What Does It Mean to Depart and Be With Jesus?

Thank you, Mr. Salcedo.

Now we are ready for the second split sermon for today, so we hope to be able to end earlier, to be able to have the break, and then the Bible study.

I'd like to start with a question.

Brethren, do we truly treasure the understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God? Do we really appreciate what God is showing to us? In Matthew chapter 13, let's turn there to see what Jesus Christ mentioned about these precious truths. I know they can be taken for granted after we've been around the church for such a long time, but let's dust this page of the Bible where it says in Matthew 13 in verse 10, And the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? He answered and said to them, Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has has growth, is what he's talking about here, understanding. To him more will be given, and he will have abundance. But whoever does not have growth is talking about learning, understanding. Even what he has will be taken away from him. So we have to progress spiritually. We have to still have that hunger and thirst for righteousness sake, which was brought out by Mr. Wallach in the first message. And then he goes on to say in verse 16, But blessed are your eyes, for they see and your ears, for they hear. For assuredly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it. And Christ began revealing this to his disciples, and he continues to reveal to his disciples in the 21st century these precious mysteries of the kingdom of God.

We are constantly learning and having new insights about the scriptures and more details about doctrinal things, biblical doctrines. Is that something that we look forward to? Learning and growing and grace and knowledge?

I'd like to give you an example.

One of the great mysteries in this life has to do with the question, what happens after death? Hundreds of books have been dedicated to the subject. Countless religions give different points of view.

Even science doesn't know what happens after a person dies.

And so one of these mysteries of the kingdom of God is what God has revealed to us, and we can understand these things with more detail. We can flesh out what we learned many years ago, but many times it's like learning having a skeleton. You can tell it's a human being, but you can't tell what the color of the eyes are. You can't tell what kind of color hair he had. Or she. And so it is the same with God's teachings. We can learn something basic, but that does not mean we have learned everything about that subject. Many times we just know a fraction of what God has revealed in the scriptures. And so I want to focus on what we call a difficult scripture. And see how it gives us great insight in what exactly happens after death to one of God's people who die with God's spirit in them. What the Bible calls the saints. Those that have God's Holy Spirit from the term hagios, which means Holy, and it's talking about a person who has God's Holy Spirit in them. I do believe the great majority of the people here have God's Holy Spirit in them. They would be considered as one of the saints here in the 21st century.

And having fleshed out a little more of this doctrine about what happens after death has given me great comfort and to help me face death with serenity. I hope it will also be a great comfort to you as well.

So what happens exactly after death to one who has God's spirit? The Bible has the answer and it clears up the confusion.

Let's first go to this difficult Scripture in Philippians chapter 1 verses 21 through 25. Philippians chapter 1 verses 21 through 25. The apostle Paul is speaking here. He was in prison at this time. That's why the book of Philippians is one of the ones called the prison epistles because he wrote it while he was in prison. And he says in Philippians chapter 1 verse 21 he says, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain but if I live on in the flesh this will mean fruit from my labor yet what I shall choose I cannot tell for I am hard pressed between the two having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you and being confident of this I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again. So Paul did know how long he was going to live.

People have a mistaken idea that back in those that first century that people were put in prison just like they are today and you can spend a whole lifetime in prison.

Well, that wasn't the case. You were placed in prison and you either got acquitted or you ended up being punished or killed but this idea of prolonging a person after weeks and months and years in prison, that wasn't the case. They didn't have the money to support somebody that way. And so everything was very fast and here Paul knew that either he was going to get acquitted or he was probably going to lose his life. And so death was on his mind.

Now, some take these verses as a support for the idea of an immortal soul and taken out of its context, it can be misconstrued in this way. In fact, 90% of Christianity thinks this means to die and instantly be with Christ in heaven. So this is why it's called a difficult Scripture because some people use it to say, well, Paul's saying that he wants to depart and be with Christ. So that means that it must be an instant arrival in heaven. But remember, the Bible interprets itself if given a chance. And that is what we will do.

Let's look at the context first, which means the Scriptures before and after to see what he was talking about. So let's go to Philippians chapter one, verses three through ten. Here it gives us a little bit of the background of what he is writing and explaining.

He says in verse three, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, making requests for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. So he was always praying, even in prison, about the welfare of the brethren, how they were doing, and happy to see that they were growing and strengthening in the faith. Verse six, saying, Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. Now here we come to the first contradiction about thinking that he thought he was going to go immediately to heaven. Why? Because he says here that God is working out the spiritual development in a person until the day of Jesus Christ. So it's not talking about that everything finishes when the person dies immediately, he goes up to heaven. Because here he says, no, this process is completed with the coming of Jesus Christ. In other words, a coming resurrection. A person is not finished with what God is doing until he is resurrected. That's why it is not until the day he dies, but the day of Jesus Christ, which is the way of saying the coming of Jesus Christ.

