2 Cor. 5:1-10

Previously Paul said that his weak, earthly body (4:7) did not discourage him because he maintained an eternal focus (4:18).  In this passage he goes into more detail that we might know how God works through this eternal perspective.

The passage begins with something we know (v1).  The earthly body is like a tent.  It is temporary and subject to destruction.  We also know that the heavenly body is like a building suggesting something permanent.  It is eternal, not made with human hands.  It is a heavenly home.

Then we are reminded about how we feel (v2-4).  We groan in this body. This is not complaining nor is it a sin.  It is simply the response of God’s creation in a sin-impacted world.  The groaning leads to a deep desire, not to be without a body but to have one that does not leave us groaning.  In this life we see that our lives are being swallowed up by death.  Eventually it will completely consume us.  But we long for a body where death will be consumed by life.

What does this mean?  Perhaps you have heard the phrase applied to someone, He is too heavenly minded to be any earthly good.  That certainly cannot be applied to Paul or to the believer who follows God’s word. 

The heavenly body we anticipate is provided by God (v1,5).  We are confident that God will be true to His promise to provide us with this heavenly home because He has given the indwelling Holy Spirit as the earnest or guarantee (v5).  As believers in Christ we are confident that during this time on earth we are absent from the Lord (v6); we know this by faith (v7).  We are also confident that when we leave this body (at the time of death) we will then be present with the Lord (v8).  Our time for serving Him on earth will be over; our time of enjoying His presence for eternity will begin.

In vs. 6 & 8 Paul speaks of confidence.  This is our hope, not in the sense, I hope there’s a heaven with all it’s joys.  It is a confident hope.  We live our lives on earth in light of the certainty of what faith in God tells us about heaven.

All of this then impacts our lifestyle and ministry here on earth (vs. 9-11). 

·        This confidence leaves us with one goal in life: to be pleasing or acceptable to God.  (Cf. Rom. 12:1,2 and Heb 13:21 on being acceptable to God.)

·        Further this confidence reminds us that we will be in God’s presence at which time we will give an account to Christ for what has been done in this life, whether it has been useful or not.

·        Finally, this confidence encouraged Paul to serve with vigor, not just telling men of Christ but persuading them about Christ.  Not only did he want a well done from Christ; he desired that those who heard the gospel through him have the same.

What we do on this earth is important; we will give an account.  On the other hand there is comfort and motivation in this eternal perspective.  Do you have this hope?  Is it real to you?