Quote Originally Posted by Dmarie View Post
Blessings.

In the words of the Apostle Paul: "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philip.1:21)

Paul speaks of "being hard-pressed" between choosing to be with Christ, or to remain. (Philip.1:23) He spoke condfidently in that he knew that to depart meant that he would immediately be with the Lord...no "lay-overs"...anywhere!

Blessings...Dmarie
I understand that Dmarie, but to die is gain, does that mean Paul goes immediately to bodily resurrection? Or does his soul return to God and is awaiting the bodily resurrection? If the bodily resurrection happens when Christ returns, then obviously his soul after death is somewhere while we, in the corrupted flesh, remain in the present moving toward Christ's second advent. No matter how you slice it, you believe in some sort of intermediate state or you don't believe in the resurrection. It may not be same as the Catholic Church nor be the same as the Seventh Day Adventist... but either you believe in some sort of intermediate state or you don't. Again, if you don't, there is no resurrection in your opinion. What happens when we die and await the resurrection?