Now We Know That If the Earthly Tent We Live in Is Destroyed, We Have a Building From

II CORINTHIANS

Chapter 5

5:1For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.

For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

5:1-10Paul contrasts our earthly bodies (“earthly tent”) and our future resurrection bodies (“a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands”). Paul clearly states that our present bodies make us groan, but when we die we will not be spirits without bodies (“be found naked”). We will have new bodies that will be perfect for our everlasting life.

Paul wrote as he did because the church at Corinth was in the heart of Greek culture, and many believers had difficulty with the concept of bodily resurrection. Greeks did not believe in a bodily resurrection. Most saw the afterlife as something that happened only to the soul, with the real person imprisoned in a physical body. They believed that at death the soul is released—there is no immortality for the body, and the soul enters an eternal state. But the Bible teaches that the body and soul are not permanently separated.

Paul describes our resurrected bodies in more detail in 1 Cor. 15:46-58. We will still have personalities and recognizable characteristics in our resurrected bodies, but through Christ’s work, our bodies will be better than we can imagine. The Bible does not tell us everything about our resurrected bodies, but we know they will be perfect, without sickness, disease, or pain (see Phil. 3:21; Rev. 21:4).

TODAY IN THE WORD

Yevgeny Meshchersky is a Russian prince living on his family’s estate 35 miles south of Moscow. The problem is that there isn’t much left of the once-stately property. Mr. Meshchersky’s family lost the estate after the revolution of 1917. Worse yet, Communists demolished the palace--built in 1775--to make rubble for building a nearby road. In 1996, Mr. Meshchersky and his family moved back onto the 64-acre property as squatters. Today they are living in the rundown gate house next to the palace’s remains, trying to get the Russian government to recognize their ancestral claim to the estate.

In many ways, the Meshchersky family’s plight is one that all of us share. We’re also living in a rundown building as “squatters.” The estate we’re talking about is our human body, which Paul likens to a worn-out tent that will be taken down and put away at death.

But that’s where the similarity ends between today’s illustration and our text. While Mr. Meshchersky’s estate will probably never be restored to its former glory, as Christians we are going to be part of a glorious “urban renewal” project someday. God is going to clear away the decayed rubble of our earthly bodies and give us a brand new one, what Paul calls our “eternal house in heaven.”

This wonderful transformation will occur when Christ returns and calls us to Himself (1 Thess. 4:13-18). That’s a hope worth looking forward to, even longing for.

Paul’s longing for his new body was obvious. He groaned under the pain and limitations of life in the “tent” of his human body which had been battered by years of suffering and strained by the intensity of his ministry. We learned last week that Paul was willing to stay and minister to those who needed him (see May 3), but his clear preference was to be at home with Christ in heaven (v. 8).

C. H. Spurgeon

Is not this grand courage on the part of the apostle? With all the worldagainst him, and himself “alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake,” helooks at the new body, the new house that God is making for him, and hereckons that, to shuffle off this mortal coil will be no loss to him, since,when he loses the tent in which he lives here, he will go to “a building ofGod, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

In this poor body it is our lot often to groan, but the groan is a hopefulone, for it is a birth-pang, and it will bring joy in due time: “For in this wegroan,”

Doctrine of the Last Things:

• Intermediate state
• Resurrection of the body
• Israel’s future
• Judgment and rewards
• Great white throne
• Heaven
• Hell

With God All The Time

If our earthly house . . . is destroyed, we have a building from God, . . . eternal in the heavens. —2 Corinthians 5:1

It was the summer between Melissa's sophomore and junior years of high school. She and her friend Mandy were in Spain on a trip with their Spanish class, and they stayed up one night in their hotel room for a serious discussion. They had just seen a report on the BBC about some teens who had died in an accident, and they started talking about death.

Melissa told Mandy that she could not figure out why Christians were afraid to die. After all, she told her, when a Christian dies, he or she gets to be "with God all the time." What could be better than that? Melissa wondered.