Continuing on, he says, Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart inasmuch as both in my chains, which is talking about his prison, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you are all partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. And this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all the sermon. That's one of the things he prayed about for people to really come to church to learn, to grow, to not just sit and just warm a seat or just go through the motions, but truly focusing, writing down, taking notes, looking at the scriptures. That your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. That you may approve the things that are excellent. That you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Okay, here's the second time. The day of Christ, he mentions as the coming of Christ. So again, he didn't say until a person dies, because if a person dies and he goes immediately to heaven, well, that would be the time when he would be with Christ. But no, he's saying until the day of Christ. And so let's continue now in verse 19. This is right before he mentions about this difficult scripture we've been focusing on. Verse 19, it says, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance from prison, he's talking about, through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. According to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed. So again, notice in verse 19, it talks about the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. So God's Spirit that we receive comes from Jesus Christ being in us as well as God the Father, but it's not talking about the supply of some third person, it's not talking about some Holy Spirit separate from God the Father and Jesus Christ, the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ living in him. And so he says, verse 20, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness as always. So now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. Again, he was being judged at that time. Sentences were done pretty quickly, so he knew either he was going to continue living or dying. And then he goes into what we have covered here. And notice in verse 21, it says, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. So he hopes he will not die, but also longs for that coming resurrection in the day of Christ.

And notice it says here that verse 23, for I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better, nevertheless, to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. So again, he was looking forward to that moment when he could rest and know that he would be with Christ in the future. Let's go to Philippians chapter 2 as we look into more of the context of this book. Philippians chapter 2 verse 14, he says, do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice when in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. So again, it's the coming of Christ when he will know who made it and who didn't make it. So it will be in the day of Christ. Now, if Paul was going immediately up to heaven, he would have known who would have already been up there, but no, he again uses the term about the rejoicing in the day of Christ when he returns. And he is going to rejoice when he is in heaven after death? No, in the day of Christ, in his coming. Let's go to chapter 3 in verse 20. He says, for our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. So again, here he says, we also eagerly wait for the Savior, who will transform our lowly body, that it may be conformed to his glorious body according to the working by which he is able, even to subdue all things to himself. So he's looking forward to that resurrection, the resurrection of the dead.

There's another scripture here in chapter 3.

He says in verse 12, he says, not that I have already attained. He knows that he had not attained that righteousness that comes from God until the final breath of his life. He was still there fighting for the good fight of faith to be faithful. He says, not that I have already attained, chapter 3, 12, or am already perfected, but I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us as many or mature have this in mind. And if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Let's go to one more verse here before this in verse 9. And he says here, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law. That was explained by Mr. Wallach in the first message. But that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. So he knew that resurrection was going to come when Christ returned. So why then does he say that he just wishes at death to depart and to be with Christ?

This is what opens up our understanding that he was absolutely correct when we look at the scriptures. Let's go to John chapter 5. John chapter 5 in verse 24.

What did Jesus Christ said about the saints and the resurrection? John chapter 5 in verse 24. He says, Most assuredly I say to you, he who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly I say to you, the hour is coming and now is when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. Who are they going to listen to? The voice of the Son of God. That is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one who is going to call out. He is the one who awakens the dead. They will hear the voice of the Son of Man or the Son of God and those who hear will live.

For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself and has given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth, some who have done good to the resurrection of life. That's the first resurrection. And those who have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation. And so there are different resurrections in the future.

And this is what Paul was basing his teaching that he wanted to depart, die, and then in the next instant of consciousness he would hear the voice of the Son of God awakening him and resurrecting him to life.

Now Paul gives more details about this point in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13.

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 13.

He's talking about what happens to the dead in Christ. All the brethren from the first century and actually going back to the patriarchs who had God's spirit in them, such as Abraham, Moses, Noah, David, the prophets, they're all going to be resurrected in that first resurrection. And so it says in verse 13, we're going to read all the way through verse 18, it says, But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, who have died, who have lost their consciousness and died, lest you sorrow as others, who have no hope. Many people think that there's nothing after death.

