Paul has been speaking about suffering and affliction. Last week, we spoke about how Paul was like the ant or bug that just wouldn’t give up no matter how hard you press it against the wall or the table. Paul writes in 2 Cor 4:8 that he was afflicted in every way, but never crushed. After, Paul spoke about how he suffers for the sake of the Corinthians, for them to know the gospel/ We discussed about how Paul’s priority is in speaking the gospel (2 Cor 4: 13) so that God’s grace extends, and that in turn increases thanksgiving to God’s glory.
Paul concludes in 2 Cor 4:16 that Christians do not lose heart amidst suffering, even in intense suffering like his. And we ended by talking about the how even as our outer selves are wasting away, our inner selves are being renewed day by day. This happens as we look to things unseen and eternal as we suffer, knowing that our suffering (described as light and momentary) is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory.
What are these unseen things and how can we be like Paul? Today’s passage is a continuation of Paul’s arguments.
(A) Groaning in a Tent with a Building Guaranteed (2 Cor 5:1-5)
In light of looking to unseen and eternal things, Paul turns his attention to speaking about tents. In 2 Cor 5:1, Paul speaks of our earthly homes and mortal bodies as tents.This is the same as what we’ve been speaking about last week when referring to “outer self”. If this earthly body of ours is destroyed we are dead and it marks the end of our physical life as we know it. What do we have from God should the tent be destroyed? We have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens
A tent is a temporary shelter, it is shaky, it is flimsy, easily destroyed. If you have been in a tent before, you know that it is uncomfortable. Water comes in, bugs come in, you are not protected from the elements. We are not talking about glamping here, which you can apparently do now at Jewel where you wake up in an air-conditioned forest and a man-made waterfall.
A house or building though, is stable, solid and protects you from the elements. One of the things I love doing is looking out to the heavy rain through the window while standing inside. You feel so protected and safe from the rain when it is raging outside. This is what a building or house is.
This house we are told is in the heavens and eternal. This building/house that Paul is referring to is the resurrection body that believers will receive on the last day.
Earlier in 2 Cor 4:14, Paul has already mentioned his hope in the resurrection of believers. He says that God who raised Jesus will also raise us and bring us into his presence. In 1 Thess 4:13-18, Paul tells us that since Jesus died and rose again, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep (1 Thess 4:14). Those alive in at the second coming of Jesus will not precede those who have fallen asleep (1 Thess 4:15). The dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thess 4:16b), then those alive will be caught up together in the clouds to meet Jesus at his second coming.
SImilarly, in 1 Cor 15:20-23, Paul calls Christ the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, the firstfruits of a harvest to come (1 Cor 15:20). As by a man came death, by a man has comes also the resurrection of the dead (1 Cor 15: 21-22). Those who belong to Christ will be raised at his 2nd coming (1 Cor 15:23). Heaven is not a dreamy place where we float around as spirits. The Bible is clear in its teaching that Christians will have resurrection bodies, and be in God’s presence forever when Jesus comes again. We are not meant to be non-material, disembodied souls floating around in heaven. We will have physical bodies like Jesus’! We are not meant to just be souls floating around.
As Phil 3:21 details, we are waiting for Christ to come and transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body. Christians look forward to the redemption of our bodies! Here, Paul says that even if our bodies were completely destroyed, even if we die, God has promised us buildings, resurrection bodies that are eternal and never to waste away. This is the hope that the Bible gives to those of us who are suffering in our imperfect physical bodies, one day, we will receive perfect bodies. We know that every ailment we suffer from now, whether it is a broken bone, or a sore back, we can look forward to God’s redemption of our bodies.
What do we do when we are in this tent? We groan and are being burdened while we are in this tent (2 Cor 5:2a, 4a). Paul then switches metaphors and speaks of our resurrection bodies as putting on clothing.
We are longing to put on our heavenly dwelling (2 Cor 5:2b). Paul goes on to say that by putting it on, we might not be found naked or unclothed (2 Cor 5:3,4b). This is likely referring to the intermediate state in which the spirits of believers are with God, but before receiving their resurrection bodies. Paul is not looking forward to becoming a spirit without a body, a bodiless soul. But that he will be further clothed so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Instead, Paul is hoping for Christ to come again without him dying, so that perfect resurrection life can swallow up his mortal life.
