Yes — Paul says he is confident and willing to be absent from the body so that he can be present with the Lord.
Les Feldick shows that this longing was rooted in Paul's long years of suffering: sickness, beatings, scourgings, attacks from the Judaizers, near-death experiences, and growing Roman opposition to Christianity. Paul saw death almost as a welcome escape, even though he recognized unfinished gospel work and kept laboring. For Paul, being present with the Lord was clearly better than remaining in a body marked by suffering.
2 Corinthians 5:8 — This is the exact verse in question, where Paul says he is confident and willing to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Romans 8:18 — Paul sets present suffering against future glory, showing why leaving the present body can be considered better.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 states that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord, and believers walk by faith, not by sight. Then Paul declares his confidence and willingness to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). In 2 Corinthians 5:9 he adds that he labours so that, whether present or absent, he may be accepted of him. Romans 8:18 likewise sets present suffering beside future glory: the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Les Feldick explains that Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 5:8 are best understood against the background of Paul's suffering. Paul had been suffering for years because of his apostolic work: the Judaizers constantly tried to destroy his work, the pagan Romans began to come down on Christianity, and he experienced sickness, painful beatings, scourgings, prison, shipwrecks, 39 lashes three times, hunger, nakedness, and being beaten. At one point, as Les describes it, Paul was on a sickbed in Philippi, having almost escaped with his life out of Ephesus, under constant attack from adversaries inside and outside the church, so death almost became a welcome escape.
Les shows that Paul's longing to be absent from the body grew out of real, ongoing suffering. Paul had suffered for years from the Judaizers, pain from beatings and scourgings, sickness, and increasing pressure from Roman authorities against Christianity. He had been in prison often, shipwrecked, given 39 lashes three times, and was hungry, naked, and beaten for the Gospel. Les even describes Paul on a sickbed in Philippi after barely escaping with his life out of Ephesus, under constant attack from adversaries within and without the church. In that condition, death almost became a welcome escape.
Les teaches from 2 Corinthians 5 that when a believer dies, his or her soul and spirit immediately go into paradise in heaven, directly into the presence of the Lord; the body, however, is not yet redeemed. Believers are still waiting for the redemption of the body, when the corruptible body becomes incorruptible at the Rapture. Commenting on verse 8, Les notes Paul says he would rather move on, and then Paul adds 'wherefore we labor' — so the longing to be with Christ did not make Paul passive; it fueled his ministry.
Romans 8:18 puts Paul's longing in perspective: 'For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.' Les points out that Paul knew what suffering was — prison, shipwrecks, 39 lashes three times, hunger, nakedness, beatings — while believers in America at least know very little of suffering. This contrast is why Paul could say present suffering is not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed.
Paul's Suffering and Longing
Les explains that Paul had been suffering for years because of his apostolic work — Judaizers, pain from beatings and scourgings, sickness, and growing Roman pressure against Christianity — which helps explain why Paul was anxious to be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
Death as a Welcome Escape, Yet Unfinished Work
Les describes Paul on a sickbed in Philippi, having barely escaped with his life out of Ephesus and under constant attack, so death almost became a welcome escape; but Paul realized there was still unfinished business in reaching people with the gospel, so he labored.
Suffering Compared to Glory
Les notes Paul knew suffering — prison, shipwrecks, 39 lashes three times, hunger, nakedness, beatings — while American believers know little of suffering, and connects present suffering with the glory to be revealed.
Expecting the Lord and Facing Persecution
Les says Paul expected the Lord to come at any moment and had a foreview of the terrible persecution coming on Christians, helping explain why Paul saw suffering as something to endure or even escape through being with the Lord.
Paul's Willingness to Move On
Les highlights Paul's words that he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord, adding 'wherefore we labor' — showing Paul's willingness to move forward in service despite his longing.
Awaiting the Redemption of the Body
Les explains that believers groan waiting for the redemption of the body, when the corruptible body becomes incorruptible at the Rapture, and then believers receive rewards and return with Christ.
At Death, Immediately Present with the Lord
Les plainly teaches that at death the believer's soul and spirit immediately go into paradise in heaven, into the presence of the Lord, though the body is not yet redeemed.
Hope Beyond Death
Les counters the idea that death ends everything; believers are not miserable, because they have hope beyond the grave.
2 Corinthians 5:6: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
Paul's framework for confidence while living in the body.
2 Corinthians 5:7: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
The reason believers live by faith, not sight, while awaiting the Lord.
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.
The direct answer to the question: being absent from the body means being present with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:9: Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Paul's longing to be with the Lord did not stop his labor; he continued serving.
Romans 8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Paul's comparison between present suffering and future glory undergirds why being present with the Lord is better.
Yes, Paul says he is confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8). Les Feldick explains that Paul reached this conviction through years of suffering and persecution, which made being with Christ the better option.
Les teaches that immediately at death the believer's soul and spirit go into paradise in heaven, into the presence of the Lord, though the body is not yet redeemed. The body's redemption will happen at the Rapture, when the corruptible body becomes incorruptible.
Paul recognized unfinished business — there were still people to reach with the gospel as only he could do it. So after saying he was willing to be absent from the body, he adds 'wherefore we labor,' showing that his longing for heaven did not end his service here.
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