, and fruit to Jesus.
00:30:30.84\00:30:32.64
If I die, he says, God will be
glorified, and He will be what?
00:30:32.67\00:30:37.98
and He will be magnified.
00:30:38.01\00:30:39.53
So now he says, I don't
know which of the two options I
00:30:39.57\00:30:44.80
should choose.
Notice Philippians 1:22, 23.
00:30:44.83\00:30:50.81
See the Apostle Paul is caught
between a rock and a hard place.
00:30:50.85\00:30:54.09
He says, you know, for
me to die would be gain,
00:30:54.12\00:30:58.38
because, you know, I
would magnify and glorify God
00:30:58.41\00:31:02.60
by the death of a martyr, and I
would rest from all of my trials
00:31:02.64\00:31:06.22
and tribulations and labors.
00:31:06.25\00:31:07.56
He says, but if I live in the
flesh, in my present existence,
00:31:07.60\00:31:10.27
I can preach the
gospel, and I an bear fruit.
00:31:10.31\00:31:13.05
So he says, now I
don't know what to choose.
00:31:13.09\00:31:16.07
I don't know whether
to live in the flesh,
00:31:16.10\00:31:17.86
or I don't really know whether
it would be better to die
00:31:17.89\00:31:20.85
and to rest. Up to this
point he has how many options?
00:31:20.88\00:31:24.68
two options, but now suddenly a
third option is going to appear.
00:31:24.71\00:31:29.20
And you say, what
is the third option?
00:31:29.23\00:31:32.31
Philippians 1:22, 23. It says:
00:31:32.34\00:31:37.94
He says, whether to live in the
flesh, or whether it is to die;
00:31:40.83\00:31:44.37
I can't tell.
00:31:44.40\00:31:45.43
In other words, I'm torn.
00:31:48.44\00:31:49.66
That is dying or staying.
00:31:51.35\00:31:53.21
Now notice, here
comes a third option.
00:31:55.65\00:31:57.48
He says, I don't
know what to choose:
00:31:57.51\00:31:59.88
whether to live in the
flesh, or whether to die.
00:31:59.91\00:32:03.34
He says, but now a
third option comes. He says:
00:32:03.37\00:32:06.11
Departing and being with
Christ is far better than what?
00:32:15.31\00:32:19.87
It is far better
than living in the flesh.
00:32:19.90\00:32:23.57
It is far better
than what? than dying.
00:32:23.60\00:32:27.05
Now the question is, when
did the Apostle Paul expect this
00:32:27.08\00:32:31.59
moment to be when he
would depart and be with Christ,
00:32:31.62\00:32:36.32
which would be far better?
00:32:36.35\00:32:37.82
Was it that he would die and
at that moment he would depart
00:32:37.85\00:32:41.29
to be with Jesus? Of course not,
because he says, I don't know
00:32:41.32\00:32:46.05
whether to choose death or life.
00:32:46.08\00:32:47.54
I don't know whether to live
in the flesh, or I don't know
00:32:47.57\00:32:50.94
whether it would be
good to rest from my labors.
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.39
He says, but there's something
that's better than either
00:32:52.42\00:32:54.59
of those, and that is to
depart and to be with whom?
00:32:54.62\00:32:59.41
and to be with Jesus,
which will be far better.
00:32:59.44\00:33:04.94
Far better than what?
than living in the flesh.
00:33:04.97\00:33:07.30
Far better than simply dying.
00:33:07.33\00:33:10.83
In other words, the Apostle
Paul is presenting a third
00:33:10.86\00:33:13.42
option. He's saying, translation
is better than living
00:33:13.45\00:33:16.92
in the flesh. Translation
is better than simply dying.
00:33:16.95\00:33:21.65
In other words, I would
love to be translated to Heaven
00:33:21.68\00:33:25.20
from what? From
among the living.
00:33:25.23\00:33:27.16
By the way, does this text tell
us when he expected to depart?
00:33:27.19\00:33:30.74
Does the text say, you know,
Christians read it this way,
00:33:30.77\00:33:34.38
yet what I shall
choose, I cannot tell for I am
00:33:34.41\00:33:37.91
hard pressed between the
two, having a desire to depart
00:33:37.94\00:33:41.46
the moment I die, and be with
Christ; which is far better.
