Well, let’s look at another verse.
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Phil. 1:20-26)
Does that make it clearer? You don’t think the reference there to “depart and be with Christ” doesn’t indicate that at least he believed that if he departed this body that he would be with Christ?
With modern Physics to aid us, we can assert that since we do not understand how dimension TIME is woven to the soul and spirit, it is very possible that to the dead the leaving the body and awakening with The Lord is as an instant. I don’t follow what happens around the neighborhood when I’m asleep. Paul does say ‘we shall not all sleep’ and he also states the dead in Christ He will bring WITH Jesus when the calling out occurs. But it is somewhat confusing since Paul also states there in the letter tot he Thessolanicans that the dead in Christ shall rise first yet God is bring them With Jesus ... at the very least we ought to exercise caution in discerning the very real dimensional differences in body and soul.
Indeed it does; but it does NOT state that his 'desire' is going to be fulfilled IMMEDIATELY after his death.
Let me repeat:
2 Cor. 5:10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.