Jesus Is Coming Again Pt. 9 Absent From Our Body But Present with The Lord.

We are studying the early church to understand how they viewed the coming of Jesus Christ. 

We are simply taking the texts as they come, relative to this beautiful doctrine. The second coming of Jesus Christ is called our blessed hope, and indeed it is.  

In our last post, we looked at 2 Corinthians 5:1-3. We saw how Paul used the Old Testament tabernacle as a way to illustrate what happens when a believer in Christ dies. 

Like the tabernacle being taken apart, and reassembled in a new location, so death is putting away our body of flesh, so that we may be clothed by a new heavenly body from God. 

All creation groans under the effects of the curse.

2 Corinthians 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

Paul continues to use the picture of the tabernacle, as a metaphor for our physical body. Our body is still under the curse just as Creation is still under the impact of the curse (Genesis 3:16-19). This is why so many things are not right in this world.

Our body is subject to God's laws which govern creation, especially the second law of thermodynamics, or entropy. 

Jehovah knows we are feeble and frail.

Psalm 103:13-16  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. 14)  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. 15)  As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. 16)  For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. 

This law essentially means that all things are in various states of decaying. For example, each new born babe begins the decaying process. 

This is why human life is compared to a morning fog that evaporates in the morning sun (See James 4:14). 

It is compared with wind that blows for a while and then is gone. Or, it is like grass that withers away, or flowers that drop off in the heat of the sun (See 1 Peter 1:24). 

Jehovah has tender pity and compassion for our condition. He made us from dust and knows that on our best days, we are frail creatures, prone to wander. 

Thus, the Psalmist pleads for Jehovah to teach him to number his days, so that he might realize the brevity of life, and use his allotted days wisely (See Psalm 39:4; 90:12). 

Christians look forward to a new body in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:4  For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 

The idea of "groaning" is perpetually sighing with grief, longing for something better to come to us. 

We are burdened or pressed down by our mortality, but we have great hope, knowing that our Father has something far better for us. 

Our desire as we sigh and groan, is for the Lord to give us that new body He has made for us. We will see how this connects to waiting for the coming of Jesus Christ later in this post.

The earnest of God's Spirit is full proof He will keep His Word. 

2 Corinthians 5:5  Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.  

Now, Paul begins to shine the light of gospel hope for us to see. God has numbered our days. He knows all about our struggles, and our eternal high priest, Jesus Christ, is sympathetic to our plight (See Hebrews 4:14-16).

He has given each believer the "earnest" of His Holy Spirit. This is a real estate transaction term. 

When a potential home buyer is serious about making a purchase offer to the seller, he will make a deposit of funds, called earnest money. 

The earnest money is a down payment to prove to the seller, that the offer to purchase the home is sincere and that the buyer has funding to buy the home. 

God's Spirit is the earnest just like the money given by a purchaser as a pledge for the full payment of the sum promised. 

The Holy Spirit is given to each believer as a first installment to assure him he will receive his full inheritance as a son of God  (Ephesians 1:13-14). 

The Holy Spirit is the pledge of the fulfillment of “all the promises” (See 2Corinthians 1:20).

God gives us His own Spirit to indwell us, as a down payment, or earnest money, to show us that He will make good on His promise to take us to heaven, and give us new bodies (Philippians 3:21). 

Remember, the word "redemption" means to be bought back from the slave market of sin. God redeemed us for Himself through the precious blood of Jesus Christ (See 1 Peter 1:18-25). 

While we live here, we are absent from our heavenly home. 

2 Corinthians 5:6-8  Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7)  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8)  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Since our future inheritance is secure and guaranteed by God's Spirit, we have hope and full confidence that God will keep His promises.

We are always full of courage because we know where our help lies. Possessing the earnest of the Spirit, we have full assurance of hope. 

Thus, believers persevere in this life, knowing that we will one day exit this world, and be taken to heaven. 

Paul tells us that as long as we live on earth, we are "at home" in our body, we are  absent from the Lord. 

The original words in this sentence are very emphatic and mean to dwell among one’s own people as a sojourner among a strange people. 

Heaven is the home of every Christian, and yet, while here below, our body is the proper home for our soul. 

However, our soul is made for eternal glory which is in heaven. This is why our soul is considered to be absent from the Lord as long as we live on earth.  

Jesus removed the sting of death, for now, each believer in Christ who dies, is transported to heaven, to their final, glorious destination with God.  Absent from our body through death, means we are at home with our Lord in heaven.

In this earthly pilgrimage, we walk by faith. Faith in Gods Word, God's promises and God's Son, Jesus Christ. When we arrive in heaven, our faith shall be made sight and we will see Jesus as He is (See 1 John 3:2).

Jesus will come again and judge what we have done for Him.

2 Corinthians 5:9  Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 

Paul reminds us that Christians must remain true to our mission, by engaging in Great Commission work (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is going to pass judgment upon our work and service for Him. 

While we live on earth, we have opportunities to serve and love God and our neighbors as God commands us to. We hope to hear our Lord say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

We will appear at Christ's judgment seat, not for judgment of our sins, but for rewards or loss of rewards. 

It matters to God how each believer lives. Our goal should be to make choices that honor God's Word and glorify Him.

2 Corinthians 5:10  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 

This text connects to Paul's first letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 3:9-15). Thus, Jesus Christ must come to the earth, and gather all believers, living and dead, at the rapture of the church, which also coincides with the resurrection of life. 

His reward of grace is proportioned to “the things done,” etc. ( See 2 Corinthians 9:6-9; 2 John1:8). 

Salvation is of grace purely, independent of works, yet the saved may have a greater or less reward, according as each lives and labors for Christ.  

There shall be a searching judgment of our respective deeds, the motive of our deeds being taken into account. 

External acts, like those of the Pharisees will be rejected, but all that a Christian does by faith and love to God will be  recognized by God as sound and good.

Thoughts to Ponder...

As Christians living in a sin cursed world, are we living for God?

Do we seek to be holy as He is holy?

Do we study His word so that we may be approved by God?

Are we praying without ceasing?

Do we let our gospel light shine before men, that they might glorify God?

Are we setting our affections on things above, rather than on the things of this world?

Do we seek to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ?

Are we being filled by God's Spirit, and walking in the Spirit?

These are just a few of the commands God gave us to live by. This world is getting worse but we are to still be about our Father's business.

I pray that the Spirit of God will have His way in each one of our hearts, so that as long as we live, we will seek God's glory in all that we do.

Bob