00:33:41.49\00:33:46.52
That's the way Christians read
it, see they add to the verse.
00:33:46.55\00:33:49.53
They say, Oh, I want to depart.
00:33:49.56\00:33:52.41
I want to die,
and I want to depart.
00:33:52.44\00:33:54.27
By the way, does it say
here, I would love to die
00:33:54.30\00:33:56.80
and have my soul
depart, to be with Christ?
00:33:56.83\00:33:59.39
No, these are assumptions
that are added by Christians,
00:33:59.42\00:34:03.23
because they're reading
their preconceived notions
00:34:03.26\00:34:05.86
into scripture. They're reading
Greek philosophy into the Bible
00:34:05.89\00:34:09.92
instead of allowing the
Bible to speak for itself.
00:34:09.95\00:34:13.83
Now the question is, when
did the Apostle Paul expect
00:34:13.86\00:34:16.94
to be with Jesus?
Should we let Paul tell us?
00:34:16.97\00:34:22.25
Was it at the moment of death?
00:34:22.28\00:34:24.65
Absolutely not! Go with
me to Philippians 3:10, 11.
00:34:24.68\00:34:29.58
By the way, it's the same book.
00:34:29.61\00:34:31.42
So you think the Apostle Paul
in chapter 3 would contradict
00:34:33.74\00:34:36.77
what he said in
chapter 1? Of course not.
00:34:36.80\00:34:39.82
When did the Apostle
Paul expect to be with Jesus?
00:34:39.85\00:34:42.96
What did he look
forward to if he should die?
00:34:42.99\00:34:46.08
Was he looking forward to
his soul flying off to heaven,
00:34:46.11\00:34:49.47
or was he looking forward to
the resurrection of the dead?
00:34:49.50\00:34:51.88
Notice Philippians 3:10, 11.
00:34:51.91\00:34:55.81
That my soul can fly
off to heaven when I die.
00:35:11.10\00:35:13.84
That's not what it says.
00:35:13.87\00:35:15.15
Being conformed to his death...
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.19
To my immortal
soul going to heaven.
00:35:20.75\00:35:23.49
That's not what
it says. It says:
00:35:23.52\00:35:26.14
What was the hope
of the Apostle Paul?
00:35:31.18\00:35:32.89
It was not dying and
having his soul go to heaven.
00:35:32.92\00:35:36.37
It was dying and then
having Jesus resurrect him
00:35:36.40\00:35:40.85
from the dead. The very book
of Philippians tells us that.
00:35:40.88\00:35:43.95
Now also notice 1
Thessalonians 4:13, 14.
00:35:43.98\00:35:48.48
And here we're going to
deal with another problem that
00:35:48.51\00:35:51.57
Christians bring to the fore.
00:35:51.60\00:35:53.04
They misread this text to give
the idea, and I'll tell you what
00:35:53.07\00:35:57.97
the idea is. It's the
idea that when a person dies,
00:35:58.00\00:36:01.09
listen to this, the body goes
to the grave, the soul flies off
00:36:01.12\00:36:07.85
to heaven to be with
Jesus, and then when Jesus comes
00:36:07.88\00:36:12.70
back the second time, He
brings with Him all of the souls
00:36:12.73\00:36:18.08
of those who went to heaven when
they died, and all those souls
00:36:18.11\00:36:21.59
now are joined with the body,
and then Jesus takes the soul
00:36:21.62\00:36:25.33
and the body
together back to Heaven.
00:36:25.36\00:36:26.96
Is that really what
Jesus was trying to teach?
00:36:26.99\00:36:31.00
Is that what the Apostle
Paul was even trying to teach?
00:36:31.03\00:36:33.98
Of course not. But let's
read this problematic passage,
00:36:34.01\00:36:37.80
and then I'm going to give
you a simple explanation of what
00:36:37.83\00:36:40.64
scripture is telling us.
00:36:40.67\00:36:41.88
1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14.