Rom 8:22-23 reminds us that the whole creation has been groaning together in pains of childbirth. Even Christians who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, are groaning inwardly and waiting eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. We are reminded that we live in a world that is not what it is meant to be, it is broken. When I think of groaning, I think of having an uncomfortable stomach. You know how you just curl up in bed, and you groan, longing for the pain or discomfort to go away. However, this groaning is even more intense as Romans 8 describes it as in the pains of childbirth, much more painful and intense than a stomachache. It is a sharp, intense pain that we can’t wait for to be over. In the same way, Christians groan, and cannot wait to be reunited with Christ at his coming
How are you groaning today? Do you at times find this broken world unbearable or are you perfectly comfortable with this world? If you are groaning, what are you groaning about? When we groan, what are we looking forward to? Many of us could be looking forward and praying for God to change our circumstances, to help us get the things we want. But here Paul describes a groaning that causes him to long and hope for new heavenly bodies. He hopes not just for his current circumstances to be over or to be delivered, but much more, he longs for his weak mortal body to be swallowed up by eternal life with Christ. May God also grant us desires like Paul’s, to yearn for God’s restoration of creation, and for our perfect resurrection bodies
What will our resurrection bodies look like? Paul describes it for us in 1 Cor 15:50-58? 1 Cor 15:57 teaches us that this is given, hence it is grace. It is God who gives us this victory over death through Jesus Christ. The final enemy that mankind has not solved is defeated (1 Cor 15:54-55). This is salvation for us, when death is swallowed up. Most of us are young and think that we can plan for our earthly bodies. We watch our weight and eat healthily. We buy health insurance and think we’ve got our tent covered. But Paul is not looking for these earthly, temporary protection. He is looking for something greater and better, something that is eternal and imperishable. All believers will be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:51-52). It is imperishable, immortal (1 Cor 15:52-53), and death is defeated. In light of these, Paul calls us to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).
Do you see what God has achieved for us by the death and resurrection of Christ? God has defeated death for all who would trust in him for salvation. Christians can look at death and not be afraid because we have a saviour who has redeemed us. If you are not yet a Christian today, thank you for joining us today, we hope that in reading this, you will share in the assurance and hope that Paul is speaking about. Speak to your friend who got you to tune into tonight’s session, ask him or her how you can receive this victory over death through Christ
God is the one who has prepared us for this, for perfect resurrection bodies (c.f. 2 Cor 5:5). The NIV Bible reads, “God is the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose”. We can be confident because God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee, a down payment, a deposit.
Eph 1:13-14 tells us that God sealed us with the promised Holy Spirit (to protect and preserve Christians) who is the guarantee/down payment of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit is God’s guarantee to help us remain faithful to himself, to reveal to us God’s salvation in Christ (c.f. 1 Cor 2:9-10).
Our God is not like a flaky person in a transaction, he is not about to back out on a deal. He has promised to give us a building, a resurrection body. Anybody who has bought something big like a house or a car, or anything expensive will know that you need to put on a down payment. The crazy thing here is that, not only is God the one who prepares for us a heavenly building, he so wants us to have it, he gives us a down payment to prove to us that he is serious about giving this to us. Can you imagine that? God is the property developer who will pay you the down payment to give you the house, or the car salesman who will give you the down payment so that you can drive off in a car. This is how amazing God’s grace is in Christ. He prepares for us eternal life, and assures us with the Spirit.
(B) Walking Confidently by Faith to Please the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-10)
Paul concludes that we are always of good courage and confident, and are people that do not lose heart (c.f. 2 Cor 4:16). Paul repeats this twice in 2 Cor 5:6 and 2 Cor 5:8, almost as if he is reminding himself of the same truth as he is writing this letter.
Paul’s preference is seen in 2 Cor 5:8, where he says that he rather be away from the body, and home with the Lord. When believers die, their spirit/soul goes to be with Christ. In Luke 23:43, Jesus tells one of the criminals beside him that “today you will be with me in Paradise”. We will be in Jesus’ presence once we die, but the fullness of God’s restoration and renewal comes when Jesus comes again, and gives us perfect resurrection bodies. Paul knows that as he is here in this body/mortal flesh, he is away from Christ
How does he know this truth and be of good courage? He walks by faith, and not by sight. This idea of walking by faith, and not by sight is probably one of the most quoted encouragements from the Bible. Many of us take this to be telling us to believe the unbelievable and to hope and trust that God will give you the outcome that you want. We think that if you just have enough faith/keep hoping, things will turn out for the better and we are to leap into the unknown without evidence.
