Probably all of us have been present to witness the body of a friend or loved one placed in its grave. We also have heard words spoken on such occasions when a minister makes reference to a future resurrection. Such a prospect injects a time of sorrow and sense of loss with a cherished hope that will become reality at some future time.
Our concern this week is to think about an obvious question: What is the situation between a present death and a future resurrection of departed believers?
Christians customarily refer to the time between death and resurrection as the intermediate state. Quite obviously, the body that is laid to rest in the cemetery is without the animating life or soul of the person. Hence, we can say at the outset that the intermediate state is disembodied existence. But it is more than mere existence; it is blessed existence. Thus we need to inquire what the Scriptures indicate is the status of the immaterial or spiritual component of the person whose body is now lifeless.
Present with the Lord
As we noted last week, 2 Corinthians 5:6–8 speaks of being absent from the body and present with the Lord, saying, “We are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” A believer whose body has been left behind at death is indeed present with the Lord. Hence, we can say that the intermediate state is a time in which departed loved ones are in the Lord’s presence.
Some religious groups contend that the intermediate state is to be a time of soul sleep until the resurrection of the dead. This teaching is that such a state is one of being unaware or unconscious. We might do well to recall that Jesus spoke of a rich man who died. He portrayed that rich man as conscious and conversant; he was aware of torment and capable of making a request. The rich man requested that a certain beggar be dispatched to bring him relief from his torment.
From Jesus’ portrayal of the dead rich man, we might glean that the intermediate state, while being a disembodied one, is not a time of sleeping but one of consciousness, albeit for believers not a consciousness of torment but of blessedness in the very presence of Christ.
Earthly house or tent
The testimony of the apostle Paul helps us get a clearer understanding of the intermediate state. For that testimony we turn again to 2 Corinthians 5. Paul began this testimony by referring to his physical body as an earthly house or a tent. By contrast, he spoke of his future resurrection body as a building from God (v. 1).
The contrast between a house and a tent is itself instructive about a believer’s ultimate hope. He then referred to his future resurrection body as a habitation from heaven and testified that upon receiving it, he would not be found naked (v. 2).
The contrast between clothed and naked also helps us grasp further understanding about the intermediate state. Being disembodied is compared to being naked, while receiving a resurrection body is compared to being clothed. However, being clothed with a body like Jesus’ resurrection body awaits His return, a topic that awaits us next time.
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