00:36:41.91\00:36:45.40
Who are those who
have fallen asleep?
00:36:51.88\00:36:53.27
Those who have what?
00:36:53.30\00:36:54.86
Those who have died.
00:36:54.89\00:36:56.86
Now here comes the verse.
00:37:02.25\00:37:04.81
Where did Jesus go
after He rose again?
00:37:11.70\00:37:13.68
He went to Heaven, right?
00:37:15.91\00:37:17.56
He went to His Father's house.
00:37:17.59\00:37:19.36
Would you agree with that?
00:37:19.39\00:37:20.42
He died, He resurrected,
and He was taken by the angels
00:37:20.45\00:37:25.72
to where? to His Father's house.
00:37:25.75\00:37:28.56
To the presence of
His Father, very clearly.
00:37:28.59\00:37:31.23
We're going to
notice that in a moment.
00:37:31.26\00:37:32.51
What does even so mean?
00:37:37.66\00:37:39.14
Just like this in the same way.
00:37:39.18\00:37:41.51
Is this God the Father or Jesus?
00:37:43.66\00:37:45.47
This is God the Father.
00:37:45.50\00:37:48.46
Who's going to bring?
00:37:51.37\00:37:52.40
God is going to
bring, not Jesus.
00:37:52.43\00:37:55.22
With whom? God will
bring with Jesus to where?
00:37:57.74\00:38:05.04
To Heaven, to
where the Father is.
00:38:05.07\00:38:09.99
That's right. It
says, once again.
00:38:10.02\00:38:12.36
God the Father.
00:38:16.51\00:38:17.54
That is to Heaven.
00:38:18.59\00:38:19.62
That is with Jesus.
00:38:20.73\00:38:21.98
Now you say, now is this really
true that it's not speaking
00:38:26.03\00:38:30.04
about Jesus bringing anybody
with Him, but it's speaking
00:38:30.07\00:38:33.01
about Jesus taking those
people from Earth with Him,
00:38:33.04\00:38:37.02
to God, to the Father in Heaven?
00:38:37.05\00:38:39.21
Absolutely! The context
makes it very, very clear.
00:38:39.24\00:38:42.83
Let's notice a few details
before we read the succeeding
00:38:42.86\00:38:45.98
verses. John 8:29 tells
us that the Father sent Jesus
00:38:46.01\00:38:51.86
to this world. Notice John 8:29.
00:38:51.89\00:38:55.97
And this is just
rudimentary, this is elementary,
00:38:56.00\00:39:01.18
but we need to have it in order
to understand this passage.
00:39:01.21\00:39:04.58
It says here in John 8:29:
00:39:04.61\00:39:06.24
Who is the One who
sent Jesus? God the Father.
00:39:09.65\00:39:12.47
So let me ask you, did the
Father come down with Jesus,
00:39:21.43\00:39:23.85
or did the Father send Jesus?
00:39:23.88\00:39:25.38
Did the Father stay in
Heaven when He sent Jesus
00:39:25.41\00:39:30.18
the first time? Of course.
00:39:30.21\00:39:31.60
He stayed up
there and He sent Jesus.
00:39:31.63\00:39:34.75
Now notice John 16:28,
where this idea is corroborated.
00:39:34.78\00:39:40.00
John 16:28: Jesus says,
I came forth from where?
00:39:40.03\00:39:46.71
From the Father. In other words,
He was sent by the Father,
00:39:46.74\00:39:51.12
and have come
where? into the world.
00:39:51.15\00:39:55.27
And then He says again, I
leave the world, and what?
00:39:55.30\00:40:00.34
Go to the Father. Where
was the Father all the while
00:40:00.37\00:40:03.31
Jesus was on Earth?
00:40:03.34\00:40:04.37
The Father was in Heaven.
00:40:04.40\00:40:06.29
That's why He taught
us to pray, Our Father,
00:40:06.32\00:40:08.46
which art everywhere.
00:40:08.49\00:40:09.52
No, He taught us to pray,
Our Father, which art where?
00:40:09.55\00:40:14.08
which art in Heaven.
