2nd Corinthians 5:8: ‘We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.’ Many people use this scripture to say the next thing that happens when a person dies is they are(((INSTANTLY)))resurrected and are INSTANTLY with the Lord. Is this what this verse really says ? Is this saying that all the ( righteous) know that when we die we will go to heaven? Has God put such " no brainer " verse in the bible ? Is Paul telling us that when when we die we go to heaven in this passage ? Telling us that when we die we will go to heaven to be with God seems a bit too simple for the need of explanation, and if you will read scripture before and after the verse in question you will see exactly what Paul is talking about! Theres no need for such crude basic teaching here. In fact if you read about what Paul is talking about, it appears something a bit deeper is being revealed ! Consider the preceding and following verses. It strongly suggests that Paul is speaking in a spiritual sense and not literal. It "appears" that he is talking about the way to be present with the Lord in a spiritual sense by contrasting things that are carnal ( of the flesh ) to things that are spiritual. Paul is hinting that when we are absent from the body, meaning not living for the flesh (carnal desires), we are then living for the Spirit ( in the presence of God ). Paul is not talking about death. Nowhere in the vicinity of this scripture does it appear that Paul is eluding to a literal physical death, so why are so many trying to tell us that he is ? Because its something they want to believe even when the bible is saying otherwise. This is the root of the problem !
Lets read scripture right after the scripture in question and see if there is more light shed on the initial verse... 2 Cor 5:6-9
6: Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) Contrasting faith ( that of the spirit ) to sight ( that of the body ) .. spiritual and carnal. That makes easy sense doenst it ? Paul wasnt talking about death or heaven anywhere. So many yank it out of context to make bible doctrine with.
8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
9: Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Look at verse 6. If your look at it in the literal opposite it would mean that while we are alive we are absent from the Lord. Heaven forbid ! Jesus tells us that Christians are in his presence and "working to be and stay " in His presence all the time.

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/intro/livingpg.htm

http://www.seekgod.org/message/godspresence.html

http://www.secretplaceministries.org/pages/journey/soaking/presence-of-god.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/presence-of-God.html