How do I know about this conversation? Mandy shared this story with me and my wife shortly after we lost our precious 17-year-old daughter in a car accident in 2002. We have been comforted by this story, because it reminds us that Melissa knew she was saved, and she was confident that she would spend eternity with her Savior. We just never expected that she would be "with God all the time" so suddenly and so early in her life.

Do you have the assurance that Melissa had, that if you were to die you would be in God's presence forever? (2 Corinthians 5:6-8). Make sure of your salvation today. Then you won't need to be afraid to die.

If you make room for Jesus in your heart,

He will make room for you in heaven.

5:2For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven;

Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling,

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:

C. H. Spurgeon

That is a blessed experience, “always confident.” There are some Christianswho are never confident, and some who are afraid of being confident. Iknow some who, if they see this holy confidence in other Christians, beginto tremble for their eternal safety. Never mind about them, brother, if Godgives you a holy confidence in him, hold fast to it, and do not let it gowhatever anyone may say.

A Better Likeness Soon

C. H. Spurgeon received one day a copy of Andrew Bonar’s Commentary on Leviticus. It so blessed him that he returned it, saying, “Dr. Bonar, please place herein your autograph and your photograph.” The book was returned to him with the following note from Dr. Bonar:

“Dear Spurgeon, here is the book with my autograph and with my photograph. If you had been willing to wait a short season, you could have had a better likeness, for I shall be like Him; I shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).”

5:3inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked.

because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.

If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

Afterlife in Christianity

Fundamental Christians believe in a literal Heaven and Hell. True believers in Christ are admitted into Heaven, and unbelievers are consigned into Hell. Both places are eternal and its inhabitants are non-transferable.

Heaven is a place of eternal bliss, with the Triune God, the angels, and the saints of all ages. Hell is a place of eternal torment, “where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:48).

Liberal Christians, interpreting the Bible more symbolically, believe in life after death but are unclear about an actual, literal place in the hereafter.

5:4For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.

C. H. Spurgeon

Note the ground of the apostle’s confidence. He is quite sure that,inasmuch as Christ rose from the dead, so all his followers must; andthough they die in the Lord’s service, yet shall they not be losers thereby,but they shall the more speedily ascend to their reward. “We are alwaysconfident,

“At The Last Trump”

Roman armies are summoned to march by three trumpet blasts. The first blast means “be prepared,” and soldiers would quickly pull up tents, hitch the horses and get ready. The second blast means “formation,” and soldiers would immediately fall into line. At the third or final blast, the Roman army starts marching. When heaven’s last blast sounds, Christian will start going up. (1Cor. 15:52)

5:5Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.

Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

5:5The Holy Spirit within us is our guarantee that God will give us everlasting bodies at the resurrection (2 Cor. 1:22). We have eternity in us now! This truth should give us great courage and patience to endure anything we might experience.

PLEDGE Something given as down payment on a debt. The Old Testament regulated this practice. An outer garment given in pledge was to be returned before night since it was the only protection the poor had from the cold (Exodus 22:26; Deut. 24:12-13). One was not permitted to take as a pledge what was required for someone to earn a living (Deut. 24:6). Creditors were prohibited from entering a house to seize a pledge (Deut. 24:10). Job denounced abuses in the taking of pledges from family (Job 22:6), from orphans and widows (Job 24:3), as well as the practice of taking children as pledges (Job 24:9). Ezekial warned repeatedly against failing to restore pledges. Amos rebuked those who coupled idolatry with holding garments in pledge (Amos 2:8).

5:6Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:

5:6-8Paul was not afraid to die, because he was confident of spending eternity with Christ. Of course, facing the unknown may cause us anxiety, and leaving loved ones hurts deeply, but if we believe in Jesus Christ, we can share Paul’s hope and confidence of eternal life with Christ.

C. H. Spurgeon

To be well-pleasing to God everywhere, in everything that we do, shouldbe the one aim of a Christian, whether he is in the body or out of the body.

BODY, BODIES

• How we pollute ours.
• Jesus came to save our bodies too.
• Jesus’ resurrection body.
• Illustrates unity among believers.
• Body and soul inseparably related.
• Spiritually they belong to God.
• Physically they belong to spouse.
• What our resurrection bodies will be like.

