Transcript

Divine Clothing

2 Corinthians 5:1-5
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Pastor Randy Smith

As we anticipate several baptisms this morning, I'd like to first take you back to 2 Corinthians. A couple weeks ago we concluded chapter 4 with a profound concluding statement from the apostle Paul. The specific teaching was completely contrary to the world. It's distinctively Christian. It's logical. It's a concept necessary for the one seeking to find true joy and bring honor to God in this world. In verse 18 of chapter 4 we read, "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."

We cast judgment upon unbelievers for their infatuation with the things of this world, but we as Christians oftentimes fare no better. Do we go through our daily business consumed with the eternal or are we predominately engulfed in the temporary, the visible stuff that won't matter in even a hundred years from now? Can we see the unseen? Do we care about the things that really matter? Eternal things like growing in our relationship with the Lord and making an investment in the souls of others - either leading them to Christ or building-up and encouraging the ones that already love Him? God made us for these eternal purposes.

There is one significant part of life that we will all face that has an incredible capacity to get our minds off this world and on to the eternal things of God. What is it?

"There is a preacher of the old school but he speaks as boldly as ever. He is not popular, though the world is his parish and he travels every part of the globe and speaks in every language. He visits the poor, calls upon the rich, preaches to people of every religion and no religion, and the subject of his sermon is always the same. He is an eloquent preacher, often stirring feelings which no other preacher could, and bringing tears to eyes that never weep. His arguments none are able to refute, nor is there any heart that has remained unmoved by the force of his appeals. He shatters life with his message. Most people hate him; everyone fears him. His name? Death. Every tombstone is his pulpit, every newspaper prints his text, and someday every one of you will be his sermon" (author unknown).

Apart from a couple figures in the Bible, no one has been able to escape it. For some of us it may come later than sooner, but the grim reality is that death will certainly come to all of us. In past ages death has been a primary factor to lead people to a relationship with Jesus Christ, to receive the forgiveness of their sins and the hope of heaven. In past ages death has also been a motivator for Christians to lead a God-honoring life, knowing they too will appear before the judgment seat of Christ (5:10). Yet today believers and unbelievers alike skip through this life ignoring death amused and preoccupied and consumed and even anesthetized with the temporary and unsatisfying thrills of this life.

Maybe that's why funerals can be so powerful. They re-center us for a moment on the unavoidable stark reality of death. As we stare at the coffin front and center, we are reminded that the same destiny is also awaiting us.

Death is not a pleasant topic, but death is also a not a topic to dodged with flimsy unbiblical reasoning or a head-in-the-sand denial of its reality. Death puts everything in perspective. That's probably why the brilliant theologian, Jonathan Edwards, resolved, "To think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death" (resolution number 9).

The apostle Paul is doing the same thing here in 2 Corinthians. Let's remember there were no chapter or verse breaks in his original letter. Focus on the eternal (end of chapter 4) - contemplation of his own departure from this life (beginning of chapter 5). So the end of chapter four deals with this incomparable glory of heaven and then in the beginning of chapter 5 Paul deals with his own incorruptible life in heaven. We'll start with verse 1 which is the main point and then we'll cover verses 2-5 which provide support for the main point.

Chapter 5, verse 1: "For 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."

Paul naturally contemplated his death frequently. He couldn't avoid it because his life was daily on the line as a result of his service to Christ in a hostile world. Beloved I want you to think about your own death for a moment. For all people it's the entrance into either an eternity with God or eternity apart from God. Along these lines, ever wonder what your eternal body will look like? Paul spoke with confidence of his home in heaven and also with confidence in the body he and all believers in Christ will receive. I'd like to discuss that with you this morning.

In verse 1 you can see for yourself that Paul compared his present earthly body to a tent. Paul was a tentmaker, so it was a logical metaphor. We all know the purpose of a tent. It's a temporary unit used for housing. Tents are fine for short vacations (though some would disagree and prefer a hotel) or perhaps an emergency, but nobody longs to call a tent their home. Paul knew the reality that tents do not last forever. The same applies likewise to our bodies. One day, they will all be as Paul said, "torn down."

The apostle Peter also taught the same thing when he said, "I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me" (1 Pet. 1:13-14).

Okay, so let's back up a bit and make sure we understand the biblical perspective of death in this regard. When the unbeliever dies, his or her soul immediately departs to a place separated from the love of God. It's a holding tank commonly called Hades to await the final judgment which will result in an eternity in hell when death and Hades will be thrown into the lake of fire. When the believer dies, his or her soul immediately departs to heaven. Jesus made that clear regarding two eternal destinies: "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" (Mt. 25:41). Or John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." Hebrews 9:27, "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment."