But in this context, it doesn’t seem to be a phrase to shout out confidently. Instead it seems to be something we whisper to our hearts. It calls us to live life based on confident trust in God’s promises, even when we cannot see it yet. We are to remember the faithfulness and reliability of God. It is to believe that Christ has really defeated sin and death on the cross, and to look at unseen and eternal things rather than seen and transient things (c.f. 2 Cor 4:18). We walk (live) by God sure promises, rather than by what we see around us. None of what we see is able to give us full satisfaction and hope. It is to live our lives based on God’s promises more than our circumstances. What looks attractive and enjoyable to us today is not what will fill us completely.
Our ultimate hope is the new resurrection body that we will get!
How can we help one another walk by faith, and not by sight? Are our conversations with our Christian brothers and sisters encouraging to one another to hold onto the hope that God has given us despite the circumstances? When we meet, are we more concerned with building our tents rather than to encourage each other to walk by faith? It is not about worldly know-how but about God’s promises. This is also why it is so important to spend time with older saints who are clinging on to faith even when their bodies are different from what we consider to be ideal. When we spend time with those whose bodies are wasting away, we can take heart that in Christ, that is not their final form. One day they will have a far better body, a new body.
Paul writes in Phil 1:21-24 that for him, to live is Christ (serving Christ), and to die is gain. His “desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account” (Phil 1:23-24). What are we alive here for? Are we here to make our temporary tent better? Do we love this world so much that we would rather be here?What are we busying ourselves with while we are here? Can we say with Paul that to live is Christ, and to die is gain? Would we use our lives for God’s gospel to go out? That we might say with Paul that to be alive is more necessary because of our mission.
Despite his personal preference, we see that whether at home or away, Paul aims to please Christ (2 Cor 5:9-10). His entire life is based on this.
This also means it is possible to live in a manner that displeases God. How are we living our lives? What are we living for? Are we living to please ourselves or our parents, our spouses, our friends, or most probably ourselves? Our money is used to only enjoy ourselves, our prayers are only for ourselves, our time is only for people we like or are familiar with, etc. Paul lives to please Christ alone with his life. All that Paul does, he wouldn’t be ashamed if Christ was standing right in front of him and staring at him.
Why lead Christ-pleasing lives at all? He says this because all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ. So that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. We often think of Christ as our dear friend, but Christ is the one on the judgment seat here, so that all will receive what is due their deeds. This means that what we do with our lives here will have eternal consequences. What we do today has eternal consequences! YOLO is not true here in the Bible.
At this point, it is important for us to consider two ways we can consider this verse:
(a) Paul is speaking about the matter of salvation, and the deeds of this life will provide demonstrative evidence for true faith in Christ.
The deeds are not the basis of salvation but it is a demonstration of the genuineness of one’s faith. The Bible is clear in teaching that salvation is not by works but a gift from God. Eph 2:8-9 tells us that we have been saved by grace through faith, and salvation is a gift of God, so that no one may boast. Rom 6:23 tells us that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. However, faith without works is dead (James 2:26). 1 Thess 1:3 and 2 Thess 1:11 mentions a “work of faith”, and it is work that flows out of faith, work inspired by faith. It is obedience that comes from walking by faith, an exercise of faith in obedience.
Heb 11:6 also tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Hence, our works do not save us, nor makes God indebted to save us. Salvation is a gift from God, but our deeds show/prove that we have true faith.
(b) Paul is speaking about the measure of reward that Christians will receive in the age to come.
In Matt 6:20, Jesus teaches us to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. Hence it is possible for us to lay up treasures in heaven in this life. Our deeds here correspond to our treasure in heaven. It matters for eternity!
Eph 6:8 tells us that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord. Again, there is a correlation of deeds and rewards for the Christian. Lastly, in Luke 19:12-27, Jesus tells a parable of the ten minas. He compares his going to heaven and returning with a nobleman who gives 10 minas to 10 of his servants. He rewards the servants based on what they did with their mina
Both of these are true for the Christian: we have salvation as a gift, and yet, our deeds right now have eternal consequences. The one who works in faith will be rewarded. The works that will be rewarded are the works that come from faith. As we live lives that are pleasing to God, we show our faith, and God promises to reward us for the deeds we have done.
We started out today discussing about God’s promised building for us if our earthly bodies are destroyed. He guarantees this by sending the Holy Spirit to witness this into our hearts. This gives believers the confidence to live faithful and self-sacrificial lives that please God. Not that works will save us, but that we might prove to be genuine in our faith and be rewarded before Christ’s judgment seat.