C. H. Spurgeon

That is our main business; whether we live or whether we die is of noconsequence at all, but to be accepted of Christ, so to live is to be wellpleasing to God. Be this our heavenly ambition, and may the Holy Spiritgraciously enable us to attain to it!

5:7for we walk by faith, not by sight--

We live by faith, not by sight.

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Exercising Faith

Thomas Manton said that while all things are quiet and comfortable, we live by sense rather than faith. But the worth of a soldier is never known in times of peace. It is always a challenge to stay focused properly through a difficult trial. Even with the promise of lessons learned and rewards realized, the certainty of these benefits can seem more theoretical than real. But we can have a much greater confidence in the reality of all these things if we simply remember the words of today’s verse.

One of God’s purposes in trials is to give us greater strength. As you go through one trial, your spiritual muscles (faith) are exercised and strengthened for the next one. That means you can face greater foes and endure greater obstacles, thus becoming more useful to the Lord. And the more useful you are, the more you will accomplish His will in the power of His Spirit for His glory.

C.H. Spurgeon

Those who walk by sight walk alone. Walking by sight is just this: “I believe in myself,” whereas walking by faith is, “I believe in God.”

Eyes Of Faith

We walk by faith, not by sight. --2 Corinthians 5:7

God sometimes answers our prayers in marvelous ways, but He does not want us to become preoccupied with the miraculous. That's why Jesus gently rebuked the nobleman who begged Him to come and heal his son (John 4:48). But in response to the father's repeated appeal He said, "Go your way, your son lives" (v.50). The father came to "believe" on the basis of Jesus' word alone. The reality of his faith is seen in the fact that he obeyed Christ's simple command and "he went his way."

Upon returning home, the nobleman discovered that his son had been healed "at the seventh hour" on the previous day. From his servants he learned exactly what had taken place and when. His son was made well at the same instant that Jesus said, "Your son lives" (vv.50-53).

At times we are amazed by God's perfect timing and miraculous intervention when He answers our prayers. We must be careful, though, not to become so preoccupied with the miracle that we forget the One who performed it. We need to remain focused on Christ, whether a miracle takes place or not.

Sooner or later we will be called upon to trust God as we endure sickness, grief, or disappointment. That's when "we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7).

Believing is seeing

what our eyes cannot see

Lame to Walk:

• Walk in newness of life
• Walk by faith
• Walk in the Spirit
• Walk in love
• Walk in wisdom
• Walk in the truth
• Walk after His commands

John MacArthur Jr.

Today’s verse refers to the walk of becoming more like Christ. It takes place when we live by faith. When we judge everything by what we see, however, we will have difficulty growing.

Remember the twelve spies Israel sent into Canaan (Num. 13)? Ten came back and said they felt like grasshoppers in a land of giants. Those ten walked by sight. But Joshua and Caleb had faith, knowing that God was on their side. Ten didn’t think God could handle the circumstances, but two knew He is bigger than any situation.

Do you live by faith? If you want to grow spiritually, believe God’s Word and trust Him in every situation.

Seven Traits of Faith:

• Basis
• Life
• Protection
• Business
• Object
• Power
• Prayer

By Faith Not Sight

Sometimes I’m sad, I know not why

My heart is sore distressed;

It seems the burdens of this world

Have settled on my heart.

And yet I know... I know that God

Who doeth all things right

Will lead me thus to understand

To walk by FAITH...not SIGHT.

And though I may not see the way

He’s planned for me to go,

The way seems dark to me just

But oh, I’m sure He knows!

Today He guides my feeble step

Tomorrow’s in His right...

He has asked me to never fear...

But walk by FAITH...not SIGHT.

Some day the mists will roll away,

The sun will shine again.

I’ll see the beauty in the flowers,

I’ll hear the bird’s refrain,

And then I’ll know my Father’s hand

Has led the way to light

Because I placed my hand in His

And walked by FAITH...not SIGHT.

5:8we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with theLord.

5:8For those who believe in Christ, death is only a prelude to eternal life with God. We will continue to live. Let this hope give you confidence and inspire you to faithful service.