00:40:14.11\00:40:15.14
So are you understanding
this, that the Father stayed in
00:40:15.17\00:40:17.67
Heaven. He sent Jesus, and
then Jesus died, He resurrected,
00:40:17.70\00:40:21.81
and He what? He
came back to His Father.
00:40:21.84\00:40:25.51
Brought by whom? By the angels.
00:40:25.54\00:40:28.77
Thank you. Now notice Revelation
12:5, Revelation 12:5.
00:40:28.80\00:40:34.50
In case you don't believe
that Jesus was caught up by God
00:40:34.53\00:40:37.38
to God's throne;
it's very clear here.
00:40:37.41\00:40:39.58
It says in Revelation 12:5,
speaking about she who bore
00:40:39.61\00:40:45.16
Jesus. She bore a male child,
who was to rule all nations
00:40:45.19\00:40:51.46
with a rod of iron: and
her child was caught up to God,
00:40:51.49\00:40:58.00
and to His throne.
00:40:58.03\00:41:01.04
So where was Jesus
caught up to after He died,
00:41:01.07\00:41:04.68
and resurrected? to
the Father's throne.
00:41:04.71\00:41:07.50
So notice the sequence.
00:41:07.53\00:41:09.48
Jesus was sent by the Father,
the Father stayed in Heaven.
00:41:09.51\00:41:13.04
Jesus came, He died, He
resurrected, and then He was
00:41:13.07\00:41:20.27
brought by the angels
back to the Father's throne,
00:41:20.30\00:41:23.91
and He sat next to
His Father on the throne.
00:41:23.94\00:41:27.10
Is that sequence clear?
00:41:27.13\00:41:28.48
Well, let me ask you this,
when Jesus comes to this world
00:41:28.51\00:41:32.65
a second time, is the
Father coming with Him?
00:41:32.68\00:41:36.42
No. You say, No? No!
00:41:36.45\00:41:44.11
Just like the first time, the
Father is going to be in Heaven.
00:41:44.14\00:41:49.47
I'm going to prove it to
you in a moment from scripture.
00:41:49.50\00:41:53.94
Now the Father's going to stay
in Heaven, and He's going to
00:41:53.97\00:41:58.13
send Jesus with all of His what?
with all of His Holy Angels.
00:41:58.16\00:42:02.28
And somebody says, but Pastor
Bohr, what about that text
00:42:02.31\00:42:04.73
that says that Jesus will
come in the glory of His Father?
00:42:04.76\00:42:07.41
Well, the fact is that
Jesus is always in the glory
00:42:07.44\00:42:12.52
of His Father.
Notice Hebrews 1:3.
00:42:12.55\00:42:16.24
It says that Jesus is the
brightness of the Father's
00:42:16.27\00:42:19.45
glory, the express
image of His person.
00:42:19.48\00:42:22.79
So Jesus always bears
the glory of His Father.
00:42:22.82\00:42:26.36
Coming in the glory of His
Father is different than saying
00:42:26.39\00:42:29.37
that He comes with His Father.
00:42:29.40\00:42:30.73
Are you with me or not?
00:42:30.76\00:42:31.79
Now let's read a very
interesting text; Acts 3:19, 20.
00:42:31.82\00:42:37.06
Acts 3:19, 20. Here
Peter is speaking after the
00:42:37.09\00:42:44.92
Day of Pentecost, and he says
this: Repent therefore and be
00:42:44.95\00:42:49.81
converted that your
sins may be blotted out.
00:42:49.84\00:42:53.84
I won't go into that right now.
00:42:53.87\00:42:56.14
That's not talking about
forgiveness, because the Apostle
00:42:56.17\00:43:00.25
Peter has already
talked about forgiveness,
00:43:00.28\00:43:02.86
or remission of sins in
Acts 2:38; forgiveness of sins.
00:43:02.89\00:43:07.81
Blotting out of
sins is different,
00:43:07.84\00:43:09.52
but I won't get into that.
00:43:09.55\00:43:10.61
Repent therefore and be
converted that your sins
00:43:10.64\00:43:14.34
may be blotted
out. Now notice this.
