2 Corinthians 5:6 “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body (natural body), we are absent from the Lord”. In this verse, Paul is saying, naturally speaking, the glorified body of Jesus is not present with us in our natural body. Paul is not laying out the order of death, to the grave, to the second resurrection and then to the eternal judgment. Paul said in verse 2 Corinthians 4:10 “Always bearing about in the body (our natural body) the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body”. We know spiritually, part of Jesus is present inside all true believers, 2 Corinthians 5:5 “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit”. When Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord”, Paul is simply saying that he is willing to give up his natural body in order to obtain a glorified body so he can be present with the Lord. Paul is not changing the process that the gospel teaches us about the way to be present with the Lord. Paul even tells us a part of that process one verse down, 2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad”.
The Gospel of Christ teaches there is a highway that must be followed in order to be present with the Lord, Isaiah 35:8 “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein”. We must get on this highway and continue on it to the end in order to “enter into life” with the Lord.
Paul new the process on the highway to heaven. 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”. Paul knew he would be present with the Lord “at that day”, the second coming of Jesus.
There is a process that must be followed on this highway in order to be “wayfaring men”.
We must be drawn by God, John 6:44 “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day”.
We must believe that He is, Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.
We must be born again, John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.
We must grow in the Lord, 1 Peter 2:2 “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby”.
We must learn of Him, John 6:45 “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me”.
We must accept the new covenant, Hebrews 12:24 “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel”. Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
We must overcome the world, 1John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith”.
We must be tried, 1 Peter 1:7 “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
We must endure to the end, Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”.
We must die, Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them”. Those that overcome will rest in the grave from their labours. He will keep us from the hour of temptation, Revelation 3:10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
We must enter into the final judgement, John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day”. Every soul will go through the judgment at the last day, the eternal judgement, Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.