Obviously you see abiding in Christ to be where HE IS as something that happens when you "go to heaven." (I'm using religious speak here for your understanding)
Read John 14...and the abodes that Jesus says...that where I am, you may be also" Most non-spiritual believers see that as a future after-life abiding...the heavenly mansions and such.
Yes, we are seated in heavenly places right now. We were translated into the kingdom of light when we were born again. And yet at the same time we are also on our way there. Go figure. The carnal mind can't comprehend the yes but not necessarily yet things because they are spiritual.
Christ in us is not just a template or sample.....He is the plumbline and cornerstone of the very foundation. The building rises up FROM AND OUT OF the foundation. Like a tree growing from and out of its roots. You don't discard and dig out the foundation before you start placing stone upon stone and putting in windows and doors and finally a roof, otherwise the building will not stand.
Col 1:26-27
Even
the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory
Rom 5:2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and
rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Eph 1:18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened;
that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Rom 8:23-25
Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly
as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?
But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Col 2:2-12
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
AS ye have therefore
received Christ Jesus the Lord,
so walk ye in him:
(no dividing into two separate Christs here – walking IN Him comes from having received Him IN us)
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Beware lest any man spoil you
(ie plunder your faith and take you captive) through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism,
wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Heb 6:4-6
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and
have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
What I see in these passages is that in this life we get to taste of heavenly things, and the Lord blesses our coming in and going out meanwhile, but we don’t generally stay there (until/unless the Lord takes us permanently to the heavenly realm like He apparently did Enoch and Elijah). Don’t know if this is completely accurate, but I think our frames of flesh cannot “go there” so to speak, so the body would have to die if anyone were taken “there” permanently, and literally will die in the rapture when we are permanently taken up…..since we have the scripture passage that teaches this seed body has to die in order for the new body to come. (The flesh cannot inherit.) Even the apostle John wasn’t permanently in the spirit having visions while still alive in this earthly realm. And even Paul confessed he didn’t consider that he had already attained.
Brother, please listen and consider whether it is up to the will of God whether someone is taken up permanently, not the fault of the person if they come in and go out again. It’s the Lord who takes the person up to the heavenly realm for a purpose and it is also He who returns them to the earthly realm again because their time is not yet.