2 Corinthians 5:1-10 (Part 31) The Believer's Future Hope (Unseen Reality)

Our future: Its assurance (v. 1)

• We know--this sets the tone and tells “why” we know: Greek word oida—knowledge obtained by intuition or revelation

• If –Christ might return before I die

The believer’s hope

• When the believer dies physically, he goes to be with the Lord [spirit and soul] and body [to the grave]—that is not our hope nor is it our comfort

• The hope is glorification—body to the grave and soul and spirit with the Lord [I Thessalonians 4:16-18; 2 Corinthians 5; I Corinthians 15].

The tent metaphor (v. 1)

• Transient

• Fragile

• No foundation

“Of God” (v. 1)—future body: 1) Divine in origin; 2) Eternal in duration; 3) Heavenly in adaptation

Our future: Its anticipation (vv. 2-4)

• “Groan—anything that produces a sigh in unpleasantness

• We groan for glorification (all creation does for that matter)

• What fixes the groan?—our heavenly bodies

• “Clothed”—to put on clothes over something (somewhat like an overcoat)—“clothed over”

• The idea—the resurrected body goes over something

• There is identity with our now bodies and our resurrection bodies—in a definite sense (also I Corinthians 15:42, 43, 53)

• The focus is on the ultimate (glorification)—v. 4

Three states in which we live

1) Present—we are clothed because we have bodies

2) Intermediate—soul and spirit with the Lord—we are unclothed

3) Ultimate—at the return of Christ—clothed upon

Our future: Its assurance (v. 5)

• God is the one who will see it all through

• “Earnest”—this word carries the doctrine of eternal security

Our future: Its impact (vv. 6-10)

• “Therefore”—vv. 6, 9

• “We are always confident”—vv. 6, 8

• In v. 8—the corollary to v. 6—v. 8 closes the gap that may be in v. 6

• Note his priority—“willing rather”—the idea of preference

• “Therefore” (v. 9)—this impacts life now

• Present state impacts eternity (v. 10)—“things done in the body”

The judgment seat—v. 10

• Answering to God is inevitable

• It will be thorough

• It will be fair

• It will be general

• It will not involve sin