00:43:14.37\00:43:16.31
So that times of refreshing,
that's the outpouring
00:43:16.34\00:43:20.66
of the Holy Spirit
in the latter rain.
00:43:20.69\00:43:22.43
And so the times of refreshing
may come from the presence of
00:43:22.46\00:43:27.83
the Lord. Who is that
Lord that is spoken of there?
00:43:27.86\00:43:31.91
from the presence of the Lord?
00:43:31.94\00:43:33.83
That's called the Father,
because it continues saying,
00:43:33.86\00:43:36.90
From the presence of the
Lord, and that He may, shall,
00:43:36.93\00:43:45.86
or may in the New King James.
00:43:45.89\00:43:48.28
So that He shall, or He
may what? send Jesus Christ
00:43:48.31\00:43:55.15
who was preached to you before.
00:43:55.18\00:43:56.78
Is the Father
going to send Jesus? Yes.
00:43:56.81\00:44:01.45
So if He sends Jesus, He
is not coming with Jesus.
00:44:01.48\00:44:05.54
Well you say, Pastor, why do you
go through all of this detour?
00:44:05.57\00:44:08.70
It's not a detour. It's
background to understanding
00:44:08.73\00:44:12.75
these verses in 1
Thessalonians 4:13, 14.
00:44:12.78\00:44:17.15
Now let me just put
it succinctly and simply.
00:44:17.18\00:44:20.39
Jesus was sent by
the Father to this Earth.
00:44:20.42\00:44:23.89
He died, He resurrected, He
was caught up by the angels,
00:44:23.92\00:44:30.91
and taken back to
the Father's throne.
00:44:30.94\00:44:33.73
Is that the same thing that's
going to happen with those
00:44:33.76\00:44:37.76
who died and resurrected?
00:44:37.79\00:44:39.91
Remember, even so, the Apostle
Paul says; even so will happen
00:44:39.94\00:44:45.22
with God's people. You
see, God's people also will die,
00:44:45.25\00:44:48.71
and they will what?
And they will resurrect.
00:44:48.74\00:44:52.91
And who will be
sent from Heaven?
00:44:52.94\00:44:56.03
Jesus along with what?
all of the Holy Angels.
00:44:56.07\00:45:00.40
And God's people will be caught
up to meet the Lord in the air.
00:45:00.44\00:45:04.40
And then where will
God's people be taken to?
00:45:04.43\00:45:07.67
They will be taken
to the Father's house.
00:45:07.70\00:45:12.44
So let me ask you, is the
Father bringing with Jesus,
00:45:12.47\00:45:15.95
all of those who went to sleep?
00:45:15.98\00:45:17.63
Of course He is. But, you
see, it's not Jesus bringing the
00:45:17.66\00:45:23.09
sleeping saints down, it
is Jesus bringing the sleeping
00:45:23.12\00:45:27.30
saints up! Are you with me?
00:45:27.33\00:45:30.33
I hope so. I see some
of you with a puzzled look.
00:45:30.36\00:45:35.51
I don't know how I
can make it any clearer.
00:45:35.54\00:45:38.07
Do you want me
to repeat it again?
00:45:38.10\00:45:41.12
Not necessary? No? Yes?
No? Maybe? No, it's clear.
00:45:41.15\00:45:48.65
Now you say, Pastor, is your
interpretation really correct?
00:45:48.68\00:45:52.77
Well, let's continue reading
the verses that come afterwards.
00:45:52.80\00:45:55.46
It's absolutely clear that
this is not talking about Jesus
00:45:55.49\00:46:00.97
bringing with Him. It doesn't
say that Jesus will bring with
00:46:01.00\00:46:03.51
Him. It says that God will bring
with Jesus; to where He is.
00:46:03.54\00:46:09.45
Notice 1 Thessalonians 4:15.
00:46:09.48\00:46:12.76
Who goes to heaven first?
00:46:25.07\00:46:26.60
Those who went to sleep, those
who died, or those who were
00:46:26.63\00:46:29.09
alive when Jesus comes?
00:46:29.12\00:46:30.15
Who goes to Heaven first?
