Jehovah's Witnesses: Was the Apostle Paul a liar?

Question

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. Jim

Answer 1

I don't understand your question.

Please explain what you are trying to ask?

Thanks for the email.

Context is everything along with understanding God's time table is not the same as ours.

2 Cor 5:5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Paul by receiving the spirit received a pledge of the fulfillment of the promises.

Since God can not lie, (Titus 1:2) this pledge was the same as receiving the promise and Paul could talk about it as if it had already happened.

Since Paul would die and the very next thing he would know was life in heaven, to Paul that would be instantaneous, even if thousands of years of sleep had passed.

Also in Jehovah's timetable, a thousand years is as one day.

Revelation starts off by saying that it is a prophecy of things that will shortly take place, yet it was written 2 thousand years ago.

Paul himself tells us that the heavenly resurrection would not take place prior to those living in the last day.

1 Thess. 4: 13But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

It is Paul that tells us that when you die you are asleep in Jesus.

1 Thess 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

It is Paul who tells us that when you die, you await a resurrection.

John confirms this in Revelation

Rev 20: 4 And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years. . . .This is the first resurrection. 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.

John and Paul show us that there is an order of resurrection.

1Thes 4:16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

Did you notice those dead in Christ are the same as those asleep in Christ?

Those who are resurrected to heaven as immortal spirit creatures are called the 1st resurrection

It is by using all the bible not just a favorite text that establish truth.

No Paul was not lying at 2 Cor 5:8, but our understanding of this verse must agree with all of the bible, and all of Paul's writtings.

1 Cor 15: 6After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 17and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

Answer 2

Why don't you read and reference the whole chapter rather than a text here or there to prove your point.

This method looks like a bible thumper.

Answer 3

No. Paul is not a liar.