The Spirits of Just Men Longing to be clothed with their Heavenly House

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. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Let us note what is taught in these eleven verses:

1.  “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.” Our present bodies will one day be replaced by a new body that will

never wear out.

2.  “Not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” Our present life is mortal, not immortal. Immortality, or eternal life, is given to us after we die. God’s provision for eternity is not a spirit without a body, but a body that will clothe the spirit and live eternally. But is a body different from the old one. 1 Corinthians 15; Philippians 3:20-21 and 1 John 3:2 give more details.

3.  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Our present lives in this world are driven by a vision of unseen realities.

4.  “Yes, we are of good courage.” We face death with courage because of God’s promises.

5.  “We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” When our spirits leave our bodies at death, we still have a home – a heavenly home with the Lord. Jesus promised it, John 14:1-3, and here Paul refreshes our memories.

6.  “We make it our aim to please him.” This should always be our goal if we are to inherit God’s promises in Christ.

7.  “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.” At the same time that we receive our new bodies, we face the final judgment. When we live a life on earth that s pleasing to God, we can face the judgment with confidence.

8.  “He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.” God has given us the Holy Spirit at our conversion as a guarantee of the future resurrected body and eternal life.

9.  We don’t have to prove this by doing miracles or feeling something extraordinary. It’s just a fact that God has given the Spirit for a purpose - assuring us that we belong to Him, and will inherit eternal life in a new body.

10.   2 Cor 5 is emphasising the life we will have in our new bodies. It is not speaking of life immediately after death in our spirits, although it is possible that this life is also implied, as when Paul said in another letter:

     It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always, Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labour for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ … “ Philippians 1:20-23

When Jesus said: “Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die,” John 11:25, I find it hard to believe that the believer will experience non-life or unconscious existence between death and the resurrection.

As well, in Jesus’ teaching of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham says to the rich man in Hades, “Now Lazarus is being comforted here.” Luke 16:25. It is clear that Abraham, the rich man and Lazarus are very conscious!! The rich man is screaming in agony and talking, while Lazarus is in comfort. It’s hardly likely that the “gain” in dying, that Paul referred to in Philippians 1:21, and “being comforted here” at death, would only be unconsciousness!

The thief on the cross looked forward to being with Christ the day he died. Luke 23:42-43. Why not today’s saints??

It is clear that the ungodly are conscious. 2 Peter 2:9, why not the godly? Think it through. The spirits of saints never die. We have come to “ … the spirits of the righteous made perfect.” Hebrews 12:23.

 

“Those who have fallen asleep in Jesus” await their resurrection bodies at Jesus’ return. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

"It is the clear teaching of Christ that the souls of the faithful who have departed this life are sustained before the face of God in anticipation of the final joy of the resurrection." (Wording in a Study Bible)

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”  John 6:53-58

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be

complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. Revelation 6:9-11

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ … 42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:12-23,42-44.

 

On the day the Lord gives you relief from your suffering and turmoil and from the harsh labour forced on you,

4 you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

How the oppressor has come to an end!

    How his fury has ended!

5 The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked,

    the scepter of the rulers,

6 which in anger struck down peoples

    with unceasing blows,

and in fury subdued nations

    with relentless aggression.

7 All the lands are at rest and at peace;

    they break into singing.

8 Even the junipers and the cedars of Lebanon

    gloat over you and say,

“Now that you have been laid low,

    no one comes to cut us down.”

9 The realm of the dead below is all astir

    to meet you at your coming;

it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—

    all those who were leaders in the world;

it makes them rise from their thrones—

    all those who were kings over the nations.

10 They will all respond, they will say to you,

“You also have become weak, as we are;

    you have become like us.”

11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,

    along with the noise of your harps;

maggots are spread out beneath you

    and worms cover you.

12 How you have fallen from heaven,

    morning star, son of the dawn!

You have been cast down to the earth,

    you who once laid low the nations!

13 You said in your heart,

    “I will ascend to the heavens;

I will raise my throne

    above the stars of God;

I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,

    on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;

    I will make myself like the Most High.”

15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead,

    to the depths of the pit.

16 Those who see you stare at you,

    they ponder your fate:

“Is this the man who shook the earth

    and made kingdoms tremble,

17 the man who made the world a wilderness,

    who overthrew its cities

    and would not let his captives go home?”

  Isaiah 14:3-17

 

 

In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed. Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. Acts 12:18-24

 

As with the King of Babylon, so with Herod: they slaughtered the defenceless and the innocent, and basked in their pomp and vanity while they lived, but at death they descend to ignominy and despair – “kept under punishment till the day of judgment.” 2 Peter 2:9. Many rubbish the word of the true God, but it continues to spread and flourish.

 

David Carr