00:46:30.18\00:46:31.21
Neither one of them goes first.
00:46:32.19\00:46:33.78
So much for the idea
that when the dead died,
00:46:33.81\00:46:36.51
they went to be with the Lord,
because the Apostle Paul says,
00:46:36.54\00:46:39.30
no they didn't. They go together
with those who are alive
00:46:39.33\00:46:42.06
when Jesus
comes. Notice verse 16:
00:46:42.09\00:46:44.75
Is He coming again? What's
He coming for the second time?
00:46:49.94\00:46:55.22
Ah, He's coming to pick up His
people and bring them with Him
00:46:55.25\00:47:00.50
where? to the
Father's house. So it says:
00:47:00.53\00:47:03.80
Now notice, the dead
in Christ will rise first.
00:47:14.72\00:47:18.82
How many groups? Two groups.
00:47:23.01\00:47:25.84
So He comes down and
we go what? And we go up,
00:47:36.90\00:47:41.96
and we meet Him in the air.
00:47:41.99\00:47:43.11
And then what happens
after we meet Him in the air?
00:47:43.14\00:47:45.74
We go further up to the
Father's house. Jesus said:
00:47:45.77\00:47:50.94
That is in the Father's house.
00:48:00.98\00:48:02.04
That is in the Father's house.
00:48:07.01\00:48:08.42
So this text is not saying
at all what Christians think
00:48:16.13\00:48:20.08
it's saying. You see, they don't
read carefully what scripture is
00:48:20.11\00:48:24.57
saying. They
don't read the context.
00:48:24.60\00:48:27.87
They just interpret scripture
in the light of the traditions
00:48:27.90\00:48:32.57
that they have received
repeatedly, over and over again.
00:48:32.60\00:48:35.98
They do it with the story
of the rich man and Lazarus.
00:48:36.01\00:48:38.86
They say, yes, he went
immediately after death,
00:48:38.89\00:48:40.90
and he was talking down
there when he was burning.
00:48:40.93\00:48:44.15
Interesting! They say the thief
on the cross; that very day he
00:48:44.18\00:48:48.56
went with Jesus to Paradise.
00:48:48.59\00:48:50.31
We notice that Jesus did not
go to Paradise that very day.
00:48:50.34\00:48:54.00
He went to the grave.
00:48:54.03\00:48:55.08
The thief didn't go to Paradise
either because he wasn't dead.
00:48:55.11\00:48:59.86
And the people say, what
about the witch of En Dor?
00:48:59.89\00:49:04.01
You know, didn't the witch of
En Dor bring Samuel before Saul?
00:49:04.04\00:49:08.68
We studied; no, there's no
way when you look at the story,
00:49:08.71\00:49:11.88
that good Samuel, who, by
the way, is going to live again
00:49:11.91\00:49:15.23
at the resurrection, according
to Hebrews 11, who would appear
00:49:15.26\00:49:18.61
to wicked Saul and say,
hey, Saul, tomorrow you're going
00:49:18.64\00:49:21.99
to be in the same
place where I'm at.
00:49:22.02\00:49:24.09
Be real! When we read that story
how can we come to conclusions
00:49:24.12\00:49:29.95
like that? The trouble is we
trust our religious teachers.
00:49:29.98\00:49:33.24
We accept it as gospel truth.
00:49:33.27\00:49:36.82
But God is not going to ask us,
what did your pastor believe?
00:49:36.85\00:49:39.98
What did your priest believe?
00:49:40.01\00:49:41.67
He's going to say, did you have
a Bible, and did you read it?
00:49:41.70\00:49:44.65
Did you study it?
00:49:44.68\00:49:45.71
He's not going to
accept any excuses from us,
00:49:45.74\00:49:49.18
saying oh no, my pastor
told me, or my priest told me.
00:49:49.21\00:49:52.36
Jesus says He's going to say,
did you have a Bible, yes or no?
00:49:52.39\00:49:55.98
There'll be no
excuse in that day.
00:49:56.01\00:49:59.55
The uniform concept of the
Apostle Paul, and I'm going to
00:49:59.58\00:50:06.05
mention three passages.
