In the moments just before death, Stephen was granted a vision of Christ in glory at the right hand of God. His prayer, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” expressed his assurance that immediately upon the death of his body, his spirit would ascend into heaven into the presence of God.

Paul returns to the same thought in Philippians, where he weighs the relative merits of being released by death from his physical body or of remaining longer in his body in order to complete his earthly ministry.

“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 labour; 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.” (Phil. 1:21-24)

Here Paul considers two alternatives before him:

To remain in the flesh – that is, to continue longer in his present life here on earth in his physical body, or,
To depart and be with Christ – that is, for his spirit to be released from his body by death and thus to enter directly into the presence of Christ in heaven.

These examples of Stephen and Paul make it plain that, when a true Christian in this present dispensation dies, his spirit is released from his body and goes immediately and directly into the presence of Christ in heaven. This direct access for the Christian believer into the presence of God in heaven has been made possible only through the death and resurrection of Christ, by which full and final atonement has been made for sin.

Prior to Christ’s atonement, the departed spirits of the righteous were consigned to a special area in Sheol, the netherworld. This special area was a place of rest and comfort, not of torment or punishment. Nevertheless, it was far removed from the immediate presence of God.

We may now apply the conclusions we have reached to the doctrine of the resurrection. The pattern for the resurrection of all men is set by the resurrection of Christ Himself. That is to say, the departed spirit is called forth from the place to which it has been consigned by the sentence of God – whether in the realm of heaven or of the netherworld. At the same time, the body is raised up by resurrection from death. Spirit and body are thus reunited, and the complete personality of man is reconstituted.

108:T9d6,

Yesterday we concluded that for every human being who dies, there are two certain destinations: resurrection and judgment. Even those Christians who will be caught up, still alive, to meet Christ at His return must still appear before the judgement appointed for all Christians.

“For we shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ.” (Rom. 14:10)

Almost exactly the same words occur again in 2 Corinthians.

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ.” (5:10)

In each of these two passages the phrase “we... all” denotes all Christians, without any exceptions. Resurrection and judgement are insep

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