Atheists believe that. Many scientists believe that. But it says here that we do have this great hope. And then he explains what is going to take place. It says in verse 14, For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him, again, when Christ returns, those who sleep in Jesus. So that's what a person does. He lapses into unconsciousness, and they are asleep right now. They're not awake. They're not in heaven. And as immortal souls, they have gone into an unconscious state. But their spirit is still retained by God so that it will be resurrected in the future. Verse 15, it says, For this we say to you, by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who are asleep, which means that those that are alive are not going to be resurrected first. It's all the dead in Christ who are resurrected first. Verse 16, it says, For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout. This is what John 5 mentioned. He's going to speak and say, Awake! And with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. So it's going to be a big sound heard around the earth. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are still conscious because the dead in Christ are unconscious. And then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, because he's coming down in the clouds. And so all of them will rise up, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. So that's where the bride meets the bridegroom. That's where they make the contact. It's like a bride. Who is she looking at? From all the people that are there looking at the groom. Who is the groom looking at? The bride. They could care less if there's anybody else there or not. Right? So this is the same way we shall always be with the Lord. And then he says, therefore comfort one another with these words, with this wonderful mystery of the kingdom of God that has been revealed to babes, not to the great scientists, not to the great religions of this world, not to false Christianity, which accepted Greek pagan myths about the immortality of the soul. They don't understand this. We have the privilege of understanding these great mysteries of the kingdom.

And so the dead in Christ are actually resurrected first. There's also more details about this very moment in time. It's described in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 51. The same thing that he mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4 from a different perspective. It says in verse 51, Behold, I tell you a mystery. This is something that is a revelation from God that man cannot discover through science or through philosophy.

He said, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, that's just as fast as imaginable, just a blinking of an eye, is what it means. At the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible.

Talking about the first resurrection, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. It doesn't have immortality now. It must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Death has been defeated. And then we can say, Oh, death, where is your sting? Oh, Hades, which means the tomb or the grave, where is your victory? It was only momentary. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. So here we see the truth in the Bible, that in an instant, in the blinking of an eye, the next conscious moment that one of these saints has, they will be rising up, looking upward and seeing their Savior as being shining like the lights, like the sun.

And you, the first conscious moment after death, if you're part of that first resurrection, you're not going to be looking for other people. You're not going to be looking at yourself. You're going to be going up, rising up, because Jesus Christ has called you, and through his power, he is bringing everybody to himself. So all the people around the earth, it doesn't matter where they died in an accident at sea or anyplace else, all these people will be rising up, and everybody is headed to where Jesus Christ is to be with him.

Now we're going to be able to see other people as we rise up in the air. It's going to not take very long, but the focus is not going to be on our loved ones, on family, or what's going on in the earth. Our focus is in our Lord first, and then we'll have time to rejoice as he brings his kingdom on this earth.

That is going to be such a fantastic moment. So a person, when they lose their consciousness, it's like that momentary pain when you go through an injection, or when they are going to draw blood. Nobody likes that, right? You look the other way, you try to distract yourself. Well, yes, pain does occur at that moment of losing your consciousness, but it's just like a pinprick. It's just momentary. You lose consciousness, and the next moment it's going to be rising up in the air to meet your Lord and to be with him forever.

So that gives me great comfort to give us courage. When we face death, it's just a moment in time. It is just a momentary sting that affects us, that affects our families, that we have a loved one that we have lost. But they're not conscious of it at all, just like the Apostle Paul in that prison.

He knew if he was sentenced to death and he had to walk out and as a Roman citizen, he wasn't going to be crucified. They would use a sword to decapitate him. It would just be a moment's time, just the briefest pain before you lose consciousness. And the next moment he is going to be rising up to be with Jesus Christ. So you see how the scriptures all merge together. They do not contradict each other. Yes, when we die, the next instant of consciousness, we will all be with the beloved dead saints rising in the air, all looking upward to meet Jesus.

The bride will be with Christ forevermore. And we should take great comfort and can say, O death, where is your sting then?

It's just a momentary prick, the pain of death. Let's end in Revelation 14, verse 12 and 13, Revelation chapter 14.

Talking about the church and what it's going through.

Verse 12, it says, Here is the patience or the endurance of the saints. Here are those who keep the commandments of God, all ten of them, and the faith of Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Right, blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on, all those who have God's Spirit. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works. Follow them. They're resting. They did their works. They were faithful. They knew what that righteousness that comes through God that they developed in their lives was well worth all the pain, all the suffering, all the trials we go through. And so Philippians chapter 1, verses 21 through 25, no longer is a difficult scripture to explain. It is just one and the many scriptures that explain that we at death lose our consciousness, and the next instant we will gain that consciousness and be rising up in the air to meet Jesus Christ and be with the saints forevermore in God's kingdom. As Paul said, let us comfort each other with this wonderful truth.