00:50:06.08\00:50:07.28
We've looked at two of them.
00:50:07.31\00:50:09.67
And in our next lecture we're
going to look at the third.
00:50:09.70\00:50:12.63
We'll go through this quickly.
00:50:12.66\00:50:14.83
2 Corinthians 5, the Apostle
Paul speaks about three options:
00:50:14.86\00:50:19.29
being alive, being naked...
00:50:19.32\00:50:23.34
We'll deal with
this in our next lecture.
00:50:23.37\00:50:25.69
...which means being
dead, and in the third place,
00:50:25.72\00:50:30.20
being translated. In 1
Thessalonians 4 the Apostle
00:50:30.23\00:50:36.46
Paul also speaks of us
being alive, going to sleep,
00:50:36.49\00:50:41.83
and being translated.
00:50:41.86\00:50:44.06
In Philippians 1 the Apostle
Paul says living in the flesh
00:50:44.09\00:50:51.01
is more productive of fruit,
because I can preach the gospel.
00:50:51.04\00:50:55.06
He says, but if I die, I
know that I will go to heaven.
00:50:55.09\00:51:01.75
But it would be much
better if I could be what?
00:51:01.78\00:51:04.09
If I could be translated.
00:51:04.12\00:51:06.99
Now let's go to one
last passage before we finish
00:51:07.02\00:51:11.43
this study. 2 Timothy 4:6-8.
00:51:11.46\00:51:15.08
The Apostle Paul is
in the Mamertine Prison
00:51:15.11\00:51:17.97
for the second time.
00:51:18.00\00:51:19.03
This is his second
and last imprisonment.
00:51:19.06\00:51:21.20
He's about to be beheaded.
00:51:21.23\00:51:23.42
Now I want you to notice here,
when it is that the Apostle Paul
00:51:23.45\00:51:27.14
expected to receive his crown.
00:51:27.17\00:51:29.56
It's not at the moment of death
that he expected to receive
00:51:29.59\00:51:33.12
his reward. It will be at
the moment when Jesus comes.
00:51:33.15\00:51:37.57
2 Timothy 4:6. Here
the Apostle Paul says:
00:51:37.60\00:51:41.15
He's talking about his departure
from the land of the living.
00:51:50.90\00:51:55.00
He says:
00:51:57.16\00:51:58.19
In other words,
there's stored up for me.
00:52:08.24\00:52:11.10
Immediately after my death.
00:52:18.39\00:52:20.84
No, that's not what it says.
00:52:20.90\00:52:22.62
That's the way the Christians
interpret it. It says:
00:52:22.65\00:52:27.45
What day is that, on that day?
00:52:32.72\00:52:36.40
The day when Jesus
comes. That's right.
00:52:36.43\00:52:40.11
Uh-uh. All those who
have taught His appearing?
00:52:50.21\00:52:55.72
All those who have
preached His appearing?
00:52:55.75\00:53:00.27
Uh-uh. It's not enough to
believe it, or to teach it,
00:53:00.30\00:53:05.46
or to preach it. The Apostle
Paul says that there's a crown
00:53:05.50\00:53:10.15
prepared for all
those who have what?
00:53:10.18\00:53:13.49
who have loved His appearing.
00:53:13.53\00:53:17.11
When is it that Jesus
is going to give the crown
00:53:17.14\00:53:19.57
to those who have overcome?
00:53:19.60\00:53:21.56
It is not at the moment of death
that we receive our reward.
00:53:21.59\00:53:27.74
It's not at the
moment of death that Jesus
00:53:27.77\00:53:30.04
receives us into glory.
00:53:30.07\00:53:31.48
It is on that day when
Jesus gives the crown to Saul
00:53:31.51\00:53:37.54
of Tarsus, who became the
Apostle Paul, that He will give
00:53:37.58\00:53:41.50
that crown to
everyone who has received Jesus
00:53:41.54\00:53:45.31
as Savior and Lord.
00:53:45.34\00:53:47.46
This is the glorious
hope of the Church, folks.
00:53:47.49\00:53:51.18
1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:2.
