I-Catechism of the Catholic Church ithi: “Ukuze sivuke noKristu, kumelwe sife noKristu: kumelwe ‘singabibikho emzimbeni sibe sekhaya neNkosi’. [2 Korinte 5:8] Kulokho ‘kuhamba’ okuwukufa umphefumulo uyahlukaniswa nomzimba. [Filipi 1:23] Uyohlanganiswa nomzimba ngosuku lokuvuswa kwabafileyo.”

KweyabaseFilipi 1:21, 23, uPawulu uthi: “Ngokuqondene nami ukuphila kunguKristu, nokufa kuyinzuzo. Ngicindezelwe yilezizinto ezimbili; kodwa engikufisayo ukukhululwa nokuba kanye noKristu, ngoba lokhu, empeleni, kungcono kakhulu.” Ingabe uPawulu lapha ubhekisela ‘esimweni esiphakathi nendawo’? Abanye bacabanga kanjalo. Nokho, uPawulu uthi wayebhekene nezinto ezimbili—ukuphila noma ukufa. Wanezela: “Kodwa engikufisayo,” ephawula into yesithathu, “ukukhululwa nokuba kanye noKristu.” ‘Ukukhululwa’ ukuze abe noKristu ngokushesha ngemva kokufa? Phela, njengoba sekubonakele kakade, uPawulu wayekholelwa ukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe athembekile ayeyovuswa phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu. Ngakho-ke, kumelwe ukuba wayekhuluma ngezenzakalo zangalesosikhathi.

Lokhu kubonakala emazwini akhe atholakala kweyabaseFilipi 3:20, 21 neyoku-1 Thesalonika 4:16. ‘Ukukhululwa’ okunjalo phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu Jesu kwakuyokwenza uPawulu akwazi ukwamukela umvuzo uNkulunkulu ayemlungiselele wona. Ukuthi wayenalelithemba kubonakala emazwini akhe abhekiswe ensizweni enguThimothewu: “Kusukela kulesisikhathi kuqhubeke ngigcinelwe umqhele wokulunga, lowo iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo, eyonginika wona njengomvuzo ngalolosuku, nokho kungemina ngedwa, kodwa futhi nabo bonke labo abakuthandile ukubonakaliswa kwayo.”—2 Thimothewu 4:8.