How can I better understand the Holy Spirit? That's just one of the questions we'll be

answering on today's edition of Core Christianity. Well, hi, this is Bill Meyer, along with

Pastor Adriel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the

Bible and the Christian life every day.

We'd love to hear from you.

Our phone lines are open right now.

We'll be taking calls for the next 25 minutes or so.

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First up today, here's a voicemail from one of our listeners. This is Donald in Nebraska.

Question for you, Pastor, when someone dies,

a believer that is, their soul, as well as an unbelievers,

soul goes somewhere.

We know scripture says in 2nd,

5, 8, absence from the body present with the Lord,

also talks about that in Philippians 1, 21 to 23,

also in Luke 23, 43, where it says, to one of the things on the cross today, today,

you will be with me in paradise. So my basic question is, is it instantaneous? Immediately,

immediately, immediately your last breath here. Your first breath would be with the Lord if you

are a believer. No time, of course, in any place called purgatory or anywhere else, because his death on the cross was sufficient. Thank you for your help there, sir. Yes, day. Hey, Donald, great question in the passages that you bring up to make a case for what we call the intermediate state. You know, this idea that when we die, it's not just that we're sleeping, but we're actually in the presence of the Lord. Those texts, the three passages in the New Testament, you brought up a really good

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