Question:
Thanks Hank for clearing that up about the rapture. What is it talking about, the word sleep? Paul stated that to be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord. So, what sleeps? Is it our body? Thanks, Wally
Answer:
The verses you are referring to are 1 Cor. 15:51-52 “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all SLEEP, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” The word sleep in the Greek is “keimai” it means to put to sleep (as in death). It means die. So we could say, we shall not all DIE but shall be changed… The other verse you referred to (2 Cor. 5:8) concerning absent from the body is not applicable as we never leave the body, we are simply changed (hence no body). Additionally, in the time frame of 1 Cor 15:51 the Lord is there (here) changing us and calling us up to Him.