If a believer is present with the Lord after death, where does he go?
When a believer dies, he is absent from the body and present with the Lord. The context identifies his destination as Paradise, explaining that Paradise is now in heaven as we understand heaven. Paul’s glimpse of heaven and being caught up into Paradise confirms this same hope.
Les directs us to II Corinthians 5:8, where Paul says believers are confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. Then he asks: if a believer is going to be present with the Lord, where is he hoping to go? The answer given is Paradise, because Paradise is now in heaven as heaven is understood. Les also points to II Corinthians 12, where Paul had a glimpse of heaven, with its beauty and music, and was caught up into paradise, hearing unspeakable words that were not permitted or lawful for a man to utter. God allowed Paul to see and hear but told him he could not repeat it. So the believer’s hope at death is to be present with the Lord in Paradise, now in heaven.
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
More Questions
Where does a believer go when absent from the body and present with the Lord?
When a person is absent from the body and present with the Lord, the place he is hoping to go is Paradise.
Where does a believer go when they die today?
Ever since Christ ascended, paradise in glory has been the lot of the present-day believer when they die.