00:53:51.21\00:53:57.36
Oh, what a beautiful promise!
00:53:57.40\00:53:59.91
And then in the very next
verse the Apostle John says,
00:54:18.16\00:54:23.88
everyone who has this
hope in Him purifies himself;
00:54:23.92\00:54:29.61
even as He is pure.
00:54:29.64\00:54:33.59
You see, by contemplating Jesus
every day, we become like Him.
00:54:33.62\00:54:39.81
Beholding as in a mirror without
a veil the glory of the Lord,
00:54:39.84\00:54:45.30
we are being changed from glory
to glory into the same likeness.
00:54:45.33\00:54:50.75
And it's not at the moment
of death that we're going to be
00:54:50.79\00:54:55.48
with Him. At death we go to
the grave; we sleep, we rest.
00:54:55.52\00:55:00.18
But the next wakeful
moment, the next instant,
00:55:00.22\00:55:04.31
we will hear the voice of
Jesus, our Savior and Lord,
00:55:04.35\00:55:09.42
calling us from the grave.
00:55:09.46\00:55:10.68
And when we wake up, if we
should die before Jesus comes,
00:55:10.72\00:55:14.74
it will be like no time has
passed from the time we died
00:55:14.77\00:55:18.81
till our next thinking moment.
00:55:18.85\00:55:20.62
So there is a certain sense in
which the moment a person dies,
00:55:20.65\00:55:24.05
at the very next moment, they're
going to be with the Lord.
00:55:24.08\00:55:27.93
We know that there's a period
that transpires between death
00:55:27.96\00:55:31.77
and the moment
of the resurrection,
00:55:31.80\00:55:33.42
but the dead
person doesn't know.
00:55:33.45\00:55:34.99
You see, for the dead person, he
dies now, and his next thinking
00:55:35.03\00:55:39.12
moment is hearing
the voice of Jesus.
00:55:39.15\00:55:41.13
There was no separation
for the person who was dead.
00:55:41.16\00:55:44.68
Isn't that a marvelous thought,
that there is no separation
00:55:44.72\00:55:48.54
for those who
are in Christ Jesus?
00:55:48.58\00:55:51.62
But then the Apostle Paul ends
this passage by expressing these
00:55:51.65\00:55:57.12
words. See he loved people.
00:55:57.16\00:55:59.52
He loved souls. And so he says,
you know, to die would be gain,
00:55:59.55\00:56:04.72
to live in the flesh would bear
fruit, to be translated would be
00:56:04.76\00:56:09.89
far better, but
then he says in verse 24:
00:56:09.93\00:56:12.61
That is to remain in my
corruptible, mortal body.
00:56:16.46\00:56:21.73
How unselfish! He says,
you know, I'd love to depart
00:56:25.83\00:56:30.99
and be with the Lord.
00:56:31.02\00:56:32.05
To die would be gain.
00:56:32.08\00:56:33.11
I would rest from my labors,
and Jesus would come to call me
00:56:33.14\00:56:37.50
forth from the grave, but he
says, it's really more necessary
00:56:37.53\00:56:42.72
for your sake for me to remain,
because I still have to preach
00:56:42.75\00:56:46.63
the gospel. I still
have to proclaim the message
00:56:46.66\00:56:50.05
to the world. I still have to
harvest much fruit for the Lord
00:56:50.08\00:56:55.55
as a result of
preaching the gospel.
00:56:55.59\00:56:57.55
So the Apostle Paul says,
though to die would be gain,
00:56:57.58\00:57:01.08
though to the
translated would be far better,
00:57:01.11\00:57:04.79
to stay in the flesh, in
my present existence is more
00:57:04.82\00:57:09.59
needful to you. And we
know that the Apostle Paul died.
00:57:09.63\00:57:14.36
He produced much fruit.
00:57:14.40\00:57:17.09
His crown will have many stars.
00:57:17.13\00:57:18.61
The question is,
are we so close to Jesus
00:57:18.64\00:57:22.24
that when His voice calls,
we shall also hear His voice,
00:57:22.28\00:57:27.37
and go to live with Him forever?
00:57:27.41\00:57:28.44