Village Schools of the Bible

A GLORIOUS HOPE WHICH AWAITS US
A study of 2 Corinthians 5:1-8
by Max Frazier, Jr.

"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. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with out heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 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. 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.

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."

In his book, The Last Thing We Talk About, Dr. Joseph Bayly writes these words concerning death:

This frustrates us, especially in a time of scientific breakthrough and exploding knowledge, that we should be able to break out of earth's environment and yet be stopped cold by death's unyielding mystery. Electro- encephalogram may replace mirror held before the mouth, autopsies may become more sophisticated, cosmetic embalming may take the place of pennies on the eyelids and canvas shrouds, but death continues to confront us with its blank wall. Everything changes, death is changeless.

We may postpone it, we may tame its violence, but death is still there waiting for us. Death always waits. The door of the hearse is never closed. Dairy farmer and sales executive live in death's shadow, with Nobel prize winner and prostitute, mother, infant, teen, old man. The hearse stands waiting for the surgeon who transplants a heart as well as the hopeful recipient, for the funeral director as well as the corpse he manipulates. Death spares none."

Assurance of That New Body (Verse 1)

The word "for" connects this verse with what Paul has just cited in the previous verse. What Paul is about to state enhances the eternal, invisible things which he had mentioned in that verse. And, furthermore, Paul states that he knows that what he is about to relate is a fact. He knows it on the basis of his faith in God.

Paul uses two picturesque terms to describe his present body. He first calls it his earthly tent. Our bodies are designed to function well here on earth. God did a remarkable job of building each one of us. But we can't use these bodies in glory. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:50). Our earthly bodies are not designed for glory, so I'll need a new body when I get there.

Paul also describes his present body as being a tabernacle. This is a portable tent which is erected for this life but is taken down at death. A tent is used by someone who doesn't plan to stay long in one place. Paul knew that a person could not live forever. Paul knew that his body would be torn down. Paul just did not know when it would happen, but he was certain of its happening. It might happen at his death, or if Jesus would come sooner, it might happen at the rapture of the church.

Paul knew, however, that the ending of this life did not mean the ending of himself. Paul had a new body waiting for him and he used four terms to describe that new body. First, he described it as a building as opposed to a tent. A tent is temporary and fragile. A building is strong and more permanent. My body is fragile. Bones break. Disease strikes. Hair lines recede. Joints ache. But, thank God that is not the case for my new body. That one will last me for an eternal life.

Secondly, Paul announced that it came from God. Our present bodies, although designed by God and superintended by Him during those days in the womb (Psalm 139:13-16), really came from our parents. Good, bad, or otherwise, we owe who we are to Mom and Dad. Paul is proclaiming that God is the source of the new body which we will receive for all eternity. If God is the giver, it will certainly be a wonderful body.

Thirdly, Paul stated that this body was not made with hands. I believe that Paul is alluding to the statement of Jesus found in Mark 14:58, when Jesus, referring to His own body, said, I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man. Hebrews 9:11 helps us to better understand the meaning of this term, for there we read, When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. So, our new bodies will be totally unlike anything which we have seen or experienced in this world.

Finally, our new bodies will be eternal ones. They will never wear out. They will never have to be serviced by optometrists, chiropractors, dentists, or physicians. Our bodies will never age. Isn't that hard for us to understand? But Paul says it is a reality we all shall experience.

Drive For A New Body (Verses 2-5)

Paul states that he groans to be clothed with this new body. He is like a little child anxiously awaiting for Christmas to arrive. He knows that something exciting is there for him, and he is getting impatient in the waiting. The word "clothed" depicts the idea of putting one piece of clothing on over another which is presently being worn. It would appear from this verse and from verse 4, that Paul wanted to be alive when the Lord returned. (Note: to this present day, only two people have had the privilege of being clothed with their new bodies without dying - Enoch and Elijah). But we do know that when the Lord Jesus comes, this will be the experience for many as their mortal bodies are clothed with the immortal, their perishable bodies with the imperishable.

What Paul is saying is this. We already have in a sense shared in the glory of Christ's resurrection and ascension because of the wondrous transformation which has occurred in our lives through being justified by faith. But, because of this, we long ever more for the payment in full. So we sing with the hymn writer, O to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer, This is my constant longing and prayer. Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures, Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.

Secondly, Paul did not want to be naked when the Lord came. At the rapture, a person will go from one body (a physical one) instantly to another (a glorious one). But the state of the believer who has died is that of nakedness. His old body has decayed and his new body is yet to come. However, this state is not to be feared, in fact, Paul says it is better than the human body, for he writes these words to the Philippians, 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 (Philippians 1:21-24).

Finally, Paul wanted God's provisions. He knew that God would give him a glorious body. How was he so certain of that fact? Because Paul knew that God had prepared us for this. It was God's intention in the Garden for man to have an immortal body. The tree of life was part of His creation. And also, Paul knew that God had given us a pledge for it - the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is a divine guarantee of a new body. Romans 8:11 reads, And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. The Holy Spirit assures us that the same principle of power which effected the resurrection of Christ from the dead is present in us preparing our mortal bodies for its glorification.

Desire For The Lord's Presence (Verses 6-8)

Paul declares that at the present time he is absent from the Lord. Now what exactly does that mean? First of all, it does not mean that Jesus is not with us, for we have His abundant promises to the contrary: And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20). And these are the words of assurance from Paul, I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). So, what does it mean?

In His resurrection body, Jesus is at the right hand of God in glory. We read in Hebrews 1:3 these words, The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful words. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. As long as we are here on earth, we are absent from the bodily presence of the Lord.

Paul's desire is to be present with the Lord. Paul wanted to be home where he belonged. His citizenship was in heaven. His inheritance was in heaven. His Savior was in heaven. There was no attraction on earth so strong that could keep him here. He wrote to the Colossians, Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1). Our eyes are to be focused on the things of eternity, not on the things of this world.

Death. It will impact each one of us if the Lord tarries His coming. But it need not be feared. For when death comes, we are merely absent from this body and at home with the Lord.

In Catherine Marshall's book about her husband, titled A Man Called Peter, she cites the touching story of a young terminally ill son asking his mother what death was like, if it hurt. With tears welling up in her eyes, the mother prayed silently for a moment to ask the Lord for a way to answer him. And the Lord did tell her. Immediately she knew how to explain it to him.

"Kenneth," she said,...."You remember when you were a tiny boy how you used to play so hard all day that when night came you would be too tired even to undress, and you would tumble into mother's bed and fall asleep? That was not your bed...it was not where you belonged.

"And you would only stay there a little while. In the morning, much to your surprise, you would wake up and find yourself in your own bed in your own room. You were there because someone had loved you and taken care of you. Your father had come - with big strong arms - and carried you away.

"Kenneth, death is just like that. We just wake up some morning to find ourselves in the other room - our own room where we belong - because the Lord Jesus loved us."

The lad's shining, trusting face, looking up into hers, told her that the point had gone home and that there would be no more fear...only love and trust in his little heart as he went to meet the Father in Heaven.

He never questioned again. And several weeks later he fell asleep just as she had said.

Friends, what a precious and glorious hope awaits each one of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord: To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Oh, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Return to The Philogian Archive