So let's stay with the believer. A person in Christ dies. Where do they go? Answer: heaven! When? Answer: immediately! That's clearly taught seven verses later when Paul says in 5:8, "We are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." We die. Our body, the earthy tent, stays here and our soul immediately goes into the blissful presence of Christ.

Now, what about the body? 1 Thessalonians 4 tells us that when the Lord returns "the dead in Christ will rise first" (4:16). It's not their souls. The Scripture says their souls are with the Lord already. It is their bodies. The dead in Christ at that time will get their resurrected bodies. What about those still alive when Christ returns? 1 Thessalonians address that as well. "Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord" (4:17). Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 15 regarding those alive when Christ returns. "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality" (15:51-53).

So die before the return of Christ, soul immediately to heaven as a disembodied spirit awaiting the resurrection of the body (theologians call that the "intermediate state"). Alive when Christ returns, no death, immediate heaven and transformation to the resurrection body. The point is this: When our Lord returns, all His people will receive a glorious, imperishable resurrected body for all eternity or as Paul calls it in 2 Corinthians 5:1, not an "earthly tent," but (in a switch of metaphors) "a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

One more cross reference. Philippians 2:20-21, "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself."

So here is the point where someone says, "So what's the big deal about having a body in heaven? I mean, as long as I am there I could care less about having a body." We can't think that way. Our bodies are not working at their intended capacity because of the fall. Yet that was not God's plan from the beginning. Let's remember that all that He originally created was "very good" (Gen. 1:31). Therefore salvation is a complete recreation of His original creation whereby all things will not only meet but even exceed their original status. Our resurrected body, perfectly equipped for new life in the "new earth where righteousness dwells" (2 Pet. 3:13) will be the crowing jewel of God victory over the curse.

Paul understood this and he makes it clear in verses 2-4 of 2 Corinthians 5. "For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life." He longed for his heavenly body so much he said he groaned to be clothed with his dwelling from heaven.

So what's Paul's perspective on death? It is summed up in Philippians 1:21, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Good - Remain alive on this earth in service to Christ (Phil. 1:22). Better - Die and enter the direct presence with Christ (Phil. 1:23). Best - Remain alive until Christ's return, avoid death and the intermediate state in heaven altogether and be immediately joined with the Lord and a resurrected body. That's eternal perspective thinking going back to 4:18!

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

For what purpose did God prepare us? If we keep it within the context, as Paul said here, it is the longing and groaning for heaven - resurrected bodies in the glorious presence of Christ. Isn't that neat! We are commanded to groan for the eternal and God has hardwired us for that specific capacity. So it stands to reason that if God has built us to groan for the eternal, but if we only groan for the temporal, that we will find ourselves continually dissatisfied.

So God has given us the passion a blessed eternal state. He has even given His promise for a blessed eternal state as well. And to top it off He has also given us the pledge that He will bring all these things about. And what is the pledge? Verse 5 tells us it is the Holy Spirit that takes up permanent residence in our hearts the very moment we receive Christ.

The Greek word in the text for "pledge" is "arrabon." That's the same word used in modern Greek for an engagement ring. We know an engagement ring is a down payment, a promise if you will and a greater fulfillment to come. Though our future in Christ will be "very much better" (Phil. 1:23), we presently have the guarantee of God who has given us the Holy Spirit and is currently taking up full residence in our lives (2 Cor. 1:22).

Paul put a lot of emphasis on the Holy Spirit in this letter. Remember in 3:18 he spoke how the Spirit is transforming us to the image of Christ. He said the same in 4:16 that while "our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day" resurrecting our soul progressively. And here we see that same power, the power which resurrected Jesus Christ, dwelling within us, standing prepared to resurrect our physical bodies as well.

So be encouraged, beloved, that the best is still yet to come. Death is your portal into glory. Lose the false concepts of heaven. If eternity is nothing more than having little wings that can't support your oversized body as you sit on a cloud and play a harp, you can't count me out. Even if heaven is only the best this world has to offer, many can easily lose interest. I mean, after all, how long can you play golf, even if the course has no water hazards or sand traps? Heaven will be the fulfillment of everything our hearts have been built to desire. And having these glorious resurrected bodies perfectly built for eternity is only a glimmer of our great hope. Fix your minds on the things above. Set your hearts on the eternal!