2 Corinthians 5:1-10--Our Heavenly Dwelling

2 Corinthians 5:1-10
English Standard Version

Our Heavenly Dwelling
5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

​6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all 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.

---

And here is the hope that Paul has been referring to--the thing that has helped him endure all the trials, infirmities, beatings, torture, and other suffering and anguish.  His eyes are set on a kingdom not of this world in which his home and citizenship lie.  For this body that we live in here and now in this world is a temporary dwelling place like a tent that is meant for sojourners, but we look forward to a permanent dwelling place in the place called heaven where we will dwell God.

Our body is but clothing for our soul in the world, and we don't groan that we would be striped of our "clothing" and be naked (a disembodied spirit), but that we would receive a new and better type of clothing (a new heavenly body) so that we would be fit for the new kingdom of the new heavens and the new earth, for this body is made for this world, but God is preparing us to live with Him forever in heaven and we must have a heavenly body made like Christ's so that we may dwell with him in that place (possibly fair to say that "dimension").  The Holy Spirit that is even now sealing us to deliver us to Christ as His Bride on that Day is not only our guarantee as Paul says here, but He is the one changing us into the very likeness of Christ.

In the here and now we are present in the body and absent from the Lord, and while that makes us sad, we can be of good cheer and good courage that one day we will be absent from the body and present with the Lord.  While we may long for that now, it will all happen in God's timing, either by way of our death or by way of something we'll talk about later when we talk about the second coming of Christ is in what many call the Rapture (the Greek word has to do with "harpooning," but it means to be "snatched up" or "caught up."  We use the word today to talk about being caught up in our emotions, but we will be "caught up in the air"--1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Whether we are in this body or the new body that will be provided for us, our goal should be the same--the please Him in all that we are and all that we do.  This was said to directly combat an idea still strong among the Corinthians that they could do whatever they wanted in and to this body of flesh because it would die and not be the body we would have eternally, so they would give themselves over to the lusts and passions of this body--gluttony, drunkenness, and all kinds of sexual immorality, just to name a few things.  Paul puts a stop to that and reminds them that we are to honor God with our bodies and to act in a way that is pleasing to Him, just as he told them in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20.  The Corinthians, like us, seemed to need to hear some truths over and over again, and sometimes presented in different ways.  While Paul could have had a harsh tone with them to say "I already explained this to you before, and you still don't get it," he was kind and said it to them in a way that was part of his encouragement and as if he had never said it to them before.  However, Paul does include this reminder and warning that we will all stand in judgment one day before God and everyone will be receive his due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.  Not only this, but we know that Jesus said we would be judged for every careless word and every thought and intention of our hearts.  That is why all of us need to be made new, and, oh, do I look forward to that day!