Scripture tells us the dead are with Christ.It tells me that the dead are SLEEPING; awaiting the Last Trump.
1 Thessalonians 4:13
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
Daniel 12:2
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
John 11:12-13
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”
Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Listen, I tell you a mystery:
We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
Ephesians 5:14
This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
Do you believe we have a body, a soul, and a spirit? The body of someone dead for centuries has likely turned to dust. The behavior mechanism, or soul (made up of mind, emotion, and will) is no longer active in a dead person, so it is characterized as ‘asleep’ like when you fall asleep at night and are no longer ‘doing behaviors’. It is however with the alive spirit.
The spirit is with the Lord Christ because that is the part of you which has the Holy Spirit seal of Promise. Since the soul and spirit are inseparable, the soul is with the alive spirit with the Lord Christ. That is what God brings with Jesus, to the Rapture transformation event where the soul/spirit is united to a new fit for eternity body, like Christ has now..